Nate Robertson
Encyclopedia
Nathan Daniel "Nate" Robertson, (born September 3, 1977, in Wichita, Kansas
) is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
who currently pitches in the Seattle Mariners
organization.
and was drafted by the Florida Marlins
in the fifth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
. Robertson underwent Tommy John surgery
in 1998 while a sophomore at Wichita State. Robertson pitched for the Low-A Utica Blue Sox
and Single-A Kane County Cougars
; with the latter he was 6–1 with a 2.29 ERA in eight starts. Robertson returned to Kane County for the season but spent most of the year on the disabled list battling tendinitis in his left elbow. Florida moved him up to the High-A Brevard County Manatees
, where he went 11–4 as a starter. Robertson's rise continued in , as Florida promoted him to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs
of the Eastern League. At Portland Robertson amassed a 10–9 record with a 3.42 ERA, sufficient that Florida summoned him to the major league club in early September.
Robertson made his Major League debut on September 7, 2002, for the Marlins, pitching 4⅔ innings and allowing four earned runs in a 4–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
at PNC Park
. Robertson moved to the bullpen for the remainder of the season, making five relief appearances. The following January Florida traded Robertson along with Gary Knotts
and Rob Henkel to the Detroit Tigers
for Mark Redman
and Jerrod Fuell.
, Detroit's Triple-A affiliate. Robertson remained there until late August, when Detroit, recalled him. In his first start with Detroit and second major league start overall, Robertson threw 8 1/3 innings against the Texas Rangers
, giving up two earned runs and striking out eight. Robertson did not figure in the decision, as Detroit lost the game 4–2 in sixteen innings. Robertson won his first major league game eleven days later, pitching five innings in an 8–4 victory over the Chicago White Sox
.
Robertson's best pitch is his four-seam fastball
, followed by a "plus" slider and major-league quality change-up.
In 2005, he began wearing clear corrective lenses to correct his lazy eye
.
Robertson invented a new means of rallying the Tigers during a June 2006 game with the New York Yankees
. While wearing a microphone for television, Robertson began stuffing his mouth with Big League Chew
to encourage the Tigers to score, down 5–0. Iván Rodríguez
hit a home run on the subsequent at-bat. Though the Tigers lost the game, the "Gum Time!" tradition has caught on among Detroit players and fans.
Robertson earned his first career postseason victory on October 10, 2006, by pitching five shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics
in game 1 which helped launch the Detroit Tigers
into their ALCS sweep of the A's and their first pennant since 1984.
In 2008 he tied for the major league lead in bunt hits allowed, with nine.
Robertson is also a part owner of the Wichita Wingnuts
independent baseball organization.
On August 22, 2008, Tigers manager Jim Leyland
announced that Nate was being demoted to the bullpen
due to ongoing trouble with his slider
. Nate was quoted by the Detroit Free Press
as saying that it was the "lowest point" of his career.
and cash considerations. He was designated for assignment on July 21. One week later he was released.
on August 2, 2010, and was assigned to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
. Robertson exercised an opt-out clause on August 23, and signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
on August 24, 2010, reporting to Triple-A Lehigh Valley
. On September 9, 2010, Robertson was designated for assignment by the Phillies, a day after giving up 5 runs in 2/3 innings against the Marlins and nearly blowing a 10 run lead.
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
) is a 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...
who currently pitches in the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
organization.
Florida Marlins
Robertson attended Wichita State UniversityWichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
and was drafted by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in the fifth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
. Robertson 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...
in 1998 while a sophomore at Wichita State. Robertson pitched for the Low-A Utica Blue Sox
Utica Blue Sox
The Utica Blue Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Utica, New York. In their most recent incarnation, the Blue Sox played in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League from 1977-2001, with their home games at Donovan Stadium at Murnane Field...
and Single-A Kane County Cougars
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Geneva, Illinois, about 35 miles west of Chicago....
