Casey Fossum
Encyclopedia
Casey Paul Fossum is an American baseball pitcher
in the New York Mets
organization. He played for the Boston Red Sox
(–), Arizona Diamondbacks
, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (–), Detroit Tigers
, and New York Mets
of Major League Baseball
, and the Hanshin Tigers
of Nippon Professional Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed
.
. He attended Midway High School
in Waco, Texas
. He then attended Texas A&M University
, leading the Aggies to the 1999 College World Series
in Omaha, Nebraska
. He earned All-Big 12 honors in both and , highlighted by a 12–7 record and 3.64 earned run average
(ERA) during his junior campaign, establishing a single-season school mark with 162 strikeout
s. Fossum also won the C. E. "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher Award in 1999 and was a second team All-American in 1998.
as the 18th pick in the first supplemental round (48th overall), and started his major league career in 2001.
During three years with Boston, Fossum moved between the bullpen
and the rotation, compiling 14 victories with two saves in 75 games
. After a recurrence of tendinitis in his pitching shoulder, he underwent surgery in September 2003. Two months later, he was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the trade that brought Curt Schilling
to the Red Sox.
. He finished third on the Diamondbacks staff in starts (27), innings pitched (142) and strikeouts (117), despite missing the first 5½ weeks to recover from surgery.
for outfielder
José Cruz, Jr.
.
In 2006, Fossum was 6-6, with a 5.33 ERA in 25 starts.
On August 10, 2007, the Devil Rays released Fossum. He signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres
on August 22, but never pitched for them.
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
. At the end of spring training, he declined his assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become a free agent
. On April 9, 2008, Fossum signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. On June 3, his contract was purchased by the Tigers, after the DFA of right-handed pitcher Francisco Cruceta
, and he was added to the active roster.
. He pitched three innings for the Mets, allowing one run, and was then designated for assignment.
, making his first start for the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees that day. On June 24, Fossum opted out of his contract and became a free agent.
.
. Details of the deal are unknown. As of April 27, 2011, Fossum was playing for the Mets AAA farm team, the Buffalo Bisons.
s. The first curveball is a tight-rotating 1–7 curveball that has a velocity in the low to mid 70s, but a pitch that Fossum struggles to throw effectively over the plate for strikes and at times remains too flat. The second curveball is also a 1–7 pitch, has a moderate break while clocking in between 65–70 MPH, and can effectively throw for strikes. The third curveball is a 12–6 curveball with a large break, making it difficult to hit. While the pitch has been a very effective pitch for him to use, often landing for strikes or causing popouts, he regulates the pitch as a change-of-pace pitch to prevent batters from becoming used to it. Fossum dubbed this pitch the "Fossum flip", and it is essentially a form of the eephus pitch
. He also has a decent fastball
in the 88–92 mph range and a changeup
that while effective, does not drop as well as most other pitchers. Fossum is also a good fielder and has an above-average pickoff move.
Fossum's biggest knock is his stamina. Weighing in at 160 lbs, Fossum has a somewhat violent throwing style and has been injured a few times in his career. In 2004, he missed the first five weeks of the season with a sore elbow, and near the end of the 2005 season his effectiveness was reduced to what he and Lou Piniella
attributed to lower back pain. Fossum is also very bad at holding runners on base. In 2004, baserunners managed to steal 15 bases out of 23 attempts, and in 2005, only 4 basestealers out of 14 attempts were caught.
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...
in the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
organization. He played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(–), Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (–), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
of 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...
, and the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
of Nippon Professional Baseball. 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...
.
Early years and college
Fossum was born in Cherry Hill, New JerseyCherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
. He attended Midway High School
Midway High School
Midway High School is the only high school in the Midway Independent School District, which serves the Waco, Texas area. Although the school is located in southwestern Waco, most students live in the suburbs of Woodway and Hewitt....
in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. He then attended Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, leading the Aggies to the 1999 College World Series
1999 College World Series
The 1999 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 11 to June 19. The fifty-third tournament's champion was the University of Miami, coached by Jim Morris...
in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. He earned All-Big 12 honors in both and , highlighted by a 12–7 record and 3.64 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...
