Marcus McBeth
Encyclopedia
Marcus Andre McBeth is a right-handed professional baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent. He has played part of one season in Major League Baseball
, in 2007 for the Cincinnati Reds
.
in the fourth round of the June 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Oakland Athletics
as a center fielder
. He never produced much with the bat during his first three years of professional baseball; he batted
just .233 (205 for 881) with 19 home run
s and 111 runs batted in
. He did, however, show a strong arm and was persuaded to give pitching a shot. Splitting 2005 between Kane County
(Single-A), the Arizona A's (Rookie League) and Stockton
(Single-A), McBeth posted a 2-2 record and an earned run average
of 3.62 over 25 appearances (all relief) and 31.1 innings pitched
.
McBeth started the 2006 season in Stockton as the team's closer
. He was not scored upon in eight appearances, while also racking up seven saves. He was immediately promoted to Midland
(Double-A), where he saved 25 games, posted an ERA of 2.48 and allowing opposing hitters to a paltry .213 batting average.
His success at the Double-A level prompted yet another promotion, to the Triple-A Sacramento RiverCats. Success was harder to come by at the minors' highest level; in 7.1 innings, he surrendered nine runs
and failed to register a single save. Still, McBeth's composite 2006 numbers were impressive: 3-3 record, 3.07 ERA, 32 saves and an opponents' batting average of .198 in 70⅓ innings pitched.
In November 2006, McBeth was placed on the A's 40-man roster, preventing him from being chosen by another team via the Rule 5 Draft
. In April 2007, McBeth was traded by the A's to the Cincinnati Reds
, along with minor league pitcher Ben Jukich, for outfielder
Chris Denorfia
.
McBeth made his major league debut with the Reds on June 6, 2007, against the St. Louis Cardinals
. Four days later, on June 10 he recorded his first win
against AL
rival Cleveland Indians
.
On August 13, 2008, McBeth was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox, and was optioned to their Triple-A team, the Pawtucket Red Sox
.
On July 31, 2009, McBeth was called up to join the Red Sox bullpen following the trade of Justin Masterson
. He was optioned the following day without making an appearance. In October 2009, McBeth was granted free agency.
In 2010, he returned to the Athletics, and appeared in 14 games for the River Cats. He was granted free agency after the 2010 season.
that in 2005 was clocked as high as 93 miles per hour. He also features a slider
and a changeup
. His changeup has improved with the assistance of A's pitching coordinator (and former big-league hurler) Ron Romanick
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
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 a free agent. He has played part of one season in 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...
, in 2007 for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
Career
McBeth was selected out of the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in the fourth round of the June 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
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....
as a center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
. He never produced much with the bat during his first three years of professional baseball; he batted
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 :...
just .233 (205 for 881) with 19 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 and 111 runs batted in
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...
. He did, however, show a strong arm and was persuaded to give pitching a shot. Splitting 2005 between Kane County
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Geneva, Illinois, about 35 miles west of Chicago....
(Single-A), the Arizona A's (Rookie League) and Stockton
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a baseball team in Stockton, California. The Ports play in the Northern Division of the Class A – Advanced California League and are a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Their home field is Banner Island Ballpark which seats over 5,000 people and opened in...
(Single-A), McBeth posted a 2-2 record and an earned run average
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...
of 3.62 over 25 appearances (all relief) and 31.1 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...
.
McBeth started the 2006 season in Stockton as the team's 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...
. He was not scored upon in eight appearances, while also racking up seven saves. He was immediately promoted to Midland
Midland RockHounds
The Midland RockHounds are a minor league baseball team based in Midland, Texas, USA. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Citibank Ballpark, located in Midland. Opened in 2002, the stadium seats...
(Double-A), where he saved 25 games, posted an ERA of 2.48 and allowing opposing hitters to a paltry .213 batting average.
His success at the Double-A level prompted yet another promotion, to the Triple-A Sacramento RiverCats. Success was harder to come by at the minors' highest level; in 7.1 innings, he surrendered nine 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 failed to register a single save. Still, McBeth's composite 2006 numbers were impressive: 3-3 record, 3.07 ERA, 32 saves and an opponents' batting average of .198 in 70⅓ innings pitched.
In November 2006, McBeth was placed on the A's 40-man roster, preventing him from being chosen by another team via the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. In April 2007, McBeth was traded by the A's to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, along with minor league pitcher Ben Jukich, for outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Chris Denorfia
Chris Denorfia
Christopher Anthony Denorfia is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres.-Early life:...
.
McBeth made his major league debut with the Reds on June 6, 2007, against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Four days later, on June 10 he recorded his first win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
against AL
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...
rival 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 August 13, 2008, McBeth was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox, and was optioned to their Triple-A team, the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
.
On July 31, 2009, McBeth was called up to join the Red Sox bullpen following the trade of Justin Masterson
Justin Masterson
Justin Daniel Masterson is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians. Masterson was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft. Masterson was rated as the 64th-best prospect going into that year's draft by...
. He was optioned the following day without making an appearance. In October 2009, McBeth was granted free agency.
In 2010, he returned to the Athletics, and appeared in 14 games for the River Cats. He was granted free agency after the 2010 season.
Repertoire
McBeth features a fastballFastball
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...
that in 2005 was clocked as high as 93 miles per hour. He also features a 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....
and 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...
. His changeup has improved with the assistance of A's pitching coordinator (and former big-league hurler) Ron Romanick
Ron Romanick
Ronald James Romanick is a Major League Baseball pitching coach and a former Major League Baseball pitcher. In 2011, he was the Oakland Athletics pitching coach. After the 2011 season, Romanick's contract was not renewed by Oakland in anticipation of new manager Bob Melvin bringing in his own...
.