; with the latter he was 6–1 with a 2.29 ERA in eight starts. Robertson returned to Kane County for the season but spent most of the year on the disabled list battling tendinitis in his left elbow. Florida moved him up to the High-A Brevard County Manatees
Brevard County Manatees
The Brevard County Manatees are a minor league baseball team of the Florida State League, and are the A-Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers...
, where he went 11–4 as a starter. Robertson's rise continued in , as Florida promoted him to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
of the Eastern League. At Portland Robertson amassed a 10–9 record with a 3.42 ERA, sufficient that Florida summoned him to the major league club in early September.
Robertson made his Major League debut on September 7, 2002, for the Marlins, pitching 4⅔ innings and allowing four earned runs in a 4–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
at PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
. Robertson moved to the bullpen for the remainder of the season, making five relief appearances. The following January Florida traded Robertson along with Gary Knotts
Gary Knotts
Gary Everett Knotts is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He attended Northwest Shoals Community College and was selected by the Florida Marlins in the eleventh round of the amateur draft....
and Rob Henkel to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for Mark Redman
Mark Redman
Mark Allen Redman is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher.-Early career:...
and Jerrod Fuell.
Detroit Tigers
Robertson began the season with the Toledo Mud HensToledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
, Detroit's Triple-A affiliate. Robertson remained there until late August, when Detroit, recalled him. In his first start with Detroit and second major league start overall, Robertson threw 8 1/3 innings against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, giving up two earned runs and striking out eight. Robertson did not figure in the decision, as Detroit lost the game 4–2 in sixteen innings. Robertson won his first major league game eleven days later, pitching five innings in an 8–4 victory over the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Robertson's best pitch is his four-seam fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
, followed by a "plus" slider and major-league quality change-up.
In 2005, he began wearing clear corrective lenses to correct his lazy eye
Amblyopia
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a disorder of the visual system that is characterized by a vision deficiency in an eye that is otherwise physically normal, or out of proportion to associated structural abnormalities of the eye...
.
Robertson invented a new means of rallying the Tigers during a June 2006 game with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. While wearing a microphone for television, Robertson began stuffing his mouth with Big League Chew
Big League Chew
Big League Chew is a brand of bubble gum that is shredded and packaged in an aluminum foil pouch. It was created by Portland Mavericks left-handed pitcher Rob Nelson, and pitched to the Wrigley Company by former New York Yankee All-Star Jim Bouton, a Maverick teammate of Nelson's, as a fun...
to encourage the Tigers to score, down 5–0. Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
hit a home run on the subsequent at-bat. Though the Tigers lost the game, the "Gum Time!" tradition has caught on among Detroit players and fans.
Robertson earned his first career postseason victory on October 10, 2006, by pitching five shutout innings against 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 game 1 which helped launch the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
into their ALCS sweep of the A's and their first pennant since 1984.
In 2008 he tied for the major league lead in bunt hits allowed, with nine.
Robertson is also a part owner of the Wichita Wingnuts
Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts are a professional baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts are a member of the Central Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.An expansion franchise in the...
independent baseball organization.
On August 22, 2008, Tigers manager Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
announced that Nate was being demoted to the 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"...
due to ongoing trouble with his slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
. Nate was quoted by the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
as saying that it was the "lowest point" of his career.
Second stint with Florida Marlins
On March 30, 2010, Robertson was traded to the Florida Marlins for minor league pitcher Jay VossJay Voss
Jay C. Voss is a professional baseball player who plays in the Detroit Tigers organization. He was selected in the eighth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. He attended Mater Dei High School and Kaskaskia College....
and cash considerations. He was designated for assignment on July 21. One week later he was released.
St. Louis Cardinals & Philadelphia Phillies
Robertson signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
on August 2, 2010, and was assigned to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
. Robertson exercised an opt-out clause on August 23, and signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on August 24, 2010, reporting to Triple-A Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
. On September 9, 2010, Robertson was designated for assignment by the Phillies, a day after giving up 5 runs in 2/3 innings against the Marlins and nearly blowing a 10 run lead.