Bartolo Colón
Encyclopedia
Bartolo Colón is a Dominican
professional baseball
pitcher
who is currently a free agent
. He played in Major League Baseball
from 1997 to 2009 and again in 2011. He won the American League
Cy Young Award
with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
in .
in the Dominican Republic
. He does major charity work for his old community.
as a free agent
in .
In , pitching for Kinston
of the Single-A Carolina League
, he finished second in wins
with 13 and ERA
with 1.96, and led the circuit with 152 strikeout
s. He was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year, despite shutting down on August 1 with a bruised elbow. He was named the Indians' 1995 Minor League Player of the Year (receiving the "Lou Boudreau
Award").
He played Triple-A ball with the Buffalo Bisons
in and was the only player in history to throw a no-hitter
in Dunn Tire Park.
Colón made his major league debut at the Anaheim Angels
on April 4, 1997, receiving a no decision. In his first MLB season, Colón went 4-7 with a 5.65 ERA. The following year, he set the modern-day MLB record for throwing the most pitches (20) in a single at bat
on June 28, 1998 against Ricky Gutiérrez
, who eventually struck out. Later that season, Colón won his only start of the 1998 American League Championship Series
, pitching a four-hit
, one-run
complete game
. In his season, Colón finished 18-5, pitching over 200 innings
with 161 strikeouts and a 3.95 ERA.
In , Colón eclipsed his strikeouts number by 51, ending with 212. He also posted a career-high 98 walks
.
were traded to the Montreal Expos
in exchange for Lee Stevens
, Brandon Phillips
, and prospects Grady Sizemore
and Cliff Lee
. Colón finished 2002 with a combined 20-8 record and a 2.93 ERA, including 76 earned run
s with 70 walks in 233.1 innings, three shutout
s, and eight complete games.
with minor leaguer Jorge Nunez for Orlando Hernández
, Rocky Biddle
, Jeff Liefer
and cash.
in . Due to a partially torn rotator cuff
that he received in a playoff game against the Yankees in 2005, Colón spent much of the season on the DL
with soreness or inflammation in his right shoulder. In 10 starts, Colón went 1-5 with a 5.11 ERA.
On April 21, , his first start of the 2007 season following his return from the DL, Colón pitched 7 innings, allowing one run on seven hits for his first win in 2007.
. On May 15, 2008, Colón threw a one-hitter for the Red Sox' Triple-A team, the Pawtucket Red Sox
. Six days later, Colón's contract was purchased by the Red Sox, and he was added to the active roster. Colón pitched his first major league game for the Red Sox on May 21, , against the Kansas City Royals
. Colón earned his 150th career win on June 11, 2008 against the Baltimore Orioles
.
On September 19, 2008, Colón was placed on the suspended list by the Red Sox after leaving for the Dominican Republic to handle "personal matters" and deciding to stay, effectively ending his Red Sox career. Colón was placed on the restricted list on September 25, 2008. He filed for free agency after the end of the 2008 season.
in January 2009, shortly after they had traded Javier Vázquez
to the Atlanta Braves. He would compete for the fourth and fifth starters' positions in the White Sox rotation.
Colón made his comeback from off-season surgery to remove bone chips from the elbow in his pitching arm during the White Sox Spring Training, in the Cactus League in Arizona. He was named as the White Sox fifth starter by manager Ozzie Guillen before the start of the regular season. He won his first start in his second stint in Chicago, pitching six strong innings of three-hit ball as the Sox blanked rivals Minnesota 8-0 on April 11, 2009. In doing so he became the first White Sox starting pitcher to win a regular season game in 2009. Colon then suffered another injury and did not pitch again for the remainder of the season.
Colón has pitched 31 complete games, ranking 11th among active players as of June 11, 2008.
