Jason and his wife, Dana, have 3 children, Hunter Ray, John Quinton and Rayne Kay...Graduated from
Tarkington High School in Cleveland, Texas...Played baseball but was unable to pitch his last two seasons
due to injuries (broken wrist as a junior and sore shoulder as a senior)...Partners with the Garth Brooks
Teammates for Kids Foundation...He and his wife, Dana, co-chaired the 2004 Royals Blues & Baseball
Gala...Played shortstop at a Phillies tryout camp in Arlington, TX...Lost his left big toe in a motorcycle
accident at age 12.
2005
Grimsley shocked the organization by returning from Tommy John surgery in eight months, to mixed results. Grimsley struggled after joining the club in July and was bounced around as his arm gained strength. But he finished with a 1.23 ERA in his final eight outings.
2004
Had ulnar collateral ligament ("Tommy John") surgery on October 12 and is expected to miss most of
the 2005 season.
Was acquired from Kansas City on June 21 in exchange for RHP Denny Bautista...Agreed to a contract
extension through the 2005 season as part of the trade.
Has pitched in more games - 292 - than any other American League pitcher since the start of the 2001
season and has recorded 84 "holds," also most among AL relievers.
Combined to go 5-7 with a 3.86 ERA in 73 games between the Royals and Orioles, pitching 63.0
innings...Tied for 10th in the American League in games pitched and also was 2nd in the league with
blown saves, including 6 with the Orioles.
Was 3-3 with a 3.38 ERA for Kansas City...Had 11 straight scoreless outings starting May 10 before
allowing 2 runs and taking the loss vs. Boston on June 6. Worked 2.0 perfect innings in his Orioles debut on June 23 vs. New York, entering in the 6th inning and
escaping a bases-loaded, none out jam.
Allowed 9 earned runs in 3.1 innings over his next 5 outings, June 27-July 7...Was charged with losses
on June 27 vs. Atlanta (4R/2ER) and July 3 at Philadelphia (3R/ER), then allowed 6 runs (4 earned)
on July 7 vs. Tampa Bay, pitching just 1/3 inning in each game.
Following the All-Star break, worked 11 straight scoreless outings, spanning 10.0 innings, before allowing
2 unearned runs and being charged with the loss on August 11 at Anaheim....Went 14 outings before
allowing an earned run on August 21 vs. Toronto.
Worked to a 1.50 ERA (30.0IP, 5ER) in 34 appearances from the All-Star break through October 1,
never allowing more than one earned run in an outing.
Was charged with a blown save and the loss in his final outing in the nightcap of a doubleheader vs.
Boston on October 2...Entered with a 5-4 lead in the 7th and allowed a hit, walk and HBP and was
charged with 3 runs in 1/3 inning as the Red Sox came back for a 7-5 win.
Was charged with 3 blown saves in his last 4 appearances.
Pitched in all 3 games vs. Seattle, August 3-4, earning a win in the first game of a doubleheader on
August 3 after stranding a runner and striking out 3 batters.
Was credited with the win on September 20 at Boston with 1.1 scoreless innings, stranding 2 inherited
runners to hold the lead in the 6th and then pitching a scoreless 7th inning...Worked 3 games of the
series vs. the Red Sox, pitching 2.2 innings.
Was scored upon in 11 of 41 appearances for the Orioles after allowing runs in 6 of 32 games while with
Kansas City.
2003
Posted a 2-6 record and a 5.16 ERA in his 3rd season for the Royals...made a team-high 76
appearances...allowed 27 of 53 inherited runners to score and retired 44 of 76 1st batters faced.
Ranked 2nd in club history with 76 single season appearances...fell 8 games shy of Dan Quisenberry's
record of 84 set in 1985...was tied for 3rd in the A.L. in appearances, 3 shy of leader Trever Miller of
Toronto.
Posted a 2-3 record with a 4.14 ERA (50.0 IP, 23 ER) in 49 games before the All-Star Break...was 0-3
with a 7.20 ERA (25.0 IP, 20 ER) in 26 games after the break.
Opened the season by allowing just 1 ER in his 1st 9 appearances (8.2 IP, 1.04 ERA) and just 2 ER in
his 1st 13 games (14.2 IP, 1.23 ERA)...struck out a batter (10 total) in each of his 1st 8 games (7.2 IP).
Posted a 1-1 record and a 2.55 ERA through the month of April, allowing 14 hits and 5 ER in 17.2
innings.
Allowed 10 ER in a stretch of 11 outings from April 26 to May 17 (13.2 IP, 6.59 ERA)...also allowed 9
of 15 inherited runners to score during that stretch.
Was charged with a 4-3 loss at Chicago on April 16 after allowing 2 hits and 1 ER in the 9th inning
when Frank Thomas hit a 1 out sacrifice fly to end the game and drop KC to 11-2 on the season.
Earned a win at Toronto on April 26 after allowing 2 runs on 3 hits in 2.0 innings...gave up 2 runs in
the 8th as Toronto tied the game, 6-6, only to have Ken Harvey hit a 3-run homer in the top of the 9th.
