Alex Graman
Encyclopedia
Alex Joseph Graman is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
for the Seibu Lions
of Nippon Professional Baseball and is currently their closer
. He bats and throws left-handed
.
from 1997-1999. Alex finished his career as a 2nd team All-MVC
in 1998. He also is 4th in school history with 5 games of 10+ strikeouts in a career and is 7th on the school's single season strikeout list with 112. He was drafted in the 3rd round by the New York Yankees.
system; 1999 with the Staten Island Yankees
, where he went 6-3 and was named the Top Prospect in the New York-Penn League. In 2000, he was with the Tampa Yankees
of the Florida State League
, compiled a record of 8-9 and was promoted to Double A with the Norwich Navigators of the Eastern League. he spent 2001 and part of 2002 with the Navigators as he went 17-11 and earned another promotion to Triple A with the Columbus Clippers
of the International League
in 2002. He spent the next four seasons (2002–2005) in Columbus, going 31-31, and New York. He finished 2005 with the Louisville Bats
, the top farm club of the Cincinnati Reds
, where he compiled a record of 2-1.
in , after six seasons in the Yankee farm system. In his first start against the Chicago White Sox
, he gave up 5 runs
in 2 2/3 innings pitched. In his next start against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
, he only lasted a third of an inning, giving up five earned run
s, but avoided a loss in both appearances. He was outrighted to the Yankee Triple-A club in Columbus
after the game with the Tampa Bay squad. He finished the year with a 19.80 ERA
.
In , he fared only slightly better, giving up 2 earned runs in one and a third innings before being designated for assignment by the Yankees and later released. On August 10, 2005, Graman signed with the Cincinnati Reds
. He pitched in 5 games for their Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats
, but despite having a 3.09 ERA, he was released on September 12, 2005.
In 5 major league games, all with the Yankees, he has pitched in 6 1/3 innings and given up 17 hits
and 13 runs all earned for an ERA of 18.47.
as the closer.
Graman has come into his own as a closer, finishing with a 3-3 record, 31 saves, and a 1.42 ERA. He helped the Lions win the Pacific League
championship and the Climax Series before saving Games 1 and 7 of the Japan Series
as Seibu beat the Yomiuri Giants
4 games to 3. Graman tossed the final two innings of Game 7, allowing no hits or walks
while striking out
two. He finished the postseason by allowing two earned runs in five innings, but did not allow a run in three Japan Series frames.
Opening day 2009 finds Alex with the defending champions, the Saitama Seibu Lions for his fourth season in the Japanese Pacific League
.
Alex's growth as a pitcher while in Japan, lead many in baseball to believe he will be returning to the Major Leagues in the near future; likely as a set-up man or long reliever.
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...
for the Seibu Lions
Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group...
of Nippon Professional Baseball and is currently their closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
. He bats and throws left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
.
College career
Alex was a 3-time letterman for the legendary baseball coach, Bob Warn at Indiana State UniversityIndiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
from 1997-1999. Alex finished his career as a 2nd team All-MVC
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
in 1998. He also is 4th in school history with 5 games of 10+ strikeouts in a career and is 7th on the school's single season strikeout list with 112. He was drafted in the 3rd round by the New York Yankees.
Minor league career
Alex spent 6 seasons in the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
system; 1999 with the Staten Island Yankees
Staten Island Yankees
The Staten Island Yankees are a minor league baseball team, located in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Nicknamed the "Baby Bombers," the Yankees are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the New York Yankees and play in the New York - Penn League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark...
, where he went 6-3 and was named the Top Prospect in the New York-Penn League. In 2000, he was with the Tampa Yankees
Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
, compiled a record of 8-9 and was promoted to Double A with the Norwich Navigators of the Eastern League. he spent 2001 and part of 2002 with the Navigators as he went 17-11 and earned another promotion to Triple A with the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in 2002. He spent the next four seasons (2002–2005) in Columbus, going 31-31, and New York. He finished 2005 with the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
, the top farm club of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, where he compiled a record of 2-1.
| G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
GS Games started In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter... |
CG Complete game In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were... |
W Win (baseball) In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only... |
L | 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... |
K | BB 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... |
IP Innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 177 | 167 | 8 | 64 | 56 | 3.73 | 820 | 352 | 963.1 |
Major league career
Graman made his debut in Major League Baseball with the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in , after six seasons in the Yankee farm system. In his first start against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, he gave up 5 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in 2 2/3 innings pitched. In his next start against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, he only lasted a third of an inning, giving up five earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s, but avoided a loss in both appearances. He was outrighted to the Yankee Triple-A club in Columbus
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
after the game with the Tampa Bay squad. He finished the year with a 19.80 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...
.
In , he fared only slightly better, giving up 2 earned runs in one and a third innings before being designated for assignment by the Yankees and later released. On August 10, 2005, Graman signed with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He pitched in 5 games for their Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
, but despite having a 3.09 ERA, he was released on September 12, 2005.
In 5 major league games, all with the Yankees, he has pitched in 6 1/3 innings and given up 17 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and 13 runs all earned for an ERA of 18.47.
Japan
On January 15, 2006, Graman signed a one-year, 50 million yen (about US$467,000) contract with the Seibu Lions. Graman re-signed with the Lions after the season. Beginning in , he replaced Chikara OnoderaChikara Onodera
is a closing pitcher for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Nippon Professional Baseball. His uniform number is 29.-External links:...
as the closer.
Graman has come into his own as a closer, finishing with a 3-3 record, 31 saves, and a 1.42 ERA. He helped the Lions win the Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
championship and the Climax Series before saving Games 1 and 7 of the Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
as Seibu beat the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
4 games to 3. Graman tossed the final two innings of Game 7, allowing no hits or 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...
while striking out
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....
two. He finished the postseason by allowing two earned runs in five innings, but did not allow a run in three Japan Series frames.
Opening day 2009 finds Alex with the defending champions, the Saitama Seibu Lions for his fourth season in the Japanese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
.
Alex's growth as a pitcher while in Japan, lead many in baseball to believe he will be returning to the Major Leagues in the near future; likely as a set-up man or long reliever.