Jack Taschner
Encyclopedia
Jack Gerard Taschner is a left-handed relief pitcher
, who is currently a police officer for the City of Appleton, Wisconsin.
in Racine, Wisconsin
. Where he was selected in the 37th round by the then California Angels. After graduating, he chose not to sign and went on to the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where he posted a 7–0 record in nine games (eight starts
) and a 1.53 earned run average
(ERA) during the 1999 season. He struck out
79 batters in his senior season while walking
only 41. Taschner was drafted again, this time by the San Francisco Giants
in the second round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
. The Giants assigned him to their short season A-level minor league
affiliate, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
of the Northwest League
. Taschner earned a 3–2 record in the latter half of 1999, striking out 36 batters in 29 innings. He injured his shoulder in his last outing for Salem-Keizer. After surgery he sat out all but one month of the 2000 season for the San Jose Giants. He returned to San Jose in 2001 where he pitched 2 1/2 months making the California league all-star team. Unable to pitch in the game or the rest of the season he had surgery again, this time on his left elbow. Between the two years, Taschner posted a 6–6 record in 24 games (16 starts), striking out 94 batters in two years while pitching a total of 88 innings
. However, he hit another setback in 2002, as he missed the entire season recovering from Tommy John surgery
. The road to recovery was not easy for Taschner, as his record with the Norwich Navigators in 2003 was 0–6; he posted an ERA of 5.68, the highest of his minor league career to date, striking out only 46 batters and allowing 48 earned run
s. Taschner's 3–1 record with Norwich in 2004 was enough to earn him a promotion to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies
, where he had a 4–7 record. Taschner remained at Fresno to begin the 2005 season, but he began to work exclusively as a relief pitcher and regained the form of his early career, posting a 3–0 record and a 1.64 ERA before being called up to the major leagues for the first time.
when the Giants rallied for a comeback win in the ninth inning. In 2006, he made the Opening Day roster, but was sent back to the minor leagues after posting a 34.71 ERA in 2⅓ innings; he posted a 6–7 record with Fresno and struck out 68 batters in 49⅓ innings. He spent more time with the Giants throughout the season as well, making 24 appearances and posting no wins with an 8.38 ERA in the major leagues.
Taschner's first full season in the major leagues saw him rank third on the team in appearances. He pitched 50 innings out of the Giants' bullpen, striking out 51 batters in 63 games. He allowed a .235 opponents' batting average, which was lowest among all qualifying relievers. He also allowed only 19 hits to right-handed batters over the entire season, qualifying him as a left-handed specialist
. Taschner's 2008 season yielded a strong performance, in which he allowed only 26 earned runs in 48 innings; he struck out 39 batters while walking 24.
for catcher Ronny Paulino
. He appeared in 24 games with the Phillies, with a 1-1 record and 4.91 ERA. In November 2009 Taschner was granted free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A.
with an invitation to spring training.
On June 9, 2010, he was designated for assignment after having a 6.05 ERA in 17 appearances, with 19.1 innings, 17strikeouts, eight walks, and one win. On June 19, 2010, Taschner declared free agency after refusing an outright assuagement to the minors.
and was assigned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
. He was promoted to the Dodgers on July 21. He only retired one batter while with the Dodgers. Taschner is a left-handed baseball pitcher. He appeared in just three games for the Dodgers before being designated for assignment on July 29. He elected to declare free agency instead of accepting a minor league assignment.
.
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...
, who is currently a police officer for the City of Appleton, Wisconsin.
Early career
Taschner attended William Horlick High SchoolWilliam Horlick High School
William Horlick High School is a comprehensive public four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin with an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students. The school opened to students in 1928, after William Horlick, the original patent holder for malted milk, donated the land the school was built on...
in Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. Where he was selected in the 37th round by the then California Angels. After graduating, he chose not to sign and went on to the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where he posted a 7–0 record in nine games (eight starts
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 a 1.53 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 the 1999 season. 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....
