Jay Baller
Encyclopedia
Jay Scot Baller is a former right-handed relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
for the Philadelphia Phillies
, Chicago Cubs
, and Kansas City Royals
. Baller spent parts of six different seasons in the major leagues but never was able to stick with a big league time for an entire campaign. Primarily a reliever, Baller recorded 138 saves in 14 minor league seasons and 6 saves in 94 major league contests.
in Canby, Oregon
. He made his major league debut with the Phillies as a reliever on September 19, 1982, throwing a scoreless, hitless inning versus the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He would pitch in three other games that season, including one of his five major league starts, before returning to the minor leagues.
Baller was a throw-in player in a major trade after the 1982 season, as the Cleveland Indians
sent Von Hayes
to the Phillies in exchange for Julio Franco
, Manny Trillo
, George Vukovich
, Jerry Willard
, and Baller. He spent the next two seasons as a starter in Cleveland's minor leagues before being traded again to the Chicago Cubs for Dan Rohn
in April 1985. That season, Baller would finally return to the majors, appearing in 20 games (4 starts) and posting a respectable 3.46 ERA
. Baller split the 1986 season between the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
and the major-league Cubs, sporting a 5.37 ERA, a 2-4 record and five saves in 36 games with Chicago. It would be the most extensive big-league action of his career.
The 1987 season saw Baller's role reduced, as he spent the majority of the year in Iowa. In 23 games with Chicago, he went 0-1 and saw his ERA rise yet again to 6.75. The Cubs released him in December. He signed as a free agent with the Seattle Mariners
and spent the 1988 season with their Triple-A farm team in Calgary. He was granted free agency after the season and Baller signed with the Montreal Expos
organization, where he was made a full-time closer for their Triple-A team in Indianapolis, posting a career-high 34 saves and a 2.02 ERA. Granted free agency again, Baller signed with the Royals and found his way back to the majors in 1990. However, he was ineffective, managing only an inflated 15.43 ERA in three games.
The off-season saw further movement for Baller, as he signed as a free agent with the Houston Astros
but was released before the season began. Baller then signed with the Phillies organization, finding his way back to the team where he started his career. After an entire season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Baller filed for free agency but again signed with the Phillies for 1992. Now old for a minor leaguer at age 31, Baller was a very effective closer for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, saving 22 games while sporting a nifty 1.42 ERA. Promoted to Philadelphia, Baller appeared in the final eight games of his major league career, managing just an 8.18 ERA as he allowed 5 home runs and 10 earned runs in just 11 innings of work. Baller was granted free agency again after the season, but there were no takers for his services, and he retired from baseball.
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...
in 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...
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...
, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and 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...
. Baller spent parts of six different seasons in the major leagues but never was able to stick with a big league time for an entire campaign. Primarily a reliever, Baller recorded 138 saves in 14 minor league seasons and 6 saves in 94 major league contests.
Career
Baller was drafted by the Phillies in the 4th round (98th overall) of the 1979 amateur draft out of Canby High SchoolCanby High School
-Academics:In 2008, 86% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 395 students, 338 graduated, 37 dropped out, 1 received a modified diploma, and 19 are still in high school.-Homebuilding program:...
in Canby, Oregon
Canby, Oregon
Canby is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 15,829 at the 2010 census. It is located on Oregon Route 99E, two miles northeast of Barlow.-History:...
. He made his major league debut with the Phillies as a reliever on September 19, 1982, throwing a scoreless, hitless inning versus the 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...
. He would pitch in three other games that season, including one of his five major league starts, before returning to the minor leagues.
Baller was a throw-in player in a major trade after the 1982 season, as the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
sent Von Hayes
Von Hayes
Von Francis Hayes , was a Major League Baseball player from 1981 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels...
to the Phillies in exchange for Julio Franco
Julio Franco
Julio César Robles Franco is a former Major League Baseball infielder and designated hitter. In , Franco was the oldest active player in the major leagues at the age of 49....
, Manny Trillo
Manny Trillo
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo , also nicknamed "Indio", is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from to...
, George Vukovich
George Vukovich
George Stephen Vukovich , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors from 1980-1985 for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Indians. He also played two seasons in Japan for the Seibu Lions in 1986-1987.-External links:...
, Jerry Willard
Jerry Willard
Gerald Duane Willard was a Major League Baseball catcher.Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1979, Willard would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Cleveland Indians on April 11, 1984, and appeared in his final game on May 19, 1994.Willard's career was spent...
, and Baller. He spent the next two seasons as a starter in Cleveland's minor leagues before being traded again to the Chicago Cubs for Dan Rohn
Dan Rohn
Daniel Jay Rohn is a former infielder and administrative coach in Major League Baseball. Rohn was drafted as a second baseman by the Chicago Cubs in the 4th round of the 1977 amateur draft, and made his major league debut on September 2, 1983...
in April 1985. That season, Baller would finally return to the majors, appearing in 20 games (4 starts) and posting a respectable 3.46 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...
. Baller split the 1986 season between the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
and the major-league Cubs, sporting a 5.37 ERA, a 2-4 record and five saves in 36 games with Chicago. It would be the most extensive big-league action of his career.
The 1987 season saw Baller's role reduced, as he spent the majority of the year in Iowa. In 23 games with Chicago, he went 0-1 and saw his ERA rise yet again to 6.75. The Cubs released him in December. He signed as a free agent with 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...
and spent the 1988 season with their Triple-A farm team in Calgary. He was granted free agency after the season and Baller signed with 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...
organization, where he was made a full-time closer for their Triple-A team in Indianapolis, posting a career-high 34 saves and a 2.02 ERA. Granted free agency again, Baller signed with the Royals and found his way back to the majors in 1990. However, he was ineffective, managing only an inflated 15.43 ERA in three games.
The off-season saw further movement for Baller, as he signed as a free agent with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
but was released before the season began. Baller then signed with the Phillies organization, finding his way back to the team where he started his career. After an entire season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Baller filed for free agency but again signed with the Phillies for 1992. Now old for a minor leaguer at age 31, Baller was a very effective closer for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, saving 22 games while sporting a nifty 1.42 ERA. Promoted to Philadelphia, Baller appeared in the final eight games of his major league career, managing just an 8.18 ERA as he allowed 5 home runs and 10 earned runs in just 11 innings of work. Baller was granted free agency again after the season, but there were no takers for his services, and he retired from baseball.