Colón then played in the Pre-World Championship in Puerto Rico, winter ball with the Aguilas and the Leones del Escogido, and the Puerto Rican winter league., and announced that he would attempt a comeback to MLB for the 2011 season. He signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees
on January 26, 2011. Colón was invited to spring training, competing for a spot on the 25 man roster, despite coming into camp 30 pounds overweight. Colón was named to the Yankees' Opening Day roster in the bullpen. Colón made his first start for the Yankees on April 20, taking the rotation spot of the injured Phil Hughes. Through the month of May, Colon was 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA. On May 30, 2011, he threw a 4-hit complete game shutout, his first since 2006 against the Athletics. He sustained a hamstring injury on June,11,2011, against the Cleveland Indians
. When he was injured, he was in the 7th inning of a shutout game against the Indians, but he limped off the field after covering first base on a ground ball to Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira
. Colon then ended up on the 15 day disabled list. He said that he'd be back pitching right when he is eligible to. On July 2, Colon returned to the Yankees and threw six shutout innings against the New York Mets.
.
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 currently a 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....
. He played 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...
from 1997 to 2009 and again in 2011. He won the American League
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...
Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in .
Early life
Colón grew up in a home without electricity, running water or indoor plumbing in the town of AltamiraAltamira, Puerto Plata
Altamira is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic.The town's name is the subject of at least two different origin traditions...
in the Dominican Republic
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...
. He does major charity work for his old community.
Cleveland Indians
A prospect from the Dominican Republic, Colón was signed by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland 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...
as a 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....
in .
In , pitching for Kinston
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
of the Single-A Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, he finished second in wins
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...
with 13 and 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...
with 1.96, and led the circuit with 152 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. He was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year, despite shutting down on August 1 with a bruised elbow. He was named the Indians' 1995 Minor League Player of the Year (receiving the "Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
Award").
He played Triple-A ball with the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
in and was the only player in history to throw a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
in Dunn Tire Park.
Colón made his major league debut at the Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
on April 4, 1997, receiving a no decision. In his first MLB season, Colón went 4-7 with a 5.65 ERA. The following year, he set the modern-day MLB record for throwing the most pitches (20) in a single at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
on June 28, 1998 against Ricky Gutiérrez
Ricky Gutiérrez
Ricardo "Ricky" Gutiérrez a Cuban-American is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from through for the San Diego Padres , Houston Astros , Chicago Cubs , Cleveland Indians , New York Mets and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
, who eventually struck out. Later that season, Colón won his only start of the 1998 American League Championship Series
1998 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 6, 1998 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkCleveland came in as heavy underdogs, but also were the defending American League Champions. In Game 1, the Yankees got off to a good start, by hitting four straight singles in the bottom of the first to score two runs...
, pitching a four-hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, one-run
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...
complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
. In his season, Colón finished 18-5, pitching over 200 innings
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...
with 161 strikeouts and a 3.95 ERA.
In , Colón eclipsed his strikeouts number by 51, ending with 212. He also posted a career-high 98 walks
Base 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...
.
Montreal Expos
Just prior to the 2002 trade deadline, Colón and Tim DrewTim Drew
Timothy Andrew Drew is a former American Major League Baseball player.-Baseball career:The brother of MLB players J. D. Drew and Stephen Drew, Tim was a pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Montreal Expos , and Atlanta Braves .He was named the Indians' 1999 Minor League Player of the Year...
were traded to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in exchange for Lee Stevens
Lee Stevens
DeWain Lee Stevens is a former first baseman and designated hitter drafted by the California Angels out of Lawrence High School in the first round of the 1986 amateur draft in Major League Baseball who played from to and from to for the California Angels, Texas Rangers, Montreal Expos, and...
, Brandon Phillips
Brandon Phillips
Brandon Emil Phillips is a second baseman for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. The Raleigh, North Carolina native was selected in the second round of the 1999 draft by the former Montreal Expos after signing a letter of intent to play both baseball and football at the University of Georgia...
, and prospects Grady Sizemore
Grady Sizemore
Gradius "Grady" Sizemore III is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
and Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
. Colón finished 2002 with a combined 20-8 record and a 2.93 ERA, including 76 earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s with 70 walks in 233.1 innings, three 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....
s, and eight complete games.
Chicago White Sox
Before the season, Colón was traded to 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...
with minor leaguer Jorge Nunez for Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso , nicknamed "El Duque", is a former Cuban right-handed baseball pitcher....
, Rocky Biddle
Rocky Biddle
Lee Francis "Rocky" Biddle is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Sox and Montreal Expos. He was drafted by the White Sox in the 1st round of the 1997 amateur draft.-External links:...
