Rich Thompson (pitcher, born 1984)
Encyclopedia
Richard Graeme Thompson (born 1 July 1984 in Hornsby, Australia) is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. He resides in both Australia and Arkansas with his wife during the off seasons.
Thompson was originally signed as an undrafted free agent
by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on 13 February, .
In , he was part of the Australia
n Olympic baseball team, which achieved a silver medal at the Athens Olympics
.
Thompson had his contract purchased by the Angels' major league club on 1 September, , marking the first time he was on the major league roster. He made his major league debut on that same day against the Texas Rangers
In , Thompson began the season with the Angels after relievers Chris Bootcheck
and Scot Shields
began the season on the disabled list
. However after allowing five earned run
s on four hits
in his only outing against the Texas Rangers
, Thompson was optioned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
to make way for Shields. He made one more appearance with the Angels, but became hurt pitching in Memphis for the Triple-A team. He spent the majority of his 2008 season rehabbing his shoulder injury in Arizona and finished the season with the Bees.
On 10 September 2010 Thompson picked up his first major league win after the Angels went into extra innings against the Seattle Mariners
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...
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He resides in both Australia and Arkansas with his wife during the off seasons.
Thompson was originally signed as an undrafted 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....
by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on 13 February, .
In , he was part of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Olympic baseball team, which achieved a silver medal at the Athens Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
Thompson had his contract purchased by the Angels' major league club on 1 September, , marking the first time he was on the major league roster. He made his major league debut on that same day 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...
In , Thompson began the season with the Angels after relievers Chris Bootcheck
Chris Bootcheck
Christopher Brandon Bootcheck is an American professional baseball pitcher who former plays in South Korea for the Lotte Giants.-College:...
and Scot Shields
Scot Shields
Robert Scot Shields is a former American Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played his entire baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, serving as their setup man since...
began the season 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:...
. However after allowing five 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 on four 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 his only outing 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...
, Thompson was optioned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
to make way for Shields. He made one more appearance with the Angels, but became hurt pitching in Memphis for the Triple-A team. He spent the majority of his 2008 season rehabbing his shoulder injury in Arizona and finished the season with the Bees.
On 10 September 2010 Thompson picked up his first major league win after the Angels went into extra innings against 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...