Claudio Vargas | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Santa Cruz de Mao, Dominican Republic | June 19, 1978|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 26, 2003, for the Montreal Expos | |
Last MLB appearance | |
May 26, 2010, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 48–40 |
Earned run average | 4.83 |
Strikeouts | 544 |
Teams | |
Claudio Vargas Almonte (born June 19,1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He has previously played for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals,Arizona Diamondbacks,Milwaukee Brewers,New York Mets,and Los Angeles Dodgers. He has both started games and also pitched in both middle and long relief during his career.
His nickname among Brewers fans was the "Magic Man" because of his ability to get himself into bases loaded situations and escape with little or no damage.
Vargas was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Florida Marlins in 1995 at age 16 and made his professional debut with the Marlins Dominican Summer League team,where he played in 1996 and 1997. In 1998 he pitched for the rookie league Gulf Coast Marlins and the Class-A Brevard County Manatees. He continued to pitch in the Marlins system through 2001 with the Kane County Cougars,Portland Sea Dogs and Calgary Cannons.
On July 11,2002,he was traded by the Marlins (along with Wilton Guerrero,Cliff Floyd and cash) to the Montreal Expos for Donald Levinski,Justin Wayne,Carl Pavano,Mike Mordecai and Graeme Lloyd. In the Expos minor league system he pitched for the Harrisburg Senators and Edmonton Trappers.
Vargas made his Major League debut on April 26,2003,against the Houston Astros and recorded his first victory in a 6–3 win over the San Francisco Giants. He made 23 appearances (20 starts) for the Expos in 2003,with a 6–8 record and 4.34 ERA. In 2004,he appeared in 45 games (only 14 starts) and went 5–5 with a 5.25 ERA.
He signed as a free agent with the Washington Nationals before the 2005 season but the Nationals designated him for assignment after he went 0–3 with a 17.55 ERA at the start of the season. He was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 3 and went 9–6 with a 4.81 ERA in 21 games (19 starts) for the Diamondbacks the rest of the season. He remained with the team for the 2006 season and turned in a solid season,12–10,4.83 ERA in 30 starts.
In November 2006,Vargas was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers along with pitcher Greg Aquino and catcher Johnny Estrada,for outfielder Dave Krynzel,and pitchers Dana Eveland and Doug Davis. [1]
In March 2008,Vargas was released by the Brewers after struggling in 2007 with an 11–6 record and 5.09 ERA in 23 starts (29 total appearances). In April,he was signed to a minor league deal with the New York Mets. [2] In his Mets debut on May 14,2008,he received a standing ovation from the Shea Stadium crowd,giving up only 2 earned runs and 3 hits,despite the loss to the Washington Nationals. Vargas was designated for assignment in June and spent the rest of the season in the minors.
In January 2009,Vargas signed a 1-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. [3] He was expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation during spring training,however,he suffered an arm injury and began the season on the 60-day disabled list. After spending the first three months of the season on the DL,he was activated by the Dodgers on July 3.
Vargas pitched in middle relief for the Dodgers,until he was traded on July 31 to the Milwaukee Brewers for Minor League catcher Vinny Rottino. [4]
Vargas pitched in 28 games for the Brewers in 2009,and was 1–0 with a 1.78 ERA. He re-signed with the Brewers for the 2010 season,appearing in 17 games with a 7.32 ERA. On May 29,2010,Vargas was designated for assignment and was released on June 4.
On June 16 he re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. He was released on August 16.
He announced his retirement on June 13,2011,after he had signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies in the off-season. He had an 11.08 ERA in 26 innings with the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox that season. [5]
Despite his retirement,Vargas pitched as the closer for the Mexican League's Vaqueros Laguna in 2012. Furthermore,the Milwaukee Brewers signed him to a minor league contract in order to fill out the starting rotation at Triple-A Nashville. [6]
He signed a minor league contract,containing a spring training invitation,with the Toronto Blue Jays in December 2012. [7] He started the 2013 season on the roster of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He was released on July 22 [8] after posting a 5–7 record and an ERA of 5.86 with the Bisons. [9]
He returned to the Laguna in the Mexican League for the 2014 season. Making 11 starts across 62 innings going 3-3 with a 4.21 ERA and 40 strikeouts.
Jorge Dandys Julio Tapia is a Venezuelan former professional baseball relief pitcher. He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles from 2001 to 2005,New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006,and the Florida Marlins in 2007 before being traded to the Rockies for Byung-hyun Kim. He had brief stints with the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves in 2008,and also with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009. He bats and throws right-handed.
