Braden Looper
Encyclopedia
Braden LaVerne Looper (born October 28, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
.
. He graduated in 1993 with four letters each in baseball
and basketball
, and two in football
, while also a member of the National Honor Society
.
, and was inducted into their sports Hall of Fame in 2003. In 1996, he competed in the College World Series
, and was a first-team All-America
n as a junior. He was also a member of the bronze medal
-winning Team USA in the 1996 Olympics
in Atlanta
.
as the third pick in the first round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
. He made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers
on March 31, 1998, striking out
the side in a relief appearance. After the 1998 season, he was traded to the Florida Marlins
for shortstop
Edgar Rentería
.
Looper was inconsistent with the Marlins, working his way into the role of a closer
. However, he had a penchant for blowing easy saves. Toward the end of the 2003 season, as the Marlins were in a pennant race that culminated in a World Series
win, Looper faltered and was replaced as closer by Ugueth Urbina
. Looper appeared in relief in the fourth game of the World Series, which went 11 innings. His performance gained him a win, as the Marlins won the game in the bottom of the 11th.
In January 2004, Looper signed with the New York Mets
as a free agent and had his best season to date going 2-5 with 29 saves
and a 2.70 ERA
. However, Looper had many crucial blown saves during the 2005 season, including blown saves on Opening Day, in a game that would have clinched a Met sweep at Yankee Stadium and as part of an eight-run collapse by the Mets pen against the Nationals. With that, many Mets fan called him "Blooper". These performances still fresh in fans' minds, he was greeted with loud boos and "Looper sucks!" chants upon his returns to Shea with the Cardinals, most prominently during the 2006 NLCS
.
In September 2005, Looper underwent shoulder surgery to repair a blown AC joint
. This, in addition to the emergence of Aaron Heilman
and acquisition by the Mets of other relief pitchers, kept the Mets from picking up his $5 million option for 2006. On December 15, 2005, he signed a three-year, $13.5M contract with the Cardinals to set up star closer and former Met Jason Isringhausen
.
He was part of the 2006 World Series
winning St. Louis Cardinals
team. Primarily an 8th inning setup man, Looper posted a 9-3 record as the team's leading bullpen wins leader.
Beginning in the 2007 season
Looper became a starting pitcher
for the first time in his major league career. Before the season began, Looper stated that his goal was to reach 200 innings pitched in the season. In his first season as a starter, Looper reached career highs in wins (12), innings pitched (175), and strikeouts (84) in 30 starts (31 total appearances).
In 2008, Looper threw a split-finger fastball
18.4% of the time, more than any other starter in the majors.http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=4&season=2008&month=0
On October 30, , Looper filed for free agency.
On February 12, , Looper signed a one-year deal with an option for 2010 with the Milwaukee Brewers
.
After the 2009 season the Brewers did not pick up the option on Looper for 2010, making him a free agent.
After not pitching in the 2010 season, Looper was a non-roster invitee of the Chicago Cubs
to spring training as a candidate to be either a starter or reliever on the team. Looper had stated that the Cubs were the only team he would attempt a comeback with. However, on March 25, Looper was informed he would not make the opening day roster, and he retired.
, Illinois
. He and his wife, Shannon, adopted a daughter named Gracyn from China in 2009. Their biological children are Toryn and Landen. His cousin, Aaron
, is a former major league relief pitcher.
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...
.
High school
Looper was a scholar athlete while a student at Mangum High School in Mangum, OklahomaMangum, Oklahoma
Mangum is a city in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greer County....
. He graduated in 1993 with four letters each in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and two in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, while also a member of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
.
College and Olympics
He focused on baseball while attending Wichita State UniversityWichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
, and was inducted into their sports Hall of Fame in 2003. In 1996, he competed in the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
, and was a first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n as a junior. He was also a member of the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
-winning Team USA in the 1996 Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Major leagues
Looper was selected by the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
as the third pick in the first round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
. He made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
on March 31, 1998, 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....
the side in a relief appearance. After the 1998 season, he was traded to the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
for shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
.
Looper was inconsistent with the Marlins, working his way into the role of a 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...
