Brian Tallet #56

Graduated from Putnam City West High School in 1996 in Oklahoma City, Okla...played his collegiate ball at Hill Junior College (TX), where he went 11-2 in 1997 and led his team to the Western Regional Texas state crown...and then went on to Louisiana State University under legendary coach Skip Bertman...was a teammate of current Cardinal Ryan Theriot on the 2000 LSU team...started the title game against Stanford for the 2000 NCAA Championship...was drafted three times without signing (Florida, 14th round, 1996), New York Yankees (13th round, 1997) and Pittsburgh (19th round, 1999)...married with one child...resides in Baton Rouge, La.

2010

Appeared in 34 games with Toronto, starting five. Began the season in the Blue Jays rotation making all five starts before moving to the bullpen 6/11 for the remaining 29 appearances...For the first time since 2006, was tougher against LH batters holding them to a .176 BA (18-102)...Worked 2.0 or more innings in 14 of his 29 relief appearances, and had five relief appearances of 3.0 innings or more with a season-high of 3.1 at NYY (7/3)...Started the Blue Jays home opener on 4/12 vs. CWS throwing 6.0 innings in a no decision (Lost 8-7 in 11 inn.)...Matched his career high allowing 20 home runs, with 13 coming in relief, ranking T-3rd among MLB relievers...His 2.33 HR allowed per nine innings pitched was the highest total of any Major Leaguer with at least 70 innings in 2010.

2009

Made 37 appearances, including a career high 25 starts... WELCOME TO THE ROTATION: On April 18 vs. OAK, made his 1st start since Aug. 7, 2006... On Apr. 24 at CWS, picked up his 1st win as a starter since his Major League debut on Sept. 16, 2002 when pitching for CLE... QUALITY STRING: Between May 4 & May 30 tossed six consecutive quality starts, going 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and holding opponents to a .173 average... AS A STARTER: In his 25 starts, posted a 7-8 record with a 5.41 ERA with 11 quality starts, and held the opposition to three or less runs in 15 starts... AS A RELIEVER: Recorded a 0-1 record with a 4.71 ERA in 12 outings... Made four relief appearances in April, and then the balance between July 31 & Aug. 28... NOT YOUR TYPICAL LEFTY: LH hitters batted .290, while RH hitters batted .259... Over his career RH have been held to a .248 mark as opposed to a .260 avg. vs. LH hitters... A RARITY: April 10 at CLE allowed two home runs... It marked the 1st time he has allowed more than one HR in a game in his career... Did so four times over the course of the season... Allowed 11 hits on three occasions, while striking out seven on three occasions for career highs.

2008

Appeared in a career high 51 games and posted his lowest ERA as a member of the Blue Jays...Worked two or more innings in 12 of his 51 outings... Posted a 0.36 ERA (24.2 IP/ER) in those contests...Began the season retiring the first 13 batters he faced... Had a string of 12 outings covering 13.0 IP without allowing an earned run between Apr. 21-May 31...In 11 games, allowed only one earned run for a 0.82 ERA in May...When pitching with at least two days rest, posted a 1-0 record with a 1.45 ERA in 27 games...Pitched RH hitters tougher than LH hitters for the 2nd consecutive season... LH hitters batted .257 (26-101) while RH hitters batted .230 (26-113)...When pitching with runners in scoring position, held opponents to a .182 mark (10-55), and with runners in scoring position and two out, held opponents to a .185 avg. (5-27)... Picked up his first win since 2007 on Sept. 7 vs. TB... Was placed on the 15-day DL on July 28 - Aug. 15 with a fractured right toe.

2007

Had his contract purchased from Syracuse (AAA) on Apr. 22...Posted career highs in games (48), innings pitched (62.1) and strikeouts (54)...His .215 opponents average ranked 2nd on the club...The 62.1IP was the third most from a Blue Jays reliever...KEEP 'EM IN THE YARD: Allowed only one home run (Luis Hernandez/BAL) all season, in his 47th appearance...Went 60.1 IP without allowing a home run...STREAKING: From May 23-June 13 did not allow an earned run over 16.2IP...Had two separate streaks of six and eight games without giving up an earned run...May 18-June 22 recorded a strikeout in 14 straight games...Has a season high five strikeouts on June 22 vs. COL...TOUGH AT HOME: Posted a 1-2 record with 1.97 ERA, holding batters to a .161 average (32IP/18H)...In six games when pitching on back-to-back days was 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA...Held RH hitters to a .194 average (27-139)...LONG MAN: Of his 48 appearances, 28 were more than 1.0IP...In those outings had an ERA of 1.89 (47.2IP/10ER)...MINORS: In seven games with the Syracuse Chiefs was 0-0 with a 1.35 ERA (11K/3BB).

