Chad Orvella | |
---|---|
![]() Orvella playing for the Durham Bulls in 2007 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Renton, Washington, U.S. | October 1, 1980|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 31, 2005, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 8, 2007, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 4–10 |
Earned run average | 5.79 |
Strikeouts | 66 |
Teams | |
Chad Robert Orvella (born October 1,1980) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher who played for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2005 to 2007. He played collegiate baseball for Columbia Basin College and North Carolina State University as a shortstop.
Chad Orvella grew up in Renton,Washington,where both of his parents were athletes;his father excelled in golf,while his mother was a tennis player. Throughout high school,Orvella participated in various sports including soccer,golf,basketball,and baseball. However,his primary focus was on baseball and golf. Orvella developed a passion for baseball at a young age,attending numerous Seattle Mariners games during his childhood and starting to play the sport at the age of 4. He attended Eastlake High School in Washington,where he played baseball at the varsity level. Upon graduation he accepted an offer continue his baseball career at Columbia Basin College.
Orvella had every intention of using his time at Columbia Basin as a stepping-stone to get into a bigger Division 1 baseball program. Ultimately,he received transfer offers from Texas and almost every ACC school. Orvella chose to transfer to North Carolina State University for his junior year. In 2002,he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League. [1] [2] During his senior season,MLB scouts began to scout Orvella and note that he could pitch well in addition to playing shortstop. When scouts approached him and asked him if he would enter the MLB draft as a pitcher,he said he would do anything to get to the next level. All but one interested team wanted him to pitch at the next level.
Orvella was drafted as a shortstop in the thirteenth round of the 2003 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In late 2003,after his college career was over,he reported to rookie ball in New York for the Hudson Valley Renegades. He had been preparing to play shortstop,but he was called into the managers office on the day he arrived and was told that the team wasn't sure what they would do with him. He was instructed to throw a bullpen session after the meeting. In his first game,he came in for two innings of relief and struck out five of six batters,securing his role as a pitcher. Orvella's pitching repertoire consisted of a fastball,a changeup,and a slider. He threw fifteen innings that year before tearing the lateral meniscus in his right knee. He returned in 2004. He started the year at low A level ball in Charleston,South Carolina. He made the all-star team at that level,and just after that game,was promoted to High A ball. A month later he was promoted to AA ball in California,and a month after that he was promoted to AAA ball in Durham,North Carolina. He was awarded the 2004 minor league pitcher of the year award following the year.
Orvella made his major league debut on May 31,2005,against the Oakland Athletics. He was sent back to AA after a short stint,where he would pitch thirty innings and allow only one run. He was again called up to the Devil Rays the day before Memorial Day and stayed with the MLB team for the rest of the year. He pitched so well that in 2006 he was considered the front-runner for the closer position.[ citation needed ] He pitched in AAA for two weeks before reporting back to the Devil Rays. That year he struggled to stay in MLB and went up and down between AAA and MLB. He dominated AAA hitters,but his delivery to the plate was too slow for Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon. His accuracy and effectiveness decreased when he attempted to quicken his delivery. Although he was a right handed pitcher,he stayed with the Devil Rays for half the year in 2007 as their left-handed specialist,due to their being no lefties in the bullpen and him being the most effective against left-handed hitters. Orvella hurt his shoulder during Spring Training in 2008,which ended his season. He rehabbed and spent his first half of the 2009 season with the Rays before he was released. He was picked up by The Kansas City Royals and finished his season with them. He signed with the Angels in 2010. He was never able to get his velocity back after the surgery and rehab process. Orvella would average a fastball velocity of 95 mph before the surgery,but only averaged about 85 mph after. His lone major league save came on June 12,2005 in a Devil Rays extra inning victory over the Pirates. Orvella pitched the 13th inning,allowing 1 hit and 1 walk but no runs to close out a 7-5 Rays victory. [3]
In his time pitching,he had three wins over Mariano Rivera and the Yankees. His very first pitch to Derek Jeter was a home run. While in the Cape Cod leagues,there was a book written about him and his team called The Last Best League.
James Vo Parque is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Parque played for the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2003.
Érik Joseph Bédard is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles,Seattle Mariners,Boston Red Sox,Pittsburgh Pirates,Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. With Baltimore,Bédard was the staff ace,setting the franchise single-season strikeouts per nine innings record at 10.93 in 2007.
Scott Edward Kazmir is an American former professional baseball pitcher who participated in 15 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons between 2004 and 2021,most notably with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Dewon Cortez Brazelton is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played professionally for the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Diego Padres. He last pitched in the major leagues in 2006.
Paul Douglas Creek is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher with a nine-year career from 1995 to 1997,1999 to 2003,and 2005. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals,San Francisco Giants,Chicago Cubs of the National League and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays,Seattle Mariners,Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers of the American League. He also played one season for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan in 1998.
Jason Aaron Hammel is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays,Colorado Rockies,Baltimore Orioles,Oakland Athletics,Chicago Cubs,and Kansas City Royals.
Brian Patrick Bannister is an American director of pitching for the Chicago White Sox. He is a former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2006 through 2010. He played college baseball as a walk-on for the University of Southern California. Bannister was selected by the Mets in the seventh round of the 2003 MLB draft. He previously served as assistant pitching coach and vice president of pitching development for the Boston Red Sox.
Aaron Michael Harang is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics,Cincinnati Reds,San Diego Padres,Los Angeles Dodgers,Seattle Mariners,New York Mets,Philadelphia Phillies,and Atlanta Braves.
Seth Michael Etherton is an American baseball coach and former pitcher,who is the current pitching coach for the USC Trojans. He played college baseball at USC from 1995 to 1998. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 4 seasons,with his longest tenure as a player coming with the Anaheim Angels.
James Phillip Howell is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals,Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Toronto Blue Jays.
James Anthony Shields is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2006 through 2012,the Kansas City Royals in 2013 and 2014,the San Diego Padres in 2015 and 2016,and the Chicago White Sox from 2016 to 2018. He was an All Star in 2011.
Randol Doyle Choate is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The New York Yankees selected him in the 1997 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft from Florida State University. Choate made his MLB debut for the Yankees in 2000,and also pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Tampa Bay Rays,Florida/Miami Marlins,Los Angeles Dodgers,and St. Louis Cardinals. He won the 2000 World Series with the Yankees,beating the New York Mets.
Cesar Carrillo is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. He was inducted to the University of Miami Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.
James Urban Hoey is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins between 2006 and 2011.
The 1999 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season was their second since the franchise was created. They finished last in the American League East with a record of 69 wins and 93 losses. Their manager was Larry Rothschild,who entered his second year with the club.
Cory Nathaniel Wade is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
Joshua Alexander Zeid is an American-Israeli former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. He plays for Team Israel. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros.
Graeme Wilder Stinson is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
George Joseph Kirby is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Peter Anderson Fairbanks is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Fairbanks was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB draft. He debuted in MLB for the Rangers in 2019,but was traded to the Rays later that season. He currently serves as the Rays' closer.