Scott Baker (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Timothy Scott Baker is a starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
(MLB) for the Minnesota Twins
.
in the second round (58th overall) of the 2003 amateur entry draft
.
Baker began his minor league career with then Minnesota Twins
affiliate team the Quad Cities River Bandits in 2003. In his 2004 minor league season, he played for the Class A+ Fort Myers Miracle
, Class AA New Britain Rock Cats
, and Class AAA Rochester Red Wings
, where he would spend the rest of his minor league career. He pitched the majority of his 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Rochester Red Wings. He pitched just seven games in 2007 for the Red Wings before being called up to pitch the rest of his 2007 season with the Twins.
Baker pitched 487 innings in his minor league career, which combined for a 27-23 record, 3.01 ERA, and 412 strikeouts.
in an 8-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays
. On July 5, he made his first Major League start by going five innings while giving up just two runs on five hits and striking out five, however he took the loss in a 2-1 defeat against the Los Angeles Angels. A few weeks later on July 23, Baker had his first career win in Detroit with a 5-2 victory over the Tigers
. He started and pitched seven strong innings, allowing just two runs.
Baker split time in 2005 between the Twins and Rochester
, the Twins AAA affiliate. On August 29, he returned to the Twins starting rotation for the remainder of the year, making seven consecutive starts to close the season. Baker finished his rookie year with a record of 3-3 and an ERA
of 3.35.
. But he struggled with his command and did not live up to the expectations following his rookie season. The slow start caused Baker to be demoted to Triple-A Rochester on June 1.
Baker ended up spending nearly the entire second half with the Rochester Red Wings, making only a handful of starts after the demotion. While the Twins played great baseball after a 25-33 start by winning the division on the last game of the regular season, Baker's season was a major disappointment. He finished the year with a 5-8 record and a 6.37 ERA in 83.1 innings, with two of the wins coming against the New York Yankees
. Baker did not make the Twins' postseason roster.
into the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals
at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
during the second game of a doubleheader, but lost his bid for perfection when he issued a walk
to the first batter he faced in the ninth, John Buck. The second hitter after Buck that he faced, Mike Sweeney
, hit a single, ending Baker's bid for a no-hitter
. Baker finished the game by beating the Royals 5-0 allowing just one hit and completing his second complete game of his career.
, Baker struck out Ryan Braun
, then struck out Prince Fielder
, but the ball bounced away from catcher Mike Redmond
, so Fielder went to first base. Baker then proceeded to strike out Russell Branyan
and Mike Cameron
. The last pitcher to record such a feat was Los Angeles Dodgers
pitcher Brad Penny
, who did it on September 23, 2006 against the Arizona Diamondbacks
.
Through September 29, 2008, Baker was 11-4 with a 3.45 ERA and 141 strikeouts.
His 0.48 ground ball/fly ball ration was the lowest in the major leagues for 2008.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-ratio-pitching.shtml
. On June 16, 2010, Baker struck career best 12 batters through seven innings against the Colorado Rockies
.
, a curveball
, and a slider
.
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....
in 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...
(MLB) for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota 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...
.
High school and college years
Baker attended Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, and graduated in 2000. He was selected to the All-State team his senior year and played college baseball at Oklahoma State University. In the 2001 season, he was named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. In the 2003 season, he was named second team All-Big 12.Draft and minor league career
Baker was drafted 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 the second round (58th overall) of the 2003 amateur entry draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
.
Baker began his minor league career with then Minnesota Twins
Minnesota 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...
affiliate team the Quad Cities River Bandits in 2003. In his 2004 minor league season, he played for the Class A+ Fort Myers Miracle
Fort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
, Class AA 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 Class AAA 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...
, where he would spend the rest of his minor league career. He pitched the majority of his 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Rochester Red Wings. He pitched just seven games in 2007 for the Red Wings before being called up to pitch the rest of his 2007 season with the Twins.
Baker pitched 487 innings in his minor league career, which combined for a 27-23 record, 3.01 ERA, and 412 strikeouts.
2005 season
Baker made his Major League debut pitching one scoreless inning out of the bullpenBullpen
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"...
in an 8-1 victory over 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...
. On July 5, he made his first Major League start by going five innings while giving up just two runs on five hits and striking out five, however he took the loss in a 2-1 defeat against the Los Angeles Angels. A few weeks later on July 23, Baker had his first career win in Detroit with a 5-2 victory over the 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...
. He started and pitched seven strong innings, allowing just two runs.
Baker split time in 2005 between the Twins and Rochester
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...
, the Twins AAA affiliate. On August 29, he returned to the Twins starting rotation for the remainder of the year, making seven consecutive starts to close the season. Baker finished his rookie year with a record of 3-3 and an 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...
of 3.35.