(ERA) during his junior campaign, establishing a single-season school mark with 162 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. Fossum also won the C. E. "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher Award in 1999 and was a second team All-American in 1998.
1999-2003, Boston Red Sox
Fossum was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 1999 June draft1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
as the 18th pick in the first supplemental round (48th overall), and started his major league career in 2001.
During three years with Boston, Fossum moved between the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
and the rotation, compiling 14 victories with two saves in 75 games
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
. After a recurrence of tendinitis in his pitching shoulder, he underwent surgery in September 2003. Two months later, he was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the trade that brought Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
to the Red Sox.
2004, Arizona Diamondbacks
In 2004, Fossum played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and for the first time in his career, he was used exclusively as a starting pitcherStarting 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 finished third on the Diamondbacks staff in starts (27), innings pitched (142) and strikeouts (117), despite missing the first 5½ weeks to recover from surgery.
2005-07, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Before the 2005 season, Fossum was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
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...
José Cruz, Jr.
José Cruz, Jr.
José Luis Cruz, Jr. is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Over his nine year playing career, Cruz played for eight different teams. Standing 6'0" tall and weighing 210 pounds, Cruz was a right-handed switch hitter...
.
In 2006, Fossum was 6-6, with a 5.33 ERA in 25 starts.
On August 10, 2007, the Devil Rays released Fossum. He signed a minor league contract with 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...
on August 22, but never pitched for them.
2008, Detroit Tigers
On January 24, 2008, Fossum signed a minor-league contract with an invitation 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...
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. At the end of spring training, he declined his assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become 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....
. On April 9, 2008, Fossum signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. On June 3, his contract was purchased by the Tigers, after the DFA of right-handed pitcher Francisco Cruceta
Francisco Cruceta
Francisco Alberto Cruceta is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher and former starting pitcher for the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization.-Los Angeles Dodgers:...
, and he was added to the active roster.
2009, New York Mets
On January 16, 2009, Fossum signed a minor league contract with the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He pitched three innings for the Mets, allowing one run, and was then designated for assignment.
2009, New York Yankees
On May 2, 2009, Fossum signed a minor league contract with the New York YankeesNew 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...
, making his first start for the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees that day. On June 24, Fossum opted out of his contract and became a free agent.
2009, Chicago Cubs
On July 3, 2009, Fossum signed a minor league contract with the Chicago CubsChicago 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...
.
2011, New York Mets
On February 9, 2011, Fossum signed a contract with the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. Details of the deal are unknown. As of April 27, 2011, Fossum was playing for the Mets AAA farm team, the Buffalo Bisons.
Pitching style
Fossum throws three different overhand 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...
s. The first curveball is a tight-rotating 1–7 curveball that has a velocity in the low to mid 70s, but a pitch that Fossum struggles to throw effectively over the plate for strikes and at times remains too flat. The second curveball is also a 1–7 pitch, has a moderate break while clocking in between 65–70 MPH, and can effectively throw for strikes. The third curveball is a 12–6 curveball with a large break, making it difficult to hit. While the pitch has been a very effective pitch for him to use, often landing for strikes or causing popouts, he regulates the pitch as a change-of-pace pitch to prevent batters from becoming used to it. Fossum dubbed this pitch the "Fossum flip", and it is essentially a form of the eephus pitch
Eephus pitch
An Eephus pitch in baseball is considered a junk pitch with very low speed. The delivery from the pitcher has very low velocity and usually catches the hitter off-guard. Its invention is attributed to Rip Sewell of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1940s. According to manager Frankie Frisch, the...
. He also has a decent 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...
in the 88–92 mph range and a 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...
that while effective, does not drop as well as most other pitchers. Fossum is also a good fielder and has an above-average pickoff move.
Fossum's biggest knock is his stamina. Weighing in at 160 lbs, Fossum has a somewhat violent throwing style and has been injured a few times in his career. In 2004, he missed the first five weeks of the season with a sore elbow, and near the end of the 2005 season his effectiveness was reduced to what he and Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
attributed to lower back pain. Fossum is also very bad at holding runners on base. In 2004, baserunners managed to steal 15 bases out of 23 attempts, and in 2005, only 4 basestealers out of 14 attempts were caught.