Jeff Tam
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Eugene Tam is a former right-handed relief pitcher
who pitched in the major leagues
from 1998 to 2003.
in Melbourne, Florida where he played second base and was a teammate of Toronto Blue Jays
draft pick Mark Fuller. He led the Florida Space Coast Baseball League (Stan Musial
Division) in hits and RBIs in 1991 while playing for the Melbourne Bombers. Tam played college baseball
for the Florida State University
Seminoles under head coach Mike Martin. He was signed by the New York Mets
in 1993 as an undrafted free agent.
of the National League
and the Cleveland Indians
, Oakland Athletics
and Toronto Blue Jays
all of the American League
. He posted a 7-14 record with an ERA of 3.91 while saving 7 games. His best season was 2000 when he appeared in 72 games and had an ERA of 2.63. He was the top set-up man on an Oakland A's team that went to the playoffs.
Tam last played professionally for the Bridgeport Bluefish
of the independent Atlantic League
in .
Tam was a replacement player during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike, when he played with the replacements in early 1995 and was barred from membership in the Major League Baseball Players Association
.
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...
who pitched in the major leagues
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...
from 1998 to 2003.
Early years and college career
Tam attended Eau Gallie High SchoolEau Gallie High School
Eau Gallie High School is located at 1400 Commodore Blvd in the Eau Gallie area of Melbourne, Florida. It is one of four public high schools in Melbourne, along with Melbourne High School, Palm Bay High School, and West Shore Junior/Senior High School....
in Melbourne, Florida where he played second base and was a teammate of Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
draft pick Mark Fuller. He led the Florida Space Coast Baseball League (Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
Division) in hits and RBIs in 1991 while playing for the Melbourne Bombers. Tam played college 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...
for the Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Seminoles under head coach Mike Martin. He was signed by 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...
in 1993 as an undrafted free agent.
Professional career
Tam played for the New York MetsNew 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...
of 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...
and 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...
, 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....
and Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
all of 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...
. He posted a 7-14 record with an ERA of 3.91 while saving 7 games. His best season was 2000 when he appeared in 72 games and had an ERA of 2.63. He was the top set-up man on an Oakland A's team that went to the playoffs.
Tam last played professionally 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...
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...
in .
Tam was a replacement player during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike, when he played with the replacements in early 1995 and was barred from membership in the Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
.