Olise Claibourne (Cla) Meredith...goes by Cla ("Clay"), full name is pronounced (AH-liss CLAY-burn)...is an alum of Virginia
Commonwealth University in Richmond...departed as VCU's all-time leader in career ERA (2.52) and single-season ERA
(1.19 as a sophomore, which in '03 ranked 2nd in NCAA)...earned All-Colonial Athletic Association First-Team status
after going 6-0 with 8 saves and a in 2003...pocketed 7 saves and struck out 84 in 67.0 innings, or 11.3 per 9.0 innings,
as a junior in 2004...fanned 9.7 per 9.0 innings during 3-year collegiate career with the Rams.
2010
Began season with Baltimore...pitched in 21 games for BAL during season's first 7 weeks, but was optioned to Norfolk
of the Triple-A International League on May 28 and did not return to the big leagues...while with the O's, posted first
career save, April 25 at Fenway Park, retiring the only 2 batters faced (Darnell McDonald, Marco Scutaro) with the tying
and winning runs on base in BAL's 7-6 win...worked scoreless relief in 12 of first 14 appearances with the O's...with
Norfolk, registered a 1.69 ERA in 7 Aug. appearances.
2009
Made his Orioles debut with a scoreless inning of relief July 22 @NYY...Appeared in 35 games for San Diego prior to trade and was 4-2 with a 4.17 ERA (36.2IP, 17ER)...Allowed just three of 21 inherited runners to score, stranding 85.7 % of runners...Allowed just two earned runs in his last 17 appearances (15.0IP)...Held left-handed batters to a .213 average (10-47) with Baltimore...Made 33 consecutive appearances in losses from May 26-August 24...His team won five of the first six games he appeared in (with San Diego) and then won just six times in his last 58 games
2008
Spent almost the entire season with the Padres...
made six relief appearances for Triple-A Portland...Made 73 appearances, ranking second on the club behind Heath
Bell's 74...also ranked second with 11 holds, marking his third
consecutive season with at least 10 holds...Posted a 3.03 ERA (13 ER/38.2 IP) on the road compared to 5.40
(19 ER/31.2IP) at PETCO Park...Tossed 1.0 scoreless inning 3/31 vs. HOU, marking the second
consecutive year combining with Jake Peavy and Heath Bell for
an Opening Day shutout...Optioned to Triple-A Portland 8/15 and recalled 8/29...Allowed two runs over 6.2 innings of work (2.70 ERA) in six relief
outings with Triple-A Portland...held opponents to a .231 average
(6-for-26) while not allowing an extra-base hit.Meadowbrook High School.
2007
In 80 relief appearances, went 5-6 with a 3.50 ERA (31 ER/79.2 IP) with 59 strikeouts and 17
walks...his 80 outings ranked second on the team behind Heath Bell's 81 and tied for seventh overall among
National League hurlers...tied for third on the team with 10 holds...held opponents scoreless in 58 of his
80 games...inherited a team-high 52 runners, allowing 21 to score (40.4%)...posted a 2.11 ERA (9 ER/38.1
IP) in 37 games at PETCO Park compared to a 4.79 mark (22 ER/41.1 IP) in 43 road games...over his final
10 games, 9/12-30, was 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA (3 ER/12.0 IP), including 7.0 scoreless innings over five outings
from 9/12-21 during which he yielded only one hit...earned his fifth win 9/19 vs. PIT with 1.0 perfect frame
and one strikeout in San Diego's 5-3 win...the five wins tied his career high from 2006...allowed no earned
runs (one unearned) in 10 appearances from 7/25-8/14 (8.2 IP)...held opponents scoreless in 25 of his last 33
outings of the season (since 7/25), posting a 3.13 ERA (11 ER/31.2 IP) during that span...tallied a 1.46 ERA
(2 ER/12.1 IP) over 13 games in July.