. However, he had a penchant for blowing easy saves. Toward the end of the 2003 season, as the Marlins were in a pennant race that culminated in a World Series
2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
win, Looper faltered and was replaced as closer by Ugueth Urbina
Ugueth Urbina
Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlins win the 2003 World Series...
. Looper appeared in relief in the fourth game of the World Series, which went 11 innings. His performance gained him a win, as the Marlins won the game in the bottom of the 11th.
In January 2004, Looper signed with the 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...
as a free agent and had his best season to date going 2-5 with 29 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
and a 2.70 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...
. However, Looper had many crucial blown saves during the 2005 season, including blown saves on Opening Day, in a game that would have clinched a Met sweep at Yankee Stadium and as part of an eight-run collapse by the Mets pen against the Nationals. With that, many Mets fan called him "Blooper". These performances still fresh in fans' minds, he was greeted with loud boos and "Looper sucks!" chants upon his returns to Shea with the Cardinals, most prominently during the 2006 NLCS
2006 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series , the second round of the 2006 National League playoffs, began on October 12 and ended on October 19; it was scheduled to begin on October 11, but was postponed a day because of inclement weather. The St...
.
In September 2005, Looper underwent shoulder surgery to repair a blown AC joint
Acromioclavicular joint
The acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint, is a joint at the top of the shoulder. It is the junction between the acromion and the clavicle. -Function:...
. This, in addition to the emergence of Aaron Heilman
Aaron Heilman
Aaron Michael Heilman is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. Heilman was drafted by the New York Mets out of Notre Dame in 2001. He came up through the Mets system as a starting pitcher but was converted to a relief pitcher in 2005...
and acquisition by the Mets of other relief pitchers, kept the Mets from picking up his $5 million option for 2006. On December 15, 2005, he signed a three-year, $13.5M contract with the Cardinals to set up star closer and former Met Jason Isringhausen
Jason Isringhausen
Jason Derik Isringhausen is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-New York Mets:Isringhausen was chosen as a draft-and-follow prospect by the New York Mets in the 44th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
.
He was part of the 2006 World Series
2006 World Series
The 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
winning St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
team. Primarily an 8th inning setup man, Looper posted a 9-3 record as the team's leading bullpen wins leader.
Beginning in the 2007 season
2007 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 2007 season was the team's 126th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 116th season in the National League. The season started with the team trying to defend their 2006 World Series championship. During the offseason, the Cardinals were faced with the challenge of handling...
Looper became a starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the first time in his major league career. Before the season began, Looper stated that his goal was to reach 200 innings pitched in the season. In his first season as a starter, Looper reached career highs in wins (12), innings pitched (175), and strikeouts (84) in 30 starts (31 total appearances).
In 2008, Looper threw a split-finger fastball
Split-finger fastball
A split-finger fastball or splitter is a pitch in baseball. It is named after the technique of putting the index and middle finger on different sides of the ball, or "splitting" them. When thrown hard, it appears to be a fastball to the batter, but suddenly "drops off the table" towards home...
18.4% of the time, more than any other starter in the majors.http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=4&season=2008&month=0
On October 30, , Looper filed for free agency.
On February 12, , Looper signed a one-year deal with an option for 2010 with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
After the 2009 season the Brewers did not pick up the option on Looper for 2010, making him a free agent.
After not pitching in the 2010 season, Looper was a non-roster invitee of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
to spring training as a candidate to be either a starter or reliever on the team. Looper had stated that the Cubs were the only team he would attempt a comeback with. However, on March 25, Looper was informed he would not make the opening day roster, and he retired.
Personal
Looper is married with and resides in Palos HeightsPalos Heights, Illinois
Palos Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 12,561 in 2005.-Geography:Palos Heights is located at ....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He and his wife, Shannon, adopted a daughter named Gracyn from China in 2009. Their biological children are Toryn and Landen. His cousin, Aaron
Aaron Looper
Aaron Joseph Looper is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He pitched in the Seattle Mariners farm system from to . In , he appeared in 6 games with the Mariners major league team...
, is a former major league relief pitcher.