Levale Speigner
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Levale Speigner is an American
Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent. Speigner attended college, and played NCAA ball for four years, at Auburn University
.
in , Speigner worked his way up the minor league chain, having a solid year in for the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
, and spent a short time with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
. After the season, he was selected by the Washington Nationals
as a Rule 5 Draft
pick.
Speigner worked as a middle reliever and appeared in 12 games, with a respectable 3.77 ERA
through mid-May. But by then, four of the Nationals five starters
were on the disabled list
, and, Speigner, along with a few other Nats relievers, was pressed into service as a starter. From May 16 through June 2, Speigner started four times, each time a disaster. His longest outing was 4 innings, and over the four game span compiled a record of 0-2 and an ERA of 14.44. In his June 2 start, however, while he gave up 6 runs
on 6 hits
in the first inning, he then retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. This gave Manager Manny Acta
enough confidence to try Speigner one more time. On June 9, facing two-time Cy Young award
winner Johan Santana
, Speigner threw a gem, six innings, two hits, and one run, earning a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Speigner gave credit to pitching coach Randy St. Claire
for correcting a number of errors. But he followed that with a game against the Toronto Blue Jays
in which he surrendered seven runs in 3 1/3 innings. Three days later, he appeared in relief, and surrendered 2 runs in 2 innings, and the following day he was designated for assignment. The Nationals and the Twins worked out a deal allowing the Nationals to send Speigner to Triple-A Columbus
. The Nationals gave up minor league outfielder
Darnell McDonald
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
who is currently a free agent. Speigner attended college, and played NCAA ball for four years, at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
.
Professional career
A 14th-round pick by the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in , Speigner worked his way up the minor league chain, having a solid year in for the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
New Britain Rock Cats
The New Britain Rock Cats are the Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club. They compete in the Eastern League and play their home games at New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.-History:...
, and spent a short time with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
. After the season, he was selected by the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
as a 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...
pick.
Speigner worked as a middle reliever and appeared in 12 games, with a respectable 3.77 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...
through mid-May. But by then, four of the Nationals five starters
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....
were on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
, and, Speigner, along with a few other Nats relievers, was pressed into service as a starter. From May 16 through June 2, Speigner started four times, each time a disaster. His longest outing was 4 innings, and over the four game span compiled a record of 0-2 and an ERA of 14.44. In his June 2 start, however, while he gave up 6 runs
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...
on 6 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....
in the first inning, he then retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. This gave Manager Manny Acta
Manny Acta
Manuel Elias Acta is a Major League Baseball manager for the Cleveland Indians. He is the former manager of the Washington Nationals . In the Dominican Winter League, he managed the Tigres del Licey from 2002–2004, including leading them to victory at the 2003 Caribbean Series...
enough confidence to try Speigner one more time. On June 9, facing two-time Cy Young award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner Johan Santana
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
, Speigner threw a gem, six innings, two hits, and one run, earning a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Speigner gave credit to pitching coach Randy St. Claire
Randy St. Claire
Randall Anthony St. Claire is a former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos , Cincinnati Reds , Minnesota Twins , Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays as a relief pitcher...
for correcting a number of errors. But he followed that with a game against 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 which he surrendered seven runs in 3 1/3 innings. Three days later, he appeared in relief, and surrendered 2 runs in 2 innings, and the following day he was designated for assignment. The Nationals and the Twins worked out a deal allowing the Nationals to send Speigner to Triple-A Columbus
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
. The Nationals gave up minor league outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Darnell McDonald
Darnell McDonald
Darnell Tyrone McDonald is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...
.