DAYTIME DOMINANCE: Posted a 1.16 ERA (3 ER/23.1 IP) in 24 day games, the best mark on the club
among hurlers with more than 10 daytime outings...held opponents to a .235 average during the day, striking
out 17 while walking seven.
STARTING LINE: Tossed 15.0 consecutive scoreless frames over 13 games to start the season, 4/3-5/2,
going 1-0 with four holds...the streak was snapped in his second inning of work on 5/2 vs. WSH...held opponents
to a .157 average (8-for-51) with nine strikeouts compared to three walks over the 15.0-inning span...
did not allow a run while giving up just eight hits over 14.0 innings (12 games) in April.
2006
Acquired by the Padres from the Boston Red Sox on May 1 with catcher Josh Bard in exchange for catcher Doug Mirabelli...
Tossed 50.2 innings, allowing just six runs in 45 games (1.07 ERA)...ERA was lowest among qualifying NL relievers (at least 50.0
IP)...Held opposing batters to a league relief-best .170 average (30-176)...Earned his first ML win, May 13 @CHC, tossing 1.0
scoreless inning...Optioned to Triple-A Portland, May 17 and recalled on July 2, staying with the Padres for the remainder of the
season...Did not surrender a run in 28 straight appearances, July 18-September 12, setting a new franchise record (starter or
reliever) with 33.2 consecutive scoreless innings, eclipsing Randy Jones' previous record (30.0 in 1980)...The streak was also
the longest by any pitcher in 2006 and the longest since Pedro Martinez threw 35.0 straight scoreless frames for Boston, July
25-August 16, 2002...The 33.2 consecutive scoreless innings also tied Orel Hershiser's mark (June 29-July 24, 1984) for the
second-longest streak by a rookie since 1970, trailing Fernando Valenzuela's 35.0 straight, April 14-May 3, 1981...Also marked
the longest scoreless stretch by a rookie reliever in the live-ball era (since 1920)...Worked in two games in the NLDS vs. STL, ,
allowing two unearned runs in 3.2 IP...Tallied three strikeouts with no walks while surrendering three hits.
2005
Made his major league debut with the Red Sox after tossing 15.0 scoreless innings in 12 appearances at Double-A Portland
and 1.0 shutout inning in a one-game stop at Triple-A Pawtucket...Promoted to Pawtucket on May 5, and pitched 1.0 shutout
inning the next night vs. Rochester...Had his contract purchased by Boston on May 8 and made his ML debut in Game 2 of a doubleheader vs. SEA that day...Entered with two outs and a runner on second, then issued two walks before giving up a Richie Sexson grand slam that wrapped around Pesky's Pole, 1st HR allowed in his pro career...Was the second product of the 2004 draft to reach the majors, trailing right-hander Huston Street (OAK)...Appeared in three games overall for Boston, allowing seven runs on six hits in 2.1 innings...Was optioned back to Pawtucket on May 17...Struck out 42 and walked just 12 in 48.1 innings, an average of 7.8 strikeouts and 2.2 walks per 9.0 innings...Began the season with Double-A Portland where he notched nine saves and held opponents to just five hits in his 15.0 innings of work...The opposition was 0-for-8 against him with RISP...Earned Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors for April after recording seven saves and tossing 12.1 shutout innings.
2004
Combined for 18 saves with a 1.14 ERA in 29 games with Single-A Augusta and Single-A Sarasota after being drafted by the Red Sox in the 6th round...Struck out 34 and walked only six in 31.2 innings, an average of 9.7 strikeouts and 1.7 walks per 9.0 innings...With Augusta, tossed 15.1 scoreless innings over 13 outings, notching six saves and limiting opponents to a .148 (8-54) average...Tossed 1.1 shutout innings vs. Greensboro in his June 24 professional debut...Promoted to Sarasota on July 27...Ranked 6th in the FSL with 12 saves...Picked up saves in each of his last 10 games, tossing 10.1 consecutive scoreless innings...Won the FSL Rolaids Relief Man award for August, posting 11 saves and a 1.35 ERA (13.1IP, 2ER).
