Josh Lueke
Encyclopedia
Joshua William Lueke is an American professional baseball
pitcher
for the Tampa Bay Rays
of Major League Baseball
.
in the 16th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
. On July 9, 2010, Lueke was traded to the Seattle Mariners
along with Justin Smoak
and fellow prospects Matt Lawson and Blake Beavan
for Cliff Lee
and Mark Lowe
.
On April 3, 2011, he made his Major League Debut for the Mariners against the Oakland Athletics
. He threw two-thirds of an inning giving up four runs on two hits. He also had two walks and two strikeouts.
On November 27, 2011, Lueke and a player to be named later were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays
in exchange for John Jaso
.
. During the investigation Lueke lied to the police by denying he had sexual contact with the victim (an assertion proven false by DNA testing), and he pled no contest to lesser charges of false imprisonment with violence and was sentenced to 42 days in jail, time served prior to making bail.
After the July 9, 2010 trade which sent Lueke to the Seattle Mariners, team president Chuck Armstrong
denied having any knowledge of Lueke’s criminal past and stated if he had any knowledge he would have stopped the deal with Texas. Team GM Jack Zduriencik
said Texas stood by the completed deal after Armstrong instructed him to cancel the deal with Texas Rangers
GM Jon Daniels
. During trade negotiations Zduriencik asked Daniels why Lueke only played four games in the 2009 season and Daniels told the Mariners GM that Lueke was arrested after an incident involving a woman and Lueke was later acquitted. Daniels later apologized to Zduriencik for the misuse of acquittal when describing the events, but the two sides disagree on much of the rest of the communications between the two teams. Daniels did say the Rangers understood Seattle to know more about Lueke’s situation than what was directly discussed between the two parties, and according to former Mariners pitching coach Rick Adair
, the Mariners did know about Lueke’s criminal troubles prior to the trade and the details of the criminal charges were common knowledge. Adair served as the Rangers minor-league pitching coordinator for the Rangers in the 2008 season before joining former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu
for the 2009 season. Wakamatsu and Adair were both fired from the Mariners following the trade deadline after a very disappointing 2010 season.
After the trade and public writings regarding the Lueke trade, scouting director Carmen Fusco was fired from the Mariners.
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 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...
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...
.
Professional career
Lueke was drafted by 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...
in the 16th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
. On July 9, 2010, Lueke was traded to the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
along with Justin Smoak
Justin Smoak
Justin Kyle Smoak is an American Major League Baseball first baseman for the Seattle Mariners.-High school career:...
and fellow prospects Matt Lawson and Blake Beavan
Blake Beavan
Blake Beavan is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners.-Professional:Beavan drafted from Irving High School in the 1st round, 17th overall by the Texas Rangers in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft...
for Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
and Mark Lowe
Mark Lowe
Mark Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers. He made his Major League debut for the Seattle Mariners on July 7, in relief against the Detroit Tigers, loading the bases before striking out the side. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed. His fastball...
.
On April 3, 2011, he made his Major League Debut for the Mariners against 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....
. He threw two-thirds of an inning giving up four runs on two hits. He also had two walks and two strikeouts.
On November 27, 2011, Lueke and a player to be named later were traded to 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...
in exchange for John Jaso
John Jaso
John Edward Jaso is an American professional baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
.
Personal
While in the Rangers organization Lueke was arrested following a May 2008 incident and charged with having committed rape and non-consensual sodomySodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
. During the investigation Lueke lied to the police by denying he had sexual contact with the victim (an assertion proven false by DNA testing), and he pled no contest to lesser charges of false imprisonment with violence and was sentenced to 42 days in jail, time served prior to making bail.
After the July 9, 2010 trade which sent Lueke to the Seattle Mariners, team president Chuck Armstrong
Chuck Armstrong
Charles G. Armstrong is an American attorney and former officer of the United States Navy, who currently serves as the president of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball club.-Seattle Mariners:...
denied having any knowledge of Lueke’s criminal past and stated if he had any knowledge he would have stopped the deal with Texas. Team GM Jack Zduriencik
Jack Zduriencik
John A. “Jack” Zduriencik is the General Manager of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners.-Career:Jack Zduriencik began his career in professional baseball as a second baseman in the Chicago White Sox farm system...
said Texas stood by the completed deal after Armstrong instructed him to cancel the deal with 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...
GM Jon Daniels
Jon Daniels
Jon Daniels is the current General Manager of the Texas Rangers, a Major League Baseball. When hired, at age 28, he was the youngest GM in Major League Baseball history. And as of 2011 was still the youngest GM.-Biography:...
. During trade negotiations Zduriencik asked Daniels why Lueke only played four games in the 2009 season and Daniels told the Mariners GM that Lueke was arrested after an incident involving a woman and Lueke was later acquitted. Daniels later apologized to Zduriencik for the misuse of acquittal when describing the events, but the two sides disagree on much of the rest of the communications between the two teams. Daniels did say the Rangers understood Seattle to know more about Lueke’s situation than what was directly discussed between the two parties, and according to former Mariners pitching coach Rick Adair
Rick Adair
Michael Richard Adair is the pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles and a former minor league baseball player.-Playing career:...
, the Mariners did know about Lueke’s criminal troubles prior to the trade and the details of the criminal charges were common knowledge. Adair served as the Rangers minor-league pitching coordinator for the Rangers in the 2008 season before joining former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu
Don Wakamatsu
Wilbur Donald "Don" Wakamatsu is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager. He was the manager of the Seattle Mariners for the season, as well as the majority of the season...
for the 2009 season. Wakamatsu and Adair were both fired from the Mariners following the trade deadline after a very disappointing 2010 season.
After the trade and public writings regarding the Lueke trade, scouting director Carmen Fusco was fired from the Mariners.