- Todd Van Poppel
Infobox MLB retired
name=Todd Van Poppel
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1971|12|9Hinsdale, Illinois
deathdate=
debutdate=September 11
debutyear=by|1991
debutteam=Oakland Athletics
finaldate=October 2
finalyear=by|2004
finalteam=Cincinnati Reds
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=40-52
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=5.58
stat3label=Strikeout s
stat3value=711
teams=
*Oakland Athletics (by|1991, by|1993-by|1996)
*Detroit Tigers (by|1996)
* Texas Rangers (by|1998)
*Pittsburgh Pirates (by|1998)
*Chicago Cubs (by|2000-by|2001)
* Texas Rangers (by|2002-by|2003)
*Cincinnati Reds (by|2003-by|2004)
highlights=Todd Matthew Van Poppel (born
December 9 ,1971 inHinsdale, Illinois ) is a formerMajor League Baseball pitcher who played for theOakland Athletics (by|1991, by|1993-by|1996),Detroit Tigers (1996), Texas Rangers (by|1998, by|2002-by|2003),Pittsburgh Pirates (1998),Chicago Cubs (by|2000-by|2001), andCincinnati Reds (2003-by|2004). He retired duringspring training with theNew York Mets in by|2005.Amateur career
Van Poppel was 11-3 with a 0.97 ERA and 170
strikeout s as a senior at Martin High School inArlington, Texas . He was drafted in the first round, 14th overall, by the Athletics directly out of high school in by|1990. TheAtlanta Braves had seriously considered using their No. 1 overall selection on the highly touted pitcher. But because of concerns about his signability, the team opted instead to takeshortstop Chipper Jones . [http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/moore/entries/2008/09/23/aaron_recalls_making_call_on_c.html Terrence Moore. Aaron recalls making call on Chipper, September 23, 2008.] ]Professional career
Van Poppel was the first of four starting pitchers selected by the A's in the first 36 picks of the 1990 draft, referred to at the time as "The Four Aces". The other three draftees were Don Peters, Dave Zancanaro and
Kirk Dressendorfer . All four struggled with injuries after being drafted, and only Van Poppel and Dressendorfer ever reached the major leagues. [http://athletics.mostvaluablenetwork.com/2004/12/ Melissa Lockard. Blast from the Past: Q&A with Kirk Dressendorfer, December 16, 2004.] ]Because Van Poppel was signed to a major league contract rather than the standard minor league contract, the A's only had a limited number of minor league options they could use on him. By all accounts, his lack of seasoning in the minors cost both the A's and Van Poppel. He pitched just 37.2 innings in Single-A in 1990, spent by|1991 at Double-A Huntsville, and was hurt for much of by|1992 at Triple-A Tacoma before splitting time between Oakland and Tacoma in 1993. In all, he made only 32 minor league starts. [http://www.cincinnati.com/reds/roster/vanpoppel.html Todd Van Poppel, Cincinnati.com, 2004.] ] [http://www.stluciemets.com/index.cfm?method=PressReleases_detail&id=530 Kevin T. Czerwinski. Mets sign veteran Van Poppel, Press Release, 2005.] ]
Armed with a blazing
fastball that had little movement, Van Poppel struggled with the A's -- his best season in Oakland was probably by|1995, when he went 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA, splitting time as a starter and a reliever. He also notched 122 strikeouts (and 56 walks) in 138.1 innings that year.In 1996, his numbers dropped sharply, and he was released by the A's mid-season. After unremarkable stops in Detroit, Texas and Pittsburgh, Van Poppel did have two successful years (2000 and 2001) as a middle reliever with the Cubs, before his effectiveness declined.
Van Poppel's career record was 40-52. He never won more than seven games in a season.
Retirement
Shortly after his retirement from baseball in 2005, Van Poppel announced he was investing in the
Denton Outlaws , aTexas Collegiate League team. The Outlaws went on to win the league championship that year. [http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t21692.html Brett Vito. Baseball: Van Poppel to invest in Outlaws, GoMeanGreen.com, May 17, 2005.] ]References
External links
*baseball-reference|id=v/vanpoto01
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