Timothy Stephen Wakefield was an American professional baseball knuckleball pitcher. Wakefield began his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Pittsburgh Pirates,but is most remembered for his 17-year tenure with the Boston Red Sox,from 1995 until his retirement in 2012 as the longest-serving player on the team,earning a total of $55 million. When he retired at age 45 after 19 seasons in MLB,Wakefield was the oldest active player in the major leagues.
Jason Raymond Bay is a Canadian-American former professional baseball left fielder who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Initially drafted by the Montreal Expos,he played for the San Diego Padres,Pittsburgh Pirates,Boston Red Sox,New York Mets and Seattle Mariners.
Denny M. Bautista Germán is a Dominican Republic former professional baseball pitcher. Bautista is 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall and weighs 190 pounds (86 kg). He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles,Kansas City Royals,Colorado Rockies,Detroit Tigers,Pittsburgh Pirates,and San Francisco Giants from 2004 to 2010. From 2011 through 2013,he played for the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League. He bats and throws right-handed. Bautista throws three pitches:a fastball,a curveball,and a changeup. He has struggled with control throughout his career.
David Allan Aardsma is an American former professional baseball pitcher,currently serving in the Toronto Blue Jays front office as a coordinator of player development. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2015 for the San Francisco Giants,Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Boston Red Sox,Seattle Mariners,New York Yankees,New York Mets,and Atlanta Braves.
Julián Tavárez Carmen is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played for 11 franchises over the course of a 17–season Major League Baseball (MLB) career from 1993 to 2009. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 165 pounds (75 kg),he threw right-handed and batted left-handed.
Ramón Emilio Ramírez is a Dominican former relief pitcher. He pitched for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB),and the Colorado Rockies,Kansas City Royals,Boston Red Sox,San Francisco Giants,New York Mets,and Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Jason Michael Grilli is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Chicago White Sox,Detroit Tigers,Colorado Rockies,Pittsburgh Pirates,Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,Atlanta Braves,Toronto Blue Jays,and Texas Rangers. Taken as the fourth overall selection of the 1997 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants,Grilli was one of the top starting pitcher prospects in all of Minor League Baseball,ranked 54th in 1998 and 44th in 1999. The Giants traded him to the Florida Marlins in 1999,for whom he debuted on May 11,2000.
Javier Alfonso López Palmer is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies (2003–05),Arizona Diamondbacks (2005),Boston Red Sox (2006–09),Pittsburgh Pirates (2010),and San Francisco Giants (2010–16). He was a left-handed specialist known for his sidearm delivery.
Curtis Ross Ohlendorf is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees,Pittsburgh Pirates,San Diego Padres,Washington Nationals,Texas Rangers,and Cincinnati Reds,and in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Robert Harold Klinger was a professional baseball player who was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball over parts of eight seasons from 1938 through 1947. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Red Sox. In 265 career appearances he compiled a 66–61 record along with 23 saves,with a 3.68 earned run average and 357 strikeouts. His cousin Charlie Hollocher was also a Major League Baseball player.
Clarence Nottingham "Chuck" Churn was an American professional baseball player. The native of Bridgetown,Virginia,was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who appeared in 25 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1957 and 1959. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and 205 pounds (93 kg).
The 2008 Boston Red Sox season was the 108th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox,as the defending World Series champions,finished in second place in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 67 losses,two games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox qualified for the postseason as the AL wild card,and defeated the American League West champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALDS. The Red Sox then lost to the Rays in the ALCS in seven games. This was the franchise's fourth appearance in the ALCS in six seasons.
The 2008 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 127th season of the franchise;the 122nd in the National League. This was their eighth season at PNC Park. It was the first under new president Frank Coonelly,general manager Neal Huntington,and manager John Russell. Unable to improve on their 68–94,last place finish during the 2007 season,the Pirates had not had a winning record or made it to the playoffs since 1992,and finished 67–95 for their 16th straight losing season. The season was the final of play-by-play announcer Lanny Frattare,whose 33-year tenure as Pirates' broadcaster was the longest in franchise history.
Justin Daniel Masterson is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. Drafted by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2006 MLB draft from San Diego State University,he made his MLB debut two years later. Masterson also played in MLB for the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals. Known for primarily throwing a sinking fastball,the right-hander stands 6' 6" (198 cm) tall,and weighs 250 lb (113 kg).
Joshua David Fields is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Steven Richard Wright is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Wright played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,having made his MLB debut in 2013;he was an All-Star in 2016. He is known for his knuckleball pitch.
Craig Michael Kimbrel is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves,San Diego Padres,Boston Red Sox,Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Philadelphia Phillies. He is a nine-time All-Star,two-time Reliever of the Year,and a 2018 World Series champion.
Richard Heath Hembree,nicknamed Heater,is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 220 pounds (100 kg),Hembree throws and bats right-handed. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the San Francisco Giants in 2013 and has also played for the Boston Red Sox,Philadelphia Phillies,Cincinnati Reds,New York Mets,Pittsburgh Pirates,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Tampa Bay Rays.
Justin James Wilson is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates,New York Yankees,Detroit Tigers,Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. Prior to his professional career,Wilson played college baseball for the Fresno State Bulldogs,where he was a member of the 2008 College World Series champions.
Colten Bradley Brewer is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox,San Diego Padres,and New York Yankees. He has also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers. Listed at 230 pounds (100 kg) and 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m),Brewer both throws and bats right-handed.
