Graduated from Troup (GA) High School, where he played baseball and basketball...established the Troup career strikeout record...in 1989 played in the Dixie Youth World Series.
2003
Didn't pitch after 8/3 because of a bulging disc in his lower back...was on the disabled list twice
with the injury (4/18-5/26, 8/4-end of season)...on 9/3 was transfered to the 60-day DL to make room on the roster
for RHP Todd Van Poppel...lost his first 4 starts of the season (0-4, 12.74) before he went on the DL the first
time...became the first Reds pitcher to lose his first 4 starts of a season since RHP Joey Jay lost his first 5 starts in
1963...from 5/8-5/22 made 3 minor league rehab starts before he pitched again for the Reds...in 14 starts from 5/27-
8/3 went 2-8, 4.81 with 1cg before he returned to the DL a second time...when disabled had become the first Reds
pitcher to begin a season 2-12 since Ewell Blackwell in 1952...made 6 quality starts, all in a span of 9 starts from 6/
3-7/12 (2-5, 3.45)...in his 18 starts the Reds went 4-14...made 2 starts on 3 days' rest, a 6-3 loss at Hou on 7/8 (5.2ip,
6h, 6r, 3er, 5bb, 6k, season-high 116pch) and a 5-1 victory at Mil on 7/12 (7ip, 4h, 1er, 1bb, 1k, 87pch)...in his career
has made 6 starts on short rest (2-3, 3.34, 35ip, 13er), including 1-1, 2.84 in the 2 starts in 2003...lost his first 5
decisions over 7 starts before his first victory, a complete-game 3-hitter in a 15-1 win vs the Phillies...allowed only a
single by David Bell in the second inning, a homer by pinch-hitter Jason Michaels in the eighth and a double by Jim
Thome in the ninth...the game was interrupted in the sixth inning by bench-clearing incident that began after Carlos
Silva threw behind Adam Dunn...Silva, Dunn, Sean Casey, Jose Mesa and Phillies manager Bowa were ejected...was
his only complete game of the season and the second of his career...in his first career Opening Day start suffered the
10-1 loss vs Pit in the first regular-season game at new Great American Ball Park...in that start allowed 3 homers, all
in the second inning (Sanders 2-run, Lofton 3-run, Kendall solo)...on 4/5 vs Chi, in his second start of the season, left
after 4.0 innings with lower back spasms...didn't pitch again until 4/12, then made 2 more starts before he went to
the DL for the first time...was disabled following a 16-3 loss at Chi on 4/17 in which he allowed a career-high 10
runs...made his shortest start of the season in a 9-8 loss on 7/19 vs Hou (1.1ip) in which he allowed 4 hits and 5 runs
in the first inning, including consecutive HR to Lance Berkman (3-run), Richard Hidalgo and Morgan Ensberg...in the
7-3 loss vs SF on 8/3 left in the third inning with stiffness in his back...the next day went on the disabled list with a
bulging disc and didn't pitch again the rest of the season...following his complete game on 6/13 vs Phi, Complete Pet
Mart donated $1,025 to S.P.C.A. Cincinnati and another $650 to Major League Baseball's RBI program (Reviving
Baseball in the Inner City).
Career highlights: In 2002 won the Johnny Vander Meer Award as the Reds' Most Outstanding Pitcher...in
1995 twice was named International League Pitcher of the Week...in 1994 received the Palmer Prize as the Orioles'
top minor league pitcher...also in 1994 was an Eastern League All-Star, a Double-A All-Star Game participant and the
Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April and August...in 1993 was a Carolina League All-Star...in 1992 was
the Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August.
2002
In his first season in the organization led the pitching staff in wins (15), starts (34), innings pitched (196.2) and strikeouts (126)...his 34 starts were a career high and the most by a Reds pitcher since RHP Brett Tomko made 34 starts in 1998...his 15 victories were a career high and the most by a Reds pitcher since RHP Pete Harnisch went 16-10 in 1999...in his last 25 starts of the season went 12-5, 3.74, including a career-high 5-game winning streak from 6/26-8/3...in a 4-start stretch from 5/25-6/11 went 4-0, 2.73...prior to that streak never had won more than 2 consecutive starts...his 16.0-inning scoreless streak from 9/13-9/29 was the second-longest by a Reds pitcher all season (Dessens, 17.0ip, 7/11-7/26)...finished the first half with a 10-6 record to become the first Reds pitcher to earn 10 victories prior to the All-Star break since LHP Tom Browning went 10-5 in 1991 and the first righthander to do it since Jack Armstrong went 11-3 in 1990...made 17 quality starts...entered his last start with a season-low ERA of 3.99 but in the season finale, on 9/29 at Mtl, allowed 5er in 5ip to raise ERA to season-ending 4.12...in his 34 starts the Reds went 18-16 scored 136 runs (4 r/g)...3 times was the victim of blown saves...tied for the staff lead with 2 pickoffs...in the first inning on 5/4 at SF allowed a solo HR to Bonds, his 576th career homer and 400th as a Giant...on 8/29 vs StL, in his longest start of the season threw 8.0 shutout innings in the 7-0 victory (7k)...as a hitter led the pitching staff with 5 runs scored, 10 hits, 12 total bases and 6rbi and led all Reds batters with 10 sac bunts...had 3 multi-hit games, most on the staff...had 2 hits on 6/6 vs StL...on 7/1 vs Hou had a career-high 3 hits, the first Reds pitcher with 3 hits in a game since Ron Villone on 9/29/00 at StL...on 8/29 vs StL had 2 hits and a career-high 3rbi, the first Reds pitcher with 3rbi in a game since Mike Remlinger on 8/15/97 at LA...on 8/1 vs LA pinch hit and flew to CF as the first Reds pitcher to pinch hit since Dennys Reyes on 8/2/01 vs StL...was 1 of 3 non-roster pitchers to make the Opening Day roster (Joey Hamilton, Jose Rijo).