Was charged with a loss at Boston on May 1 after giving up a 2-out RBI double to Todd Walker in the
8th inning of a 6-5 loss.
Rebounded from his May 1 loss by striking out 4 batters in 1.2 innings at Baltimore on May 4.
Allowed just 1 home run in his 1st 28 outings, giving up a 2-run homer to Boston's Nomar Garciaparra
on May 5 in KC's 7-6 win.
Earned a 7-3 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 10...tossed a scoreless 7th inning
before KC rallied for 4 runs in the 7th for the victory.
Allowed just 1 run in a stretch of 8 outings from June 10-25 (7.0 IP, 5 H, 5 SO).
Finished the month of June with a 1-0 mark and a 3.75 ERA in 13 outings (12.0 IP).
Went 0-2 in his final 18 outings with a 7.32 ERA (19.2 IP, 29 H, 16 ER).
Was superb against Cleveland, going 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 11 outings against the Tribe...he allowed
just 10 hits and 2 ER in 10.2 innings.
2002
Went 4-7 with a 3.91 ERA in his 2nd season for the Royals...threw 71.1 innings, logging 59 strikeouts while walking 37.
Allowed just 4 home runs on the season, an average of 0.5 per 9 innings...the 4 homers were his fewest since 1995.
Posted a 1-3 record and a 2.97 ERA after the All-Star Break, allowing 13 ER in 39.1 innings of work...was 3-4 with a 5.06 ERA prior to the break (32.0 IP, 18 ER).
Was named the Royals Pitcher of the Month in August after recording a 0.98 ERA, allowing just 2 earned runs in 18.1 innings of action.
Notched his 1st save as a Royal and his 1st since 2000 with a save at Seattle on Aug. 30 (1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 SO).
Earned 2 of his 4 wins against Cleveland, earning a 5-4 victory at Jacobs Field on May 19 and was a 3-2 winner vs. the Indians at Kauffman Stadium on Sept. 21...also recorded wins at Boston (April 11) and vs. San Diego (June 28).
Career Notes
Grimsley has compiled a 33-41 career mark with 4 saves and a 4.77 ERA in 362 games at the big league level.
Played with 5 teams since breaking into the big leagues in 1989 b
2001
Grimsley made a team-high 73 appearances on the season, tying him for 3rd in Royals single-season history.
Ranked 3rd in the American League with 73 appearances... ranked 8th among A.L.
relievers with 80.1 innings pitched. Logged a career-best 3.02 ERA, the lowest
by a Royals pitcher since a 2.94 mark by David Cone during the 1994 season. Went
0-for-7 in save situations, but set up 19 of Roberto Hernandez' 28 saves. Led
the team with 26 holds. Struck out a season-high 4 batters vs. New York on April
10.
Opened the season by retiring the first 19 batters he faced. Held a 1.26
ERA in May, compiling a 0-1 record and appearing in 12 games (14.1 IP, 2 ER).
Turned in three 7-game scoreless streaks, opening the season perfect in his 1st
7 outings as well as May 23-June 7 and June 22-July 7. Went 0-3 before the
All-Star Break, compiling a team-best 2.25 ERA in 42 appearances (48.0 IP, 12
ER). Defeated Anaheim on Aug. 30 for his only win of the season...tossed the
final 2 innings as KC rallied off an RBI single by Gregg Zaun in the 9th for a
2-1 win.
2000
Was 3-2 with 1 save and a 5.04 ERA in 63 games for the Yankees, including 4 emergency starts...also led the Yankee bullpen with 79.0 relief innings.
Made 1st start since Aug. 19, 1996, when he took on Kansas City on April 16...allowed 2 runs on 6 hits over 5.0 innings in New York's 10-9 win.
Collected his 1st victory of the season against Cleveland on May 3 after allowing 2 hits and no runs in 2.0 innings.
Made another emergency start at Montreal on June 6 and recorded his 1st win as a starter since July 19, 1996.
Earned his only save of the season against Minnesota on Sept. 2 after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief...it was his 1st since July 17, 1999.
Appeared in 2 games of the A.L. Championship Series vs. Seattle...allowed 2 hits and issued 3 walks in 1.0 inning of work...also threw a wild pitch and struck out a batter.
Underwent surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow in November...surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews.since July 19, 1996.
Earned his only save of the season against Minnesota on Sept. 2 after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief...it was his 1st since July 17, 1999.
Appeared in 2 games of the A.L. Championship Series vs. Seattle...allowed 2 hits and issued 3 walks in 1.0 inning of work...also threw a wild pitch and struck out a batter.
Underwent surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow in November...surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews.
1999
Won a career-high 7 games for the World Champion Yankees...posted a 3.60 ERA with 1 save in 55 outings.
Was a spring training non-roster invitee and made his Yankees debut vs. Detroit on April 9...allowed 2 runs and 2 hits over 1.2 frames in his 1st big league appearance since Sept. 28, 1996 (vs. Texas as a member of the Angels).
Won a career-high 5 straight decisions from April 25-June 4.
Notched his 1st save as a Yankee in an 11-4 win over Atlanta on July 17.
