John Patterson (pitcher)
Encyclopedia
John Hollis Patterson is a former Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
for the Arizona Diamondbacks
and the Montreal Expos
/Washington Nationals
franchise.
A USA Today
prep All-American in his senior year at West Orange-Stark (TX) High School, Patterson was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the first round (5th overall pick) of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
. Montreal lost the draft rights to Patterson on a legal technicality: they sent him a contract offer that was not printed on official team letterhead, and he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $6.075 million. After a solid rookie season where he had a 3.22 ERA
, he had a disappointing season with the Diamondbacks. Patterson was traded back to the Expos prior to the season in exchange for Randy Choate
, a left-handed
reliever
.
Always filled with immense potential, Patterson started to realize it in 2004, when he had a 3.57 ERA in April. He got hurt soon after, though, and never regained his form for the rest of the year.
Patterson had a breakout season in , posting a 9-7 record while setting career bests in ERA (3.13), innings pitched
(198.3) and strikeout
s (185) in 31 starts. On August 4 of that year, he pitched his first career complete game
shutout
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, with Washington winning that game 7-0. In 2009, Patterson's four hit shutout was named the greatest pitching performance in Nationals history by Washington Post baseball writer Dave Sheinin.
Early in , Patterson suffered an injury to his right forearm which had to be surgically repaired on July 20, and he did not return for the 2006 campaign.
In , he started the year dismally, going 1-5 in seven starts with an ERA of 7.47. He went back on the DL
on May 7, with elbow inflammation. He did not pitch the rest of the season, eventually opting for surgery in September.
On March 20, , the Nationals released Patterson after four years with the franchise. Patterson had struggled the last couple of seasons with right forearm problems and nerve problems which forced him to miss most of the 2007 season. On March 24, 2008, Patterson signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers
. He was released on May 24.
Unable to overcome the pain in his right forearm, Patterson announced his retirement from baseball on January 7, .
He featured a mid 90's fastball
along with a big curveball
and a sharp slider
.
Patterson lives in his hometown of Orange, Texas
. On November 10, 2007, he married 2005 Miss District of Columbia
Shannon Schambeau, who was 4th runner-up in the 2006 Miss America
pageant.
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...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for 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...
and 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...
/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...
franchise.
A USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
prep All-American in his senior year at West Orange-Stark (TX) High School, Patterson was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the first round (5th overall pick) of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
. Montreal lost the draft rights to Patterson on a legal technicality: they sent him a contract offer that was not printed on official team letterhead, and he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $6.075 million. After a solid rookie season where he had a 3.22 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...
, he had a disappointing season with the Diamondbacks. Patterson was traded back to the Expos prior to the season in exchange for Randy Choate
Randy Choate
Randol Doyle Choate is an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins.-High school years:Choate attended Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas, and was a letterman in baseball....
, a left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
reliever
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...
.
Always filled with immense potential, Patterson started to realize it in 2004, when he had a 3.57 ERA in April. He got hurt soon after, though, and never regained his form for the rest of the year.
Patterson had a breakout season in , posting a 9-7 record while setting career bests in ERA (3.13), innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
(198.3) and 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 (185) in 31 starts. On August 4 of that year, he pitched his first career complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
against 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...
, with Washington winning that game 7-0. In 2009, Patterson's four hit shutout was named the greatest pitching performance in Nationals history by Washington Post baseball writer Dave Sheinin.
Early in , Patterson suffered an injury to his right forearm which had to be surgically repaired on July 20, and he did not return for the 2006 campaign.
In , he started the year dismally, going 1-5 in seven starts with an ERA of 7.47. He went back on the DL
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:...
on May 7, with elbow inflammation. He did not pitch the rest of the season, eventually opting for surgery in September.
On March 20, , the Nationals released Patterson after four years with the franchise. Patterson had struggled the last couple of seasons with right forearm problems and nerve problems which forced him to miss most of the 2007 season. On March 24, 2008, Patterson signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers
Texas 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...
. He was released on May 24.
Unable to overcome the pain in his right forearm, Patterson announced his retirement from baseball on January 7, .
He featured a mid 90's fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
along with a big 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...
and a sharp slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
.
Patterson lives in his hometown of Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. On November 10, 2007, he married 2005 Miss District of Columbia
Miss District of Columbia
The Miss District of Columbia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss America pageant. The District has twice won the title of Miss America....
Shannon Schambeau, who was 4th runner-up in the 2006 Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant.