Dave Swartzbaugh
Encyclopedia
David Theodore Swartzbaugh (Born: February 11, 1968 in Middletown, Ohio
) is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played from 1995 to 1997 for the Chicago Cubs
.
This 6'2", 195 pound right-hander was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 9th round (224th overall) of the 1989 draft
. He was used both as a starter
and reliever in the minors, and saw success in both roles. For example, in 1991 with the Winston-Salem Spirits (now the Warthogs), he went 10-4 with a 1.83 ERA as a starter. As a reliever in 1995 with the Iowa Cubs
, he went 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 30 relief appearances.
He made his big league debut on September 3, 1995 at the age of 27 against the Atlanta Braves
. He was perfect in the 2/3 of an inning that made up his debut. He did well in his first year in the Majors, no matter how short it was-in seven relief appearances, he did not give up a single earned run and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings.
Alas, that success did not carry over. The Cubs tried using him as a starter in 1996, and that experiment failed--in 6 games (5 started), he posted a 6.38 ERA in 24 innings of work. He only struck out 13 while walking 14. They tried using him as a starter again in 1997, but that failed too. He went 0-1 in 8 innings of work, which totaled two games started. After his final major league game on April 22, 1997, Swartzbaugh stuck around in the minors until 1999.
Overall, Swartzbaugh went 0-3 in 39+ innings of work with a 5.72 career ERA. He struck out 22 and walked 24. He was 0 for 10 at the plate.
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
) is a former 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...
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 played from 1995 to 1997 for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago 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...
.
This 6'2", 195 pound right-hander was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 9th round (224th overall) of the 1989 draft
1989 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1989 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental first round selections:-External links:*...
. He was used both as a 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....
and reliever in the minors, and saw success in both roles. For example, in 1991 with the Winston-Salem Spirits (now the Warthogs), he went 10-4 with a 1.83 ERA as a starter. As a reliever in 1995 with the Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
, he went 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 30 relief appearances.
He made his big league debut on September 3, 1995 at the age of 27 against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. He was perfect in the 2/3 of an inning that made up his debut. He did well in his first year in the Majors, no matter how short it was-in seven relief appearances, he did not give up a single earned run and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings.
Alas, that success did not carry over. The Cubs tried using him as a starter in 1996, and that experiment failed--in 6 games (5 started), he posted a 6.38 ERA in 24 innings of work. He only struck out 13 while walking 14. They tried using him as a starter again in 1997, but that failed too. He went 0-1 in 8 innings of work, which totaled two games started. After his final major league game on April 22, 1997, Swartzbaugh stuck around in the minors until 1999.
Overall, Swartzbaugh went 0-3 in 39+ innings of work with a 5.72 career ERA. He struck out 22 and walked 24. He was 0 for 10 at the plate.
Other information
- Swartzbaugh was teammates with Steve TrachselSteve TrachselStephen Christopher Trachsel , nicknamed "The Human Rain Delay", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is known for the long amount of time he takes to deliver the ball to home plate in between pitches. Games in which he pitches are known to be considerably longer than most games, leading...
for seven professional seasons-longer than any other teammate. - Swartzbaugh earned $153,500 in 1997.
- He wore two numbers in his career-36 in 1995 and 1996, and 38 in 1997.