, Jeff Liefer
Jeff Liefer
Jeffrey David Liefer is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He was drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox...
and cash.
Anaheim Angels
A free agent after the season, he signed with the Anaheim Angels. Colón won 18 games with Anaheim in . During the 2005 season, he went 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA, and became the first Angels pitcher to win the Cy Young Award since Dean ChanceDean Chance
Wilmer Dean Chance is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Over the right hander's 11-year major league career, he would play for the Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, and Detroit Tigers...
in . Due to a partially torn rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
that he received in a playoff game against the Yankees in 2005, Colón spent much of the season on the DL
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with soreness or inflammation in his right shoulder. In 10 starts, Colón went 1-5 with a 5.11 ERA.
On April 21, , his first start of the 2007 season following his return from the DL, Colón pitched 7 innings, allowing one run on seven hits for his first win in 2007.
Boston Red Sox
On February 25, 2008 Colón signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox and was invited to spring trainingSpring 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...
. On May 15, 2008, Colón threw a one-hitter for the Red Sox' 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...
. Six days later, Colón's contract was purchased by the Red Sox, and he was added to the active roster. Colón pitched his first major league game for the Red Sox on May 21, , against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. Colón earned his 150th career win on June 11, 2008 against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
On September 19, 2008, Colón was placed on the suspended list by the Red Sox after leaving for the Dominican Republic to handle "personal matters" and deciding to stay, effectively ending his Red Sox career. Colón was placed on the restricted list on September 25, 2008. He filed for free agency after the end of the 2008 season.
Second stint with the White Sox
Colón agreed to a one-year, $1m contract to return to 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...
in January 2009, shortly after they had traded Javier Vázquez
Javier Vázquez
Javier Carlos Vázquez is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Previously, he pitched for the Florida Marlins , Atlanta Braves , Chicago White Sox , Arizona Diamondbacks , New York Yankees and Montreal Expos . Vázquez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico...
to the Atlanta Braves. He would compete for the fourth and fifth starters' positions in the White Sox rotation.
Colón made his comeback from off-season surgery to remove bone chips from the elbow in his pitching arm during the White Sox Spring Training, in the Cactus League in Arizona. He was named as the White Sox fifth starter by manager Ozzie Guillen before the start of the regular season. He won his first start in his second stint in Chicago, pitching six strong innings of three-hit ball as the Sox blanked rivals Minnesota 8-0 on April 11, 2009. In doing so he became the first White Sox starting pitcher to win a regular season game in 2009. Colon then suffered another injury and did not pitch again for the remainder of the season.
Colón has pitched 31 complete games, ranking 11th among active players as of June 11, 2008.
New York Yankees
Colón did not pitch in 2010 due to ongoing right shoulder pain and damage to the rotator cuff, ligaments and tendons. In March 2010, he received a transplant of stem cells to repair the damaged tissues in his right shoulder. The nature of this treatment is being investigated by Major League Baseball.Colón then played in the Pre-World Championship in Puerto Rico, winter ball with the Aguilas and the Leones del Escogido, and the Puerto Rican winter league., and announced that he would attempt a comeback to MLB for the 2011 season. He signed a minor league deal with 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 January 26, 2011. Colón was invited to spring training, competing for a spot on the 25 man roster, despite coming into camp 30 pounds overweight. Colón was named to the Yankees' Opening Day roster in the bullpen. Colón made his first start for the Yankees on April 20, taking the rotation spot of the injured Phil Hughes. Through the month of May, Colon was 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA. On May 30, 2011, he threw a 4-hit complete game shutout, his first since 2006 against the Athletics. He sustained a hamstring injury on June,11,2011, against the 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...
. When he was injured, he was in the 7th inning of a shutout game against the Indians, but he limped off the field after covering first base on a ground ball to Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
. Colon then ended up on the 15 day disabled list. He said that he'd be back pitching right when he is eligible to. On July 2, Colon returned to the Yankees and threw six shutout innings against the New York Mets.
Family
Colón's wife is named Rosanna and the couple has three sons. His family lives in Baldwin, New YorkBaldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
.
See also
- List of Cy Young Award winners
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions