Clay Buchholz
Encyclopedia
Clay Daniel Buchholz pitches for the Boston Red Sox
of major league baseball
. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter
against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start. He is the first Red Sox rookie and 17th Red Sox pitcher to pitch a no-hitter.
, Buchholz played baseball for the local youth baseball leagues, and then for the Lumberton High School
Raiders.
. Also that year, he and a hometown friend were arrested for stealing 29 laptop computers from Lumberton Intermediate School, selling many to other students at McNeese. Buchholz later expressed regret, saying "That was a mistake. I was hanging out with the wrong person. But I think it helped me out in the long run." He was subsequently dismissed from the McNeese baseball team.
Buchholz then transferred to Angelina College
. In 2005, while competing for the Roadrunners, Buchholz appeared in 15 games, winning 12 and losing 1. His 1.05 ERA, seven complete games, and 129 strikeouts all stand as team records (through the 2010 season). He was also named an All-American in 2005.
. The Red Sox obtained their supplemental pick, the 42nd overall, as compensation for losing free agent Pedro Martínez
to the New York Mets
.
Buchholz pitched 41 1/3 innings for the Lowell Spinners
of the New York-Penn League, compiling a record of 0–1 with 45 strikeouts in fifteen starts. He then pitched for the Wilmington Blue Rocks
(Single A-Advanced) and the Greenville Drive
(Single A). Between the two teams, Buchholz struck out 140 and walked 33 in 119 innings while going 11–4.
Buchholz started his first spring training
game in 2007 against the Tampa Bay Rays
. He pitched 4.2 innings, gave up seven hits and three runs, and recorded three strikeouts. While competing for the Portland Sea Dogs
in 2007, Buchholz played in fifteen games, winning 7 and losing 2. His success led him to be chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game
at AT&T Park
.
Buchholz was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox
, the AAA affiliate of the Red Sox, on July 8, 2007. He finished the AAA season with a 1–3 W-L record, while recording 55 strikeouts, 13 walks, and a 3.96 era over eight starts in 38.2 AAA innings.
on August 17, 2007 at Fenway Park
. The Sox won the game 8–4 and he picked up the win, going six innings and giving up four runs (three earned). After the game, however, Buchholz was sent back down to the Sox' Triple-A team in Pawtucket. "I got my feet wet," he said to a reporter. "I hope I can come back in September and help out."
Before Buchholz' first major league start, Red Sox manager Terry Francona
said: "This kid can come up and pitch a no-hitter, and he's going to go back down... If he throws a no-hitter I may send him back with a present. But he's going back."
In Buchholz's second major league start on September 1, 2007, he became the first Boston Red Sox rookie to throw a no-hitter
when he blanked the Baltimore Orioles
10–0. He threw 115 pitches, struck out nine, walked three, and hit Nick Markakis
. After the game, Buchholz told the media, "It's amazing. That's all I can say ... I'm in a blur right now." According to the Elias Sports Bureau
, Buchholz became the third pitcher since 1900 to pitch a no-hitter in his first or second major league start. Bobo Holloman
did it in his first start on May 6, 1953, for the St. Louis Browns
at home against the Philadelphia Athletics
, and Wilson Alvarez
did it in his second start on Aug. 11, 1991, for the Chicago White Sox
at Baltimore
.
Buchholz became the eleventh Red Sox pitcher to throw a no hitter in Fenway Park history, and the seventeenth in Red Sox history.
Following the game, general manager Theo Epstein
and manager Terry Francona
each independently confirmed that they had spoken by phone to each other in the seventh and eighth innings concerning Buchholz' pitch count. He had not thrown more than 98 pitches in a game all year, and was threatening to significantly exceed that total if he finished the game. Epstein reported that in no way would Buchholz have been allowed to face a batter after reaching 120 pitches, expressing concern about excessive pitches potentially damaging such a young and inexperienced arm. Buchholz finished the game with 115 pitches, allowing Francona to escape what would have been an unpleasant decision to remove a pitcher from the game in which he was throwing a no-hitter.