2006

Was on the opening day roster, however, was optioned to Syracuse (AAA) on May 2, before returning on June 10...After his return from the minors, posted an ERA of 3.09 over his final 37 outings...Retired 22 of 43 first batters faced (51%), although stranded 31 of 43 inherited runners (72%)... Finished September/October with an ERA of 1.23 in seven appearances...Made his only start of the season Aug. 7 vs. BAL...Did not allow an earned run in 2.1 IP, despite walking four... Worked 2.0 or more in nine games, holding the opposition to six ER in 22.1 IP (2.70 ERA) of those contests... Had a span of 32 games without allowing a home run...Held opposing hitters to a .238 batting average... LH hitters were limited to a .220 avg., while RH hitters batted .246.

2005

Spent most of the season at Buffalo and made two appearances over four stints in Cleveland...Did not allow a run over his 4.1 relief IP in the International League postseason (4.1IP, 1H, 0R)... Was a combined 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in nine April/May starts (46.1IP, 36H, 13ER) and 3-4 with a 6.69 ERA in eight combined June/July starts (40.1IP, 53H, 30ER)... Triple A hitters hit .260 (98-377) off him.

2004

Began the season on the DL after rehabbing from reconstructive left elbow surgery the previous August... Started out the season on the 60-day DL, rehabbing in extended spring training... Began a rehab assignment A Mahoning Valley on June 30 (2G, 2.2IP, 3H, 3R/0ER) before being sent to Lake County on July 3... Rehab was transferred to Akron on July 8, where he remained with the Aeros from July 8- August 21... Was activated from the 60-day DL on July 27 and officially optioned to Akron... Was promoted to Buffalo on August 22 and spent remainder of season with the Bisons... Did not allow a run over his three International League playoff outings for the IL champions Bisons (3.1IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 1K).

2003

Split the season between Buffalo, Cleveland and the DL as August elbow surgery that extended into the 2004 campaign... Opened the season in Buffalo after being optioned out of major league camp on March 17... Was recalled to Cleveland for the first time on May 28... Made his 2003 debut and first career relief appearances with a perfect 1.0 inning in Colorado on June 3... Was optioned to Buffalo on June 22... Made four more starts with Buffalo from June 26- July 13 before making a spot start in Chicago- AL on July 21 (4.2IP, 5H, 4R/ER, 3BB, 3K), falling to 0-2 on the year at the big league level... Was removed from what turned out to be his final appearance of 2003 on July 26 at Pawtucket after 3.0IP with discomfort in his left pitching elbow... Underwent ligament reconstruction ('Tommy John' Surgery) and ulnar nerve transposition in Birmingham, AL by Dr. James Andrews on Aug. 26... Spent entire 2003-04 off-season rehabbing the injury in Cleveland.

2002

Spent most of the season between Buffalo (AAA) and Akron (AA), going a combined 12-4, before spending the last three weeks at the big league level where he made his major league debut and picked up his first win... Spent the first half of the season with the Akron Aeros, before being promoted to Buffalo on July 16... Did not make his first start at Akron until April 13 as he overcame offseason/spring training shoulder tendonitis... Won his last six decisions with Akron from June 9-July 4 before being promoted to Buffalo on July 14... At time of promotion his 10 wins were tied for 2nd in the Eastern League and his 3.08 ERA was 7th... After the season he was named second runner-up for pitcher of the year honors in the Eastern League... Combined on the year at AAA & AA he was 12-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 26 games and limited batters to a .255 (140-549) average... Was promoted to the big leagues on September 13 when his contract was purchased from Buffalo after the Bisons were eliminated from the IL playoffs... Made and won his Major League debut on September 16 at Boston in the night game of a day/night doubleheader against the Red Sox... Tossed 6.0 shutout innings in a 7-1 win over the Sox (6.0IP, 4H, 0R, 3BB, 1SO), becoming the first Indian to win big league debut in starting role since Paul Rigdon in May 21, 2000 vs. NYY.

2001

Spent the entire season at A Kinston of the Carolina League, leading the circuit in strikeouts with 164... Led the Indians organization in strikeouts (164) and innings pitched (160.0IP) and his 27 starts were tied for first in the system... His 3.04 ERA was the 5th lowest mark in the Carolina League and his two complete games were tied for 4th... Had three starts of 10 strikeouts.

2000

Was the 55th player selected in the 2000 draft by the Tribe and signed his first pro contract on August 1... His 2nd round pick was awarded to the Indians after Philadelphia signed Mike Jackson... Named 14th best prospect in the organization by Baseball America after the season.