Woody Williams
Encyclopedia
Gregory Scott "Woody" Williams (born August 19, 1966 in Houston, Texas
) is a former right-handed Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
. He made his major league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays
on May 14, 1993.
graduate and University of Houston
alumnus, began his career pitching in relief
until he was moved to a full time starter
in . On December 12, 1998, he was traded to the San Diego Padres
with minor leaguer Peter Tucci and Carlos Almanzar
for right-handed pitcher Joey Hamilton
. He worked exclusively as a starter in San Diego until he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
for outfielder
Ray Lankford
on August 2, 2001.
After he was traded, Williams' career took off. While in San Diego that season, he posted an 8-8 win-loss record with a 4.97 ERA
in 23 starts, but with St. Louis, Williams went 7-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts.
He continued to pitch well for St. Louis, making the 2003 All-Star Game
and starting Game 1 of the 2004 World Series
.
After the season came to a close, Williams filed for free agency
and signed back with the Padres on December 9, 2004.
On November 24, 2006, the Houston Astros
announced they had signed Williams to a two year, $12.5 million contract, at the same press conference announcing the Carlos Lee
signing.http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061124&content_id=1745768&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
After a career-worst 2007 season with Houston, where he went 8-15 with a 5.27 ERA, and a poor showing during the spring training
, Williams was released by the Astros on March 29 and subsequently retired.
as his strikeout pitch, and utilized a straight change as well. Williams was also known to throw an occasional knuckleball
in games.
He has five children, Katelyn, Sarah, Hannah, Caden, and Lillian(Lily), and currently resides in Houston with them and his wife. Hannah, Caden, and Lillian currently go to Fort Bend Baptist Academy in Sugar Land, TX. His cousin Chase Ortiz
is a defensive end for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
of the Canadian Football League
. Williams began coaching varsity baseball at Fort Bend Baptist Academy in 2009, and led the team to the Texas Class 4A semifinals in both 2010 and 2011.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) is a former right-handed 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...
starting pitcher
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....
. He made his major league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on May 14, 1993.
Baseball career
Williams, a Cy-Fair High SchoolCy-Fair High School
Cy-Fair High School is a secondary school located in Cypress, which is an unincorporated place in Harris County, Texas, near Houston. The school, located along U.S...
graduate and University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
alumnus, began his career pitching in relief
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...
until he was moved to a full time 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....
in . On December 12, 1998, he was traded to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
with minor leaguer Peter Tucci and Carlos Almanzar
Carlos Almanzar
Carlos Manuel Almanzar Girón is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He has pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and Texas Rangers...
for right-handed pitcher Joey Hamilton
Joey Hamilton
Johns Joseph "Joey" Hamilton is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played professionally for nine seasons, recording a 74–73 win–loss record, a 4.44 earned run average and 894 strikeouts. He attended Statesboro High School in Georgia...
. He worked exclusively as a starter in San Diego until he was traded to 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...
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...
Ray Lankford
Ray Lankford
Raymond Lewis Lankford and grew up in Modesto, California where he attended Grace M. Davis High School. Ray was a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres from to . He was known for his combination of power, speed, and defensive...
on August 2, 2001.
After he was traded, Williams' career took off. While in San Diego that season, he posted an 8-8 win-loss record with a 4.97 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...
in 23 starts, but with St. Louis, Williams went 7-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts.
He continued to pitch well for St. Louis, making the 2003 All-Star Game
2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 74th midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues constituting Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the Chicago...
and starting Game 1 of the 2004 World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
.
After the season came to a close, Williams filed for free agency
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....
and signed back with the Padres on December 9, 2004.
On November 24, 2006, the Houston Astros
Houston 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...
announced they had signed Williams to a two year, $12.5 million contract, at the same press conference announcing the Carlos Lee
Carlos Lee
Carlos Noriel Lee is a first basemen in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. He bats and throws right-handed....
signing.http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061124&content_id=1745768&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
After a career-worst 2007 season with Houston, where he went 8-15 with a 5.27 ERA, and a poor showing during the spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, Williams was released by the Astros on March 29 and subsequently retired.
Pitching style
Williams used an assortment of different pitches against opposing batters. He used a cut fastball which he could throw between 89-92 mph, which was considered his best pitch overall. He relied on his curveballCurveball
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...
as his strikeout pitch, and utilized a straight change as well. Williams was also known to throw an occasional knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
in games.
Personal life
Woody is active in the Alvin, Texas community. In 2002, he donated money to the Alvin High School athletic program to help buy new equipment. He also trained with the Alvin High baseball team before heading off to spring training.He has five children, Katelyn, Sarah, Hannah, Caden, and Lillian(Lily), and currently resides in Houston with them and his wife. Hannah, Caden, and Lillian currently go to Fort Bend Baptist Academy in Sugar Land, TX. His cousin Chase Ortiz
Chase Ortiz
Chase Patrick Ortiz is a professional American and Canadian Football defensive end for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
is a defensive end for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. Williams began coaching varsity baseball at Fort Bend Baptist Academy in 2009, and led the team to the Texas Class 4A semifinals in both 2010 and 2011.