Ray King
Encyclopedia
Raymond Keith King is a retired Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. King stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 265 pounds. Because of his large size, former Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog
playfully referred to King as The Hefty Lefty. He bats and throws left-handed
.
, Tennessee
) and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. In baseball, he won All-America honors as a senior. The lefty is also an alumnus of Lambuth University
in Jackson, Tennessee.
, 276 strikeouts, 130 holds and 2 saves. As a batter he was 0-6 at the plate, with three strikeouts.
selected him in the eight round of the amateur draft. The southpaw spent the next four seasons playing for minor league affiliates in the Reds, Atlanta Braves
and Chicago Cubs
organizations before finally making his major league debut on May 21, as a member of the Cubs.
the following spring. During the and seasons the relief pitcher was a staple in the Brewers bullpen, appearing in over 75 games each of those seasons.
Wes Helms
and pitcher
John Foster
. King showed his durability once again appearing in 80 games as the Braves primary left-handed reliever. He also made his first career postseason appearance that season, pitching a scoreless inning of relief.He was on the move again, however during the winter of joining the St. Louis Cardinals
along with fellow pitchers Jason Marquis
and Adam Wainwright
.
(32), wins and earned run average
along the way to a 5-2 record and 2.41 ERA. From May to July, King built a 30-game scoreless streak, another personal best. He also pitched 6 innings that postseason as St. Louis captured the National League pennant.
for the season after a trade from St. Louis for outfielder
Larry Bigbie
and second baseman
Aaron Miles
.
He joined the Washington Nationals
on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training the following winter. He made the Nationals Opening Day roster.
, but he refused the assignment and declared free agency.
, but was released after only four appearances.
; he became a free agent at the end of the season.
during the off-season with his son Tyrell and daughter Brookelynn.
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...
. King stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 265 pounds. Because of his large size, former Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog
Whitey Herzog
Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...
playfully referred to King as The Hefty Lefty. He bats and throws 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...
.
High school and college years
King attended Ripley High School (RipleyRipley, Tennessee
Ripley is a city in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 7,844 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lauderdale County...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
) and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. In baseball, he won All-America honors as a senior. The lefty is also an alumnus of Lambuth University
Lambuth University
Lambuth University was a liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee. It was supported by the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lambuth's athletic teams participated in the NAIA's TranSouth and Mid-South Conferences...
in Jackson, Tennessee.
Professional career
In nine seasons as a professional, King has appeared in 577 games and pitched 403 innings. He is 20-23 lifetime with a 3.42 ERA, 177 walksBase 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...
, 276 strikeouts, 130 holds and 2 saves. As a batter he was 0-6 at the plate, with three strikeouts.
Early career
King's professional baseball career began on June 1, when the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati 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....
selected him in the eight round of the amateur draft. The southpaw spent the next four seasons playing for minor league affiliates in the Reds, 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....
and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
organizations before finally making his major league debut on May 21, as a member of the Cubs.
Milwaukee Brewers
After two different stints with Chicago in 1999, King was dealt to 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...
the following spring. During the and seasons the relief pitcher was a staple in the Brewers bullpen, appearing in over 75 games each of those seasons.
Atlanta Braves
That off-season, King was dealt back to Atlanta for infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Wes Helms
Wes Helms
Wesley Ray Helms is an American professional baseball third baseman, first baseman, and outfielder but is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed.-Professional career:...
and 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...
John Foster
John Foster (pitcher)
-Career:Foster was signed by the Atlanta Braves during the season to provide the Braves with a left-handed relief pitcher, after the Braves had trouble with their Opening Day left-hander, Tom Martin. During the 2005 season, Foster posted a career low 4.15 ERA while working 34.2 innings in 62 games...
. King showed his durability once again appearing in 80 games as the Braves primary left-handed reliever. He also made his first career postseason appearance that season, pitching a scoreless inning of relief.He was on the move again, however during the winter of joining 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...
along with fellow pitchers Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
and Adam Wainwright
Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St...
.
St. Louis Cardinals
was King's finest season in the majors to date. The rubber-armed lefty appeared in a career and team high 86 games for the Cardinals, and also notched career bests in holdsHold (baseball)
A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game...
(32), wins and 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...
along the way to a 5-2 record and 2.41 ERA. From May to July, King built a 30-game scoreless streak, another personal best. He also pitched 6 innings that postseason as St. Louis captured the National League pennant.
Colorado Rockies
King joined 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...
for the season after a trade from St. Louis 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...
Larry Bigbie
Larry Bigbie
Larry Robert Bigbie is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. Bigbie last played for a MLB-affiliated team in 2007 for the Richmond Braves, the Triple-A affiliate for the Atlanta Braves organization...
and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Aaron Miles
Aaron Miles
Aaron Wade Miles is a Major League Baseball infielder who is currently a free agent.-Houston Astros:Miles was originally drafted by the Houston Astros in the 19th round of the 1995 amateur draft...
.
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...
on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training the following winter. He made the Nationals Opening Day roster.
Milwaukee Brewers
In September he was acquired by the Brewers in exchange for a player to be named later to help with their playoff run. King completed the 2007 season with a 1-1 record and a 4.76 ERA in 67 games. He became a free agent after the season.Washington Nationals
On November 30, , King resigned with the Nationals to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. On March 22, , King's minor league contract was purchased by the Nationals, and made the opening day roster.http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080322&content_id=2451054&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb King appeared in 12 games and went 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA during the month of April. On April 24, King was optioned to Triple-A ColumbusColumbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
, but he refused the assignment and declared free agency.
Chicago White Sox
In early May 2008, King signed a minor league contract with 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...
, but was released after only four appearances.
Houston Astros
On May 29, 2008, King signed a minor league contract with the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
; he became a free agent at the end of the season.
Scouting report
A lefty specialist with a durable arm, King ranked amongst the top ten National League relievers in appearances from 2001 through 2005. Armed with a late-moving, low 90s fastball and sharp breaking slider, King pitches to the bottom of the strike zone and offers up few home runs. He is also adept at holding runners, and fielding his position, having committed only 7 errors in 577 career games.Personal life
King resides with his wife Cherie in Litchfield Park, ArizonaLitchfield Park, Arizona
Litchfield Park is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. In 2010 it had a population of 5,476.-History:The town of Litchfield Park is named for its founder, Paul Weeks Litchfield...
during the off-season with his son Tyrell and daughter Brookelynn.
Facts
- Despite almost 600 career games, King has only 2 saves and never started a game.
- King holds the second most number of single-season appearances for two organizations; the Atlanta Braves (80 appearances in 2003) and the Milwaukee Brewers (84 appearances in 2001).
- King earned Milwaukee's Manager's Award and the Amanda Curran Award for Community Service in 2004.
- King went 328 games without issuing an intentional walk, spanning over 4 years. This is the longest known streak of its kind. On August 6, , King allowed a leadoff double to Ryan KleskoRyan KleskoRyan Anthony Klesko , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants...
in the bottom of the 11th inning and intentionally walked Dave Roberts to end the streak. The Giants eventually scored, and King took the loss. While pitching for the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe 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....
, King threw a wild pitch on an intentional walk that scored the game's winning run from third base.