R. J. Swindle

Infobox MLB player
name = R. J. Swindle


width =150
caption =
position = Pitcher
team = Philadelphia Phillies
number = --
bats = Left
throws = Left
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|7|7
birthplace = Vancouver, British Columbia
debutdate = July 7
debutyear = 2008
debutteam = Philadelphia Phillies
statyear = September 17, 2008
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 0-0
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 7.71
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 4
teams =
*Philadelphia Phillies (by|2008)

Robert J. "R.J." Swindle (born July 7, 1983 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. [cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=449881|title=R. J. Swindle Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights|publisher=Philadelphia Phillies|accessdate=2008-07-02] Swindle throws five pitches, including a fastball, slider, change-up, cutter, and a 55 mph curveball with a delivery between three-quarters and sidearm.

College career

Swindle attended Charleston Southern University, where he was 21–13 over his three seasons playing for the Buccaneers. by|2003 was his strongest season, when he posted a 10–4 record as a starter with an ERA of 1.96. Overall in his college career, he struck out 330 batters over three years, with a career ERA of 3.13. [cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/R.J.-Swindle.shtml|title=R. J. Swindle Statistics|publisher=Baseball Cube|accessdate=2008-07-12]

Professional career

2004

Swindle's professional career began as a reliever for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, a Red Sox affiliate. In twelve games, Swindle posted a 5–1 record with a 1.94 ERA, leading the Spinners in wins in by|2004. He pitched 51 innings, allowing eleven earned runs and striking out 56, also leading the team in WHIP. [cite web|url=http://minors.baseball-reference.com/teams.cgi?yid=2004&lid=NYP&tid=LOW|title=2004 Lowell Spinners Statistics|publisher=Baseball Reference|accessdate=2008-07-12] Despite his statistics, he was released by the Red Sox at the end of the year. [cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/R.J.-Swindle.shtml|title=Swindle Proves Himself Through Numbers|last=Schneider|first=Max|date=2006-07-10|publisher=Scout.com|accessdate=2008-07-12]

2005

In by|2005, Swindle played for the Schaumburg Flyers of the independent Northern League. Posting a 6–4 record in 18 games (16 starts), he was second on his team in innings pitched with 118⅓, and in strikeouts with 102. Swindle also tossed two complete games for Schaumburg at the age of 21. [cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statistics/2005/10538.shtml|title=2005 Schaumburg Flyers|publisher=Baseball Cube|accessdate=2008-07-12]

2006–2007

Swindle started his by|2006 season with the Flyers as a member of their starting rotation. After being signed by the Yankees organization in June, he posted an ERA of 0.61 in 21 appearances for Single-A Charleston, earning him a late-season promotion to Columbus. After beginning by|2007 with the Newark Bears in the Atlantic League, [cite web|url=http://www.newarkbears.com/news/press/index.html?article_id=1265|title=Press Releases|date=2008-07-02|publisher=Newark Bears|accessdate=2008-07-12] he split the remainder of the year between Lakewood and Clearwater in the Phillies' farm system, compiling a 2–2 record with a 2.25 ERA in 44 innings pitched, including 57 strikeouts and only 8 walks. [cite web|url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=R.J.%20Swindle&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=449881|title=Minor League Baseball: Stats|publisher=Minor League Baseball|accessdate=2008-07-10]

2008

Swindle was first called up to the majors on July 2, mlby|2008, to replace Clay Condrey in the Phillies' bullpen; [cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080702&content_id=3047045&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils recall pitcher Swindle from minors|publisher=Philadelphia Phillies|accessdate=2008-07-02] he took the roster spot vacated by Brett Myers.cite web|title=Swindle happy to be in majors|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080702&content_id=3051073&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|publisher=Philadelphia Phillies|accessdate=2008-07-03] As a reliever, he had a 1–1 record and a 2.19 ERA for Lehigh Valley, after posting a 1–0 record with an 0.54 ERA at Reading. [cite web|url=http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=30659|title=Robert Swindle Statistics|publisher=Baseball Reference|accessdate=2008-07-12] Swindle was sent back down on July 4 to open a roster spot for J. A. Happ without playing in a major league game, but returned to the majors on July 7 when Tom Gordon went on the disabled list. [cite web|title=Gordon of DL with elbow inflammation|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080706&content_id=3083228&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|publisher=Philadelphia Phillies|accessdate=2008-07-07] He made his major league debut the same day against the New York Mets, also his 25th birthday. He pitched three innings, allowing two runs, walking one and striking out three. [cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2008_07_07_nynmlb_phimlb_1|title=Boxscore|date=2008-07-07|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=2008-07-11] Batting for himself against Arizona on July 12, Swindle drove in Eric Bruntlett on a fielders' choice for his first major league RBI in his second career at-bat. [cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_07_12_arimlb_phimlb_1&mode=gameday|title=Gameday|date=2008-07-12|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=2008-07-12] However, the Phillies optioned him back to Lehigh Valley the next day, July 13, in favor of Joe Bisenius. [cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080713&content_id=3128215&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phillies recall Bisenius, option Swindle|last=Mandel|first=Ken|date=2008-07-13|publisher=Philadelphia Phillies|accessdate=2008-07-13]

References

External links

*baseballstats |mlb=449881 |espn=29177 |br=s/swindlrj01 |fangraphs=539 |cube=S/R.J.-Swindle