Blaine Boyer

Infobox MLB player
name = Blaine Boyer


width = 200
caption = Boyer with the Braves in 2008
team = Atlanta Braves
number = 56
position = Relief pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1981|7|11
birthplace = Atlanta, Georgia
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = June 12
debutyear = 2005
debutteam = Atlanta Braves
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 6-8
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 5.06
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 103
teams =
*Atlanta Braves (by|2005-present)

Blaine Thomas Boyer (born July 11, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. In his first season, playing for the Atlanta Braves as a midseason call-up, he went 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 37.2 innings.

Blaine Boyer was drafted by the Braves on June 13, by|2000 in the 3rd Round of the 2000 Draft, after attending George Walton Comprehensive High School in Marietta, Georgia. His first season of pro baseball was with the rookie league team the Gulf Coast Braves, where he went 1-3 with a 2.51 ERA.

Blaine went 4-5 with a 4.52 ERA and 57 strikeouts with the Danville Braves in by|2001. The next year, he played with the Class A team the Macon Braves and led the bullpen with 73 strikeouts.

In by|2003, Boyer stayed with the Macon Braves when they moved to Rome. That year he finished 5th in the league in wins with 12, and also led the team in wins. He finished the year with a 12-8 record and a 3.69 ERA. He also recorded a minor-league career-high 115 strikeouts.

In by|2004, Boyer played with Class A Myrtle Beach. He led the Carolina League with 154 innings pitched and was selected to the Carolina League All-Star team. He was elected the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 3 by The Sports Network.

On June 12, by|2005, Blaine was called up to the major leagues directly from the AA Mississippi Braves, and made his debut that day against the Oakland Athletics. He went 4-1 with a 2.05 ERA in 23 games at Atlanta's home field, Turner Field.

On May 14, by|2008, Blaine Boyer pitched 1.1 innings to record his first Major League Save (baseball) against the Philadelphia Phillies. [http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080514&content_id=2699984&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl]

External links

* [http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=430641 Atlanta Braves : Player Information]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6316 ESPN Player Card]