Chris Oxspring
Encyclopedia
Chris Andrew Oxspring (born 13 May 1977 in Ipswich
, Australia
) is an Australian right-handed pitcher
currently in the Detroit Tigers
organisation. He is also a player and pitching coach for the Sydney Blue Sox
in the Australian Baseball League
.
Oxspring joined the Hanshin Tigers
in Japan
the for the 2006 season. On 15 December 2006, Oxspring signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers
. On 10 July 2007, his contract with the Brewers was sold to the LG Twins
of the Korean Baseball Organization
just one day before serving as the Pacific Coast League
's starting pitcher
in the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Game
.
Internationally, Oxspring was a star for Australia in the 2004 Olympics, pitching 2–0 with wins both against Japan, earning him a silver medal.
Oxspring had the honour of throwing out the first official pitch of the Australian Baseball League
to catcher Andrew Graham
when the Blue Sox played the Canberra Cavalry
on 6 November 2010. Oxspring threw six shutout innings in a game Sydney won 1-0.
On 8 December 2010, while playing with the Sydney Oxspring signed a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training with the Detroit Tigers
. At the end of the 2010-11 Australian Baseball League regular season, he led the league in innings pitched (68.2), game started (11) and
strikeouts (71).
In June 2011, Detroit released Oxspring after struggling for their AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens
conceding a 6.53 ERA over 20.2 innings. He shortly after signed with independent team the Somerset Patriots
for the remainder of 2011.
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) is an Australian right-handed 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...
currently in the 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...
organisation. He is also a player and pitching coach for the Sydney Blue Sox
Sydney Blue Sox
The Sydney Blue Sox are a professional baseball team, and one of six foundation teams in the re-formed Australian Baseball League . The team plays their home games at Blacktown International Sportspark Sydney , one of the two venues for used for baseball at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when it was...
in the Australian Baseball League
Australian Baseball League
The Australian Baseball League was a baseball league, established in 1987 and disbanded in 1999.-Formation:Before the formation of the Australian Baseball League, the Claxton Shield, established in , was Australia's premier baseball tournament...
.
Oxspring joined 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...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
the for the 2006 season. On 15 December 2006, Oxspring signed a minor league contract with 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 10 July 2007, his contract with the Brewers was sold to the LG Twins
LG Twins
LG Twins Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. The club was known as the MBC Blue Dragons owned by the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation until , when they were taken over by the LG Group...
of the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
just one day before serving as the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
's 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....
in the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Game
Triple-A All-Star Game
The Triple-A All-Star Game is a single baseball game held between the two Triple-A leagues in minor league baseball—the International League and the Pacific Coast League...
.
Internationally, Oxspring was a star for Australia in the 2004 Olympics, pitching 2–0 with wins both against Japan, earning him a silver medal.
Oxspring had the honour of throwing out the first official pitch of the Australian Baseball League
Australian Baseball League
The Australian Baseball League was a baseball league, established in 1987 and disbanded in 1999.-Formation:Before the formation of the Australian Baseball League, the Claxton Shield, established in , was Australia's premier baseball tournament...
to catcher Andrew Graham
Andrew Graham (baseball)
Andrew Graham is an Australian baseballer and catcher who played with the Detroit Tigers organisation from 2003-2007. Graham is currently the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast League Tigers, a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.Graham started his professional baseball career with...
when the Blue Sox played the Canberra Cavalry
Canberra Cavalry
The Canberra UberGlobal Cavalry is a professional baseball team in the Australian Baseball League. The team is based in the city of Canberra, Australia...
on 6 November 2010. Oxspring threw six shutout innings in a game Sydney won 1-0.
On 8 December 2010, while playing with the Sydney Oxspring signed a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training with the 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...
. At the end of the 2010-11 Australian Baseball League regular season, he led the league in innings pitched (68.2), game started (11) and
strikeouts (71).
In June 2011, Detroit released Oxspring after struggling for their AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
conceding a 6.53 ERA over 20.2 innings. He shortly after signed with independent team the Somerset Patriots
Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are an American professional baseball team based in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
for the remainder of 2011.