Mike Ekstrom
Encyclopedia
Michael Robert Ekstrom is an American
Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Tampa Bay Rays
. Drafted by the Padres in the 12th round (342nd overall) of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft
, he made his MLB debut on September 10, , striking out
Manny Ramirez
and pitching two scoreless innings.
, eventually transferring to NAIA
school Point Loma Nazarene University
after his sophomore year. Ekstrom was GSAC Pitcher of the Year and NAIA 1st Team All-America in his junior season. He was also named to the Baseball America Small College All-America 1st team.
in , going 3-1 with a 3.69 ERA
in 12 games, seven starts. Ekstrom was one of six Emeralds named to the Northwest League's
midseason All-Star team. He opened his career by tossing scoreless ball over his first six appearances from June 18 to July 9. He was promoted to the Class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps on August 21 for his final three starts.
In his first full professional season, , Ekstrom posted a 13-6 record with a 3.70 ERA in 28 starts for Class-A Fort Wayne. He was named to the Midwest League
mid-season All-Star team. He was tied for first in the league in starts and shutouts with one, ranked second in innings pitched, third in wins and eighth in ERA. Ekstrom shared the organization lead in wins while ranking third in strikeouts with 112 and sixth in ERA. He made 16 quality starts and went 6-0 with a 1.29 ERA over his first nine starts from April 7 to May 22. He was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the period ending May 22.
Ekstrom was named the Padres' Minor League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 10-11 record with four complete games, two shutouts and a 3.08 ERA in 28 starts between Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm
and the Double-A Mobile BayBears
. He was a California League
mid-season All-Star with Lake Elsinore. Ekstrom was among organization leaders, was tied for second in wins, ranked third in ERA and fifth in strikeouts with 117. He was tied for third in the Southern League
with three complete games.
In Ekstrom went 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA, six strikeouts and seven walks and held opponents to a .222 average in four road games with the Padres. His contract purchased from the Double-A San Antonio Missions
on September 6. He made Major League debut with two hitless innings on September 10 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He appeared in 41 games, 15 starts, with the Missions and went 11-8 with one save and a 4.58 ERA with 101 strikeouts compared to 34 walks. He ranked second in the Texas League
in wins and was 7-3 with a save and a 2.57 ERA (in 26 relief appearances with San Antonio. Ekstrom participated in the 2008 Arizona Fall League
as a member of the Peoria Saguaros
.
Ekstrom went 4-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 42 games, one start with his home-town Triple-A Portland Beavers
in . He was promoted to the Padres where he in 12 games he had an ERA of 6.38 ERA in 18 innings pitched.
. In 2010, Ekstrom went 6-1 with a 2.79 ERA with the Durham Bulls (AAA), striking out 48 batters in 58 innings. Over the course of four stints with Tampa, he posted a 0-1 record with a 3.31 ERA for the Rays in 16 innings, striking out 10.
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...
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...
for 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...
. Drafted by the Padres in the 12th round (342nd overall) of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft
2004 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
, he made his MLB debut on September 10, , striking 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....
Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
and pitching two scoreless innings.
College
Ekstrom started off his college career at Oregon State UniversityOregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
, eventually transferring to NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
school Point Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma Nazarene University is a Christian liberal arts college. Its main campus is located on the Point Loma oceanfront in San Diego, California. It was founded in 1902 as a Bible college by the Church of the Nazarene.-History:...
after his sophomore year. Ekstrom was GSAC Pitcher of the Year and NAIA 1st Team All-America in his junior season. He was also named to the Baseball America Small College All-America 1st team.
San Diego Padres
He made his professional debut at the Short-Season Eugene EmeraldsEugene 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 , going 3-1 with a 3.69 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...
in 12 games, seven starts. Ekstrom was one of six Emeralds named to the Northwest League's
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
midseason All-Star team. He opened his career by tossing scoreless ball over his first six appearances from June 18 to July 9. He was promoted to the Class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps on August 21 for his final three starts.
In his first full professional season, , Ekstrom posted a 13-6 record with a 3.70 ERA in 28 starts for Class-A Fort Wayne. He was named to 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...
mid-season All-Star team. He was tied for first in the league in starts and shutouts with one, ranked second in innings pitched, third in wins and eighth in ERA. Ekstrom shared the organization lead in wins while ranking third in strikeouts with 112 and sixth in ERA. He made 16 quality starts and went 6-0 with a 1.29 ERA over his first nine starts from April 7 to May 22. He was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the period ending May 22.
Ekstrom was named the Padres' Minor League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 10-11 record with four complete games, two shutouts and a 3.08 ERA in 28 starts between Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
and the Double-A Mobile BayBears
Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are a minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league club. The BayBears play in Hank Aaron Stadium, named after baseball's former all-time home...
. He was a California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
mid-season All-Star with Lake Elsinore. Ekstrom was among organization leaders, was tied for second in wins, ranked third in ERA and fifth in strikeouts with 117. He was tied for third in the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
with three complete games.
In Ekstrom went 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA, six strikeouts and seven walks and held opponents to a .222 average in four road games with the Padres. His contract purchased from the Double-A San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
on September 6. He made Major League debut with two hitless innings on September 10 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los 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 appeared in 41 games, 15 starts, with the Missions and went 11-8 with one save and a 4.58 ERA with 101 strikeouts compared to 34 walks. He ranked second in the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
in wins and was 7-3 with a save and a 2.57 ERA (in 26 relief appearances with San Antonio. Ekstrom participated in the 2008 Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
as a member of the Peoria Saguaros
Peoria Saguaros
The Surprise Saguaros are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona....
.
Ekstrom went 4-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 42 games, one start with his home-town Triple-A Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
in . He was promoted to the Padres where he in 12 games he had an ERA of 6.38 ERA in 18 innings pitched.
Tampa Bay Rays
On February 3, 2010, Ekstrom was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay RaysTampa 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...
. In 2010, Ekstrom went 6-1 with a 2.79 ERA with the Durham Bulls (AAA), striking out 48 batters in 58 innings. Over the course of four stints with Tampa, he posted a 0-1 record with a 3.31 ERA for the Rays in 16 innings, striking out 10.