Buchholz' no-hitter was the third of a record-setting four caught by Jason Varitek
. The first two were for Hideo Nomo
and Derek Lowe
(in which the final score was also 10–0); the fourth was Jon Lester
's on May 19, 2008, against the Kansas City Royals
, which was also the first no-hitter in major league play after Buchholz'.
Buchholz pitched in two more games after the no-hitter, earning a win while pitching three innings of relief at Baltimore on September 6, and taking a loss after a start of 4.2 innings at Toronto on September 19.
With a season total of 22 innings pitched, Red Sox management made a decision to end Buchholz' season and not include him on any of the team's post-season rosters, as they went on to win the World Series
.
. Buchholz stated "I've never had a streak like this," and "I've never been one to say the pressure was too much for me, but I've felt like I've had a lot of weight on my shoulders just trying to be perfect and trying to do everything as well as I could to help this team win". Following the 2008 season, Buchholz pitched in the Arizona Fall League
.
, Buchholz was optioned to Pawtucket.
In his eighth start at Pawtucket in 2009, Buchholz took a perfect game into the ninth inning against the Louisville Bats
, but it was broken up after a leadoff single; ultimately, he pitched a one-hit shutout.
After a July 12 win before the All Star break, Red Sox manager Terry Francona
announced that Buchholz would be activated to pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays
on July 17, in order to give more time off to the starters who were in the All Star game. Buchholz went on to win the game, pitching five and two thirds innings, allowing four hits with one run, while walking three and striking out three. It was his first major league win since May 2, 2008.
The Red Sox pitching staff floundered in the second half of the year. Wakefield, Beckett and Lester were the only dependable starters in the first half (John Smoltz
, Daisuke Matsuzaka
and Brad Penny
all had losing records). While Jon Lester
remained effective in the second half, Josh Beckett
began to struggle, and when All-Star Tim Wakefield
was placed on the Disabled List, Buchholz replaced him in the rotation. Buchholz's pitching down the stretch was a large part of keeping the Red Sox afloat and helped them make it into the playoffs (along with a strong return from Matsuzaka). He finished the season 7–4 with a 4.21 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 16 starts.
. On the strength of his 10–4 record, and a 2.45 ERA, he was selected to the American League
All-Star Team
. In the month of June, Buchholz went 3–1 with just a 1.84 ERA, including a 5-hit shutout at Baltimore on June 4. On the road in the season's first half, he went 5–1 with a 1.70 ERA. Though earning a spot on the roster, Buchholz was not called upon to pitch in the All-Star Game
; he pulled a hamstring June 26 during an interleague game against the San Francisco Giants
and was on the disabled list.
He made his first start after his stint on the DL on July 21, 2010 against Gio Gonzalez
of the Oakland Athletics
. He pitched 4 innings, giving up five earned runs, with two strikeouts and three walks in a 6–4 loss. Buchholz returned to his pre-injury form after the start in Oakland by going 4–0 in August with a 1.03 ERA and winning the AL pitcher of the month award. Buchholz finished the season with a 17–7 record and 2.33 ERA.
in his back.
Buchholz throws a four-seam fastball
, a two-seam fastball
, a slider
that he refers to as a cutter, a 12-6 curveball, and a straight changeup
. His changeup
and 12-6 curveball are considered elite pitches. Over the course of the season, Buchholz typically throws his fastball 92–94 mph, although towards the end of the 2006 season, his fastball regularly hit 95 or 96 mph. His changeup has a velocity of 79–82 mph. Buchholz also played outfield
at Angelina College. In 2009 Buchholz has shown flashes of being able to establish command of his fastball and it presently sits in the 93–95 mph range.
In March 2011, he partnered with Charity Wines to release his own wine label under the Longball Cellars brand. Proceeds from sales of his ChardonClay chardonnay support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber. He partners with teammate Jon Lester, who is also releasing a Charity Wine, called CabernAce, to raise money for the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
who was featured in People
magazine's "100 Most Beautiful People." Their first child, a daughter named Colbi Dawn, was born on August 4, 2010.
