Robert Joseph MacDonald (born April 27, 1965 in East Orange, New Jersey

East Orange, New Jersey

East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...

) is a retired Major League Baseball

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...

 pitcher

Pitcher

In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

. He played during six season at the major league level for the Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

, Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

, New York Yankees

New 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...

, and New York Mets

New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

.

MacDonald went to college at Rutgers University

Rutgers University

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...

, and was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 19th round of the 1987 amateur draft

1987 Major League Baseball Draft

-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...

. MacDonald played his first American professional season with their Rookie league Medicine Hat Blue Jays

Medicine Hat Blue Jays

The Medicine Hat Blue Jays were the Toronto Blue Jays rookie-level affiliate in the Pioneer League beginning in 1978 and remained with their parent club for 25 seasons. They played their home games at Athletic Park. Over the years, the club generally struggled on the field and with attendance, but...

, Class A (Short Season) St. Catharines Blue Jays

St. Catharines Blue Jays

The St. Catharines Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team that played at Community Park in St. Catharines, Ontario. They were the Short-Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays in the New York-Penn League. The team began play in 1986 as the Blue Jays, though were later renamed the St....

, and Class A Myrtle Beach Blue Jays

Myrtle Beach Blue Jays

The Myrtle Beach Blue Jays of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina began play in the South Atlantic League in 1986 after being relocated from Florence, South Carolina . They played at Coastal Carolina College's stadium and were a minor league club of the Toronto Blue Jays...

 in , and his last with the Mets and their Triple-A Norfolk Tides

Norfolk Tides

The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...

 in . In , he played in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers

Hanshin Tigers

The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...

.

Bob now manages a semi-pro slow pitch softball team in Clearwater, FL. His record as manager hovers around .667. Highlights include a decisive win against 5 time league champs The Tilted Kilt. "It may be the pinnacle of my playing career," says Bob after finally beating the Tilted Kilt in the summer of 2010. "The squad has really begun to gel over the last year, and understanding the fundamentals at every level is important to winning on a consistent basis."

Moreover, Bob MacDonald has become somewhat of a local over 30 basketball legend. You will see Bob MacDonald throwing deep outlet passes hitting players right in stride for easy lay-ups. Bob still is working on his outside game in which Coach White from Boca Ciega High School said, "If you have a little child learning how to shoot, don't have them watch Bob MacDonald."

In his addition to his love of sports, Bob also has a passion for cooking. He has competed in a local chili competition over the past several years.
Most recent results: 2011-2nd, 2010-3rd, 2009-1st

External links