Danny Kolb
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Free Agent — No. 41 | |
| Relief Pitcher | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
|---|---|
| June 4, 1999 for the Texas Rangers | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through July 2,2006) |
|
| Saves | 72 |
| Innings pitched | 262.1 |
| Strikeouts | 164 |
| Teams | |
Daniel Lee ("Danny" or "Dan") Kolb (born March 29, 1975 in Sterling, Illinois) is a free agent relief pitcher in Major League Baseball, who most recently played for the Milwaukee Brewers. Kolb has also played with the Texas Rangers (1999-2002) and Atlanta Braves (2005). He bats and throws right handed.
Kolb was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1995 and made his major league with Texas in 1999. He spent that season and the next three being shuttled between the Rangers and their minor league system. Released before the 2003 season, he signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he became the team closer and shined in that role during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, converting 60 of 67 save opportunities, and was selected to the NL All-Star team in 2004.
Before the 2005 season, the Atlanta Braves returned closer John Smoltz to his original starter role to compensate for several losses in their pitching rotation. The Braves traded highly regarded rookie pitcher José Capellán and minor league pitcher Alec Zumwalt to the Brewers for Kolb to replace Smoltz in the bullpen. However, Kolb endured a poor season with the Braves, going 3-8 with a 5.93 ERA while recording only 15 saves before being replaced in the closer role by Chris Reitsma. Because of his struggles, Kolb was consistently booed at Braves' home games and had derogatory websites devoted to him. He admitted following the '05 season that the pressure of replacing a legend like Smoltz played a big part in his ineffectiveness.
At the 2005 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings, Kolb was traded back to Milwaukee in exchange for reliever Wes Obermueller. He signed a one year $2 million deal with the Brewers on January 4, 2006, to serve as a setup man to Derrick Turnbow. He finished the year with a 2-2 record and a 4.84 ERA in 53 games.
He declared free agency on November 1, 2006.
[edit] Facts
- Attended college at Illinois State University
- Is married to his wife, Joy Ann, and they have two daughters, Sidney Lee and Kamryn
- Is a muscle car collector
- He can throw his fastball in the low-to-mid 90s
- He is known mostly for throwing a hard sinking fastball, but has a decent and productive slider as well
[edit] External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Dan Kolb at ESPN.com
