Juan Salas
Encyclopedia
Juan Salas is a professional baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent. Salas signed with Tampa Bay on July 8, , as an amateur free agent
, and made his Major League debut September 5, .
Salas is notable for being converted from playing third base
to pitching
while in the Devil Rays' minor league
system. Salas became a pitcher in the season and had a 1-0 record and 4.82 ERA
for the Rookie-Level Princeton Devil Rays
. He split the season between the High-A Visalia Oaks
and the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits
.
The 2006 season was the breakout year in Salas' minor-league career; he gave up no earned run
s in 23 games for Montgomery, earned 14 saves, and struck out
52 batters in 34 2/3 innings. This earned him an appearance in the All-Star Futures Game
for the World Team. He was called up to the Triple-A Durham Bulls
, with whom he went 1-1 with a 1.57 ERA and three saves in 27 games, striking out 33 batters in 28 2/3 innings. The Devil Rays then called him up to help out their bullpen
; he made eight appearances with Tampa Bay in the 2006 season and won a roster spot out of spring training
with the Devil Rays in . In 2007, he went 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 12 games and was suspended in May for 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs. To take his place on the roster, the Devil Rays recalled Tim Corcoran
from Durham.
Salas started the season on the restricted list due to problems obtaining a visa to come to the United States
. He missed spring training and did not arrive in the United States until April 17, 2008, several weeks after the 2008 MLB season started. He reported to the Triple-A Durham Bulls for a rehab assignment beginning May 9.
On February 12, , Salas was designated for assignment. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians
on February 19, for minor league infielder
Isaias Valasquez. He was released on May 6.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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...
who is currently a free agent. Salas signed with Tampa Bay on July 8, , as an amateur free agent
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....
, and made his Major League debut September 5, .
Salas is notable for being converted from playing third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
to pitching
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...
while in the Devil Rays' minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
system. Salas became a pitcher in the season and had a 1-0 record and 4.82 ERA
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...
for the Rookie-Level Princeton Devil Rays
Princeton Devil Rays
The Princeton Rays are a minor league baseball team in Princeton, West Virginia, USA. They are an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 27, 1996...
. He split the season between the High-A Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
and the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
.
The 2006 season was the breakout year in Salas' minor-league career; he gave up no 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 in 23 games for Montgomery, earned 14 saves, and 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....
52 batters in 34 2/3 innings. This earned him an appearance in 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...
for the World Team. He was called up to the Triple-A Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
, with whom he went 1-1 with a 1.57 ERA and three saves in 27 games, striking out 33 batters in 28 2/3 innings. The Devil Rays then called him up to help out their 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"...
; he made eight appearances with Tampa Bay in the 2006 season and won a roster spot out of spring training
Spring 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...
with the Devil Rays in . In 2007, he went 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 12 games and was suspended in May for 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs. To take his place on the roster, the Devil Rays recalled Tim Corcoran
Tim Corcoran
Timothy Hugh Corcoran is a Major League Baseball pitcher. Corcoran's brother, Roy Corcoran, also plays professional baseball-New York Mets:...
from Durham.
Salas started the season on the restricted list due to problems obtaining a visa to come to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He missed spring training and did not arrive in the United States until April 17, 2008, several weeks after the 2008 MLB season started. He reported to the Triple-A Durham Bulls for a rehab assignment beginning May 9.
On February 12, , Salas was designated for assignment. He was traded to 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...
on February 19, for minor league infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Isaias Valasquez. He was released on May 6.