Graduated in 1997 from St. John Bosco High School, in Bellflower, Calif...played baseball and football in high school and threw a no-hitter his junior season...attended Los Angeles Harbor Junior College and clubbed 17 home runs in his only collegiate season...was signed by Cardinals scout Chuck Fick...resides in Lakewood, Calif.
2002
Began season with Memphis (AAA) . . . Made one start before being recalled on 4/11 . . . Placed on 15-day DL, 4/25 (retroactive to 4/22) with a left shoulder strain . . . Following his DL stint, made 2 appearances for STL (1 start) before being optioned back to Memphis, 5/15 . . . Made 4 starts in May for the Redbirds, going 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA . . . Recalled again on 6/4 . . . Made 4 more appearances for STL, including a 7.0 inning shutout performance, 7/14 at SD, before being traded to the Phillies, 7/29 . . . Optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA), 7/30 . . . Made just 3 starts for Scranton before being shut down with a sore left shoulder for the remainder of the season . . . Had surgery on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum, 10/18 (Dr. Lewis Yocum).
2001
Rookie lefthander pitched in 16 games and made 14 starts, going 6-3 with a 3.83 ERA...His freshman campaign included a no-hitter on 9/3 at SD, as he became the third Cardinals rookie and 24th rookie in Major League history to toss a no-hitter...Tied for fourth in National League Rookie of the Year ballotting and was ranked as the No. 9 Major League rookie by Baseball America...Claimed the N.L. Rookie of the Month award for September, when he went 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA. He allowed only seven hits and one earned run in 21.0 IP...Worked six or more innings in eight of his 14 starts and allowed two or fewer runs in eight of those starts...Owns 490 strikeouts and only 176 walks in 577.1 innings pitched in his professional career (including major and minor leagues)...Posted a perfect fielding percentage at the Triple-A and Major League levels and has made just one error (1998) in four years of professional ball...Was the seventh of nine starting pitchers to be used by the Cardinals and became the third 21-year-old to play for St. Louis in 2001, after Albert Pujols (1/16/80) and Rick Ankiel (7/19/79)...Opened the year at Memphis (AAA) and went 8-5 with a 2.75 ERA in 17 starts. Allowed 114 hits and fanned 78 batters while walking only 28 in 108.0 IP. For the Redbirds, went 6-1 with a 3.29 ERA on the road and 2-4, 2.19 at home...Didn't receive much offensive support in his five Memphis losses, as the Redbirds scored just three runs in those five games. The scores of his five Triple-A losses were 2-1, 3-1, 4-0, 2-1 and 3-0...Did not earn a decision in his season debut vs. Nashville, but fanned a season-high eight batters (with no walks) in 6.0 IP in a 3-2 Memphis win...Was purchased from Memphis following 6/8 game at COL and made three appearances for St. Louis before being optioned back to Memphis on 6/18. ..Made his major league debut at COL on 6/10, retiring the side in order...Made his first major league start vs. the White Sox on 6/17 and won an 8-3 decision over David Wells. Pitched 5.1 innings of shutout ball before allowing three runs in the sixth, including a two-run homer to Maglio Ordonez. Went 5.2 innings overall, allowing seven hits...Went 1-1 with a 4.88 ERA in four starts at Memphis between Cardinals stints, including an 0-1, 6.88 mark in his last three starts...Started for the Pacific Coast League in the Triple-A All-Star Game at Indianapolis on 7/11. Went 2.0 innings and allowed two unearned runs on one hit (a two-out homer by Adam Dunn)...Was recalled on 7/13 when reliever Mike James was placed on the 15-day disabled list...Made a bid for NL Rookie of the Month honors for July with a 2-0 record and a 2.25 ERA in his three starts, as opponents batted just .222 against him...Pitched a fine game, but went without a decision 7/16, in a 4-3 win vs. MIN. Pitched 7.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits, including solo HRs by Luis Rivas and Chad Allen. Fanned four and walked two intentionally and left the game with a 3-2 lead. Also notched his first major league hit with a sixth-inning single off Adam Johnson...Earned his second win with a 9-2 decision over PIT on 7/21, when he allowed two runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings of work. Struck out four batters and walked one and retired the last six batters he faced...Pitched an outstanding game with a 3-1 win at CHI on 7/26, when he allowed just one run on five hits in 7.0 IP. Bud fanned five batters and walked three (one intentional) while collecting a base hit off Kevin Tapani...Allowed an opposite-field HR to Javy Lopez and fell 2-1 to the Braves and Tom Glavine on 8/2. It was Bud's first ML defeat. Went 6.0 IP, allowing five hits and one walk...Allowed three runs on a pair of HRs and had a ND in the Cards' 6-5 11-inning