Grant Roberts
Encyclopedia
Grant William Roberts is a former pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. A right-handed relief pitcher
, Roberts pitched for the New York Mets
from to . His career was derailed by injuries and a violation of baseball's steroid policy.
in El Cajon, California. He was selected by the Mets in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball Draft and the 17-year-old signed on June 1, . Roberts pitched mostly out of the bullpen
in 1995, but was a starting pitcher
in , posting a 9-1 record and 2.10 earned run average
.
With the Single-A Capital City Bombers, Roberts again pitched well and played in the South Atlantic League
All-star game
. After an 11-3 record, 2.36 ERA and 8.47 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched, Roberts was named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher. In , Roberts' numbers declined with the St. Lucie Mets
and he had elbow surgery in November. He returned from surgery with mediocre numbers in for both the Double-A Binghamton Mets
and Triple-A Norfolk Tides
.
In 2000, Roberts' pitching improved for Norfolk and he was selected to the All-Star Futures Game
. On July 27, 2000, with the Mets holding a slight lead in the National League
wild card race, Roberts made his major league debut with a terrible start against the Montreal Expos
, getting knocked out in the second inning. After what turned out to be the only start of his major league career, Roberts was sent back to the minors until September. When he returned, the Mets were comfortably in the wild card lead and Roberts was in the bullpen for three appearances
, highlighted by a four-inning one-hit
performance on the last day of the season. Roberts did not pitch in the postseason.
When started, Roberts was back in Norfolk and back to pitching mostly in relief, despite having spent most of his minor league career as a starter. The Mets brought him back up for a very good relief appearance in June and Roberts spent all of August and September in the majors.
and did not give up a single run
until his eighth game. He ended April with a 0.69 ERA including his most dominant game on April 15 when he struck out
five of the seven batters he faced over two innings pitched
. In early June, his ERA dipped to a fantastic 0.59, but after a poor game, he was put on the disabled list
with a rotator cuff
problem. He returned a few weeks later, but was back on the disabled list with tendinitis after only five games.
Roberts was out of action for two months until mid-September. Shortly after, Newsday
published a story that seven Mets players, including Roberts, had used marijuana during the season and included a 1998 photograph of Roberts smoking marijuana. Roberts alleged that a former girlfriend made the photograph public after unsuccessfully trying to extort
money from him. In 2003, the Queens
district attorney
decided not to press charges on the woman.
Continuing problems with his rotator cuff caused Roberts to start the season on the disabled list. In May, he was moved to the 60-day disabled list and he did not pitch until August. After the season, the Mets cleared Roberts for surgery, but he declined. During spring training of 2004, Roberts was a leading candidate to be the fifth starter, but he began the season in the bullpen after a poor last start. In April 2004, Roberts was awful in four relief appearances and was back on the disabled list. In mid-May, Roberts was within minutes of having shoulder surgery when the Mets designated him for assignment cancelling the procedure. The team relented later in the month and Roberts had surgery ending his season. Roberts was granted free agency
after the season, but re-signed to a minor league contract with the Mets.
Roberts did not make the team after spring training and was released on April 14. On April 22, Roberts and eight other players were suspended for violating baseball's minor league steroids
policy. Among the players suspended, Roberts was the only one with major league experience. He was suspended for 15 days which was standard for a first offense at the time.
On May 26, 2005, Roberts was signed by the New York Yankees
, but he was released on August 22 without pitching in the majors.
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 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...
. A right-handed relief pitcher
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...
, Roberts pitched for 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...
from to . His career was derailed by injuries and a violation of baseball's steroid policy.
Early life and career
Roberts graduated from Grossmont High SchoolGrossmont High School
Grossmont High School is the oldest high school in San Diego's east county, California. Its mascot is the Foothiller, so chosen because, at the time of the school’s construction, east county was much more isolated from the rest of San Diego than it is today and was often referred to as the...
in El Cajon, California. He was selected by the Mets in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball Draft and the 17-year-old signed on June 1, . Roberts pitched mostly out of 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"...
in 1995, but was a 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 , posting a 9-1 record and 2.10 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...
.
With the Single-A Capital City Bombers, Roberts again pitched well and played in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
All-star game
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
. After an 11-3 record, 2.36 ERA and 8.47 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched, Roberts was named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher. In , Roberts' numbers declined with the St. Lucie Mets
St. Lucie Mets
The St. Lucie Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club.The team plays at Digital Domain Park...
and he had elbow surgery in November. He returned from surgery with mediocre numbers in for both the Double-A Binghamton Mets
Binghamton Mets
The Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club...
and Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
.
In 2000, Roberts' pitching improved for Norfolk and he was selected to the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
. On July 27, 2000, with the Mets holding a slight lead in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
wild card race, Roberts made his major league debut with a terrible start against 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...
, getting knocked out in the second inning. After what turned out to be the only start of his major league career, Roberts was sent back to the minors until September. When he returned, the Mets were comfortably in the wild card lead and Roberts was in the bullpen for three appearances
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...
, highlighted by a four-inning one-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....
performance on the last day of the season. Roberts did not pitch in the postseason.
When started, Roberts was back in Norfolk and back to pitching mostly in relief, despite having spent most of his minor league career as a starter. The Mets brought him back up for a very good relief appearance in June and Roberts spent all of August and September in the majors.
Highlight year interrupted
was the highlight of Roberts' career. He made the majors out of 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...
and did not give up a single 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...
until his eighth game. He ended April with a 0.69 ERA including his most dominant game on April 15 when he struck out
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....
five of the seven batters he faced over two innings pitched
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...
. In early June, his ERA dipped to a fantastic 0.59, but after a poor game, he was put on the disabled list
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 a 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...
problem. He returned a few weeks later, but was back on the disabled list with tendinitis after only five games.
Roberts was out of action for two months until mid-September. Shortly after, Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
published a story that seven Mets players, including Roberts, had used marijuana during the season and included a 1998 photograph of Roberts smoking marijuana. Roberts alleged that a former girlfriend made the photograph public after unsuccessfully trying to extort
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
money from him. In 2003, the Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
decided not to press charges on the woman.
Continuing problems with his rotator cuff caused Roberts to start the season on the disabled list. In May, he was moved to the 60-day disabled list and he did not pitch until August. After the season, the Mets cleared Roberts for surgery, but he declined. During spring training of 2004, Roberts was a leading candidate to be the fifth starter, but he began the season in the bullpen after a poor last start. In April 2004, Roberts was awful in four relief appearances and was back on the disabled list. In mid-May, Roberts was within minutes of having shoulder surgery when the Mets designated him for assignment cancelling the procedure. The team relented later in the month and Roberts had surgery ending his season. Roberts was granted 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....
after the season, but re-signed to a minor league contract with the Mets.
Roberts did not make the team after spring training and was released on April 14. On April 22, Roberts and eight other players were suspended for violating baseball's minor league steroids
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
policy. Among the players suspended, Roberts was the only one with major league experience. He was suspended for 15 days which was standard for a first offense at the time.
On May 26, 2005, Roberts was signed by 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...
, but he was released on August 22 without pitching in the majors.
External links
- Grant Roberts at RetrosheetRetrosheetRetrosheet is a non-profit organization whose website features major league baseball box scores and play-by-play narratives for almost every contest from 1871–1872, 1874, 1911 NL, and 1918–2010...
.. - Grant Roberts at The Baseball Cube.