Lee Gronkiewicz
Encyclopedia
Lee Matthew Gronkiewicz (born August 21, 1978 in Los Angeles, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. Lee played for 8 seasons in the minor leagues. He played in the MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays
. He is the current head coach of the Columbia Blowfish
and the pitching coach for University of South Carolina Lancaster. Lee is also involved with USA baseball. He is currently in the college national team selection committee. He is 5'10 in height and weighs 200 pounds.
, and then transferred to the University of South Carolina
. In , he was selected to the All-SEC team and was a First-team All-American. He led the country in saves that year with 16, and had a 1.42 ERA
.
in as an amateur free agent
. He spent four years in Cleveland's minor league system before he was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays
in the Rule 5 Draft
. In seven minor-league seasons, Gronkiewicz has a career 18-16 record, pitching almost entirely in relief with just one start
for the Syracuse Sky Chiefs, putting up a 2.48 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP
along the way. He struck out
nearly four times as many batters as he walked
(421 strikeouts and 111 walks through 2007).
. He allowed one run
-- a home run
to Dodgers catcher
Russell Martin
-- on two hits
, walking two and striking out two, over four innings of work.
In November 2007, he signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox
.
In April , after a stellar month in Triple-A where he allowed 1 run in 11 innings, he was placed on the DL with elbow soreness. It was later determined to be damage to his UCL and he underwent Tommy John surgery
, ending his season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) is a former 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...
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...
. Lee played for 8 seasons in the minor leagues. He played in the MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. He is the current head coach of the Columbia Blowfish
Columbia Blowfish
The Columbia Blowfish are an amateur baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at the Capital City Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina...
and the pitching coach for University of South Carolina Lancaster. Lee is also involved with USA baseball. He is currently in the college national team selection committee. He is 5'10 in height and weighs 200 pounds.
College career
Gronkiewicz attended college first at Spartanburg Methodist CollegeSpartanburg Methodist College
Spartanburg Methodist College is a private, two-year institution of higher learning, or junior college, located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It is the only independent, regionally-accredited, residential two-year college in South Carolina....
, and then transferred to the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. In , he was selected to the All-SEC team and was a First-team All-American. He led the country in saves that year with 16, and had a 1.42 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...
.
Minor league career
Gronkiewicz signed with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland 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...
in 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....
. He spent four years in Cleveland's minor league system before he was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. In seven minor-league seasons, Gronkiewicz has a career 18-16 record, pitching almost entirely in relief with just one start
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....
for the Syracuse Sky Chiefs, putting up a 2.48 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP
Walks plus hits per inning pitched
In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base...
along the way. 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....
nearly four times as many batters as he walked
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...
(421 strikeouts and 111 walks through 2007).
Major league career
Gronkiewicz' major league debut (and only major league appearance to date) was on June 19, , when the Blue Jays hosted 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...
. He allowed one 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...
-- a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to Dodgers catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Russell Martin
Russell Martin
Russell Nathan Jeanson Coltrane Martin, Jr is a Canadian Major League Baseball catcher for the New York Yankees.Martin became the everyday catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers immediately upon his Major League debut, and continued in that role for nearly 5 years...
-- on two hits
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....
, walking two and striking out two, over four innings of work.
In November 2007, he signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
In April , after a stellar month in Triple-A where he allowed 1 run in 11 innings, he was placed on the DL with elbow soreness. It was later determined to be damage to his UCL and he underwent 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...
, ending his season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
External links
- Sox Prospects statistics and analysis