Timothy Dean Birtsas is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1985–1986 and from 1988–1990. Birtsas was a member of the Nasty Boys

Nasty Boys (Cincinnati Reds)

The Nasty Boys were a trio of relief pitchers from the Cincinnati Reds: Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble and Randy Myers. In , the "Nasty Boys" were key figures in the Reds' charge to the World Championship...

, a dominant bullpen for the 1990 World Series

1990 World Series

- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 16, 1990 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioUntil , this was the last World Series to be scheduled to begin play on a Tuesday, and the first since . The schedule called for the seven-game series to be held Tue–Wed, Fri–Sat–Sun, Tue–Wed. Games 5, 6, and 7, however...

 champion Cincinnati Reds, along with Rob Dibble

Rob Dibble

Robert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...

, Randy Myers

Randy Myers

Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with...

, Norm Charlton

Norm Charlton

Norman Wood Charlton III , nicknamed "The Sheriff", is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Seattle Mariners , Philadelphia Phillies , Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , and Tampa Bay Devil Rays .Charlton holds three degrees from Rice University.The left-handed...

 and Tim Layana

Tim Layana

Timothy Joseph Layana was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher...

 although he and Layana are rarely credited with being part of that championship group, and Birtsas did not actually appear in the World Series.

Birtsas was originally selected in the 2nd round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft

1982 Major League Baseball Draft

-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1982 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*Barry Bonds was drafted by the Giants in the 2nd round of the 1982 amateur draft, but did not sign...

 by the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

. On December 5, 1984, he was traded by the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 with Jay Howell

Jay Howell

Jay Canfield Howell is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers .Howell was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the 1988 World Series...

, Stan Javier

Stan Javier

Stanley Julián Antonio Javier [hah-ve-ERR] is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and switch-hitter who played with the New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , Los Angeles Dodgers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , San Francisco Giants , Houston...

, Eric Plunk

Eric Plunk

Eric Vaughn Plunk , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1986-1999.Plunk was involved in two trades for Rickey Henderson...

, and José Rijo

José Rijo

José Antonio Rijo Abreu is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds .-Playing career:...

 to 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....

 for Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...

, Bert Bradley

Bert Bradley

Steven Bert Bradley is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Oakland Athletics during the season.-References:...

, and cash.

Birtsas made his major league debut in May, 1985 for the A's. He won 10 games as a rookie for Oakland. The next season, though, he pitched in just two games in the majors, spending most of the season with the Class AAA Tacoma Tigers. In , Birtsas spent the entire season in the minors, and after the season was traded to the Reds with José Rijo for Dave Parker

Dave Parker

David Gene "The Cobra" Parker is an American former player in Major League Baseball. He was the 1978 National League MVP and a two-time batting champion. Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract...

. Birtsas played most of the next three seasons in Cincinnati, although he spent time at AAA in both 1988 and 1990. After the season, he was released by the Reds, and pitched in 1991 for the Yakult Swallows

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...

in Japan.

External links

• Baseball Almanac