He is related to New York Mets
pitcher Taylor Buchholz
.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of 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...
. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start. He is the first Red Sox rookie and 17th Red Sox pitcher to pitch a no-hitter.
High school
Raised in Lumberton, TexasLumberton, Texas
Lumberton is a city in Hardin County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,943 at the 2010 census. Lumberton is home of Village Creek State Park...
, Buchholz played baseball for the local youth baseball leagues, and then for the Lumberton High School
Lumberton High School
Lumberton High School is a high school in Lumberton, Texas. It is operated by the Lumberton Independent School District. -History:The Lumberton Independent School District was created in 1967 based on the old Chance-Loeb school district that had previously been the school for children in the area...
Raiders.
College
Buchholz began his college career in 2004 at McNeese State UniversityMcNeese State University
McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as a junior college, McNeese experienced growth due to economic activity in the region. It adopted its present name in 1970....
. Also that year, he and a hometown friend were arrested for stealing 29 laptop computers from Lumberton Intermediate School, selling many to other students at McNeese. Buchholz later expressed regret, saying "That was a mistake. I was hanging out with the wrong person. But I think it helped me out in the long run." He was subsequently dismissed from the McNeese baseball team.
Buchholz then transferred to Angelina College
Angelina College
Angelina College is a community college located in Lufkin, Texas, with special-purpose branches in nearby Nacogdoches and Crockett.As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Angelina College is the following:...
. In 2005, while competing for the Roadrunners, Buchholz appeared in 15 games, winning 12 and losing 1. His 1.05 ERA, seven complete games, and 129 strikeouts all stand as team records (through the 2010 season). He was also named an All-American in 2005.
| Winning % | CG | ERA | Innings Pitched | Hits | Runs | Earned Runs | BB | Strikeouts |
| 92.3% | 7 | 1.05 | 85.2 | 44 | 19 | 10 | 29 | 129 |
Minor leagues
Buchholz was drafted by the Red Sox in the supplemental first round of the 2005 draft2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
. The Red Sox obtained their supplemental pick, the 42nd overall, as compensation for losing free agent Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
to 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...
.
Buchholz pitched 41 1/3 innings for the Lowell Spinners
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a...
of the New York-Penn League, compiling a record of 0–1 with 45 strikeouts in fifteen starts. He then pitched for the Wilmington Blue Rocks
Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
(Single A-Advanced) and the Greenville Drive
Greenville Drive
The Greenville Drive is a minor league baseball team that plays in Greenville, South Carolina. They are a Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and a member of the South Atlantic League. Prior to the 2005 SAL season, the team played in Columbia, South Carolina, was affiliated with the New York...
(Single A). Between the two teams, Buchholz struck out 140 and walked 33 in 119 innings while going 11–4.
Buchholz started his first 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...
game in 2007 against the Tampa Bay 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 pitched 4.2 innings, gave up seven hits and three runs, and recorded three strikeouts. While competing for the Portland Sea Dogs
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
in 2007, Buchholz played in fifteen games, winning 7 and losing 2. His success led him to be chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
at AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
.
Buchholz was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
, the AAA affiliate of the Red Sox, on July 8, 2007. He finished the AAA season with a 1–3 W-L record, while recording 55 strikeouts, 13 walks, and a 3.96 era over eight starts in 38.2 AAA innings.
2007 season
Buchholz made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2007 season was the franchise's 47th season since inception. The regular season ended with a record of 94–68 and the Angels winning the American League West division title for the sixth time...
on August 17, 2007 at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. The Sox won the game 8–4 and he picked up the win, going six innings and giving up four runs (three earned). After the game, however, Buchholz was sent back down to the Sox' Triple-A team in Pawtucket. "I got my feet wet," he said to a reporter. "I hope I can come back in September and help out."
Before Buchholz' first major league start, Red Sox manager Terry Francona
Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
said: "This kid can come up and pitch a no-hitter, and he's going to go back down... If he throws a no-hitter I may send him back with a present. But he's going back."
