Shawn Camp
Encyclopedia
Shawn Anthony Camp is an American professional baseball
pitcher
. Camp stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 200 pounds. He throws and bats right-handed and was born in Fairfax
, Virginia
.
at Robinson Secondary School
in Fairfax, Virginia. He graduated from high school in 1994 and continued as a backstop in college while attending the University of North Alabama
and George Mason University
, the school from which he would be drafted. Struggling to hit collegiate pitching, Camp converted to a pitcher at George Mason with the help of then Patriots assistant baseball coach Dayton Moore
.
by the San Diego Padres
; the five hundredth overall selection of that year's draft. The newly converted reliever steadily climbed the ranks of the Padres' minor league
system, collecting 25 saves in his first two years of professional baseball.
On July 10, 2001
, Camp was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates
in exchange for outfielder
Emil Brown
. He continued to advance in the minors, receiving an invitation to the Pirates spring training camp in 2003
. Failing to make the major league team, however, Camp was granted free agency
by Pittsburgh at the end of the season.
In 2004
Camp joined the Kansas City Royals
organization. Signed by his former college coach and current Royals general manager Dayton Moore, Camp finally made his first major league roster. Camp made his major league debut on Opening Day, April 5. Facing the Chicago White Sox
, Camp allowed two runs in two innings of work. He remained a semi-regular contributor to the Royals bullpen
that season and in 2005
, working primarily in middle and long relief
, while shuttling between Kansas City and Triple-A Omaha
.
Camp was granted free agency after the 2005 season, and signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. From 2006
to 2007
Camp was a mainstay in the Devil Rays' beleaguered bullpen, amassing 75 appearances in 2006, second most in the American League
. Control problems hampered Camp's success in Tampa Bay and his final year in Kansas City, however, and the righty struggled to poor ERAs
of 6.43, 4.68 and 7.20 respectfully from 2005 to 2007. Camp had particular trouble with preventing inherited runners from scoring, allowing over forty percent (22 of 54) of runners on base to reach home in his final season with the Devil Rays.
Camp signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays prior to the season. Prepared with a new pitch, a change-up, Camp excelled at Triple-A Syracuse and was recalled by Toronto soon after breaking camp. Limiting right-handed hitters to a paltry .204 batting average
, Camp helped the Blue Jays staff to team ERA of 3.49, best in all of Major League Baseball that season. In 2009
Camp led the Blue Jays relief corp with a career best 79.2 innings pitched, while tallying a career high 58 strikeouts.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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...
. Camp stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 200 pounds. He throws and bats right-handed and was born in Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Early career
Camp began his baseball career as a catcherCatcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
at Robinson Secondary School
Robinson Secondary School
James W. Robinson, Jr. Secondary School, known as Robinson Secondary School, opened in 1971, is a public school in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
in Fairfax, Virginia. He graduated from high school in 1994 and continued as a backstop in college while attending the University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university....
and George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
, the school from which he would be drafted. Struggling to hit collegiate pitching, Camp converted to a pitcher at George Mason with the help of then Patriots assistant baseball coach Dayton Moore
Dayton Moore
Dayton Moore is the general manager of the Kansas City Royals. He succeeded Allard Baird.-Childhood and education:Born February 17th, 1967, in Wichita, Kansas, Moore grew up a Royals fan. He claims to have watched the 1985 World Series in Kansas City from I-70...
.
Professional career
The right-hander was drafted in the sixteenth round of the 1997 amateur entry draft1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 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, 1997...
by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
; the five hundredth overall selection of that year's draft. The newly converted reliever steadily climbed the ranks of the Padres' minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
system, collecting 25 saves in his first two years of professional baseball.
On July 10, 2001
2001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, Camp was dealt 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...
in exchange for 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...
Emil Brown
Emil Brown
Emil Quincy Brown is an American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent.-Career:...
. He continued to advance in the minors, receiving an invitation to the Pirates spring training camp in 2003
2003 in baseball
-Headline event of the year:*The Florida Marlins become World Series champions, holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team, 4 games to 2.-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Florida Marlins...
. Failing to make the major league team, however, Camp was granted free agency
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 Pittsburgh at the end of the season.
In 2004
2004 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since , ending the Curse of the Bambino.*With 262 hits, Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners breaks George Sisler's record of 257. Suzuki also sets the record for most singles in a season, with 225.*2004 also marked the final...
Camp joined 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...
organization. Signed by his former college coach and current Royals general manager Dayton Moore, Camp finally made his first major league roster. Camp made his major league debut on Opening Day, April 5. Facing 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...
, Camp allowed two runs in two innings of work. He remained a semi-regular contributor to the Royals 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"...
that season and in 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
, working primarily in middle and long relief
Long reliever
A Long reliever is a type of relief pitcher in baseball.Long relievers traditionally enter early in a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, whether due to ineffective pitching, lack of endurance, rain delays, injury, or ejection...
, while shuttling between Kansas City and Triple-A Omaha
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
.
Camp was granted free agency after the 2005 season, and signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. From 2006
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
to 2007
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
Camp was a mainstay in the Devil Rays' beleaguered bullpen, amassing 75 appearances in 2006, second most in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. Control problems hampered Camp's success in Tampa Bay and his final year in Kansas City, however, and the righty struggled to poor ERAs
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 6.43, 4.68 and 7.20 respectfully from 2005 to 2007. Camp had particular trouble with preventing inherited runners from scoring, allowing over forty percent (22 of 54) of runners on base to reach home in his final season with the Devil Rays.
Camp signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays prior to the season. Prepared with a new pitch, a change-up, Camp excelled at Triple-A Syracuse and was recalled by Toronto soon after breaking camp. Limiting right-handed hitters to a paltry .204 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, Camp helped the Blue Jays staff to team ERA of 3.49, best in all of Major League Baseball that season. In 2009
2009 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champions – New York Yankees**American League Champions – New York Yankees**National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies*Postseason – October 7 to November 4...
Camp led the Blue Jays relief corp with a career best 79.2 innings pitched, while tallying a career high 58 strikeouts.