Juan Cruz (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Juan Carlos Cruz is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
.
by scout Jose Serra. He began his pro career with the Cubs' Rookie Level team, the Mesa Cubs
, where he went 2-4 with a 6.10 earned run average
and 36 strikeout
s in only 41.1 innings pitched
. Cruz went 5-6 with a 5.94 for Chicago's Single-A affiliate, the Eugene Emeralds
, in .
Cruz split the season between the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts
and Daytona Cubs
. His combined stats for the year included an 8-5 record, a 3.27 ERA and 160 K's in 25 games and 140.1 innings. He also threw three complete game
s.
Cruz made his big league debut for the Cubs on August 21, , against the Milwaukee Brewers
. He went 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in his first 8 starts, and also recorded his first two major league hits on October 2. One of his highlights for the beginning of Cruz's season was that he was named to the All-Star Futures Team.
Cruz went 3-11 with a 3.98 ERA in 45 games in . He also picked up his first career save. He went 2-7 with a 6.05 ERA in in 6 starts with the Cubs. He started the year in the Cubs bullpen but was sent down to the Iowa Cubs
on June 3. On Opening Day in 2003, Cruz struck out 6 consecutive batters, becoming only the second Cubs reliever to do so.
Cruz was traded to the Atlanta Braves
on March 25, . Cruz went 6-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 50 relief appearances. He set a career high in wins and games pitched, and placed second in the Atlanta bullpen with 8.75 K's per 9 innings. With runners in scoring position, opposing batters only hit .159 against him.
On December 14, 2004, Cruz was traded to the Oakland Athletics
in a deal involving Tim Hudson
. He struggled in the beginning of the year and was sent down to Triple-A Sacramento in June. Cruz returned to the big-league team in September when rosters expanded, and he recorded a 4.82 ERA in his last 7 games of the season. His overall stats for the year were an 0-3 record and a 7.44 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 28 games in Oakland.
After going 2-0 with 10.1 scoreless innings for Oakland in 2006 Spring Training, he was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks
for pitcher Brad Halsey
. Cruz pitched in four scoreless outings for the D'backs in the spring after being traded. Cruz began the year in the starting rotation, and went 3-3 with a 4.05 ERA and 41 K's in 14 games, before being placed on the day-to-day disabled list with shoulder soreness on June 6. Two days later, he was moved to the 15-day DL. Cruz bounced between the bullpen and the rotation in 2006, but was used strictly out of the bullpen in 2007. He was on the disabled list for about three weeks from late-April to early-May 2007.
On February 28, 2009, Cruz signed a 2-year contract with the Kansas City Royals
. On April 23, 2010, the Royals released Cruz.
On February 3, 2011, the Tampa Bay Rays
signed Cruz to a minor league contract.
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...
.
Career
Cruz was signed for the Chicago CubsChicago 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...
by scout Jose Serra. He began his pro career with the Cubs' Rookie Level team, the Mesa Cubs
Mesa Cubs
The Arizona League Cubs are a minor league baseball team in Mesa, Arizona, USA. They are a Class R team in the Arizona League, and have been a farm team of the Chicago Cubs since 2005. The Cubs play home games at Fitch Park.-Year-by-year record:...
, where he went 2-4 with a 6.10 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...
and 36 strikeout
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....
s in only 41.1 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...
. Cruz went 5-6 with a 5.94 for Chicago's Single-A affiliate, the Eugene Emeralds
Eugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds is a minor league baseball team in Eugene, Oregon, United States. They are a short-season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been a farm team of the San Diego Padres since 2001....
, in .
Cruz split the season between the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts
Lansing Lugnuts
The Lansing Lugnuts are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays, that plays in the Midwest League.The Midwest League came to Lansing, Michigan in 1996. The franchise began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1955; after two seasons it moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where it...
and Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...
. His combined stats for the year included an 8-5 record, a 3.27 ERA and 160 K's in 25 games and 140.1 innings. He also threw three complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s.
Cruz made his big league debut for the Cubs on August 21, , against 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...
. He went 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in his first 8 starts, and also recorded his first two major league hits on October 2. One of his highlights for the beginning of Cruz's season was that he was named to the All-Star Futures Team.
Cruz went 3-11 with a 3.98 ERA in 45 games in . He also picked up his first career save. He went 2-7 with a 6.05 ERA in in 6 starts with the Cubs. He started the year in the Cubs bullpen but was sent down to 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:...
on June 3. On Opening Day in 2003, Cruz struck out 6 consecutive batters, becoming only the second Cubs reliever to do so.
Cruz was traded to 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....
on March 25, . Cruz went 6-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 50 relief appearances. He set a career high in wins and games pitched, and placed second in the Atlanta bullpen with 8.75 K's per 9 innings. With runners in scoring position, opposing batters only hit .159 against him.
On December 14, 2004, Cruz was traded to 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....
in a deal involving Tim Hudson
Tim Hudson
Timothy Adam Hudson is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University...
. He struggled in the beginning of the year and was sent down to Triple-A Sacramento in June. Cruz returned to the big-league team in September when rosters expanded, and he recorded a 4.82 ERA in his last 7 games of the season. His overall stats for the year were an 0-3 record and a 7.44 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 28 games in Oakland.
After going 2-0 with 10.1 scoreless innings for Oakland in 2006 Spring Training, he was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
for pitcher Brad Halsey
Brad Halsey
Bradford Alexander Halsey is currently a pitcher in the New York Yankees organization.-Amateur career:Halsey attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was the No...
. Cruz pitched in four scoreless outings for the D'backs in the spring after being traded. Cruz began the year in the starting rotation, and went 3-3 with a 4.05 ERA and 41 K's in 14 games, before being placed on the day-to-day disabled list with shoulder soreness on June 6. Two days later, he was moved to the 15-day DL. Cruz bounced between the bullpen and the rotation in 2006, but was used strictly out of the bullpen in 2007. He was on the disabled list for about three weeks from late-April to early-May 2007.
On February 28, 2009, Cruz signed a 2-year contract with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. On April 23, 2010, the Royals released Cruz.
On February 3, 2011, the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
signed Cruz to a minor league contract.