2001
For the Brewers went 8-17, 4.85 in 29 starts and 2
relief apps...from 8/24-9/25 was on the 15-day disabled list with a strained
left oblique muscle...established Brewers National League records for losses
(17) and consecutive scoreless innings pitched (23.1)...along with Pit's
Jimmy Anderson ranked T2nd in the NL in losses (SD's Bobby Jones, 19)...tied
the Brewers National League record for decisions with 25...suffered his 17th
loss in his final start, on 10/4 at StL...threw at least 6.0 innings in 20
of his 29 starts...pitched at least 7.0 innings in 10 starts...made his
relief apps on 9/27 at Ari and 9/29 at Col.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: The
last 4 seasons averaged 30 starts and 177ip...in 1995 twice was named
International League Pitcher of the Week...in 1994 received the Palmer Prize
as the Orioles' top minor league pitcher...also in 1994 was an Eastern
League All-Star, a Double-A All-Star Game participant and the Orioles' Minor
League Pitcher of the Month for April and August...in 1993 was a Carolina
League All-Star...in 1992 was the Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Month
for August.
2000
Established
Brewers NL records for innings pitched (199.1), runs allowed (128), earned
runs allowed (118) and walks (100)...tied franchise NL marks with 12
victories and 33 starts...among National League pitching leaders ranked
sixth in hits allowed (228), fifth in walks and T5th in runs allowed...with
a career-high 13 losses ranked T8th in the NL...induced 29 double plays,
third-most in the league...14 times in 33 starts allowed at least 3 runs in
an inning...posted his career-high 12th victory 9/14 at Cin...suffered his
13th loss in his final start, on 9/30 at Hou.
1999
For the Athletics went
7-12, 6.34 in 25 starts and 5 relief apps...led the club in losses and for
the second consecutive season led the staff in walks allowed (80)...finished
the season with a 5-game losing streak...began the season 1-4, 5.34 to
become the first A's pitcher to lose 4 games in April since Lary Sorensen
went 1-4 in April of 1984...on 5/8 at WSox threw 1.1 innings in his shortest
career start...his relief appearance on 6/5 at SF snapped a string of 57
consecutive starts.
1998
Spent the entire season in Oak's starting
rotation...established career highs with 33 starts and 134 strikeouts...led
the staff with 229 hits allowed, which ranked ninth in the American league,
and 88 walks allowed, which ranked T6th in the AL...also ranked among AL
pitching leaders in doubles allowed (53, 2nd), wild pitches (6, T6th), runs
allowed (124, T9th) and pickoffs (4, T10th)...in the 14-0 victory on 5/18 at
WSox threw a 6-hitter for his first career complete game and shutout...as a
batter on 6/25 vs SF drew the first walk by an Athletics pitcher since Ken
Holtzman on 9/24/73 vs Min.
1997
Began the season with the Orioles' Class AAA affiliate in Rochester before
he was traded to Oak on 6/27...at the time of the trade led the
International League with 113 strikeouts...made 5 starts at Class AAA
Edmonton before he was promoted to the Athletics on 7/27...finished the
season in Oak's starting rotation...his 4.42era was the lowest among all
Athletics starters.
1996
Spent most of the season with the Orioles and
went 3-6, 8.29 in 11 starts and 15 relief apps...also made 5 starts at Class
AAA Rochester...began the season in the Orioles' starting rotation and lost
his first 3 starts...earned in first victory on 4/29 vs Tex, in relief...in
the 12-8 victory on 5/28 at Sea earned his first Major League save...was
optioned to Rochester on 7/31 and returned to Bal on 8/28...that night
against the Mariners allowed 5 runs on 7 hits in 3.1ip and was optioned to
Class AA Bowie...returned to the Orioles on 9/3...made 2 relief apps for the
Orioles before he was sent to the instructional league.
1995
At Class AAA
Rochester led the International League with 140 strikeouts and tied for the
IL lead with 12 victories...ranked fifth in the IL with a 3.29era and
167ip...twice was named IL Pitcher of the Week, from 4/23-4/29 (1-0, 0.75,
2gs) and from 8/28-9/3 (2-0, 0.00, 2gs)...was promoted to Bal following the
International League playoffs...made his Major League debut on 9/13 vs Bos
and suffered the 2-0 loss (7ip, 3h, 1r)...earned his first ML victory in his
second start, on 9/18 at Det...his 11 strikeouts in that game remains his
career high.
