Donovan Osborne
Encyclopedia
Donovan Alan Osborne is a former Major League Baseball
player who pitched in the Major Leagues from -.
in Carson City, Nevada
before he was drafted by the Montreal Expos
in the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
.
After declining to sign with the Expos, Osborne attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
(UNLV), where he played for the UNLV Rebels
baseball team. Out of UNLV, Osborne was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the first round (13th overall) of the 1990 amateur draft
.
In the 1992 season, his major league debut season, Osborne finished fifth in MLB Rookie of the Year Award voting.
Osborne was the Cardinals' Opening Day starter in , and he consistently produced season ERAs
below four despite recurring battles with injury. In , Osborne won 13 games for the Cardinals, made 30 starts for the only time in his career, pitched innings, and posted a 3.53 earned run average
. He ranked among the National League
top-10 in walks
per nine innings, shutouts, ERA+, and strike-to-walk ratio.
At his peak, Osborne's arsenal included a low 90's fastball
with late life, a plus changeup
, and an average slider
. His control was regarded as excellent, and he was known to throw his fastball to all four quadrants of the strikezone.
Ultimately, Osborne's career was derailed by a series of severe shoulder injuries. He was limited to 225 innings from to , and he spent the entire season rehabbing his left shoulder. When Osborne started for the New York Yankees
in 2004, he became the first Yankee pitcher since Babe Ruth to start for the team after not having started a game for over five years.
Osborne signed with the Long Island Ducks
of the independent Atlantic League
for the season, played for the Bridgeport Bluefish
in , and back with the Ducks in until his retirement on July 4, 2008.
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 who pitched in the Major Leagues from -.
Career
Osborne attended Carson High SchoolCarson High School
Carson High School can refer to:*Carson High School *Carson High School...
in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
before he was drafted by 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...
in the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
.
After declining to sign with the Expos, Osborne attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
(UNLV), where he played for the UNLV Rebels
UNLV Rebels
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas' sports teams are called the Rebels. The Rebels participate in NCAA Division I and in the Mountain West Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The school's colors are Scarlet and Grey. The Rebels' main rival is the Wolf Pack of the University...
baseball team. Out of UNLV, Osborne was chosen by the 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...
in the first round (13th overall) of the 1990 amateur draft
1990 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1990 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:The draft went a record 101 rounds, surpassing 1989's total of 88, and included a record 1,487 selections. The Astros led all clubs with 100 selections. Seattle was second with 75,...
.
In the 1992 season, his major league debut season, Osborne finished fifth in MLB Rookie of the Year Award voting.
Osborne was the Cardinals' Opening Day starter in , and he consistently produced season ERAs
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...
below four despite recurring battles with injury. In , Osborne won 13 games for the Cardinals, made 30 starts for the only time in his career, pitched innings, and posted a 3.53 earned run average
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...
. He ranked among the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
top-10 in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
per nine innings, shutouts, ERA+, and strike-to-walk ratio.
At his peak, Osborne's arsenal included a low 90's fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
with late life, a plus 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 an average 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....
. His control was regarded as excellent, and he was known to throw his fastball to all four quadrants of the strikezone.
Ultimately, Osborne's career was derailed by a series of severe shoulder injuries. He was limited to 225 innings from to , and he spent the entire season rehabbing his left shoulder. When Osborne started for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 2004, he became the first Yankee pitcher since Babe Ruth to start for the team after not having started a game for over five years.
Osborne signed with the Long Island Ducks
Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks is an American professional baseball team based in Central Islip, New York. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
for the season, played for the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
in , and back with the Ducks in until his retirement on July 4, 2008.