2006 season
Baker beat out the competition to earn the team's No. 5 starting spot out of Spring TrainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. But he struggled with his command and did not live up to the expectations following his rookie season. The slow start caused Baker to be demoted to Triple-A Rochester on June 1.
Baker ended up spending nearly the entire second half with the Rochester Red Wings, making only a handful of starts after the demotion. While the Twins played great baseball after a 25-33 start by winning the division on the last game of the regular season, Baker's season was a major disappointment. He finished the year with a 5-8 record and a 6.37 ERA in 83.1 innings, with two of the wins coming against 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...
. Baker did not make the Twins' postseason roster.
2007 season
On August 31, 2007, Baker took a perfect gamePerfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
into the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
during the second game of a doubleheader, but lost his bid for perfection when he issued a walk
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...
to the first batter he faced in the ninth, John Buck. The second hitter after Buck that he faced, Mike Sweeney
Mike Sweeney
Michael John "Mike" Sweeney is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, originally as a catcher and then moving to first base. Sweeney has also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Philadelphia...
, hit a single, ending Baker's bid for a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
. Baker finished the game by beating the Royals 5-0 allowing just one hit and completing his second complete game of his career.
2008 season
On June 15, 2008, Baker became the first Minnesota Twins pitcher to ever throw 4 strikeouts in the same inning. In the 3rd inning against the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Baker struck out Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
, then struck out Prince Fielder
Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
, but the ball bounced away from catcher Mike Redmond
Mike Redmond
Michael Patrick Redmond is a former Major League Baseball catcher.Redmond graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in 1989. He attended Gonzaga University. Mike and his wife Michele have two sons.Redmond made his Major League debut with the Florida Marlins on May 31, 1998...
, so Fielder went to first base. Baker then proceeded to strike out Russell Branyan
Russell Branyan
Russell Oles Branyan is a Major League Baseball first baseman. He throws right-handed, bats left-handed, and primarily plays first base, but is capable of playing third base and the outfield. Branyan began his professional career in the Cleveland Indians minor league system...
and Mike Cameron
Mike Cameron
Michael Terrance Cameron is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, and Florida Marlins.Cameron has won 3...
. The last pitcher to record such a feat was 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...
pitcher Brad Penny
Brad Penny
Bradley Wayne "Brad" Penny is a Major League starting pitcher. Penny has spent portions of his career with the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers....
, who did it on September 23, 2006 against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
.
Through September 29, 2008, Baker was 11-4 with a 3.45 ERA and 141 strikeouts.
His 0.48 ground ball/fly ball ration was the lowest in the major leagues for 2008.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-ratio-pitching.shtml
2010 season
Baker started on Opening Day for the Twins to kick off the 2010 season against the Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos 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...
. On June 16, 2010, Baker struck career best 12 batters through seven innings against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
2011 season
Despite being the last pitcher selected for the starting rotation in 2011, Baker had a strong season before missing time with injuries. His ERA at the end of July was 2.86, and he made two starts in August before spending much of the rest of the season on the disabled list with an injured elbow. He finished the season with an 8-6 record and a 3.14 ERA. Baker was the Twins only starting pitcher to have a winning record in 2011, and he was named Twins Pitcher of the Year, leading the team in ERA, strikeouts (123), and WHIP (1.17).Pitching style
Baker has a fastball in the low 90s, with some movement, a good changeupChangeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
, a curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, and a 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....
.
![http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sScrEgy7SVI/RtDDnMFERFI/AAAAAAAAAYI/hX6cBS0D8eY/s400/Baker,%2BScott.jpg&imgrefurl=http://celebritybabynames.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html&usg=__vaIkxu7FnTx7OoZK33TpeD75bAA=&h=135&w=90&sz=5&hl=en&start=19&sig2=ThGBLiFwq9oI_GiLWZ8ggQ&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Xz4rzSbiX5sMiM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=61&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dscott%2Band%2Bleann%2Bbaker%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=WZYZTNEOh5KcB7mDzbEK] External](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sScrEgy7SVI/RtDDnMFERFI/AAAAAAAAAYI/hX6cBS0D8eY/s400/Baker,%2BScott.jpg&imgrefurl=http://celebritybabynames.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html&usg=__vaIkxu7FnTx7OoZK33TpeD75bAA=&h=135&w=90&sz=5&hl=en&start=19&sig2=ThGBLiFwq9oI_GiLWZ8ggQ&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Xz4rzSbiX5sMiM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=61&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dscott%2Band%2Bleann%2Bbaker%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=WZYZTNEOh5KcB7mDzbEK]<br />
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