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Darren Clarke (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Darren Lawrence Clarke is a free agent
Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
who most recently played for the Colorado Rockies
. After graduating from high school, the Rockies selected him in the 33rd round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
, but he did not sign with them, opting instead to attend South Florida Community College
(SFCC). He was again selected by the Rockies in the 35th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
and was signed by them May 7, 2001, following his sophomore year at SFCC.
He stands 6 feet, 8 inches and his playing weight is listed at 235 pounds.
Clarke spent the 2001 season as a starting pitcher
for the Casper Rockies
of the Pioneer League, compiling a 3-6 record
and a 6.02 ERA
in 14 starts
. In , he was with the Rockies' Northwest League
affiliate, Tri-City Dust Devils
where he was 4-3 with a 6.98 ERA. In , he was in the starting rotation of the Asheville Tourists
of the South Atlantic League
. In 27 games (25 starts) for the Tourists, he was 8-6 with a 3.83 ERA. The Rockies promoted him to their California League
affiliate, Visalia Oaks
, in , but an elbow injury limited him to just 8 games with the Oaks (1-3, 7.39 ERA).
In , the Rockies converted Clarke into a relief pitcher
and he began the season with their new California League affiliate in Modesto
, but was placed on the disabled list
on April 7. When he returned from the disabled list, he made a rehabilitation assignment to Tri-City, where in 12 appearances, he posted a 0.64 ERA and 3 saves for the Dust Devils. He returned to Modesto on July 20 and made 5 relief appearances (0-0, 9.00 ERA) before a recurrence of the elbow injury ended his season on August 30.
Clarke was with Modesto again in and pitched effectively out of their bullpen
but was again plagued by injuries; first with inflammation in his pitching shoulder in early June and then with a strained latissimus dorsi muscle, which ended his season on June 27. He was 1-1 with the Nuts with 5 saves and a 1.35 ERA. His performance earned him a place on the California League All-Star team, but he was unable to pitch due to injury.
In , Clarke began the season in the bullpen of the Double-A Tulsa Drillers
of the Texas League
. The Rockies called him up to their big league roster where he made his major league debut on May 18 against the Kansas City Royals
.
Clarke was not offered a new contract by the Rockies and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. The Rockies re-signed him for and he spent the entire season with Double-A Tulsa, becoming a free agent again after the season.
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....
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...
right-handed 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 most recently played for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. After graduating from high school, the Rockies selected him in the 33rd round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
, but he did not sign with them, opting instead to attend South Florida Community College
South Florida Community College
South Florida Community College , serving more than 19,000 area residents annually, has campuses and centers in Highlands, DeSoto and Hardee counties, Fla. The Highlands Campus, on , is located two miles south of Avon Park, Florida. It is bounded on the north by Lake Lelia, to the south by Lake...
(SFCC). He was again selected by the Rockies in the 35th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
2000 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Compensation picks:- Background :The Florida Marlins made Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft...
and was signed by them May 7, 2001, following his sophomore year at SFCC.
He stands 6 feet, 8 inches and his playing weight is listed at 235 pounds.
Clarke spent the 2001 season as 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 Casper Rockies
Casper Rockies
The Grand Junction Rockies are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Grand Junction, Colorado, United States, where they play at Suplizio Field...
of the Pioneer League, compiling a 3-6 record
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
and a 6.02 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 14 starts
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...
. In , he was with the Rockies' Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
affiliate, Tri-City Dust Devils
Tri-City Dust Devils
The Tri-City Dust Devils are a minor league baseball team in Pasco, Washington, United States. The Dust Devils are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Colorado Rockies since their inception in 2001. The Devils play home games at Gesa...
where he was 4-3 with a 6.98 ERA. In , he was in the starting rotation of the Asheville Tourists
Asheville Tourists
The Asheville Tourists are a minor league baseball team based in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. They play in the Class A South Atlantic League and have been a farm team of the Colorado Rockies since 1994....
of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. In 27 games (25 starts) for the Tourists, he was 8-6 with a 3.83 ERA. The Rockies promoted him to their California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
affiliate, Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
, in , but an elbow injury limited him to just 8 games with the Oaks (1-3, 7.39 ERA).
In , the Rockies converted Clarke into 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 he began the season with their new California League affiliate in Modesto
Modesto Nuts
The Modesto Nuts are a minor league baseball team in Modesto, California, USA. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Colorado Rockies. The Modesto Nuts play home games at John Thurman Field. Opened in 1955 and renovated in 1997, the park seats 4,000 fans...
, but was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
on April 7. When he returned from the disabled list, he made a rehabilitation assignment to Tri-City, where in 12 appearances, he posted a 0.64 ERA and 3 saves for the Dust Devils. He returned to Modesto on July 20 and made 5 relief appearances (0-0, 9.00 ERA) before a recurrence of the elbow injury ended his season on August 30.
Clarke was with Modesto again in and pitched effectively out of their bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
but was again plagued by injuries; first with inflammation in his pitching shoulder in early June and then with a strained latissimus dorsi muscle, which ended his season on June 27. He was 1-1 with the Nuts with 5 saves and a 1.35 ERA. His performance earned him a place on the California League All-Star team, but he was unable to pitch due to injury.
In , Clarke began the season in the bullpen of the Double-A Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
. The Rockies called him up to their big league roster where he made his major league debut on May 18 against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.
Clarke was not offered a new contract by the Rockies and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. The Rockies re-signed him for and he spent the entire season with Double-A Tulsa, becoming a free agent again after the season.