No-hitter
In Buchholz's second major league start on September 1, 2007, he became the first Boston Red Sox rookie to throw a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
when he blanked the Baltimore Orioles
2007 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles' 2007 season involved the Orioles finishing with a record of 69 wins and 93 losses and fourth place in the AL East. On June 18, 2007 manager Sam Perlozzo was fired and replaced with bullpen coach Dave Trembley as interim manager. Trembley was named full-time manager on August...
10–0. He threw 115 pitches, struck out nine, walked three, and hit Nick Markakis
Nick Markakis
Nicholas William Markakis is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Baltimore Orioles. Of Greek and German descent , Markakis is known for his arm strength, stellar right field defense and smooth hitting....
. After the game, Buchholz told the media, "It's amazing. That's all I can say ... I'm in a blur right now." According to the Elias Sports Bureau
Elias Sports Bureau
The Elias Sports Bureau is an American company that provides historical research and statistical services in the field of professional sports.In 1913, Al Munro Elias and his brother Walter established the Al Munro Elias Bureau in New York City...
, Buchholz became the third pitcher since 1900 to pitch a no-hitter in his first or second major league start. Bobo Holloman
Bobo Holloman
Alva Lee "Bobo" Holloman was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Browns in . Holloman pitched in just 22 games in his lone year, with three wins against seven losses. However, he pitched a no-hitter in his first major league start against the Philadelphia...
did it in his first start on May 6, 1953, for the St. Louis Browns
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...
at home against the Philadelphia Athletics
1953 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 59 wins and 95 losses.- Offseason :...
, and Wilson Alvarez
Wilson Alvarez
Wilson Eduardo Álvarez Fuenmayor is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher...
did it in his second start on Aug. 11, 1991, for the Chicago White Sox
1991 Chicago White Sox season
The 1991 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 93rd season. They finished with a record 87-75, good enough for 2nd place in the American League West, 8 games behind of the 1st place Minnesota Twins, as the club opened the new Comiskey Park on April 18....
at Baltimore
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
.
Buchholz became the eleventh Red Sox pitcher to throw a no hitter in Fenway Park history, and the seventeenth in Red Sox history.
Following the game, general manager Theo Epstein
Theo Epstein
Theo Nathan Epstein is the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs.On November 25, 2002, he became the youngest GM in the history of Major League Baseball when the Boston Red Sox hired him at the age of 28...
and manager Terry Francona
Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
each independently confirmed that they had spoken by phone to each other in the seventh and eighth innings concerning Buchholz' pitch count. He had not thrown more than 98 pitches in a game all year, and was threatening to significantly exceed that total if he finished the game. Epstein reported that in no way would Buchholz have been allowed to face a batter after reaching 120 pitches, expressing concern about excessive pitches potentially damaging such a young and inexperienced arm. Buchholz finished the game with 115 pitches, allowing Francona to escape what would have been an unpleasant decision to remove a pitcher from the game in which he was throwing a no-hitter.
Buchholz' no-hitter was the third of a record-setting four caught by Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
. The first two were for Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
and Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
(in which the final score was also 10–0); the fourth was Jon Lester
Jon Lester
Jonathan Tyler Lester is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
's on May 19, 2008, against the Kansas City Royals
2008 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals' 2008 season began with the team searching for its 15th manager in franchise history. Trey Hillman, former minor league baseball and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager, was hired as the team's skipper on October 19, 2007.The team looked to improve upon its record of...
, which was also the first no-hitter in major league play after Buchholz'.
Shut down
Buchholz pitched in two more games after the no-hitter, earning a win while pitching three innings of relief at Baltimore on September 6, and taking a loss after a start of 4.2 innings at Toronto on September 19.
With a season total of 22 innings pitched, Red Sox management made a decision to end Buchholz' season and not include him on any of the team's post-season rosters, as they went on to win the World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
.
