Robinson Tejeda
Encyclopedia
Robinson Garcia Tejeda is a Dominican
professional baseball
pitcher
who is a free agent.
by the Philadelphia Phillies
on November 24, . He made his professional debut the following year with the GCL Phillies. Tejeda spent the , , and seasons with the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws
and Clearwater Threshers
before being promoted to the Double-A Reading Phillies
in .
In , Tejeda made the jump to the major league club. Starting with his debut against the Milwaukee Brewers
on May 10, 2005, he appeared in 26 games – half of those as a starter
.
Tejeda was a former member of the Dominican Republic team
in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
. He only made two appearances during the tournament, a shutout
inning against Australia
and a rough ninth-inning appearance in the Dominican Republic's first game against Cuba
.
along with Jake Blalock
(the brother of free agent
third baseman
Hank Blalock
) in exchange for outfielder
David Dellucci
. He started the season with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks
, but was called up to the Rangers at the end of April. His first outings were shaky, and he was quickly reassigned back to Oklahoma. Aside from an emergency call-up in June, Tejeda stayed with the RedHawks until he was recalled for good in mid-August. Tejeda was in excellent form for the latter third of the season, going 4-1 over eight starts, with an ERA
of 2.01.
Tejeda earned a spot in the starting rotation for the season, but poor performance in July resulted in his demotion back to Triple-A.
Tejeda throws a quality fastball
(96 mph) and changeup
, and is developing a useful curveball
.
In spring training in 2009, Tejeda led all players in walks, with 17 (in 17.1 innings).
On May 26, 2011, Tejeda was designated for assignment by the Royals. He elected free agency after the season on October 7.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
professional baseball
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...
who is a free agent.
Philadelphia Phillies
Tejeda was first signed as an amateur free agentFree 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....
by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on November 24, . He made his professional debut the following year with the GCL Phillies. Tejeda spent the , , and seasons with the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws
Lakewood BlueClaws
The Lakewood BlueClaws are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the South Atlantic League, a Class Single-A baseball league. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Park located in Lakewood Township, New Jersey...
and Clearwater Threshers
Clearwater Threshers
The Clearwater Threshers are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the Florida State League. Since 2004, the team competes in the West Division....
before being promoted to the Double-A Reading Phillies
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
in .
In , Tejeda made the jump to the major league club. Starting with his debut against 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...
on May 10, 2005, he appeared in 26 games – half of those as a starter
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....
.
Tejeda was a former member of the Dominican Republic team
Dominican Republic national baseball team
The Dominican Republic national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Dominican Republic.-World Baseball Classic Roster:- Dominican Republic:Manager: 17 Felipe Alou...
in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
. He only made two appearances during the tournament, a 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....
inning against Australia
Australia national baseball team
The Australian national baseball team represents Australia in international baseball tournaments and competitions. They are ranked as the top team in Oceania, and are the Oceanian Champions, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship. They...
and a rough ninth-inning appearance in the Dominican Republic's first game against Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
.
Texas Rangers
Just prior to the start of the season, Tejada was dealt by the Phillies to 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...
along with Jake Blalock
Jake Blalock
Jake Willie Blalock is a professional baseball outfielder for Palfinger Reggio Emilia of Italy's Serie A1. Blalock is 6'4" and 205 lbs...
(the brother of free agent
Free 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....
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Hank Blalock
Hank Blalock
Hank Joe Blalock is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.-High school:Blalock attended Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, California...
) in exchange 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...
David Dellucci
David Dellucci
David Michael Dellucci is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder.-High School:Dellucci graduated from Catholic High in Baton Rouge in 1991. He earned the team's Most Valuable Player honors in both baseball and football, and All-State honors for baseball...
. He started the season with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
, but was called up to the Rangers at the end of April. His first outings were shaky, and he was quickly reassigned back to Oklahoma. Aside from an emergency call-up in June, Tejeda stayed with the RedHawks until he was recalled for good in mid-August. Tejeda was in excellent form for the latter third of the season, going 4-1 over eight starts, with an 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...
of 2.01.
Tejeda earned a spot in the starting rotation for the season, but poor performance in July resulted in his demotion back to Triple-A.
Kansas City Royals
On June 24, , the Kansas City Royals claimed Tejeda off waivers from the Rangers.Tejeda throws a quality 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...
(96 mph) and 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...
, and is developing a useful 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...
.
In spring training in 2009, Tejeda led all players in walks, with 17 (in 17.1 innings).
On May 26, 2011, Tejeda was designated for assignment by the Royals. He elected free agency after the season on October 7.