Was ejected in an 11-8 win at Seattle on Aug. 6 for hitting Edgar Martinez with a pitch following a 3-run homer by Alex Rodriguez...was fined and suspended for 3 games on Aug. 9 by A.L. President Gene Budig.
Activated for the World Series after not being named to the Yankees Division or Championship Series rosters.
Pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of Andy Pettitte in New York's 10-inning, 6-5 win over Atlanta in Game 3 of the World Series...had not pitched in a game since Sept. 30 at Baltimore before making that appearance on Oct. 26.
1998
Signed with the Cleveland Indians as a free agent on Jan. 8, 1998...spent the season at Buffalo (AAA) and pitched exclusively out of the bullpen.
Appeared in 52 games out of the bullpen, posting a 6-3 record with a 3.76 ERA.
1997
Signed a Minor League contract with the Detroit Tigers on Jan. 17, 1997...was released at the end of spring training by Detroit and was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers on April 3.
Assigned to Tucson (AAA) and appeared in 36 games (10 starts) before being traded to Kansas City in exchange for pitcher Jamie Brewington on July 29...joined the Omaha (AAA) club and managed just a 1-5 mark with a 6.68 ERA in 7 games (6 starts).
1996
Traded to California from Cleveland with pitcher Pep Harris on Feb. 15 in exchange for pitcher Brian Anderson...made 2 starts for Vancouver (AAA) before being promoted to the big league club.
Logged 5 wins to tie a then-career best established in 1994.
Tied for the club and league lead with 13 hit batters...ranked 7th in the A.L. with 11 wild pitches.
Recorded his 1st career shutout vs. New York on May 28, allowing just 5 hits in the outing.
Fired another complete-game victory against Minnesota on May 4, surrendering just 3 hits to establish the low-hit game of his career...posted a no-hitter through 6.1 innings before Greg Myers doubled.
1995
Began the year in Cleveland's bullpen and recorded his 1st save as a professional against Kansas City on May 8.
Moved to the rotation for 2 starts before moving back to the bullpen...made 5 more appearances before being outrighted to Buffalo (AAA) on July 13.
1994
Started the season at Charlotte (AAA)...posted a 7-0 mark with a 3.42 ERA and 2 complete games in 10 starts...contract was purchased by Cleveland on June 2.
Tossed his 1st complete game at Milwaukee on June 11.
1993
Signed with Cleveland on April 7 and spent most of the year at Charlotte (AAA).
Appeared in 28 games (19 starts) and led the Charlotte staff with a 3.39 ERA.
Contract was purchased by Cleveland on Aug. 28...made his A.L. debut that day at Toronto in his 1st big league outing since June 5, 1991.
Tossed 1.1 shutout innings of relief vs. New York on Aug. 27 to record his 1st American League victory and his 1st in the majors since April 28, 1991.
1992
Obtained by Houston from Philadelphia in exchange for pitcher Curt Schilling on April 2, 1992, and spent the season with Tucson (AAA)...finished with an 8-7 mark and a 5.05 ERA after going 0-4 with a 6.94 ERA in 7 starts through April and May...split time between the bullpen and starting role in June and July...returned to the rotation in August and had his best month, going 4-1 with a 4.95 ERA.
1991
Opened the year in the Philadelphia rotation and set a career high with 9 strikeouts in his season debut at Shea Stadium on April 9...settled for a no-decision in the Phillies 2-1 loss to the Mets, despite giving up only 3 hits and no runs over 6.1 frames.
Earned his only victory vs. San Diego on April 28.
Threw a team-high 14 wild pitches.
Was placed on the Disabled List on June 6 with a tender elbow...went to Scranton (AAA) twice on rehab assignments (June 15-30 and Aug. 7-21)...returned from the D.L. on Aug. 21 and was optioned to Scranton...went 2-3 in 9 starts to close out the season.
1990
Spent most of the season at Scranton (AAA) and led the staff with 99 strikeouts.
Rated as the 10th-best prospect in the league by Baseball America following the season.
Recalled from Scranton on Aug. 8...recorded 7 strikeouts at Montreal on Sept. 28.
1989
Began the 1989 season with Reading (AA)...tossed a 7.0 inning no-hitter at Harrisburg on May 3...was named Phillies Player of the Month for August after going 5-0 with a 1.91 ERA...won 5 straight games to end the season and was selected to the Eastern League All-Star team.
Won the Paul Owens Award as the best pitcher in the Phillies Minor League system.
Called up in September and won his Major League debut at Montreal on Sept. 8, allowing 1 earned run in 5.0 innings.
Minor League Notes
Grimsley was selected by Philadelphia in the 10th round of the 1985 June Free Agent Draft.
Started his professional career with Bend in 1985...went 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in 6 games (1 start) for the rookie team...led the league with 77 walks in 64.2 innings while with Utica (A) in 1986...managed just a 1-10 record.
Opened the 1988 season on the Disabled List with tendinitis in his right elbow...split the season between Clearwater (A) and Reading (AA)...fanned 12 batters in 6.0 innings against Miami in 1 of his Florida State League starts.
