Aaron Rakers
Encyclopedia
Aaron James Rakers is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who currently plays for the York Revolution
of the Atlantic League
. He attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles
in the 23rd round (697th overall) in 1999
.
Rakers made his major league debut on September 8, , pitching in three major league games that season. In , Rakers spent most of the year pitching for the Orioles Triple-A affiliate, the Ottawa Lynx
, where he had 92 strikeout
s and 21 walks
in 77 innings with an ERA
of 2.57. Rakers missed the entire season because of a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder and was non-tendered during the offseason. He was invited to spring training
by the San Diego Padres
in February , but did not make the team and was optioned to the Padres Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers
. Rakers appeared in only one major league game and became a minor league free agent at the end of the season. Rakers signed with the Houston Astros
for the season, but was released shortly after and signed with the York Revolution
of the Atlantic League
for the 2008 season.
In 2009, Rakers joined the La New Bears
, one of the teams of Chinese Professional Baseball League
(CPBL) in Taiwan. On March 31, Rakers won his first CPBL game, throwing 65 strikes and 36 balls over 6 innings.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who currently plays for the York Revolution
York Revolution
The York Revolution is an American professional baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. He attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, commonly abbreviated SIUE, is a four-year coed public university in Edwardsville, Illinois about from St. Louis, Missouri. SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and is the younger of the two largest...
and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in the 23rd round (697th overall) in 1999
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
.
Rakers made his major league debut on September 8, , pitching in three major league games that season. In , Rakers spent most of the year pitching for the Orioles Triple-A affiliate, the Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
, where he had 92 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and 21 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in 77 innings with an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 2.57. Rakers missed the entire season because of a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder and was non-tendered during the offseason. He was invited to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in February , but did not make the team and was optioned to the Padres Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
. Rakers appeared in only one major league game and became a minor league free agent at the end of the season. Rakers signed with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
for the season, but was released shortly after and signed with the York Revolution
York Revolution
The York Revolution is an American professional baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
for the 2008 season.
In 2009, Rakers joined the La New Bears
La New Bears
The Lamigo Monkeys , formerly First Financial Holdings Agan and then the La New Bears , are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan...
, one of the teams of Chinese Professional Baseball League
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
(CPBL) in Taiwan. On March 31, Rakers won his first CPBL game, throwing 65 strikes and 36 balls over 6 innings.