Josh Towers #12

Joshua Eric Towers...attended Oxnard (CA) Junior College...while there, earned JUCO All-America honors and was named conference MVP...graduated from Hueneme (CA) High and garnered All-County status...uncle, Roger Frash, was an infielder/outfielder in NYM's chain from 1980-82...signed by Orioles' scout Gil Kubski.

2009

Signed by the eventual World champion Yankees as a minor league free agent on May 9 and recalled by Yankees on August 8... made two relief appearances over two stints with the Yankees, recording a 3.38 ERA with no decisions...limited lefties to a .091 (1-for-11) average, while righties batted .455 (5-for-11)...Went 7-6 with a 2.74 ERA (31 ER/101.2 IP) in 19 appearances (18 starts) for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre...held left-handed batters to a .223 batting average (35-for-184)...in between stints with the Yankees (from August 12 to September 5), went 3-0 and did not allow a run in four starts (20.0 IP)...Named the Triple-A International League's "Pitcher of the Week" for the weeks ending August 2 and August 23...from July 27-Aug. 2, went 1-0 with nine strikeouts and a 1.29 ERA (2 ER/14.0 IP) in two starts...did not allow a run in two starts from August 17-23, going 2-0 with 10 strikeouts and limiting opponents to a .102 (4-for-39) batting average...Began the season in the Nationals' organization, making one relief appearance with Triple-A Syracuse on April 12, allowing four runs in 1.2 innings...was placed on the disabled list the following day with a strained left oblique...was reinstated from the disabled list on May 5 and released by Washington.

2008

Did not pitch in the big leagues for the first time since 2001, going 6-7 with a 6.27 ERA in 31 games (15 starts) with Colorado Springs of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League...pitched best (2-1, 2.70 ERA. .261 batting average against, 16 appearances) out of the bullpen...struggled at high-altitude Sky Sox Stadium (4-5, 7.12 ERA, 17 games/9 starts).

2007

Entered the season as a non-roster invitee and made Toronto's Opening Day roster, being slated as the club's fifth starter...went 5-10 with a 5.38 ERA (107.0 ip, 64 er) in 25 games/15 starts for the Blue Jays...as a starter was 4-9 with a 5.27 ERA and as a reliever was 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA in 10 relief appearances... team record was 6-9 in his starts...posted four quality starts in 15 opportunities...did not allow an earned run in three of his starts... was 3-4 with a 3.94 ERA at Rogers Centre...when he was a regular in the rotation (four days rest), posted a 4-1 record with a 4.11 ERA in six starts...worked 14.2 scoreless innings from July 8-21, holding opponents to just six hits at Rogers Centre (two starts)...earned his first victory of the season on April 15 vs. Detroit after tossing 7.2 innings and allowing just three hits and one walk in a 2-1 victory... marked his is first win as a starter since May 14, 2006 at Tampa Bay...struck out the first four batters of the game on April 27 vs. Texas, first occurrence by a Jay since April 7, 1999 by David Wells (vs. MIN)...following that start on April 27, Towers was moved into the bullpen, where he appeared in six games and posted a 5.93 ERA (13.2 ip, 9 er) over that span...was moved back into the starting rotation on June 11 and faced the San Francisco Giants for the first time in his career that night...tossed just 4.0 innings in that start and received the loss in Toronto's 4-3 defeat...posted his best performance of the season on July 8 vs. Cleveland, pitching a season-high 8.0-scoreless innings while allowing just three hits...however, did not factor in the decision as he left with the score tied at 0-0...Blue Jays broke scoreless tie in the ninth after Alex Rios drove in game-winning run with single...earned fourth win of the year on July 21 vs. Seattle, tossing 6.2-scoreless frames in 1-0 win...lost three straight starts from July 27-Aug. 7 and was then moved to the 'pen where he finished the year.

2006

Was 2-10, with an 8.42 ERA in 15 appearances (12 starts)... Opened the season in the starting rotation before being optioned to Syracuse (AAA) on May 24... Was recalled June 19, making two starts, and was optioned a 2nd time on June 27... Recalled Sept. 5 for the balance of the season... Team record was 2-10 in his starts... Had one quality start... APRIL DAZE: Posted a 0-5 record with an ERA of 10.45 in five April starts... Finished up the season in the bullpen, picking up a win, and a loss, and recording a 2.35 ERA (7.2 IP/2 ER)... Lost his first seven starts, becoming the first to do so since Edgar Gonzalez for Arizona (2004)... The last Blue Jay to lose at least seven starts to begin a season was Dave Lemanczyk (1978), two short of the Blue Jay record... WHAT THE HITTERS THOUGHT: Allowed 17 home runs in only 62 innings... Opponents hit .343 overall with an OBP of .384 and a slugging of .590... LH hitters came in at .325/.366/.623, while RH hitters were at .357/.398/.567... Allowed a team high 13.5 hits per nine innings... TAMPATERROR: Improved his two season record to 4-1 vs. TB allowing only two earned runs over eight innings, recording the only quality start of his season... MINORS: Was 5-5 with a 4.00 ERA in 15 starts at (AAA) Syracuse... Walked only 11 batters in 101.1 IP... Opponents hit .301 with 12 home runs... Was 4-2, 3.67 on the road.