Michael Stanley Myers is an American former professional left-handed relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2007.
Christopher Frank Capuano is an American former professional baseball pitcher whose professional playing career spanned from 2000 through 2016. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Milwaukee Brewers,New York Mets,Los Angeles Dodgers,Boston Red Sox,and New York Yankees,and was an All Star in 2006.
Guillermo Reynoso Mota is a Dominican former professional baseball relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. In his career,he pitched for the Montreal Expos,Los Angeles Dodgers,Florida Marlins,Cleveland Indians,New York Mets,Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants. Mota is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall and weighs 240 pounds (110 kg). He throws and bats right-handed. He throws three pitches:a fastball,a slider and a circle changeup.
Randall Christopher Wolf,nicknamed "Wolfie",is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies,Los Angeles Dodgers,San Diego Padres,Houston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers,Miami Marlins,and Detroit Tigers.
Jason Matthew Vargas is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Seattle Mariners,Los Angeles Angels,Kansas City Royals,New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. The Marlins drafted Vargas in the second round of the 2004 MLB draft. He made his major league debut in 2005. In 2017,he was an All Star and tied for the American League lead in wins.
Luis Ignacio Ayala Hernández is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals,New York Mets,Minnesota Twins,Florida Marlins,New York Yankees,Baltimore Orioles,and Atlanta Braves. He is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and weighs 190 pounds (86 kg). He bats and throws right-handed.
Dana James Eveland is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers,Arizona Diamondbacks,Oakland Athletics,Toronto Blue Jays,Pittsburgh Pirates,Los Angeles Dodgers,Baltimore Orioles,New York Mets,Atlanta Braves,and Tampa Bay Rays. Eveland also played in the KBO League for the Hanwha Eagles.
Joshua Aaron Wilson is an American former professional baseball infielder. Wilson is a Mt. Lebanon,Pennsylvania native. He was part of the 1998 Pennsylvania state championship baseball team and Pennsylvania Player of the Year. Wilson played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Washington Nationals,Tampa Bay Devil Rays,Arizona Diamondbacks,San Diego Padres,Seattle Mariners,Milwaukee Brewers,Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.
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.
The 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 119th for the franchise in Major League Baseball,and their 50th season in Los Angeles,California. It started off promisingly with the Dodgers holding the National League West lead for most of the first half of the season. However,the team faded down the stretch and finished the season in fourth place. Two of the teams big free agent signings,pitchers Jason Schmidt and Randy Wolf were injured and missed most of the season. A promising development was the play of several rookies including James Loney and Matt Kemp and the further development of second year catcher Russell Martin,who was named to his first All-Star Game.
Valentino Martin Pascucci is an American former professional baseball player. He played parts of two major league seasons with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. He batted and threw right-handed. In 2014,he transitioned to the role of hitting coach for the Mets Single A affiliate,the Savannah Sand Gnats. In 2016,he was named the hitting coach for the St. Lucie Mets.
Micah Burton Owings is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres between 2007 and 2012. During his career,Owings was used as a pitcher and an occasional pinch-hitter;he also played outfielder in the minor leagues. While playing for the Diamondbacks in 2007,he was honored with a Silver Slugger Award as the top-hitting pitcher.
Vincent Antonio Rottino is an American former professional baseball utility player and current television analyst for Bally Sports Wisconsin covering the Milwaukee Brewers. He has played positions including catcher,first base,third base,and the outfield.
James Jacob Nelson is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Preston Blake Guilmet is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians,Baltimore Orioles,Tampa Bay Rays,Milwaukee Brewers,St. Louis Cardinals,Toronto Blue Jays,and Miami Marlins. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. He grew up in Roseville,California and graduated from Oakmont High School. He later played college baseball for the University of Arizona.
Zachary Ryan Davies is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers,San Diego Padres,Chicago Cubs,and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Jorge Yabiel López Ramos is a Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers,Kansas City Royals,Baltimore Orioles,Minnesota Twins,Miami Marlins,and New York Mets. López made his MLB debut in 2015 and was an All-Star in 2022.
Zachary Thomas Godley is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,Boston Red Sox,and Milwaukee Brewers.
Elieser Alexis Hernández is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the LG Twins of the KBO League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Milwaukee Brewers. Hernández signed with the Houston Astros as an international free agent in 2012,and made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2018.