Jeff Shaver
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Thomas Shaver is a former professional baseball
pitcher
. He appeared in one game in Major League Baseball
for the Oakland Athletics
on July 6, 1988.
. He was drafted by the A's in the 22nd round of the 1985 amateur draft
. After being drafted, he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
Medford A's, where he posted a 8–4 win-loss record, primarily as a starting pitcher
. In 1986, Shaver was promoted to the Madison Muskies
of the Midwest League
, where he went 10–5. He advanced to Double-A in 1987, pitching for the Huntsville Stars
of the Southern League
. He advanced further up the minor league level in 1988, moving up to the Triple-A Tacoma Tigers.
called Shaver up from the minor leagues. He made his major league debut on July 6, 1988, as Oakland was playing the Cleveland Indians
. Todd Burns
started the game for the Athletics, going 5 innings
and allowing four earned run
s. Rick Honeycutt
came in for two innings, allowing four more runs. In the eighth inning, Athletics' manager Tony La Russa
brought in Shaver. Although he had only appeared in one game as a relief pitcher
during his minor league career to this point, he fared well on this occastion, facing four batters without allowing a hit
or a base on balls
, although he did hit one batter
. Oakland lost the game 8–6.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
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...
. He appeared in one game 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...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
on July 6, 1988.
Amateur career
Shaver attended Fredonia High School, where he played baseball, basketball and soccer. He went on to play college baseball at SUNY FredoniaState University of New York at Fredonia
The State University of New York at Fredonia is a four-year liberal arts college located in Fredonia, New York, United States; it is a constituent college of the State University of New York...
. He was drafted by the A's in the 22nd round of the 1985 amateur draft
1985 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:Six of the first eight draft picks from the June regular phase had at least one full year of major league experience prior to the start of the 1987 season. Included in that list were...
. After being drafted, he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
Minor leagues
Shaver began his professional career later that year with the minor leagueMinor 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...
Medford A's, where he posted a 8–4 win-loss record, primarily as 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 1986, Shaver was promoted to the Madison Muskies
Madison Muskies
The Madison Muskies were a Class A minor league baseball team that played in the Midwest League from 1982 to 1993 in Madison, Wisconsin. They were an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics...
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
, where he went 10–5. He advanced to Double-A in 1987, pitching for the Huntsville Stars
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
of the Southern League
Southern League
Southern League may mean:*Southern League , a United States minor league baseball league**Southern Association, a United States minor league baseball league, was known as the Southern League from 1901–1919...
. He advanced further up the minor league level in 1988, moving up to the Triple-A Tacoma Tigers.
Cup of coffee in The Show
During the 1988 season, the Oakland AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
called Shaver up from the minor leagues. He made his major league debut on July 6, 1988, as Oakland was playing the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Todd Burns
Todd Burns
Todd Edward Burns in Maywood, California, is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher.Burns attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earning first-team All-America honors before being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 7th round of the 1984 MLB amateur draft...
started the game for the Athletics, going 5 innings
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...
and allowing four 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. Rick Honeycutt
Rick Honeycutt
Frederick Wayne "Rick" Honeycutt is the current pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Honeycutt was a left-handed pitcher for 21 years from 1977 to 1997. He played with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and the St. Louis Cardinals...
came in for two innings, allowing four more runs. In the eighth inning, Athletics' manager Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball manager and infielder, best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals...
brought in Shaver. Although he had only appeared in one game as a 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...
during his minor league career to this point, he fared well on this occastion, facing four batters without allowing a 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....
or a base on balls
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...
, although he did hit one batter
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
. Oakland lost the game 8–6.