In 1994 graduated from Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Fla., where he was all-state in baseball...was a high school football teammate of NFL players Henry Crockett, Al Harris, Tyrone Carter and Corey Simon..was scouted and signed
by Mike Mangan (Reds)...John and his wife, Mary, reside in
Wellington, Fla. with their son, Jackson (9/25/03).
2005
Played most of the year with the Florida Marlins where he went 4-1 in 29 games in relief. Began the season on the 15-day
disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis.
Was activated on 4/15 and made his first appearance 4/21 at NY, allowing two runs in 2.0 IP.
Optioned to Albuquerque (AAA) on 6/30 and recalled 7/18. Optioned a second time on 7/31 and recalled 8/27.
Had a 4-0 record with two saves in two separate stints at Triple-A. In his first trip to Albuquerque recorded a 1-0 mark with a
5.40 ERA (5 ER/8.1 IP) in five games, but all five runs against him came in one outing, 7/5 vs. Oklahoma.
Had just one trip to the mound after his second recall from Triple-A, 8/28 vs. CHI. Allowed three runs in 0.2 IP.
Was placed on the 15-day DL with right shoulder tendinitis the next day, 8/29, where he remained the rest of the season.
2004
Led the Reds' pitching staff with a career-high 70 appearances...also established a career high with five victories...led Reds relievers with 77.2 innings pitched...In his first 20 games of the season posted a 0.41 ERA (22.0 IP, ER) and .133 opponents' BA (10x75, 0 HR)...in his last 50 games posted a 6.95 ERA (55.2 IP, 43 ER) and .333 opponents' BA (80x240, 10 HR)...Spent August 3-9 on the bereavement list following the death of his father, Jack...after his return from the bereavement list posted a 7.20 ERA (20.0 IP, 16 ER) in his last 19 games of the season, raising his overall ERA from 4.37...finished the season with three scoreless outings (3.2 IP)...was 0x7 in save opps...On August 1 vs. Houston was ejected by home plate umpire Andy Fletcher as he walked off the mound toward the dugout...in that game suffered a blown save and the 7-5 loss...was his first career ejection...On September 18 vs. the Cubs left the game with a sprained left knee suffered while trying to field Corey Patterson's bunt...an MRI showed no structural damage and he pitched again four days later...his final appearance of the season, on October 2 vs. Pittsburgh, was the 200th of his Major League career.
2003
Despite a stint on the disabled list established career highs in almost every statistical category,
including apps (55), innings pitched (101.0) and strikeouts (65)...went 0-3, 7.32 in his 8 starts and 2-0-1, 3.58 in his 47
relief apps...were the first starts of his Major League career...made his first 13 apps of the season in relief (0-0-1, 5.09)
before joining the rotation on 5/5 vs StL...from 5/5-6/11 made all 8 of his starts in consecutive apps before he went
on the disabled list on 6/13 with tendinitis in his right elbow...in each of his last 3 starts allowed a career-high 6
runs...after he came off the DL on 6/27 made his last 34 apps of the season in relief (3.02era)...his 17.0-inning
scoreless streak from 7/10-8/15 was a career high and the longest by a Reds pitcher all season...made 2 quality starts
(6ip, 3er)...in his 8 starts the Reds went 5-3...as a reliever retired the first batter 37-47 times and stranded 15-28
inherited baserunners...converted 1-4 save opps...in the 11-3 win on 4/14 at Chi threw 3.0 scoreless innings for his only
save of the season...in his appearance vs StL on 5/5
made his first professional start since 1998, when he
made 20 starts at Class AA Chattanooga...was his 89th
Major League appearance...in the 11-inning, 7-6 victory
on 5/26 at Atl, didnbt allow a run in a career-high 6.2
innings but received no decision as the victim of a blown
save...in that game recorded his first career 2-hit game
and his first career RBI (singled off Mike Hampton)...also
was the victim of a blown save on 9/10 vs Pit...the Reds
failed to hold 9-0 leads in his starts on 6/1 at Fla and a
6-0 lead on 6/11 at TB...received no-decisions in both
starts...recorded his first career hit on 4/30/03 at Col, a
single off Aaron Cook.
Career highlights: In 1999 was a Southern League mid-season All-Star.
2002
Came back from shoulder surgery to finish 2-4, 2.70 in 33 relief apps...twice was on the disabled list, from 3/26-4/30 while recovering from right shoulder surgery and from 8/20-9/3 with a strained right groin...despite his 2 stints on the DL established career highs in apps, innings pitched (46.2) and strikeouts (30)...in a 7-2 loss on 8/14 vs Ari allowed a career-high 4er in 2ip...in his other 32 apps of the season posted a 2.01era...began the season on the Reds' 15-day DL while recovering from 9/4/01 arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn labrum and torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder...on 5/1 was reinstated from the DL and was optioned to the minor leagues, where he went 2-1, 7.41 in 13 apps for Chattanooga (5/1-5/19) and Louisville (5/20-6/10) before he was recalled to Cin on 6/11...went 1-2, 2.55 in 22 apps for the Reds before he returned to the DL on 8/20 with the groin injury...finished the season 1-2, 3.18 in 11 apps after he was reinstated from the disabled list on 9/4...twice tied his career high by throwing 3.0 innings (6/30 at StL, 8/1 vs LA)...on 8/14 vs Ari, left the game with a strained right groin after allowing a career-high 4er in 2ip...threw a scoreless inning in his next appearance, on 8/19 vs Hou, but the next day went on the DL...didn't pitch again until 9/6...was on the mound for 2 of the Reds' 4 walkoff losses...in the 3-2 loss at NYM on 7/26 allowed Mo Vaughn's RBI-single and in the 11-inning, 4-3 loss at Mtl on 9/27 was the victim of Kelly Stinnett's 2-out throwing error...did not enter a game in a save situation...retired the first batter 25-33 times (.7575), second-best percentage on the staff (Gabe White, .7580)...stranded all 6 inherited baserunners.
2001
Appeared in just 29 games because of two stints on the 60-day
disabled list with a right shoulder injury...was one of seven players
who made eight appearances on the club's 60-day disabled list (LHP
Justin Atchley, RHP Seth Etherton, RHP Scott Williamson, RHP Pete
Harnisch, SS Barry Larkin, C Kelly Stinnett).
Went 0-1-1, 2.93 in 23 relief appearances (28IP) before he went
on the 15-day DL with a strained right shoulder on 5/27...three days
later was transfered to the 60-day DL to make room on the roster for
RHP Chris Nichting...when he went on the DL, led all National League
rookies in appearances (23) and opponents' BA (.194) and ranked
second in ERA (2.89).
On 8/10 made a rehab appearance in Louisville's 11-inning, 4-3
loss at Norfolk (1IP, 1BB, 1K).
On 8/12 was reinstated from the disabled list and appeared in six
more games for the Reds before he returned to the 60-day DL on
8/31...in those six appearances, retired 17-20 batters (1-0-0, 0.00,
5.2IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 3K), including his first 13 batters.
On 9/4 had arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn labrum and
torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder (Dr. Timothy Kremchek)...is
expected to begin throwing off flat ground in January and off a mound
in February or March...should be fully recovered in 6-8 months
following the surgery.
On 4/29 at Colorado allowed 3ER in 1.1IP...in his other 28
appearances, posted a 1.67ERA...four times entered games with the
bases loaded and stranded all 12 inherited runners.
In the 5-4 win vs St. Louis on 8/20, threw a perfect 11th inning
for his only victory of the season.
On 4/11 at Pittsburgh suffered a blown save and his only loss in
a 6-5 defeat (1+IP, 4H, 2ER, 0BB, 3K)...in that appearance threw
three wild pitches in the seventh inning to tie a club record most
recently accomplished by Scott Williamson on 6/8/99 at Minnesota...
left that 4/11 appearance with tightness in the muscles surrounding
his right elbow and didn't pitch again until 4/17.
