Darrin Winston
Encyclopedia
Darrin Alexander Winston (July 6, 1966 – August 15, 2008) was a Major League Baseball
player. He played two baseball seasons in the majors, both for the Philadelphia Phillies
, and also played in the Montreal Expos
and Pittsburgh Pirates
minor league organizations. He batted right-handed and threw left-handed
during his baseball
career, and was listed at 6' 0" in height and 195 lb (88.5 kg). in weight. Winston had six children and one grandchild.
Winston was born in Passaic, New Jersey
. He lived in Edison
and moved to Millstone Township
in the late 1990s.
where he participated in college baseball
. He holds Rutgers career records for victories
(26), innings pitched (278) and complete game
s (22). He was inducted into the Rutgers University Hall of Fame
in . On June 1, 1988, Winston was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 18th round of the 1988 amateur draft
, and he signed with them on June 7 of that season. On October 15, 1994, Winston was granted free agency
. On December 8, 1994, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was again granted free agency on October 15, 1995. On December 20, 1996, Winston signed as a free agent with the New York Mets
. He was then released by the Mets on March 31, 1997, before playing a game in their organization. On April 7, 1997, he was signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Winston made his major league debut on September 10, , with the Philadelphia Phillies. On the day of his major league debut, the Philadelphia Phillies were playing baseball against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium
, with 13,257 people attending the game. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Winston was called upon to replace Ken Ryan
, for whom Kevin Sefcik
had pinch-hit in the top of the inning. He pitched one inning, striking out
one batter, allowing four earned run
s, three hit
s, and two bases on balls. The Phillies lost to the Mets, 10-2. He played his last major league game on June 25, . After the season, he was not offered a contract, and became a free agent on October 15, 1998. He signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on November 18, 1998, but he never played in the Angels organization, or anywhere else in professional baseball after that.
, two days after being diagnosed with lymphoma. He died after an exploratory laparotomy to obtain a lymph node and liver biopsy. He had a very low white and red blood cell count. He ruptured his spleen, did not have enough cells to fight it, and died at 3:28 in the morning.
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...
player. He played two baseball seasons in the majors, both for 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...
, and also played in the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
minor league organizations. He batted right-handed and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
during his 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...
career, and was listed at 6' 0" in height and 195 lb (88.5 kg). in weight. Winston had six children and one grandchild.
Winston was born in Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
. He lived in Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
and moved to Millstone Township
Millstone Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,970 people, 2,708 households, and 2,426 families residing in the township. The population density was 244.0 people per square mile . There were 2,797 housing units at an average density of 76.1 per square mile...
in the late 1990s.
Baseball career
He attended Rutgers UniversityRutgers 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...
where he participated in college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
. He holds Rutgers career records for victories
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...
(26), innings pitched (278) and complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s (22). He was inducted into the Rutgers University Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in . On June 1, 1988, Winston was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 18th round of the 1988 amateur draft
1988 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
, and he signed with them on June 7 of that season. On October 15, 1994, Winston was granted free agency
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 December 8, 1994, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was again granted free agency on October 15, 1995. On December 20, 1996, Winston signed as a free agent 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...
. He was then released by the Mets on March 31, 1997, before playing a game in their organization. On April 7, 1997, he was signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Winston made his major league debut on September 10, , with the Philadelphia Phillies. On the day of his major league debut, the Philadelphia Phillies were playing baseball against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, with 13,257 people attending the game. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Winston was called upon to replace Ken Ryan
Ken Ryan
Kenneth Frederick Ryan, Jr. , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1992-1999. He is currently working for NESN as a baseball analyst....
, for whom Kevin Sefcik
Kevin Sefcik
Kevin John Sefcik is a former Major League Baseball utility player. He was active for 7 seasons, from through .The vast majority of Sefcik's major league service was with the Philadelphia Phillies...
had pinch-hit in the top of the inning. He pitched one inning, striking out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
one batter, allowing four earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s, three hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
s, and two bases on balls. The Phillies lost to the Mets, 10-2. He played his last major league game on June 25, . After the season, he was not offered a contract, and became a free agent on October 15, 1998. He signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on November 18, 1998, but he never played in the Angels organization, or anywhere else in professional baseball after that.
Death
Winston died in Freehold Township, New JerseyFreehold Township, New Jersey
Freehold Township is a Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 36,184. Freehold Township was first formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21,...
, two days after being diagnosed with lymphoma. He died after an exploratory laparotomy to obtain a lymph node and liver biopsy. He had a very low white and red blood cell count. He ruptured his spleen, did not have enough cells to fight it, and died at 3:28 in the morning.