2005

Was 13-12 with a 3.71 ERA in 33 starts... Led the team in ERA (3.71) and innings pitched (208.2), both career highs... Shared the team lead in wins with Chacin... Also reached new career high in strikeouts (112)... Was one of only two Blue Jays to throw 200 innings or more (also Chacin)... The Blue Jays were 15-18 when Towers started... Won 12-0, Aug. 12 at BAL, threw the 2nd shutout of his career (3rd complete game)... Became the 2nd Blue Jay to throw a Sho (also Halladay) and 3rd to throw a CG (also Halladay 5 and Bush 2) in 2005... 9.0IP, 9H, 2K, 98 pitches... Won 10-1 on Sept. 30 vs. KC, threw his 2nd complete game of the year (4th career)... 9.0IP, 9H, ER, 6K, 94 pitches... Had 12 starts where he did not issue a walk... Issued 2 walks or less in 32 of his 33 starts... Had 12 consecutive quality starts (July 21 thru September 20), longest streak by a Blue Jay. Over that span was 6-3 with a 2.43 ERA (85.0IP/23ER)... Led the team with 21 quality starts... Was 5-3 with a 2.20 ERA over his last ten starts, allowing just 18 earned runs over 73.2IP... June 9 at TB snapped a career high six game losing streak. The streak was the longest by a Blue Jay pitcher in 2005... Had four consecutive wins from April 28 through May 17... Allowed 2ER or less in 17 of his 33 starts... Allowed 3ER or less in 24 of his 33 starts... Finished April with a 2-1 record and a 4.61 ERA. The two wins were the first of his career in April... In his six June starts, walked eleven batters. Had never walked more than seven in a month at any point during his ML career... Had a 18.2 consecutive scoreless innings streak (April 28 through May 9)... In his 33 starts received 162 runs of support, for an average of 4.9 runs per start... ABOUT THE STARTS: Lost 6-5 on April 17 at TEX... L, 2.0IP, 8H, 6ER, 2HR. Matched shortest start of his career (2.0IP)... May 22 vs. WAS went past the 400.0IP plateau for his career... May 27 vs. MIN allowed 14 hits. Most ever by a Blue Jays pitcher in one game... Previous record of 13 was done eight times, last by Pat Hentgen on June 25, 1997 vs. BOS... Lost 5-3 at OAK on June 2... Gave up four walks to tie a career high (also June 4, 2004 at OAK)... Lost 3-0, June 24 at WAS... The loss extended his losing streak to six games (longest streak of his career)... Won 12-3 at TB on June 29... 7.0IP, 2H, ER, BB, 7K... Carried a no-hitter into the 7th inning... Matches the fewest hits he has ever allowed in a start (also on July 30, 2004 vs. TB), also had a season high 7 strikeouts... August 17 at LAA won his 10th game of the season, which set a new career high... August 23 at NYY passed the 500.0IP plateau for his career... September 20 vs. SEA was the first start where he did not record a strikeout since April 17 at TEX (span of 27 starts)... Was only the 2nd time where he walked more batters than struck out (also June 2 at OAK)... Lost 8-4 on September 25 at NYY... 7.0IP, 7H, 4ER, HR, BB, 3K... Snapped his streak of 12 consecutive quality starts... WHERE HE RANKS: His 3.71 ERA ranked 12th in the AL... Finished 4th in AL night ERA (2.94)... Ranked 5th in AL BB per 9.0IP (1.25) and 7th in K/BB Ratio 3.86 (112K/29BB)... IN THE FIELD: Went 60 for 60 in fielding chances... 60 chances were the most of any ML pitcher with a 1.000 fielding percentage... QUALITY GUY: Sept. 25 at NYY, Josh Towers had a stretch of 12 straight quality starts come to an end... The 12 straight quality starts were the most by a Blue Jay since Roger Clemens recorded 13 consecutive from June 30-Sept. 5, 1998... It was the most quality starts in a row by an AL pitcher since Minnesota's Johan Santana tossed 21 straight from June 9-Sept. 24, 2004... WHAT THE HITTERS THOUGHT: Opponents batted .286... RH hitters batted .297, while LH hitters batted .274... Led team with 24 home runs allowed (16 to RH hitters, 8 to LH hitters).

