Jeremy Accardo
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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...
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 is a free agent.
San Francisco Giants
Accardo signed as a non-drafted free agent by the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
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...
in 2003 after attending Illinois State University
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
.
Accardo made his major league debut on May 4, 2005 by pitching one perfect inning in relief during a San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
road game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
.
He finished the season with a 1-5 record with a 3.94 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 29 hits, 9 walks and 16 strikeouts in innings of work.
In , Accardo became the team's interim closer when Giants closer Armando Benitez
Armando Benítez
Armando Germán Benítez is a relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Baltimore Orioles:...
suffered an ankle injury. Benitez's return, however, put Accardo back to a role as middle reliever.
Toronto Blue Jays
On July 21, 2006, Accardo was traded to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto 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 ....
for third baseman Shea Hillenbrand
Shea Hillenbrand
Shea Matthew Hillenbrand is a professional baseball player who last played for the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League....
and relief pitcher Vinnie Chulk
Vinnie Chulk
Charles Vincent "Vinnie" Chulk is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who currently plays in the Oakland Athletics organization. He is of Cuban heritage.-Early life:...
, and completed the remainder of the 2006 season with Toronto.
In 2006, he posted a combined 2-4 record with a 5.35 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 76 hits, 20 walks and 54 strikeouts in 69 innings of work.
In , Accardo took the role of closer from Jason Frasor
Jason Frasor
Jason Andrew Frasor is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball. He made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in , and he had a 4.08 ERA in 63 games....
, who had only become the closer due to an elbow injury sustained by closer, B.J. Ryan
B.J. Ryan
Robert Victor "B.J." Ryan, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Though he never officially retired, Ryan has not played since .-Career:Ryan started his career as a left-handed specialist...
. He began the season posting 21 consecutive scoreless innings until allowing 3 runs on May 26, 2007 in a game against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. On September 28, he recorded his 30th save of the year.
Accardo missed much of the 2008 season because of injury. He had a good spring training 2009, but did not make the Toronto Blue Jays 25-man roster for 2009, and started the season at Triple A Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
. On June 18, Accardo's contract was purchased by Toronto, and he was promoted back to the Major Leagues, to replace the injured Scott Downs
Scott Downs
Scott Jeremy Downs is an American professional baseball relief pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays...
, as the Blue Jays' pitching staff continued to be hit by a string of injuries. He made his first 2009 major league appearance that day against the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
champion 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...
in an 8-7 Toronto win, with his fastball back to the 95 mph range, and earned the save. He then twice pitched effectively in the next Toronto series against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
.
It was decided that Accardo would be sent back to Triple-A Las Vegas but he was called right back on August 2, 2009 even before he had left the team hotel. He returned to replace Scott Downs
Scott Downs
Scott Jeremy Downs is an American professional baseball relief pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays...
who aggravated a previous left foot injury while pitching to Oakland Athletics' designated hitter, Jack Cust on Saturday, August 1. Downs was placed on the 15-day disabled list, but according to Manager Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
, he will not be back any time soon.
On December 3, 2010, the Blue Jays did not tender a contract to Accardo prior to the non-tender deadline, thereby making him a free agent.
Baltimore Orioles
On December 14, 2010, Accardo signed a one year deal worth $1.08 million with the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
On June 18, 2011, Accardo was designated for assignment. He elected free agency on October 11.