Cha Seung Baek
Encyclopedia
Cha Seung Baek is a Pacific League
pitcher
who is currently a member of the Orix Buffaloes
.
Baek graduated from Busan High School, Busan
, South Korea
in 1998. He was signed by the Seattle Mariners
as an amateur free agent
on September 25, 1998.
Was 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 9 home starts with Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
in . He was placed on the disabled list on June 2 with a right arm flexor strain. Baek went 5-3 after coming off the DL June 15. At the end of the season he was listed among Baseball America's
top-20 Midwest League
prospects at the end of the season.
Spent most season on the San Bernardino Stampede's disabled list. He made 2 starts before being placed on the DL from April 13 to May 14 with soreness in his right elbow. He pitched in 3 games, 2 starts in May before suffering a strained right elbow in his final start of the season in May. Placed on the DL again in June through the end of the season.
Baek missed the entire season after undergoing right elbow surgery. He participated in the Mariners Fall Instructional League.
He split the season between the Inland Empire 66ers and the San Antonio Missions
. He started the season with Inland Empire appearing in 13 games, 10 starts. From April 19 to the 24 he pitched 10 scoreless innings in two starts. Baek won three consecutive starts from April 19 to the 30. Placed on the disabled list from May 8 to June 10 with a right elbow inflammation. On July 17 he was transferred to San Antonio. He carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, retiring 21 of the first 22 batters faced, before allowing a single, on July 23.
He made his MLB debut on August 8, against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
. In the 2004 season, he pitched in seven games (starting five), winning
two and losing four, and had a 5.52 ERA
overall. He was one of 15 players to make their Major League debuts for Seattle this season.
Baek was non-tendered by the Mariners in December following a disappointing year in Triple-A
with the Tacoma Rainiers
. Baek returned to the Rainiers for the season. He posted an 11-4 record with a 2.80 ERA, which earned him a recall to the Mariners in August 2006, following their trade of Jamie Moyer
to the Philadelphia Phillies
. After that, he was moved to being a relief pitcher
and spot starter for the Mariners.
. Baek hit his first career home run
on July 20, 2008, off Jaime Garcia
.
On October 8, , the Padres released Baek.
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...
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...
who is currently a member of the Orix Buffaloes
Orix Buffaloes
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo....
.
Baek graduated from Busan High School, Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in 1998. He was signed by the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
on September 25, 1998.
Seattle Mariners
He made his professional with the Peoria Mariners in . In his first start he struck out 8 batters over 5.0 innings on July 18.Was 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 9 home starts with Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a minor league baseball team of the Midwest League, and the Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, and are named for timber rattlesnakes. The team plays its home games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium...
in . He was placed on the disabled list on June 2 with a right arm flexor strain. Baek went 5-3 after coming off the DL June 15. At the end of the season he was listed among Baseball America's
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
top-20 Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
prospects at the end of the season.
Spent most season on the San Bernardino Stampede's disabled list. He made 2 starts before being placed on the DL from April 13 to May 14 with soreness in his right elbow. He pitched in 3 games, 2 starts in May before suffering a strained right elbow in his final start of the season in May. Placed on the DL again in June through the end of the season.
Baek missed the entire season after undergoing right elbow surgery. He participated in the Mariners Fall Instructional League.
He split the season between the Inland Empire 66ers and the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
. He started the season with Inland Empire appearing in 13 games, 10 starts. From April 19 to the 24 he pitched 10 scoreless innings in two starts. Baek won three consecutive starts from April 19 to the 30. Placed on the disabled list from May 8 to June 10 with a right elbow inflammation. On July 17 he was transferred to San Antonio. He carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, retiring 21 of the first 22 batters faced, before allowing a single, on July 23.
He made his MLB debut on August 8, 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...
. In the 2004 season, he pitched in seven games (starting five), winning
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...
two and losing four, and had a 5.52 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...
overall. He was one of 15 players to make their Major League debuts for Seattle this season.
Baek was non-tendered by the Mariners in December following a disappointing year in Triple-A
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
with the Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Pacific Coast League , and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners...
. Baek returned to the Rainiers for the season. He posted an 11-4 record with a 2.80 ERA, which earned him a recall to the Mariners in August 2006, following their trade of Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer is an American professional left handed baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. At the time of his last game to date , he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher...
to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. After that, he was moved to being a 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...
and spot starter for the Mariners.
San Diego Padres
In May , Baek was designated for assignment by the Mariners. Later in the month, he was traded to the San Diego Padres for Jared WellsJared Wells
Jared Linn Wells is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently with the Houston Astros organization.-San Diego Padres:...
. Baek hit his first career home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on July 20, 2008, off Jaime Garcia
Jaime Garcia (baseball)
Jaime Omar García is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.-Early life:Jaime García was born on July 8, 1986 in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico as the second of three children to civil engineer Jaime García, Sr. and Gloria Rodríguez Flores. García was raised between the border of...
.
On October 8, , the Padres released Baek.