Jimmy Gobble
Encyclopedia
Billy James Gobble is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
who is currently in the Colorado Rockies
organization.
in Bristol, Virginia
and started four years on the varsity team. He led the team to three state tournament appearances and compiled a 32-8 record and 512 strikeout
s.
As a senior, he was 10-1 with a 0.49 ERA
, striking out 151 and allowing just 23 hits
in 71 innings of work. His only loss came at the hands of Sullivan East High School, which is located in nearby Bluff City, Tennessee
. He was also a strong hitter, compiling a .493 batting average
with nine home run
s, 30 RBI
and 24 walks
.
He signed a baseball
scholarship with the University of Kentucky
before being drafted by the Royals with the 43rd pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
. Gobble was the fourth Royal chosen, following Kyle Snyder
, Mike MacDougal
, and Jay Gehrke.
. Gobble was 4-1 with a 3.02 earned run average.
On July 21, , Gobble surrendered 10 runs
to the Detroit Tigers
in the eighth inning, setting a Kansas City franchise record for the most runs surrendered in a game by a relief pitcher
.
He was released by the Royals on March 18, .
signed Gobble to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. He was released on March 30.
signed Gobble to a minor league contract and assigned him to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights
.
The Chicago White Sox
promoted him from Triple-A Charlotte Knights
on Monday, May 11, 2009 to take the roster spot of struggling starter José Contreras
.
On July 7, 2009, he was designated for assignment.
with an invite to spring training.
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...
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 currently in the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
organization.
High school career
Gobble attended John S. Battle High SchoolJohn S. Battle High School
John S. Battle High School is a high school located in the Southwest portion of Virginia in Washington County. The school was named after the Governor John S. Battle. It was built in 1959. There have been many additions. The Mason building is in the Northwest quadrant of the school. In the 1970s,...
in Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
and started four years on the varsity team. He led the team to three state tournament appearances and compiled a 32-8 record and 512 strikeout
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....
s.
As a senior, he was 10-1 with a 0.49 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...
, striking out 151 and allowing just 23 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....
in 71 innings of work. His only loss came at the hands of Sullivan East High School, which is located in nearby Bluff City, Tennessee
Bluff City, Tennessee
Bluff City is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,733 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol –Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical...
. He was also a strong hitter, compiling a .493 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with nine home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 30 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
and 24 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...
.
He signed a 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...
scholarship with the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
before being drafted by the Royals with the 43rd pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 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...
. Gobble was the fourth Royal chosen, following Kyle Snyder
Kyle Snyder
Kyle Ehren Snyder is an American baseball player, who is a former relief pitcher.Snyder played with the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox . He is listed at 6-8 and 220 pounds, is a switch hitter, and throws right-handed....
, Mike MacDougal
Mike MacDougal
Robert Meiklejohn MacDougal is a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball, who is currently a free agent...
, and Jay Gehrke.
Kansas City Royals
Gobble made his major league debut with the Royals in . He steadily improved through his first three seasons; in he appeared in 74 games, the most on Kansas City's staff and tied for fifth in the American LeagueAmerican 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...
. Gobble was 4-1 with a 3.02 earned run average.
On July 21, , Gobble surrendered 10 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...
to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in the eighth inning, setting a Kansas City franchise record for the most runs surrendered in a game by a relief pitcher
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...
.
He was released by the Royals on March 18, .
Texas Rangers
On March 21, , the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
signed Gobble to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. He was released on March 30.
Chicago White Sox
On April 5, 2009, the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
signed Gobble to a minor league contract and assigned him to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
.
The Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
promoted him from Triple-A Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
on Monday, May 11, 2009 to take the roster spot of struggling starter José Contreras
José Contreras
José Ariel Contreras Camejo is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently with the Philadelphia Phillies...
.
On July 7, 2009, he was designated for assignment.
Colorado Rockies
On January 28, 2010, Gobble signed a minor league contract with the Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
with an invite to spring training.