2008 season
Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell stated that Buchholz would most likely be in line for 180–190 innings in the 2008 season. On May 15, Buchholz was placed on the 15-day disabled list as the result of a torn fingernail. He was sent to Pawtucket following the injury, and remained there for several weeks to work on his fastball. On July 11, he was recalled to Boston and was part of their regular pitching rotation, though he did not record a single win after his return. On August 20, 2008, as the Red Sox were trying to sweep the Orioles, the team that Buchholz had no-hit last year, he gave up a 4–0 lead by allowing three runs in the second inning, and two more in the third. He was removed after only pitching 2.1 innings. In his previous start, he had only lasted three innings. In 2008, the Red Sox were 3–12 in Buchholz' fifteen starts. After the game, Buchholz was sent down to Double-A PortlandPortland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. Buchholz stated "I've never had a streak like this," and "I've never been one to say the pressure was too much for me, but I've felt like I've had a lot of weight on my shoulders just trying to be perfect and trying to do everything as well as I could to help this team win". Following the 2008 season, Buchholz pitched in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
.
2009 Season
Following spring trainingSpring 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...
, Buchholz was optioned to Pawtucket.
In his eighth start at Pawtucket in 2009, Buchholz took a perfect game into the ninth inning against 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 it was broken up after a leadoff single; ultimately, he pitched a one-hit shutout.
After a July 12 win before the All Star break, Red Sox manager Terry Francona
Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
announced that Buchholz would be activated to pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays
2009 Toronto Blue Jays season
The 2009 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 33rd in Major League Baseball, and the 20th full season of play at the Rogers Centre. The team was managed by Cito Gaston, who took over the team midway through 2008. After eight years as General Manager, J. P. Ricciardi was fired on the...
on July 17, in order to give more time off to the starters who were in the All Star game. Buchholz went on to win the game, pitching five and two thirds innings, allowing four hits with one run, while walking three and striking out three. It was his first major league win since May 2, 2008.
The Red Sox pitching staff floundered in the second half of the year. Wakefield, Beckett and Lester were the only dependable starters in the first half (John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
, Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
and Brad Penny
Brad Penny
Bradley Wayne "Brad" Penny is a Major League starting pitcher. Penny has spent portions of his career with the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers....
all had losing records). While Jon Lester
Jon Lester
Jonathan Tyler Lester is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
remained effective in the second half, Josh Beckett
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
began to struggle, and when All-Star Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
was placed on the Disabled List, Buchholz replaced him in the rotation. Buchholz's pitching down the stretch was a large part of keeping the Red Sox afloat and helped them make it into the playoffs (along with a strong return from Matsuzaka). He finished the season 7–4 with a 4.21 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 16 starts.
2010 Season
Buchholz delivered a strong first half of the 2010 season2010 Major League Baseball season
The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim...
. On the strength of his 10–4 record, and a 2.45 ERA, he was selected to the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
All-Star Team
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. In the month of June, Buchholz went 3–1 with just a 1.84 ERA, including a 5-hit shutout at Baltimore on June 4. On the road in the season's first half, he went 5–1 with a 1.70 ERA. Though earning a spot on the roster, Buchholz was not called upon to pitch in the All-Star Game
2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
; he pulled a hamstring June 26 during an interleague game against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and was on the disabled list.
He made his first start after his stint on the DL on July 21, 2010 against Gio Gonzalez
Gio Gonzalez
Giovany A. Gonzalez is a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:...
of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He pitched 4 innings, giving up five earned runs, with two strikeouts and three walks in a 6–4 loss. Buchholz returned to his pre-injury form after the start in Oakland by going 4–0 in August with a 1.03 ERA and winning the AL pitcher of the month award. Buchholz finished the season with a 17–7 record and 2.33 ERA.
2011 Season
Buchholz began the season as the number three starter in the Red Sox rotation. On April 10, Buchholz signed a 4-year contract extension, worth nearly $30 million. He went on the disabled list in June and in August it was reported that he would miss the rest of the season with a stress fractureStress fracture
A stress fracture is one type of incomplete fracture in bones. It is caused by "unusual or repeated stress" and also heavy continuous weight on the ankle or leg...
in his back.
