Kelvim Escobar

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**Kelvim Escobar**
Image:Kelvimescobar2.jpg
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — No. 45
Starting pitcher
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
June 29, 1997 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Selected MLB statistics (through October 1, 2006)
Record	83-83
ERA	4.26
WHIP	1.39
Strikeouts	1145
Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (1997-2003)

Kelvim Jose Escobar Bolivar [ess-coe-BAR] (born April 11, 1976 in La Guaira, Venezuela) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2004-present). He bats and throws right handed.

Escobar throws a four-seam 97 MPH fastball, a two-seamer, and a deceptive changeup. He has good command of a wide variety of other pitches, including a lively split-finger, a nasty curve, and a slider that is a mainstay of his huge repertoire.

The normal trend has been to turn a starter into a dominant closer, such as Oakland did with Dennis Eckersley and the Braves with John Smoltz. But Toronto did the opposite. After six seasons of switching Escobar in and out of the bullpen, whether it be starting, holding or closing, the Blue Jays had decided to establish him as a starter in 2003. He had an 8-3 record in 14 starts after the All-Star break, and for the season, he posted a 12-8 record with 159 strikeouts and a 3.92 of ERA in 26 outings. Escobar is second on the Blue Jays all time single season saves list with 38, set in 2001.

Escobar signed as a free agent with Anaheim before the 2004 season. As the second starter in the Angels rotation, Escobar went 11-12, but led his team in ERA (3.93), strikeouts (191, a career high), WHIP (1.29) and innings pitched (208.1, also a career high).

Through the 2004 season, Escobar has compiled a 69-67 record with 935 strikeouts and a 4.45 ERA in 1057.1 innings.

1 Current Contract
2 Facts
3 See also
4 Sources

[edit] Current Contract

3 years, $28.5 million (2007-2009)

  -$1.5 million signing bonus
  -2007: $8.5 million
  -2008: $9 million
  -2009: $9.5 million
  -Signed as an extension to 3 year, $18.75 million contract set to expire following the 2006 season

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Coaching Staff Rotation Bullpen Catchers Infielders Outfielders Disabled List:		Manager: Mike Scioscia • Bench: Ron Roenicke • Pitching: Mike Butcher Hitting: Mickey Hatcher • Bullpen: Orlando Mercado • First Base: Alfredo Griffin Third Base: Dino Ebel John Lackey • Ervin Santana • Joe Saunders • Kelvim Escobar • Jered Weaver Chris Bootcheck • Héctor Carrasco • Brendan Donnelly • Greg Jones Dustin Moseley • Chris Resop • Francisco Rodríguez • Scot Shields • Justin Speier Jeff Mathis • José Molina • Mike Napoli Erick Aybar • Orlando Cabrera • Chone Figgins • Maicer Izturis • Howie Kendrick Dallas McPherson • Kendry Morales • Robb Quinlan Garret Anderson • Darin Erstad • Vladimir Guerrero • Gary Matthews, Jr. • Tommy Murphy Juan Rivera • Reggie Willits Bartolo Colón • Casey Kotchman

[edit] Facts

On August 15, 2001, Escobar combined with fellow Venezuelan pitchers Giovanni Carrara, Omar Daal and Freddy García to win their respective starts: Escobar, of the Blue Jays, over Oakland, 5-2; Carrara, of the Dodgers, facing Montreal, 13-1; Daal, in a Phillies victory over the Brewers, 8-6, and García, of Seattle, against the Red Sox, 6-2. This marked the first time in major league history that four pitchers coming from Venezuela have recorded a winning game in their respective starts in the same day.