2004

Won a career high nine games in a career best 21 starts... The Blue Jays were 9-12 in his 21 starts... Made nine quality starts... Was on the opening day roster but did not make first appearance until a start on Apr. 17... Was the last Jay on the Opening Day roster to make an appearance... Made two starts (both vs. BAL) and was 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA before being designated for assignment on Apr. 24 and outrighted on Apr. 28... Had contract purchased on June 2 and remained with the Blue Jays for the remainder of the season... Won first start back on June 4 at OAK (7.0IP, 1ER)... In that start walked four batters, first time in his career to walk more than two hitters in a game... Was 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA in eight starts prior to the break... Won four consecutive starts from July 7 through July 30... Finished July with a 4-0 record and a 2.60 ERA... Lost first start in August before winning three straight starts from Aug. 9 through 20... Win on August 20 was 9th of the season, setting a new career high... Missed two start in September with soreness in his right shoulder... Lost five straight decisions to finish the season over six starts, matching a career high... Final start of the season came on two days rest after working 2.0 innings (42 pitches) in previous start... Following the ASB won a team high six games (6-6) and posted a 4.93 ERA in 13 starts... WHAT THE HITTERS THOUGHT: Opponents batted .310 with 16 home runs... LH batters are hit .317 with eight home runs... RH hitters batted .308 with eight home runs... In the first inning opponents are batting .263 with four walks and two home runs... At home opponents are batting .352, while on the road are at .281... Walked one or fewer batters in 15 of his 21 outings... IN THE MINORS: Appeared in six games, five starts, with the SkyChiefs and was 3-1 with a 2.50 ERA... May 24 was named as the IL Pitcher of the Week, going 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in two starts.

2003

After signing with TOR as a minor-league free agent and spending the season's first 6 weeks in Syracuse, went 8-1 in 14 games (8 starts) with the Jays...pitching in relief, notched the win in TOR debut on May 26 vs. CWS...won 7 straight decisions, August 15 through season's end...was ejected, September 23 vs. TOR, for throwing behind Aubrey Huff.

2002

Struggled at both big league level and at Triple-A with Rochester of the International League, going winless in 12 starts... with the Red Wings, endured pair of DL stints with right-elbow tendinitis.

2001

Won 8 games in highly successful rookie campaign with BAL...season ended prematurely due to broken ring finger suffered on September 20 at TOR...8 wins tied for 3rd among AL rookies...was AL Rookie of the Month in June (5-1, 1.49, 6 starts) and became the first O's rookie to win 5 games in a month since Milacki in September 1989...was voted outstanding New Oriole by Orioles Advocates...made big league debut with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, May 2 vs. TBR...grabbed first MLB win on May 9 at TBR...shutout June 8 vs. MON was first tossed by a BAL rookie since '92.

2000

His 3.47 ERA at Rochester was 7th in the International League and 13th among all AAA pitchers with at least 112 IP...Was tied for 2nd in IL with 5 complete games and 3rd among all AAA hurlers. Led International pitchers with only 1.27 walks per 9 IP...Allowed only 11.31 baserunners per 9 IP, 5th best mark in league. Was named International League Pitcher of the Week twice, May 1-7 and May 15-21...Rated as one of the best control pitchers in the IL by Baseball America. Was named to the IL All-Star team in July. Pitched 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits and no walks in 2-0 win vs. Charlotte on May 2...Went distance in 17-1 win over Toledo in his next outing May 7. Won 4 straight starts, culminating with 4-hit complete game shutout vs. Columbus on May 18...Was tied for IL lead with 5 wins, 2nd with 40 K and 4th with 2.77 ERA at that point.

1999

Led the Eastern League in BB/9.0IP among starters (1.21) and innings pitched (189.0), was tied for first in games started (28) and shutouts (2), was 2nd in complete games (5), and 5th in wins (12)...Allowed only 26 walks in 189.0IP and went 35.1 consecutive innings without issuing a base on balls, 4/20-5/15...Allowed a club record 204 hits and 26 home runs...Gave up 16 HR in his first 88.1IP, and 10 in his final 100.2IP...Was 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in April...Threw a complete-game shutout on 79 pitches on 4/30 at Altoona...Was named EL Pitcher of the Week, 6/28-7/4...Won 5 consecutive decisions, 7/2-8/18...Went 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA in his final 11 starts of the season...Pitched back-to-back complete games, 8/23-28.

1998

Spent most of season at Frederick...Led Carolina League starters with 0.39 BB/9IP and was 4th with 9.66 runners/9IP...Finished tied for 5th in CL with 3 complete games...Was 4th in Orioles organization with a 3.36 ERA and tied for 4th 10 wins and 129 strikeouts...From 5/5-6/3, went 6-0 in 6 starts, with a 2.77 ERA and was named Carolina League Player of the Month for May...Pitched complete game win 6/18 vs. Winston-Salem, striking out 10 batters...Walked only 1 batter in his final 72.1IP at Frederick before promotion to Bowie on 8/15...Had stretches of 48.2 (with Frederick and Bowie) and 42.2 innings (with Frederick) in which he did not allow a walk, the two longest consecutive innings streaks among minor league pitchers in b98...Was winning pitcher with 2 shutout innings for Northern Division in Carolina League All-Star Game...After promotion to Bowie he went 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA as a starter.

1997

Won his last 4 decisions at Frederick...Walked only 20 batters in 72.0 innings between Delmarva and Frederick.

1996

Led Appalachian League starters with 0.81 walks per 9 IP...Was tied for 3rd with 9 homers allowed...Had a 1.35 ERA and fanned 12 batters in 5 relief outings (6.2 IP, 1 ER)...As a starter, was 3-1 with a 5.77 ERA (48.1 IP, 31 ER).