Adam Wainwright
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Adam Wainwright
| Adam Wainwright | |
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| St. Louis Cardinals – No. 50 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
| Born: August 30, 1981 Brunswick, Georgia |
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| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 11, 2005 for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Career statistics (through May 27, 2012) |
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| Win-Loss | 70–40 (.636) |
| Earned run average | 3.07 |
| Strikeouts | 775 |
| ERA+ | 135 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981) is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on September 11, 2005 against the New York Mets.
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Early career
A highly valued prospect coming out of Glynn Academy, Wainwright planned to play college baseball for Georgia Tech, signing a letter of intent with the Yellow Jackets.[citation needed] But, when he was selected 29th overall in the first round of the 2000 amateur draft by his favorite team, the Atlanta Braves, Wainwright chose to forgo college and go straight to the pros, signing a contract with the Braves that included a $1.25 million bonus.
In December 2003, Wainwright was sent to the Cardinals along with pitchers Jason Marquis and Ray King in a trade that sent outfielder J. D. Drew and utility man Eli Marrero to the Atlanta Braves. After two somewhat uneven seasons in the Cardinals' minor-league system, Wainwright made his MLB debut for St. Louis on September 11, 2005.
Major League career
2006
Wainwright made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher after having been a starter for his entire minor-league career. On May 24, 2006, in his first career at bat, Wainwright hit a home run against Noah Lowry of the San Francisco Giants[1]; he became the 22nd batter in Major League history to hit a home run off his first pitch thrown in his first at-bat, and the 11th National Leaguer.[1]
Wainwright pitched capably as a middle reliever, but when Cardinal closer Jason Isringhausen underwent season-ending hip surgery in September, Wainwright was pressed into service as the closer. He saved two crucial games on Sept. 27 and Sept. 30 as St. Louis held off a late charge by Houston and won the NL Central Division championship.
The Cardinals, who made the postseason despite an unexceptional 83–78 record, rolled through October to win their 10th world championship in franchise history. Wainwright, the new closer, took center stage:
- On October 8, 2006, Wainwright closed out the final game of the Cardinals' National League Division Series, ending the San Diego Padres' season and propelling the Cardinals to the 2006 National League Championship Series.
- On October 19, 2006, in the final game of the National League Championship Series, Wainwright, with the bases loaded, struck out Carlos Beltran looking on a curveball, ending the New York Mets' season and sending the Cardinals to the World Series.
- On October 27, 2006, in Game 5 of the 2006 World Series, Wainwright struck out Detroit Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge with a slider to win the world championship.
2007
Wainwright moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation for 2007. With Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter lost for the year due to elbow surgery, Wainwright emerged as the most reliable Cardinals starter. On August 10, he threw the first complete game of his career in a 2–1 loss to Los Angeles. (It would be the only nine-inning complete game for the Cardinals in all of 2007). By September he had established himself as the staff ace in the absence of Chris Carpenter, going 9–6 with a 2.94 ERA since mid-May. Wainwright finished his first year as a starter by leading the Cardinals in almost every pitching category—games started, innings pitched, strikeouts, and wins—and compiling a 3.70 ERA and a 14–12 record.
2008
In March 2008, Wainwright passed on free agency, signing a four-year deal with the Cardinals worth $21 million, with two club options for 2012 and 2013 that could push the value of the deal to $36 million.[2] He suffered a finger injury in June that caused him to miss 2½ months of the season but still finished 11–3 with a 3.20 ERA, easily the best in the Cardinal rotation.
2009
On August 19, 2009, at Dodger Stadium, Wainwright had a no hitter going vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers for 5⅓ innings before it was broken up by Orlando Hudson with a clean single to left field.
