Jeff Bajenaru

Jeffrey Michael Bajenaru (born March 21, 1978 in Pomona, California) is a former MLB baseball pitcher.

Bajenaru began his college career at the Riverside Community College. The Oakland Athletics drafted him in the 13th round after his sophomore season, but he elected not to sign. He parlayed his community college performance into a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma. The Chicago White Sox chose him in the 36th round the next year, but he again returned to school. In 2000, he hit .342 with 11 HR's and 58 RBI. On the mound he was 1-2 with 20 saves (setting a conference and Oklahoma record for season and career) and a 2.62 ERA. He was a 1st Team college All American as a utility player, and was a 1st Team Big 12 Conference selection as an outfielder and 2nd Team Big 12 Conference selection as a relief pitcher. He was projected to be taken between the second and fifth rounds of the 2000 draft by Baseball America, but signed with the White Sox as a non-drafted free agent in May, before the draft was held.

Bajenaru has generally worked as a closer during his minor league career, striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings, and collecting 24 wins and 91 saves in relief. He missed the entire 2002 season as a result of Tommy John surgery, but recovered well and was able to resume his baseball career in 2003.

Bajenaru made his major league debut with the White Sox on September 4, 2004. After brief stints in their bullpen in 2004 and 2005, he was traded to the Diamondbacks on March 8, 2006, with the White Sox receiving infielder Alex Cintron.^[1]

Bajenaru was a member of the 2005 World Series Championship Chicago White Sox team and also the Triple-A and Pacific Coast League Champion Tucson Sidewinders team in 2006. In his 5 full Minor League seasons he participated in three All Star games at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.

Bajenaru missed the entire 2007 season and ended up retiring from professional baseball in 2008 due to two separate shoulder surgeries.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• An interview with Bajenaru, by the Society for American Baseball Research.
• Bajenaru's minor league statistics at The Toronto Star.