Scouting report
- Four-seam fastball (92–96 mph, hit 98 mph)
- Two-seam fastball (90–93 mph)
- 12–6 Curveball (76–80 mph)
- Changeup (79–83 mph)
- Slider (86–90 mph)
Buchholz throws a four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
, a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
, a slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
that he refers to as a cutter, a 12-6 curveball, and a straight changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
. His changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
and 12-6 curveball are considered elite pitches. Over the course of the season, Buchholz typically throws his fastball 92–94 mph, although towards the end of the 2006 season, his fastball regularly hit 95 or 96 mph. His changeup has a velocity of 79–82 mph. Buchholz also played outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
at Angelina College. In 2009 Buchholz has shown flashes of being able to establish command of his fastball and it presently sits in the 93–95 mph range.
Major league statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | CG | SHO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 Major League Baseball season The 2007 Major League Baseball season, began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, which was won by the Mets, 6–1... |
BOS 2007 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2007 season began with the Boston, Massachusetts-based Major League Baseball team trying to rebound after a disappointing 2006 season, in which they finished third in the American League East behind the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, and missed the postseason for... |
4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1.59 | 22.2 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 2008 Major League Baseball season The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the... |
BOS 2008 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2008 season began on March 25, in Tokyo, Japan for the MLB Japan Opening Day 2008. The Red Sox were attempting to become the first repeat World Series Champions since the 1999–2000 New York Yankees and also be the first repeat Champions of the 21st century. They also tried to... |
16 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 6.75 | 76.0 | 93 | 63 | 57 | 11 | 41 | 72 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 Major League Baseball season The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to... |
BOS 2009 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2009 season is the 109th in the team's history. The Red Sox came in off a loss in the American League Championship Series during their 2008 season. The team is in the 97th season at Fenway Park, the oldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball.-Roster:-Regular season:The Red... |
16 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4.21 | 92.0 | 91 | 44 | 43 | 13 | 36 | 68 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 2010 Major League Baseball season The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim... |
BOS 2010 Boston Red Sox season The Boston Red Sox' 2010 season was the 110th in the team's history. The Red Sox opened and closed the season at home at Fenway Park against the New York Yankees... |
28 | 28 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 2.33 | 173.2 | 142 | 55 | 45 | 9 | 67 | 120 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 4 years | 64 | 62 | 29 | 21 | 0 | 3.95 | 364.1 | 340 | 168 | 149 | 33 | 154 | 282 | 3 | 2 |
Awards and honors
- Carolina League Pitcher of the Week (August 21–27, 2006)
- Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month (August 2006)
- 2006 Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year
- Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month (May 2007)
- 2007 Futures Game All Star
- 2007 Eastern League All Star
- Eastern League Pitcher of the Week (June 25 – July 1, 2007)
- 2007 American League Player of the Week
- MLB.com TYIB Single Game Performance of the Year (December 13, 2007)
- Selected to the 2010 AL All Star Team
- American League Pitcher of the Month (August, 2010)
- 2010 Guest Speaker of Lowell Spinners Alumni Dinner
Charity Work
Buchholz has regularly supported the Jimmy Fund charity while a Red Sox. In November 2006, when he was Red Sox minor-league pitcher of the year, Buchholz was announced as a member of the New Stars for Young Stars team. In 2010, he was named Jimmy Fund Co-captain with Tim Wakefield. He signed on for the same role in 2011. He and Wakefield are the 2011 Spokesplayers for the Rally Against Cancer.In March 2011, he partnered with Charity Wines to release his own wine label under the Longball Cellars brand. Proceeds from sales of his ChardonClay chardonnay support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber. He partners with teammate Jon Lester, who is also releasing a Charity Wine, called CabernAce, to raise money for the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Personal life
On November 14, 2009 he married Lindsay Clubine, a model on the TV show Deal or No DealDeal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
who was featured in People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine's "100 Most Beautiful People." Their first child, a daughter named Colbi Dawn, was born on August 4, 2010.
He is related to 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...
pitcher Taylor Buchholz
Taylor Buchholz
Taylor Buchholz is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Biography:...
.