Chris Welsh

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Chris Welsh
Pitcher
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 12, 1981
for the San Diego Padres
Final game
October 5, 1986
for the Cincinnati Reds
Career statistics
Record     22-31
ERA     4.45
Strikeouts     192
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Christopher Welsh (born April 14, 1955 in Wilmington, Delaware) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and a current sportscaster for the Cincinnati Reds. He was a left-hander with a career ERA of 4.45 and career win/loss record of 22-31. He graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati and the University of South Florida where he played baseball under coach Robin Roberts, who he often mentions in his commentary.

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[edit] Playing career

Chris Welsh was first drafted by the New York Yankees in the 24th round of the 1976 amateur draft, however he did not sign. In 1977 he was drafted again by the Yankees in the 21st round. He then went on to play for the former Yankees class A organization, the Columbus Clippers. On March 31, 1981 Welsh was involved in a six man trade with Ruppert Jones, Joe Lefebvre, and Tim Lollar to the San Diego Padres for Jerry Mumphrey and John Pacella. With the Padres in 1981, Welsh pitched 123.7 innings while compiling a 6-7 record and a respectable 3.78 ERA. After two years with the Padres, he was purchased by the Montreal Expos. He was then traded on November 7, 1984 to the Texas Rangers for Dave Hostetler. With the Rangers he posted a 2-5 record with an ERA of 4.13. On April 4, 1986 Welsh signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds, and it is with the Reds he ended his Major League playing career.

Welsh was known for an unusual pitching delivery in which he would "straight-arm" the ball; i.e., extend his left arm and pitch the ball sidearm with the arm almost completely straight, with little to no bending of his elbow.

[edit] Broadcasting career

Welsh has been the TV color analyst for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds since 1993 for Fox Sports Net Ohio, teaming with long time sportscaster George Grande to form the longest-running TV broadcasting partnership in team history. He commonly jokes about his playing career being nothing more than mediocre during broadcasts. He is also known as "The Crafty Left-hander".

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