Converted 1-3 save opportunities...earned his save in the 4-1
victory vs Pittsburgh on 4/5 (1IP, 1K)...suffered his two blown saves
in consecutive appearances in the 6-5 loss on 4/11 at Pittsburgh and
in the 3-2 win on 4/17 vs Milwaukee.
In the 4-3 loss vs Houston on 5/13, tied his career high with 3IP
and established a career high with four walks.
Shut out opponents in 23-29 appearances...retired the first
batter 25-29 times...stranded 19-22 inherited baserunners...allowed
only one homer, a three-run HR by Dave Dellucci on 5/9 at Arizona
that snapped a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning.
In the 4-3 loss on 5/8 at Arizona, was a victim of Danny Graves'
blown save when the Diamondbacks scored three runs in the bottom of
the 11th.
2000
In his first Major League season went 3-1, 2.35 with 1 save in 13 relief apps...National League opponents hit just .208...spent most of the season at Class AAA Louisville, where he went 6-3, 2.52 with 5 saves in a team-high 53 apps...was recalled on 8/28, when RHP Scott Williamson went on the 15-day disabled list...on 8/30 at Atl threw a scoreless ninth inning in his Major League debut (1h, 1bb, 1k)...in a 4-3 win on 8/31 at Atl earned his first Major League victory in his second big league appearance...in a 7-3 win on 9/16 vs Mil had 5 strikeouts in 3.0 innings, both career highs, to earn his first Major League save...his 5 strikeouts tied for the most by a Reds reliever in a game all season...suffered his only blown save and his only loss in his 12th appearance, a 10-6 defeat on 9/27 at Mil...entered that game with a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning but allowed 2 runs on a walk and 2 hits without retiring a batter...prior to that appearance had gone 3-0, 1.26 in his first 11 career apps...on 9/23 vs Hou, his first career wild pitch was the pitching staffbs 92nd of the season, a new National League record for wild pitches in a season...retired the first batter 8-13 times (62%)...the Reds went 7-6 when he pitched...shut out opponents in 9-13 apps...allowed only 1 homer, a solo to Jeremy Burnitz on 9/16 vs Mil.
1999
Combined to go 10-5, 2.51 with 6 saves in 64 relief apps at Class AAA Indianapolis and Class AA Chattanooga...International League opponents hit just .160, second-best mark among league relievers...established career bests in victories, ERA, saves and apps...was a Southern League mid-season All-Star...began the season at Chattanooga and went 9-5, 3.43 with 5 saves in 40 apps before he was promoted to Indy on 7/15...at the time of that promotion was tied for the Southern League lead in victories...joined the Indians on 7/15 and that night made his Class AAA debut...finished the season 1-0, 1.54 with 1 save in 24 apps for the Indians...was added to the Redsb 40-man roster on 10/12/99.
1998
In his first season at Class AA went 3-10, 5.00 in 20 starts and 4 relief apps at Chattanooga...for the second straight season threw 102.2 innings...Southern League opponents hit .277...following the season pitched in the Instructional League...was added to the Redsb 40-man roster on 11/10, then was released on 12/13...re-signed with Cin 9 days later.
1997
At Class A Burlington went 7-6, 5.26 in 16 starts and 19 relief apps...recorded a career-high 104 strikeouts...Midwest League opponents hit .253...in his 19 apps as a reliever, opponents hit just .186, second-best mark in the league.
1996
At Class A Charleston went 6-10, 3.99 in 26 apps, all starts...allowed only 2hr in a career-high 140ip...South Atlantic League opponents hit .258.
1995
In his second consecutive season at Billings went 2-2, 7.04 in 7 starts and 6 relief apps...recorded his only career save...Pioneer League opponents hit .305.
1994
Signed his first professional contract on 6/15, then appeared in 15g for Billings in the rookie Pioneer League...opponents hit .333 against him.