.gif)
Jerome Williams (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Jerome Lee Williams is an American
professional baseball
pitcher
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
of Major League Baseball
. He has played with the San Francisco Giants
(-), Chicago Cubs
(2005-), Washington Nationals
, Los Angeles Dodgers (2008), and Oakland Athletics (2009).
, the 39th overall selection. He was a regular starter in the Giants rotation in 2003-, going 7-5 with a 3.30 ERA
in 2003 and 10-7 with a 4.24 ERA in 2004.
He was acquired by the Cubs along with David Aardsma
for LaTroy Hawkins
during the 2005 season. In Williams' Cubs debut, he pitched 7 innings, giving up 2 runs
and striking out
six Milwaukee Brewers
players, and ended up going 6-8 for the Cubs. Williams, however, played most of 2006 with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, the Iowa Cubs
.
At the end of the minor league season, September 5, 2006, Williams was waived by the Cubs and then claimed by the Oakland Athletics
. Williams did not play for Oakland and was not tendered a contract in December, making him a free agent
.
On January 12, 2007, Williams was signed by the Washington Nationals organization and in spring training
earned a slot in the Nationals starting rotation.
Williams had a rough April for the Nationals, his ERA ballooning to 7.77 before he pitched a brilliant game at the end of the month, pitching six innings of one-hit shut-out ball against the New York Mets
. But he sprained his left ankle sliding into second base, and landed on the 15-day disabled list
. He came back on May 15, lasting only two innings, allowing five runs on seven hits
, and leaving with a rotator-cuff injury. His rehabilitation in the minors did not go well, and after 14 appearances with Double-A Harrisburg
, in which he compiled a 9.08 ERA, on August 5, he was released.
On August 8, 2007, he signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins
. In April of , he signed a contract with the Long Beach Armada
of the Golden Baseball League
. On June 24, 2008, the Los Angeles Dodgers
purchased his contract and he played in their minor league system through the end of the season. He signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics in December 2008.
Williams played winter baseball for the Indios de Mayaguez
in Puerto Rico
in 2008–09. He played for the Uni-President Lions
of CPBL in Taiwan
during 2010.
On June 16, 2011, Williams signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. He was assigned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
. Williams had his contract purchased on August 16, after recording a 3.91 ERA in 11 games and 73 2/3 innings in Triple-A.
On August 21, 2011, Williams acquired his first major league win since 2005 in his first major league start since 2007.
He throws a sinker
, four-seam fastball
, cut fastball, changeup
, and curveball
.
He was well known for wearing a puka shell
necklace at all times on the playing field, in honor of his mother Deborah, who died of breast cancer in 2001 while he was still a minor league pitcher. He stopped wearing it after a bad start in 2005, but resumed wearing it by spring training of 2007.
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...
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
of 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...
. He has played with the 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....
(-), 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...
(2005-), 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...
, Los Angeles Dodgers (2008), and Oakland Athletics (2009).
Baseball career
Williams was a Giants' first-round draft pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
, the 39th overall selection. He was a regular starter in the Giants rotation in 2003-, going 7-5 with a 3.30 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...
in 2003 and 10-7 with a 4.24 ERA in 2004.
He was acquired by the Cubs along with David Aardsma
David Aardsma
David Allan Aardsma is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball. He is the first player alphabetically in the list of all-time Major League Baseball players, having displaced Hank Aaron upon his MLB debut....
for LaTroy Hawkins
LaTroy Hawkins
LaTroy Hawkins is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Through 2011, he was third of all active pitchers in career games pitched.-Minnesota Twins:...
during the 2005 season. In Williams' Cubs debut, he pitched 7 innings, giving up 2 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
six Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
players, and ended up going 6-8 for the Cubs. Williams, however, played most of 2006 with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, the 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:...
.
At the end of the minor league season, September 5, 2006, Williams was waived by the Cubs and then claimed by the 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....
. Williams did not play for Oakland and was not tendered a contract in December, making him a free agent
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 January 12, 2007, Williams was signed by the Washington Nationals organization and in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
earned a slot in the Nationals starting rotation.
Williams had a rough April for the Nationals, his ERA ballooning to 7.77 before he pitched a brilliant game at the end of the month, pitching six innings of one-hit shut-out ball against 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...
. But he sprained his left ankle sliding into second base, and landed on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. He came back on May 15, lasting only two innings, allowing five runs on seven hits
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....
, and leaving with a rotator-cuff injury. His rehabilitation in the minors did not go well, and after 14 appearances with Double-A Harrisburg
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
, in which he compiled a 9.08 ERA, on August 5, he was released.
On August 8, 2007, he signed a minor league contract with 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...
. In April of , he signed a contract with the Long Beach Armada
Long Beach Armada
The Long Beach Armada was an independent professional baseball team based in Long Beach, California, in the United States. The Armada was a member of the North Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League, which was not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...
of the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
. On June 24, 2008, the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
purchased his contract and he played in their minor league system through the end of the season. He signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics in December 2008.
Williams played winter baseball for the Indios de Mayaguez
Indios de Mayagüez
The Indios de Mayagüez are a baseball team in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League . Normally based in Mayagüez, the Indios have won 16 national championships and two Caribbean World Series...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 2008–09. He played for the Uni-President Lions
Uni-President Lions
The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions are a professional baseball team based in Tainan City, Taiwan. The organization is named after the Uni-President Corporation, one of Taiwan's largest conglomerate whose sub-company Uni-President Baseball Team Company oversees operations of the team...
of CPBL in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
during 2010.
On June 16, 2011, Williams signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He was assigned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
. Williams had his contract purchased on August 16, after recording a 3.91 ERA in 11 games and 73 2/3 innings in Triple-A.
On August 21, 2011, Williams acquired his first major league win since 2005 in his first major league start since 2007.
He throws a sinker
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
, four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
, cut fastball, 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 curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
.
Personal life
Williams was married on February 3, 2004, to Sarah, and has three children Alana Deborah (08/06/2004) Keilani Skye (11/15/2006) and Tai Makaio (08/10/2009). He is of Hawaiian-Chinese-Portuguese-Spanish-Japanese-Norwegian-African-Filipino-American ancestry.He was well known for wearing a puka shell
Puka shell
Puka shells originally were naturally occurring bead-like objects which could be found on some beaches in Hawaii. These were beachworn pieces of cone snail shells, a kind of seashell. Puka is the Hawaiian word for "hole" and refers to the naturally occurring hole in the middle of these rounded...
necklace at all times on the playing field, in honor of his mother Deborah, who died of breast cancer in 2001 while he was still a minor league pitcher. He stopped wearing it after a bad start in 2005, but resumed wearing it by spring training of 2007.