79 batters in his senior season while walking
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...
only 41. Taschner was drafted again, this time by the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in the second round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 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...
. The Giants assigned him to their short season A-level minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
affiliate, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a minor league baseball team in Keizer, Oregon, United States. They are a Short-Season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants since the Volcanoes' inception in 1997...
of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
. Taschner earned a 3–2 record in the latter half of 1999, striking out 36 batters in 29 innings. He injured his shoulder in his last outing for Salem-Keizer. After surgery he sat out all but one month of the 2000 season for the San Jose Giants. He returned to San Jose in 2001 where he pitched 2 1/2 months making the California league all-star team. Unable to pitch in the game or the rest of the season he had surgery again, this time on his left elbow. Between the two years, Taschner posted a 6–6 record in 24 games (16 starts), striking out 94 batters in two years while pitching a total of 88 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
. However, he hit another setback in 2002, as he missed the entire season recovering from Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. The road to recovery was not easy for Taschner, as his record with the Norwich Navigators in 2003 was 0–6; he posted an ERA of 5.68, the highest of his minor league career to date, striking out only 46 batters and allowing 48 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. Taschner's 3–1 record with Norwich in 2004 was enough to earn him a promotion to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
, where he had a 4–7 record. Taschner remained at Fresno to begin the 2005 season, but he began to work exclusively as a relief pitcher and regained the form of his early career, posting a 3–0 record and a 1.64 ERA before being called up to the major leagues for the first time.
San Francisco Giants
Taschner was first called up to the Giants on June 12, 2005. In his first season, he made 24 appearances as a reliever, notching a 2–0 record with 19 strikeouts and a 1.59 ERA. Taschner earned his first major league win on August 30 against the Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
when the Giants rallied for a comeback win in the ninth inning. In 2006, he made the Opening Day roster, but was sent back to the minor leagues after posting a 34.71 ERA in 2⅓ innings; he posted a 6–7 record with Fresno and struck out 68 batters in 49⅓ innings. He spent more time with the Giants throughout the season as well, making 24 appearances and posting no wins with an 8.38 ERA in the major leagues.
Taschner's first full season in the major leagues saw him rank third on the team in appearances. He pitched 50 innings out of the Giants' bullpen, striking out 51 batters in 63 games. He allowed a .235 opponents' batting average, which was lowest among all qualifying relievers. He also allowed only 19 hits to right-handed batters over the entire season, qualifying him as a left-handed specialist
Left-handed specialist
In baseball, a left-handed specialist is a left-handed relief pitcher who specializes in pitching to left-handed batters, or to switch-hitters who bat poorly right-handed...
. Taschner's 2008 season yielded a strong performance, in which he allowed only 26 earned runs in 48 innings; he struck out 39 batters while walking 24.
Philadelphia Phillies
On March 27, 2009, Taschner was traded to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for catcher Ronny Paulino
Ronny Paulino
Ronny Leonel Paulino is a professional baseball player. He currently plays catcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
. He appeared in 24 games with the Phillies, with a 1-1 record and 4.91 ERA. In November 2009 Taschner was granted free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On December 23, 2009, Taschner signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh 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...
with an invitation to spring training.
On June 9, 2010, he was designated for assignment after having a 6.05 ERA in 17 appearances, with 19.1 innings, 17strikeouts, eight walks, and one win. On June 19, 2010, Taschner declared free agency after refusing an outright assuagement to the minors.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On June 27, 2010, he signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and was assigned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
. He was promoted to the Dodgers on July 21. He only retired one batter while with the Dodgers. Taschner is a left-handed baseball pitcher. He appeared in just three games for the Dodgers before being designated for assignment on July 29. He elected to declare free agency instead of accepting a minor league assignment.
Community
Taschner is active in the San Francisco community with a variety of charities. He has worked with both the Shriner's Hospital and Habitat for Humanity during his tenure with the Giants. He has also instructed at a baseball skills clinic for children participating in the Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
.