Juan Salas

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name=Juan Salas
position=Relief pitcher
team=Tampa Bay Rays
number=52
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|11|17
birthplace=Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
debutdate=September 5
debutyear=2006
debutteam=Tampa Bay Devil Rays
statyear=September 5, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=1-1
stat2label=Earned run average| stat2value=4.62
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=41
teams=
*Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (by|2006-present)

Juan Salas (born November 17, 1978 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a professional baseball relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Salas signed with Tampa Bay on July 8, by|1998, as an amateur free agent, and made his Major League debut September 5, mlby|2006.

Salas is notable for being converted from playing third base to pitching while in the Devil Rays' minor league system. Salas became a pitcher in the by|2004 season and had a 1-0 record and 4.82 ERA for the Rookie-Level Princeton Devil Rays. He split the by|2005 season between the High-A Visalia Oaks and the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits.

The 2006 season was the breakout year in Salas' minor-league career; he gave up no earned runs in 23 games for Montgomery, earned 14 saves, and struck out 52 batters in 34 2/3 innings. This earned him an appearance in the by|2006 All-Star Futures Game for the World Team. He was called up to the Triple-A Durham Bulls, with whom he went 1-1 with a 1.57 ERA and three saves in 27 games, striking out 33 batters in 28 2/3 innings. The Devil Rays then called him up to help out their bullpen; he made eight appearances with Tampa Bay in the 2006 season and won a roster spot out of spring training with the Devil Rays in mlby|2007. In 2007, he went 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 12 games and was suspended in May for 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs. [cite web | title = Dominican ball players rate high in steroids use | publisher = Dominican Today | url = http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=23851 | accessdate = 2007-07-20] [cite web | title = Reliever Salas suspended 50 games for failed drug test | date = 2007-05-07 | publisher = Associated Press | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2863181 | accessdate = 2007-07-20] To take his place on the roster, the Devil Rays recalled Tim Corcoran from Durham.

Salas started the mlby|2008 season on the restricted list due to problems obtaining a visa to come to the United States. He missed spring training and did not arrive in the United States until April 17, 2008, several weeks after the 2008 MLB season started. He reported to the Triple-A Durham Bulls for a rehab assignment beginning May 9. [cite web | url=http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/may/17/sp-pitchers-do-job-at-plate-too/ | author=Lancaster, Marc | title=Tampa Bay Online | work=Pitchers do job at plate, too | accessyear=2008 | accessdate=May 17]

ee also

*List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links

* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=salasju01 Baseball-Almanac.com]
* [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/futuresgame/261893.html Salas' question answered by BaseballAmerica.com]
* [http://insidethedugout.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_insidethedugout_archive.html Inside The Dugout Futures Game discussion]