Jorge Julio
Encyclopedia
Jorge Dandys Julio Tapia (born March 3, 1979, in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates
organization. He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles
from 2001–2005, New York Mets
and Arizona Diamondbacks
in 2006, and the Florida Marlins
in 2007 before being traded to the Rockies
for Byung-Hyun Kim
. He had brief stints with the Cleveland Indians
and Atlanta Braves
in 2008, and also with the Milwaukee Brewers
in 2009. He bats and throws right-handed.
Julio, who throws extremely hard, features both a four-seam
and a two-seam fastball
in the 95–100 MPH range and has thrown even harder on occasion. He also has a downward-breaking slider
, which comes in at between 86-90 MPH, and occasionally throws a changeup
as well.
in 21.1 innings pitched
; however, Julio's first full season in the majors was 2002, in which he went 5–6, posting a 1.99 ERA
with 25 saves and 55 strikeout
s in 68 innings
. He finished third in the American League
Rookie of the Year
voting with 1 second-place vote and 11 third-place votes. However, he was unable to duplicate his rookie season success in the seasons that followed and eventually lost his job as the Orioles closer
to B. J. Ryan at the end of 2004. Julio began 2005 as the set-up man
for Ryan. During April of that season, he allowed just one earned run
in 12 ⅔ innings pitched; despite that, his performance declined and he finished the season 3–5 with a 5.90 ERA in 67 appearances
.
John Maine
in exchange for Kris Benson
. He began the season in the Mets bullpen
, but was traded to the Diamondbacks on May 24, 2006, for Orlando Hernández
. He replaced José Valverde
as the Arizona closer and saved 15 games in 19 opportunities before losing the closer job to Valverde in early September.
and was named their closer coming out of spring training
. But after failing to record a save in three opportunities, he was removed from the closer role in mid-April. On May 12, 2007, in his last outing as a Marlin, he gave up a walk-off
grand slam
to Ryan Zimmerman
of the Washington Nationals
. He was traded to the Rockies for Byung-Hyun Kim
the following day. He pitched in both a middle relief and a set-up role for Colorado, appearing in 58 games and posting an 0–3 record with a 3.93 ERA for the Rockies. He also gave up a two run homer in the 13th inning to Scott Hairston in the 2007 Wild Card Game Playoff. The Rockies rallied to win the game in the bottom for the 13th.
from the Rockies on October 27, 2007; he promptly signed a minor-league
deal with the Cleveland Indians
on January 31, 2008, and was invited to their spring training camp. His contract was purchased by the team on March 25, 2008, and he was on their opening day
roster. However, after 15 generally ineffective relief appearances, he was designated for assignment
on May 28, 2008, and was later released on June 2. He posted a 0–0 record and 5.60 ERA in those 15 appearances. Shortly after his release, Julio signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. In the final month of the 2008 season, Julio appeared in 12 games for the Braves, winning three games and posting a 0.73 ERA.
. On June 2, 2009, Julio was released by the Brewers, after compiling a 1-1 record and a 7.79 earned run average.
Julio was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays
on June 9, 2009, and reported to their Triple-A affiliate Durham Bulls
. He was later released on August 7, 2009.
In November 2009, after he filed for free agency, Julio signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He was released before the season began. On April 2, 2010, Julio signed a deal to join the independent Bridgeport Bluefish for the 2010 season. Pitching coach Fred Stackson has commented that Julio is gaining consistency with his delivery, especially to right-handed batters.
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...
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...
who is currently pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
organization. He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore 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...
from 2001–2005, 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...
and 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...
in 2006, and the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in 2007 before being traded to the 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...
for Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is best known for his years with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox. In 2001, Kim took over mid-season as the Diamondbacks' closer and saved 19...
. He had brief stints with 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...
and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in 2008, and also with the 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...
in 2009. He bats and throws right-handed.
Julio, who throws extremely hard, features both a four-seam
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...
and a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
in the 95–100 MPH range and has thrown even harder on occasion. He also has a downward-breaking 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....
, which comes in at between 86-90 MPH, and occasionally throws a 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...
as well.
