Rheal Cormier #37

In 1985 graduated from Polyvalente Louis J. Robichaud High School...attended Community College of Rhode Island and was named All-American in 1987 and 1988...was named to the All-Tournament team of the 1988 JUCO World Series...was a member of the 1988 Canadian Olympic baseball team, the 1987 Pan-Am team and the 1985 Canadian youth team...in 1996 became the first Canadian to receive the NJCAA Achievement Award for outstanding athletic ability...in 1996 was nominated by the Expos for the True Value Roberto Clemente Award for his involvement in several school programs in New Brunswick...that season also was a spokesman for a teenage anti-suicide and anti-drug campaigns...on 9/22/04 in Miami, during a series against the Marlins, became a United States citizen.

2006

Began the season with the Phillies and went 2-2, 1.59 in 43 relief apps before he was traded to the Reds on 7/31...when traded, his 1.59era was the lowest among all National League relievers...in 21 relief apps for the Reds posted a 4.50era...for the Phillies went 0-for-4 in save opps and stranded 16-25 baserunners...while with the Reds did not enter a game in a save situation and stranded 7-14 baserunners.

2005

Made 57 apps in an injury-plagued season...was bothered by back, foot, hip and left shoulder ailments but did not go on the disabled list...did not allow a hit in 27 of his 57 apps...allowed 9 homers, the most in his career as a reliever in a single season...his 47.1 innings pitched were the lowest in his career as a reliever... twice threw a season-high 2.0 innings, on 6/26 vs Bos and 7/10 vs Wsh...in 15g from 5/27-6/23 posted a 2.51era...from 6/5-7/8 did not walk a batter in 15 straight apps (13ip)...as a batter produced a pair of sac bunts, his first since 1996.

2004

Made a career-high 84 apps, a Phillies single-season record for a lefthander and second-most in franchise history (RHP Kent Tekulve, 90g, 1987)...among all Major League relievers ranked T4th in apps... led Phillies relievers in relief innings pitched (81.0)...in his last 22 apps of the season posted a 1.45era and held opponents to a .200 batting average...Phi went 16-6 in those games...in 28 apps with 1 day's rest had a 1.71 era...earned the club's first victory of the season, on 4/7 at Pit...earned the victory in the Phillies' firstever win at Citizens Bank Park, on 4/15 vs the Reds...suffered the loss on 4/9 at Fla, his first defeat since 8/10/02...that loss snapped a 9-game winning streak dating back to 2003...was tied with Grover Cleveland Alexander, Robin Roberts and Ken Heintzelman for the seventh-longest winning streak in Phillies history... posted a 10.0-inning scoreless streak (5/22-6/1) and a 10.1-inning scoreless streak 98/21-9/11)...on 7/10 vs Atl allowed a homer to Charles Thomas, snapping a streak of 217 consecutive lefthanded batters faced without allowing a home run (last, Erubiel Durazo, 5/17/02 at Ari)...Thomas' HR was the only one he allowed to a LH batter all season (108ab).

2003

Produced possibly the best season of his career and one of the best campaigns by any reliever in the Major Leagues in '03...went 8-0, 1.70 with 1 save and a sterling 1.70era...established career highs in apps (65), relief victories (8), relief innings pitched (84.2) and relief strikeouts (67)...became the first Phillies reliever to post an ERA below 2.00 since Roger McDowell in 1989 (1.11era) and the first Phillies lefthander to do so since Jeff Calhoun in 1987 (1.48era)...his ERA ranked third among all National League relievers (John Smoltz, 1.12; Eric Gagne, 1.20)...among NL relievers ranked T4th in victories, sixth in opponents' batting average (.182) and seventh in innings pitched...his victory total was his highest since he won 10 decisions as a starter in 1992...his 8 victories without a loss was a club record, surpassing the mark of 5-0 held by 3 pitchers (most recently by Carlos Silva in 2002)...his 8-game winning streak ranked T4th in the National League and was the longest single-season winning stretch by a Phillies pitcher since Tommy Greene's 8-game streak in 1993...did not allow a homer to a lefthanded batter all season (96pa)... stranded 31-36 inherited baserunners (86%), second-best ratio in the NL...in 33 home games went 7-0, 0.86...20 times threw at least 2.0 innings...won ESPN Baseball Tonight's Web Gem Award for best defensive play by a pitcher (7/17 vs Mtl)...on 4/3 at Fla allowed 5er in his first appearance of the season, then produced a career-high 21.0-inning scoreless streak...from 5/30-7/7 had a 17.1-inning scoreless streak...in 21 apps in June and July allowed just 1 run in 30.2 innings...on 7/3 vs the Cubs pitched in his 1,000th inning...on 9/5 vs the Mets recorded the second save of his career.

2002

Didn't pitch after 9/11 because of tendinitis in his left shoulder...posted a 11.88era in 10 apps in April and a 4.18era in his last 44 apps of the season...from 5/3-7/7 did not allow an earned run in 23-25 apps (2.25era)...in 13g from 5/25-6/25 produced a season-high 12.0-inning scoreless streak...had his best month in June, when he posted a 2.08era (9g)...in the 16-inning, 5-4 victory on 8/6 at SD threw a season-high 3.0 innings (0r) to earn the win...also threw 3.0 innings on 9/8 vs the Mets.

2001

Made 60 relief apps in his first season with the Phillies...from 8/10-8/28 was on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his left elbow...did not allow a run in 8-10 apps after he came off the DL...on 4/23 at SD made his 300th career appearance...on 5/28 at NYM earned his first career save...did not allow a homer until his 29th appearance of the season (20.2ip), on 6/17 vs Bal (Jay Gibbons)...was his first home run allowed since 6/30/00 (55.1ip)...didn't allow a run in 11 apps from 6/21-7/16.

2000

With 64 apps, all in relief, established a career high...finished 12g...11 times threw at least 2.0 innings... twice produced season-high scoreless streaks of 6g, from 4/12-4/28 (6.1ip) and 8/20-9/6 (5ip)...twice threw a season-high 3.0 scoreless innings (5/24 vs Tor, 8/1 at Sea)...following the season elected free agency...was signed by the Phillies on 11/30.

1999

Was signed by the Red Sox in January...for the first time in his professional career worked exclusively in relief...from 5/7-5/10 was suspended for hitting Cle's Jim Thome with a pitch on 4/23...on 4/11 at TB, in his first appearance of the season, recorded 4 strikeouts...on 5/6 vs Tex earned his first victory since 8/3/96 at Cin...did not allow more than 3 hits in any appearance...threw 1.0 inning or less 43 times...threw 3.0 innings 3 times.

1998

In January was signed by the Indians to a minor league contract and was invited to Major League spring training...began the season on the disabled list at Class AAA Buffalo while recovering from May 1997 elbow surgery...was activated on 6/2 and was assigned to Class AA Akron, where he made 3 starts before he returned to the DL with a sore left shoulder...didn't pitch again the rest of the season.

1997

Missed the entire season with an injury to his left elbow...made his only appearance on 4/5 vs Col... went on the 15-day disabled list on 4/12, retroactive to 4/6, with a torn tendon in his left elbow...on 5/21 had surgery to transplant the palmeris tendon from his right wrist into his left elbow to augment the medial collateral ligament (Dr. James Andrews)...on 6/5 was transfered to the 60-day DL...became a free agent following the season and signed a minor league contract with the Indians on 1/28/98, with an invitation to Major League spring training camp.

1996

In January was traded from the Red Sox to the Expos...in his last season as a starting pitcher went 7-10, 4.17 in 27 starts and 6 relief apps...became the 12th Canadian and eighth Canadian pitcher to play for Le Expos...from 8/26-9/9 was on the disabled list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow... in an 8-0 win on 4/22 vs StL threw a 3-hitter for his only career shutout.

1995

The first week of the regular season was traded from the Cardinals to the Red Sox...went 4-3, 4.86 in his 12 starts and 3-2, 3.12 in 36 relief apps...did not allow a run in 25 of his 36 relief apps...on 4/28 vs the WSox earned the victory in his American League debut...in the 3-2 win on 9/20 vs Min retired 6 straight batters as the Red Sox clinched the AL East title.

1994

Spent a good portion of the season on the disabled list, from 4/28-5/12 with a bruised left ankle and from 5/21-8/2 with a back muscle strain...from 7/23-8/2 was on the 60-day disabled list...missed 77g total... made 5 rehabilitation apps at Class AA Arkansas and Class AAA Louisville...made his best start of the season on 4/10 at SF (7ip, 3h, 1er), but he left that game in the eighth inning after he was hit on the left ankle by a Dave Burba pitch...on 4/27 vs Atl left the game with a shoulder injury, but went on the DL the next day with a bruised left ankle...returned to the DL on 5/21 after injuring his back warming up for a start on 5/20 at Fla... made his 5 rehab apps for Arkansas and Louisville before he was activated on 8/3...on 5/14 at Mtl earned his first career victory in his native Canada.

1993

Made 21 starts and 17 relief apps for the Cardinals...from 8/12-9/6 was on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left shoulder...began the season in the Cardinals' starting rotation...went 1-3, 3.44 in 8 starts before he was moved to the bullpen on 5/18...on 6/12 returned to the rotation for 5 starts but returned to the bullpen on 7/8...after he was reinstated from the DL on 9/7 made 5 more starts and went 2-0, 3.45.

1992

Was bothered in spring training by an illness and a leg injury but began the season on the Cardinals' Opening Day roster...went 0-5, 6.56 before he was optioned to Class AAA Louisville on 6/1...made 1 start for Louisville before he was recalled on 6/8, when Omar Olivares went on the disabled list...after that 6/8 promotion went 10-5, 2.67 in 21 starts...averaged 1.6 walks per 9 innings, second-best ratio in the National League...on 7/10 at LAD had a career-high 11 strikeouts...in his 10 losses Cardinals batters socred just 11 runs and were shut out 3 times...won his last 7 decisions.

1991

In his Major League debut made 10 starts and 1 relief appearance for the Cardinals...spent most of the season at Class AAA Louisville, where he led the American Association in shutouts (3)...was AA Pitcher of the Week for 6/23-6/29...was promoted on 8/14 and the next day vs the Mets became the first Cardinals pitcher to win his Major League debut since Joe Magrane on 4/24/85...became the first French Canadian to win a National League game since Claude Raymond on 4/29/71...threw his first 2 career complete games in consecutive starts, a 7-2 win on 9/15 vs NYM (9ip, 9h, 2er, 1bb, 4k) and a 1-0 loss on 9/20 at NYM (8ip, 6h, 1er, 2bb, 5k).

1990

Began the season at Class AA Arkansas and made 21 starts there before he was promoted to Class AAA Louisville on 8/1.

1989

In his first professional season was a Florida State League All-Star at Class A St. Petersburg...among FSL leaders ranked third in ERA (2.23) and fourth in innings pitched (169.2)...was voted by Baseball America as the eighth-best prospect in the FSL.