He pitched the NL Central Division clinching game-winner against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, 6–3, on September 26, going 8 innings, walking one, striking out 11 and giving up just two earned runs while pitching out of an eighth-inning jam for his ML-leading 19th win.[3]
On October 28, 2009, he won the NL Most Outstanding Pitcher (Players Choice Award).[4]
Wainwright also was a top contender for Cy Young with teammate Chris Carpenter and eventual winner Tim Lincecum. He became only the second pitcher (Trevor Hoffman being the first) ever to get the most first place votes and not win the award.[5]
He won his first Gold Glove Award on November 11, 2009.[6]
2010
He finished the season 20–11 with a 2.42 ERA, 5 complete games, 213 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.05, all a career best. His 20 wins and 2.42 ERA were both good for second place in the National League (only Josh Johnson had a better ERA, while Roy Halladay had 21 wins). He also pitched two shutouts this season, the first two of his career. His first was against the Brewers on June 4 and the other against the Marlins on August 6.[7]
Wainwright pitched in his first All Star Game. He faced 5 batters, throwing 17 pitches, 10 strikes and 7 balls. He allowed no runs, while giving up 1 hit, a double off the glove of fellow Cardinal's teammate Matt Holliday, and had 1 walk with 2 strikeouts.[8]
Wainwright was the runner-up for the 2010 NL Cy Young Award, finishing second in voting behind unanimous winner Roy Halladay.[9]
2011
On February 24, the Cardinals announced that Wainwright would be out the entire 2011 season after undergoing necessary Tommy John surgery on his right elbow after indicating discomfort in pitching batting practice on February 21. The procedure was be done by George Paletta, the Cardinals' physician.[10][11] He would miss all of 2011 and possibly the first few months of the 2012 season because recovery time is usually 12 to 15 months. His 2012 and 2013 options totaling $21 million will not automatically vest if he is on the disabled list at the end of the 2011 season.[12]
The Feb. 28 surgery in St. Louis was described as "successful". Paletta performed the same surgery on Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Kyle McClellan and others. Wainwright will remain in St. Louis for two weeks before joining his teammates in Florida. The typical rehabilitation time for a starting pitcher is approximately 12 to 15 months.[13]
2012
On May 22, he threw his first complete game shutout since August 6, 2010 and the third of his career in his ninth complete game. It was a 4-hit, 4-0 win at home against the San Diego Padres, striking out nine and walking only one.[14]
Pitching style
Wainwright is a sinkerballer, throwing it an average of about 90 mph. He also throws a good deal of cutters (84–88) and curveballs (72–76). Less commonly, he also throws a four-seam fastball (90–92) and changeup (83–86). He uses all of his pitches against left-handed hitters, but he does not use the changeup against right-handers. Wainwright's most-used pitch in 2-strike counts is his curveball.[15]
Personal life
In the off-season, Wainwright resides on St. Simons Island, Georgia, with his wife Jenny and their 2 daughters, Baylie Grace, born September 10, 2006, and Morgan Addison, born October 22, 2008. A third daughter is expected. Wainwright has also openly expressed his Christian faith.[16][17]
See also
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- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- List of players with a home run in first major league at-bat
References
- ^ "Home Run With First Pitch Ever". Baseball Almanac. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats6.shtml. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
- ^ Leach, Matthew (2008-03-20). "Wainwright signs long-term deal Cardinals right-hander agrees to four-year contract". MLB.com. http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080320&content_id=2446186&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
- ^ "Gutty Wainwright leads Cards to clinch: Righty tosses eight solid innings; LaRue hits go-ahead blast". MLB.com. 2009-09-27. http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090926&content_id=7174402&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl.
- ^ "Wainwright wins Outstanding Pitcher award from peers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2009-10-28. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/commishs-hot-stove/commishs-hot-stove/cardinal-beat-updates/2009/10/wainwright-wins-peers-approval-as-outstanding-pitcher.
- ^ Haft, Chris (November 19, 2009). "Lincecum's the one; that makes two Cys". MLB.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091115&content_id=7669426&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb. Retrieved January 22, 2011. "Wainwright became only the second pitcher to garner the most first-place votes and not win the award. In 1998, Atlanta's Tom Glavine collected 11 first-place votes to 13 for San Diego's Trevor Hoffman but amassed the most points, 98–88, and took home the trophy."
- ^ "Molina, Wainwright nab Gold Gloves: Back-to-back awards for Cards catcher; hurler wins first". MLB.com. 2009-11-11. http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091111&content_id=7652178&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl.
- ^ Adam Wainwright MLB.com
- ^ NL 3, AL 1 MLB.com
- ^ "Wainwright second to Halladay on Cy ballot". MLB.com. 2010-11-16. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101116&content_id=16112010&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb.
- ^ Wainwright set for Tommy John surgery, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (February 24, 2011)
- ^ Earlier: Cards, Wainwright 'prepare for the worst', St. Louis Post-Dispatch (February 24, 2011)
- ^ Cards GM: Wainwright needs Tommy John, MLB.com (February 24, 2011)
- ^ Wainwright surgery deemed a success, MLB.com (February 28, 2011)
- ^ Wainwright throws first shutout since 2010, MLB.com (May 23, 2012)
- ^ "PITCHf/x Player Card: Adam Wainwright". Brooks Baseball. http://brooksbaseball.net/player_cards/player_card.php?player=425794. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
- ^ The Official Site of The St. Louis Cardinals: Team: Player Information : Biography and Career Highlights
- ^ Sharing the Victory Magazine – vsItemDisplay
External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Adam Wainwright |
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Wainwright player profile page at stlcardinals.scout.com
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