FormerUniversity of Central Missouri pitcher Josh Outman became the firstMule baseball player to ever make an opening day Major League rosterlast week, and is scheduled to start for the Oakland Athletics  in their home opener against the Seattle Mariners at 9:05 p.m.CDT.

He became the first Mules pitcher andonly the second UCM baseball player (Morgan Burkhart, Boston RedSox/Kansas City Royals), to play Major League Baseball last season. Thelefty tossed two scoreless innings for the Oakland Athletics againstthe Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Sept. 2, 2008.

Hecompiled a 35-18 record with a 2.99 ERA over 107 Minor Leagueappearances, including 67 starts, and four of his six appearances withOakland came as a starter. Considered a long shot to win a spot in thestarting rotation this spring, Outman secured the No. 5 job with astrong final outing against the Royals in the team’s second-to-last dayin Spring Training, earning the nod for Oakland’s home opener.

A 10th-round pick of the Phillies in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, hewas one of five Mules pitchers drafted in the top 11 rounds of the 2005First Year Player Draft (more pitchers than any other school in thenation that season). He quickly moved up in that organization untillast season when he was involved in a trade for Joe Blanton that senthim to the Oakland A’s farm system.

Afterfour starts at double-A Midland, he was moved up to triple-ASacramento. While there, he posted a 1.76 ERA in five appearances andtwo starts before getting the call up.