loss at MON on 8/8. Bud worked 6.0 innings and trailed 3-2 when he left. The Cards scored 3 runs in its 9th to take a 5-3 lead, but the Expos answered with 2 runs in the 9th to tie it, 5-5...Had a tough outing in a 12-2 loss at CIN on 8/23. Went 5.2 inn. and allowed seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits...Struggled for the second straight outing and threw 94 pitches in just 3.1 innings pitched in a wild 16-14 Cards win on 8/29, when he allowed seven runs (five earned) on five hits vs. SD. Ryan Klesko's 2nd-inning HR was the first major league homer Bud allowed to a LH batter...Pitched the ninth no-hitter in Cardinals history (third by a rookie) in a 4-0 win at SD on 9/3. Allowed just four base runners (all via walks) and threw 134 pitches as he went the distance for the first time in his young Major League career. Capped his brilliant effort by retiring Phil Nevin on a come-backer to the mound, one of 10 ground-ball outs. He struck out a career-high seven batters...Followed up his Sept. 3 no hitter with a 2-1 win over the Brewers on 9/17, as baseball resumed play following the terrorist attack. He held Brewers hitless for the first 2.0 innings pitched giving him 11 consecutive hitless innings...Went just 3.0 innings in his last start of the year, a 9-7 loss at MIL. Made his first appearance in 10 days and gave up six runs on six hits.
2000
Claimed the Cardinals' Minor League Pitcher of the Year honor after posting a combined 17-2 record and 2.26 ERA between his two stops at Arkansas (AA) and Memphis (AAA)...received a host of awards in 2000, including being named Baseball Weekly's Minor League Pitcher of the Year, the Texas League's Pitcher of the Year and Baseball America's Double-A Player of the Year. Also was named to Topps' Double-A All-Star team and to Howe Sportsdata's Pacific Coast League All-Prospect team...led the Cardinals system in wins and ERA and figured in the top 10 in innings pitched (3rd-163.0), strikeouts (3rd-136) and opponents' batting average (10th-.223)...posted a personal winning streak of 15 consecutive games, tops in the minor leagues, from 5/6 to 8/21...twirled a pair of no-hitters, both of the seven-inning variety. Blanked Midland in the second game of a doubleheader on 5/6, recording five strikeouts and one walk. Also tossed a no-no in the back end of a doubleheader on 6/11, when he blanked San Antonio, 1-0, and retired 17 straight batters between the first and seventh innings...averaged more than three strikeouts per walk allowed (136:42)...was named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month twice - in July and August. Went 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA in July (at Arkansas) and posted a 3-1, 2.03 mark in August (at Memphis)...Triple-A opponents batted just .206 off him, with four home runs in 54.1 innings pitched. Double-A batsmen hit .231 off him, with only five homers in 108.2 innings of work...boasted a perfect fielding mark for the second straight season. Has made just one error (1998) in three years of pro ball...had an incredible month of May, when he made five starts and went 5-0 with a 1.21 ERA. Allowed only 18 hits and four earned runs in 29.2 innings of work. Also struck out 27 batters and walked just seven...despite missing the last month of the Texas League season, he finished as the circuit's leader in complete games (3) and shutouts (3)...was twice named the Texas League's Pitcher of the Week - May 1-7 and June 5-11...allowed just one hit, fanned six and walked none in a rain-shortened five-inning win at Shreveport on 5/27...started for the Texas League All-Stars in the 6/20 Texas-Mexican All-Star Game. Pitched two scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out three...fanned a season-high 10 batters in seven innings of work at San Antonio on 7/22...went 2-for-3 at the plate and smacked his first professional home run in a 4-1 win over Shreveport on 7/27...had his 15-game winning streak snapped when Memphis was defeated by Nashville, 7-5, on 8/27. Smith allowed four unearned runs and three hits over 6.1 innings. The loss was his first since 4/25...helped lead Memphis through the PCL playoffs, where he went 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA. Struck out 13 batters in 13.0 innings and opponents batted just .178 off him...suffered the loss in his only outing in the Triple-A World Series vs. Indianapolis...including three postseason appearances, his overall 2000 record was 19-3.
1999
Split the season between Class-A Peoria and Potomac...posted a combined 2.92 ERA, but had a tough-luck 8-10 overall record...went 4-1 at Peoria before earning a promotion to Potomac, where his record was 4-9, despite a 2.96 ERA and .235 opponents' batting average.
1998
Began his professional career at Johnson City (R)...appeared in 14 games (all starts) and went 3-3 with a 5.18 ERA...recorded 65 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched...his 14 starts led the Appalachian League.
