Tanyon Sturtze

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**Tanyon Sturtze**

Los Angeles Dodgers — No. 41
Relief pitcher
Born: October 12, 1970 (1970-10-12) (age 37)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
May 3, 1995 for the Chicago Cubs
Selected MLB statistics (through 2007)
Win-Loss	40-44
Earned run average	5.21
Strikeouts	479
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1995-1996) Texas Rangers (1997) Chicago White Sox (1999-2000) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000-2002) Toronto Blue Jays (2003) New York Yankees (2004-2006) Atlanta Braves (2007)

Tanyon James Sturtze (born October 12, 1970 in Worcester, Massachusetts) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

He attended Quinsigamond Community College and was drafted by the Oakland A's in the 1990 amateur baseball draft. In 1994, he became a Chicago Cubs minor leaguer after rising through the Oakland farm system. He pitched two innings, allowing two runs, with the major league team that year. He spent the next two seasons alternating between the Class AAA Iowa Cubs and the Chicago Cubs, and in 1997, he signed with the Texas Rangers, again alternating between the major and minor league squads. In 1998, he did not play major league ball, and in 1999, he became a member of the Chicago White Sox, becoming a permanent major league reliever. He was dealt to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for Tony Graffanino in the 2000 season, and became a key starter for the perennially last-place Devil Rays. However, the 2002 season was a dismal one for Sturtze; he had a 4-18 record and led the majors in losses (18), earned runs allowed (129), hits allowed (271), walks allowed (89) and batters faced (1008). He was also seventh in innings pitched (224) and games started (33), and third in home runs allowed (33).

In 2003, he joined the Toronto Blue Jays, and in 2004, he joined the New York Yankees, where he became a consistent reliever, helping the Yankees to win the AL East in 2004. He missed most of the 2006 season after having season-ending surgery to repair a slight tear in his right rotator cuff. [1]

He was involved in the infamous Yankees - Red Sox brawl in the 2004 season. He was shown scuffling with Gabe Kapler, Trot Nixon and David Ortiz; he was later shown with a cut above his ear.

On December 3, 2006, Sturtze signed a one year $750,000 contract with the Atlanta Braves. The contract paid him an additional $350,000 if he spent one day on the active 25 man roster.

In March 2007, Sturtze was placed on the 15-day DL, he was transferred to the 60-day DL in May 2007. He was given his unconditional release on August 21. Sturtze was signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training by the Dodgers on December 12, 2007. He has been assigned to the Dodgers Double-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Suns.