Baltimore Orioles
Julio's first season in the majors was 2001 with the Orioles, in which he compiled a record of 1 win and 1 loss with a 3.80 ERAEarned 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 21.1 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...
; however, Julio's first full season in the majors was 2002, in which he went 5–6, posting a 1.99 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...
with 25 saves and 55 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 in 68 innings
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...
. He finished third in 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...
Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
voting with 1 second-place vote and 11 third-place votes. However, he was unable to duplicate his rookie season success in the seasons that followed and eventually lost his job as the Orioles closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
to B. J. Ryan at the end of 2004. Julio began 2005 as the set-up man
Setup pitcher
In baseball, a setup pitcher is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the 7th and/or 8th innings, with the closer pitching the 9th....
for Ryan. During April of that season, he allowed just one earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
in 12 ⅔ innings pitched; despite that, his performance declined and he finished the season 3–5 with a 5.90 ERA in 67 appearances
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
.
2006 season
On January 21, 2006, Julio was dealt to the Mets with pitching prospectProspect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
John Maine
John Maine
John Kevin Maine is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life and college:Maine was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia...
in exchange for Kris Benson
Kris Benson
Kristin James Benson is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Benson pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates from to , New York Mets from to , Baltimore Orioles in to , Texas Rangers in , and Arizona Diamondbacks in ....
. He began the season in the Mets bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
, but was traded to the Diamondbacks on May 24, 2006, for Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso , nicknamed "El Duque", is a former Cuban right-handed baseball pitcher....
. He replaced José Valverde
José Valverde
José Rafael Valverde is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. His nickname is Papa Grande...
as the Arizona closer and saved 15 games in 19 opportunities before losing the closer job to Valverde in early September.
2007 season
On March 26, 2007, Julio was traded to the Marlins for Yusmeiro PetitYusmeiro Petit
Yusmeiro Alberto Petit is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. Petit throws right-handed. He was signed by New York Mets as non-drafted free agent on November 15,...
and was named their closer coming out of 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...
. But after failing to record a save in three opportunities, he was removed from the closer role in mid-April. On May 12, 2007, in his last outing as a Marlin, he gave up a walk-off
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
to Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman is a Major League Baseball third baseman with the Washington Nationals. A 6-foot 3-inch player from the University of Virginia and Kellam High School, Zimmerman has been a member of the Nationals since his debut on September 1, 2005...
of 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...
. He was traded to the Rockies for Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is best known for his years with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox. In 2001, Kim took over mid-season as the Diamondbacks' closer and saved 19...
the following day. He pitched in both a middle relief and a set-up role for Colorado, appearing in 58 games and posting an 0–3 record with a 3.93 ERA for the Rockies. He also gave up a two run homer in the 13th inning to Scott Hairston in the 2007 Wild Card Game Playoff. The Rockies rallied to win the game in the bottom for the 13th.
2008 season
Julio was granted free agencyFree 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....
from the Rockies on October 27, 2007; he promptly signed a minor-league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
deal with 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...
on January 31, 2008, and was invited to their spring training camp. His contract was purchased by the team on March 25, 2008, and he was on their opening day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster. However, after 15 generally ineffective relief appearances, he was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
on May 28, 2008, and was later released on June 2. He posted a 0–0 record and 5.60 ERA in those 15 appearances. Shortly after his release, Julio signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. In the final month of the 2008 season, Julio appeared in 12 games for the Braves, winning three games and posting a 0.73 ERA.
2009 season
On December 4, 2008, Julio signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee 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...
. On June 2, 2009, Julio was released by the Brewers, after compiling a 1-1 record and a 7.79 earned run average.
Julio was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
on June 9, 2009, and reported to their Triple-A affiliate Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
. He was later released on August 7, 2009.
In November 2009, after he filed for free agency, Julio signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He was released before the season began. On April 2, 2010, Julio signed a deal to join the independent Bridgeport Bluefish for the 2010 season. Pitching coach Fred Stackson has commented that Julio is gaining consistency with his delivery, especially to right-handed batters.