Jason Stanford

Full name: Jason John Stanford...Married, wife's name is Kara, a former member of the Cleveland Cavaliers dance team and currently an attorney...Resides in Queen Creek, AZ...Recently graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies...Graduated from Canyon Del Oro High School in 1995... Spent two years (1996-97) playing at Barton County Community College (KS) and was an Academic All-American...Played two years of baseball for North Carolina-Charlotte in 1998-99 where he was a Conference USA selection in both years... Enjoys hunting and golfing in the off-season...Attended the annual Cleveland Baseball Federation dinner in August of 2004... Currently is involved with the Garth Brooks 'Teammates for Kids' Foundation, B.A.T.S and the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona Saint Nicholas program ...

2006

Appeared in AAA Buffalo for the 6th straight season (club record)...Did not win until May 11 and dropped his first 3 decisions... Did not pitch for most of June due to left elbow tendonitis...Following activation he was 4-2 w/a 3.20 ERA (64.2IP, 57H, 23ER, 43K) and worked 6.0 or more inning in 7 of his last 8 starts...Went 1-1 w/a 2.40ERA in 5 July starts (30.0IP, 26H, 8ER, 17K)...Limited Triple A hitters to a .242 (102-422) average with 11HR allowed...RH hitters hit .236 (74-313) with 9HR and LHH hit .257 (28-109) with 2HR...Batters hit .284 (50-176) with runners on and .274 (26-95) with RISP...Was outrighted off the 40-man roster on September 21...

2005

Spent the first half of the season rehabbing his left elbow in Winter Haven and Akron under the expert supervision of Lee Kuntz...Was officially placed on the 60-day DL on Feb. 21 in spring training...Began his 30-day rehab assignment July 25 in Mahoning Valley (2 games) and appeared in 1 game at Lake County on July 30 before being activated from the DL and optioned to AA Akron on August 1...Pitched well at Akron, posting an ERA of 2.45 (14.2IP, 4ER) and allowed earned runs in only 3 of his 8 games.... Went exactly 2.0IP in 6 of the 8 outings and limited batters to a .176 (3-17) mark with RISP...Was promoted to Buffalo on August 25 where he allowed an ER in only 1 of the 4 outings...His combined ERA at Akron and Buffalo was 2.08 (21.2IP, 22H, 5ER, 20K)...Allowed 2 runs in 2 IL Playoff outings (2.0IP, 3H, 2R/ER).

2004

Season was marred by elbow problems that limited him to 2 major league starts and eventually ended his season after undergoing reconstructive left elbow surgery at the end of July...Had a very successful spring, coming to camp fighting for a spot on the club and in the rotation...Was named the Tribe's 5th starter on March 30 and on the spring he went 2-0 w/a 3.52 ERA in 6 appearances/5 starts (23.0IP, 23H, 9R/ER, 1HR, 10BB, 7K)...Over his last 4 starts on the spring he was 2-0 w/a 2.00 ERA (18.0IP, 16H, 4ER). Made first regular season start of the season on April 9 at KC (ND, 5.0IP, 7H, 0R, 4BB, 2K) in a 3-1 loss at KC...Fell to 0-1 as the Twins and Brad Radke shutout the Tribe, 3-0, in his second and final start of the season on April 15 vs. Minnesota in Jacobs Field (6.0IP, 5H, 1R/ER, 1BB, 3K)...Indians scored 1 run over his 2 starts as he worked into the 6th inning in both starts...His 0.82 ERA was actually leading the AL at one point after his 2nd start. Felt soreness in his left elbow and forearm area after his 2nd start of April 15 and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 20 (retro to 4/16)... Rehabbed the arm in Cleveland before making 1 rehab start for Buffalo on May 3 vs. Pawtucket (3.1IP, 2H, 0R, 3BB, 4K)...Continued to fell discomfort in the elbow and was shutdown for 12 weeks after abnormalities were detected with his ligament and flexor tendon mass in his elbow...Resumed a throwing program in late June before throwing 2 simulated games, the last of which came on July 19 in Anaheim. Was shutdown for the season after more discomfort and was seen by Dr. Mark Schickendantz in Cleveland and Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL, who both recommended reconstructive surgery on his left elbow to repair his damaged and dysfunctional ligament..."Tommy John" surgery was performed by Schickendantz and Andrews in Birmingham on July 29th, ending his season and putting in question the starting date for his 2005 campaign.

