R. A. Dickey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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|---|---|
| Seattle Mariners — No. 41 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
| Born: October 29, 1974 | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| April 22, 2001 for the Texas Rangers | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2007) |
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| Win-Loss | 16-19 |
| Earned run average | 5.72 |
| Strikeouts | 171 |
| Teams | |
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Robert Alan "R.A." Dickey (born October 29, 1974 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. He was previously with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Prior to that, Dickey was with the Texas Rangers organization without interruption since being drafted in 1996. In the Majors, Dickey has had limited success as a starting pitcher, and has since made the transition to becoming a knuckleball pitcher.
The start of the 2004 season was thought to be a turning point in Dickey's career, as he managed to compile a 4 - 1 record through his first five starts. This hot streak was short-lived however, and he ended up finishing the season a disappointing 6 - 7 with a 5.61 ERA. [1]
At the beginning of the 2006 season, the Rangers gave Dickey a chance to try out his knuckleball at the major league level by naming him the 5th starter. However, after giving up 6 home runs in his first start on April 6, tying the modern era baseball record with another knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield, he was demoted to the Rangers' Triple-A minor league affiliate, the Oklahoma Redhawks. On January 13, 2007, he signed a minor league deal with the Brewers and spent the 2007 season with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. After finishing the season with a 12-6 record and a 3.80 ERA, Dickey was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year.
Dickey became a minor league free agent after the season. On November 28, 2007, he signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins that included an invitation to spring training, but was claimed in the Rule 5 draft by the Seattle Mariners on December 6, 2007.
On March 29, 2008, the Mariners traded catcher Jair Fernandez to the Twins to retain the rights for Dickey and optioned him to Triple-A Tacoma afterwards.
Dickey lacks the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm, which is the one replaced during Tommy John Surgery.
[edit] References
- "R.A. Dickey Named PCL Pitcher-of-the-Year." Nashville Sounds. 29 August 2007. 22 September 2007.
- "Elusive Knuckleball Gives Pitcher Chance at Majors" NPR. February 28 2008.
[edit] External links
- Alan Schwarz, "New Twist Keeps Dickey’s Career Afloat", New York Times, February 27, 2008 [1]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
- Minor League Splits and Situational Stats