2003

Was impressive over 5 September starts, earning his first major league win...Spent most of the season with AAA Buffalo, going 10-4 with a 3.43ERA (126.0IP, 124H, 57R/48ER, 25BB, 108K, 13HR) and led the team in starts (20), innings and strikeouts while tying for the team lead with 10 wins...He began the season 5-0 at Triple A in his first 8 starts before suffering his first loss on 6/1 at Columbus...When he was promoted to Cleveland for the first of his three stints in the big leagues he was tied for third in the International League in wins (8) and 6th in ERA (3.18)...He was named to the IL All-Star Team prior to his promotion to the big leagues on 7/5 when his contract was purchased from AAA Buffalo...Marked the 2nd time in his minor league career he was named to the league's All-Star squad (also SAL All-Star in 2000)...Tossed 1.0 scoreless inning in the Triple A All-Star Game on 7/16...He made his ML debut on 7/6 in Minnesota (ND, 5.0IP, 5H, 2R/ER, 4BB, 1K)...Made his 2nd major league start on 7/12 (day game) against Chicago-AL despite allowing only 1 run on 4 hits over 6.0IP...Was optioned to AAA Buffalo after the day game of 7/12 and made 1 start for the Bisons (7.0IP, 3R/ER) before being recalled on 7/22 and put into a relief role from 7/22-8/10, making a spot start on 8/9 (N) vs. Anaheim (4.1IP, 7H, 2R/ER)...Was optioned back to Buffalo on 8/10, making 3 more starts for Buffalo in August (2-1, 4.50ERA, 20.0IP, 22H, 10ER) before being recalled on 9/1 when rosters expanded and made is 4th start that day in Detroit against the Tigers (4.1IP, 6H, 4R/ER, 1BB, 2K)... Worked a career-high 7.0IP and equaled season/career-high 6SO in start of 9/13 vs. Minnesota (L#2, 7.0IP, 4H, 2R)...Worked 7.0IP on both 9/13 & 9/19 vs. Boston and was a victim of 2-0 shutouts in each start...Earned is first major league win in his final start of 9/26 at Toronto (6.0IP, 5H, 0R, 2BB, 3SO), a 2-1 win over the Jays and Cory Lidle...Over his 5 September starts he was 1-2 w/a 3.68 ERA (29.1IP, 26H, 12ER, 7BB, 21SO)...As a starter he was 1-2 w/a 3.43 ERA in 8 starts (44.2IP, 42H, 17ER)...Was a member Team USA at the 2003 of the Olympic Trials held in Panama City, Panama in early November...Started game 1 against Nicaragua and tossed 7.0 shutout innings.

2002

Spent most of the season at AA Akron and made 6 starts over three stints at AAA Buffalo in only his 3rd professional season, recording a combined record of 10-7 w/a 3.26 ERA (138.0IP, 141H, 50ER, 8HR, 44BB, 109SO) in 24 games/23 starts...Started the year slowly at Akron, recording a record of 0-3 w/a 6.48 ERA in 5 April starts (25.0IP, 34H, 18ER) before dialing it up in May, going 5-0 w/a 0.61 ERA in 5 starts (29.2IP, 29H, 2ER)...Was first promoted to Buffalo on 5/28, making 4 starts in June for the Bisons (2-1, 2.92ERA, 24.2IP, 8ER) before being sent back to AA Akron on 6/23...Made two more spot starts in Buffalo on 7/12 at Syracuse (6.0IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4SO) and on 8/21 at Ottawa (5.0IP, 8H, 3R/ER)...Tossed a complete game, 3-hit 9.0 inning shutout on 7/23 vs. Erie (0BB, 8K)...His 1 SHO was good enough for T2nd among Eastern League pitchers...Fanned a season-high 11 batters on 7/5 at Erie...Made 1 start for Akron in the Double A playoffs vs. Harrisburg (ND, 8.0IP, 5H, 1R/ER, 2BB, 7SO, 1.13ERA).

2001

Spent most of the season at AA Akron before a late season stint in Buffalo...Led the club with 108 strikeouts and finished 2nd on the club with 141.2 innings pitched...Was on the DL from 5/13-6/3 with lower back spasms... Other than that span made his every turn in the rotation as his 151.2 innings on the year ranked 3rd among Indians minor league pitchers...Lost 7 straight decisions from 6/29-8/12 (span of 9 starts w/o a win) while his 11 losses were tied for 5th among Eastern League pitchers...Lone CG at Akron came on 8/17 vs. Bowie (G1, 7.0IP, 6H, 5R/ER, 1BB, 5SO)...Prior to the back injury he was 3-2 with a 2.32 ERA (42.2IP, 41H, 11ER, 3BB, 33SO) over his first 7 starts of the season before being shelved...Was promoted to AAA Buffalo on 9/1 and was awesome in his lone regular season start with the Bisons, tossing a 9.0 inning, complete game 3-hit shutout vs. Rochester (9.0IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 10SO)...The 10 strikeouts were a 2001-best for Jason...Did not make an error in 26 chances between the two stops on the year and worked 5.0 or more innings in 21 of his 24 starts...After the season he played for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League, going 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA (5GS, 19.0IP, 16H, 3ER, 2BB, 19SO) and was named to the All Prospect team after the season...Also played for Team USA in the World Cup held in Chinese Taipei in November... He went 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA (12.0IP, 7H, 1ER, 4BB, 15SO) for the Silver medal winning squad in 3 starts.

2000

Was named the club's Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going a combined 12-7 with a 2.62 ERA in 26 starts (154.2IP, 155H, 45ER, 38BB, 135SO)...Finished T1st in the organization in wins (12), T2nd with 154.2IP and 2nd with 135 SO...Started the year at A Columbus of the South Atlantic League and was promoted to A Kinston on 6/24...Was with Kinston for two months before making a late-season start for Akron on 9/3 (5.2IP, 5H, 1R/ER)... Allowed only 5 homers on the season and pitched in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.