Brian Lawrence

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name=Brian Lawrence
position=Starting pitcher
team=Atlanta Braves
number=24
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|5|14
debutdate=April 15
debutyear=2001
debutteam=San Diego Padres
statyear=2007
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=50-63
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=4.19
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=597
teams=
*San Diego Padres (by|2001-by|2005)
*New York Mets (by|2007)

Brian Michael Lawrence (born May 14, 1976 in city-state|Fort Collins|Colorado) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is currently with the Atlanta Braves organization. He bats and throws right-handed.

Playing career

Lawrence attended Northwestern State University of Louisiana. In the by|1998 Major League Baseball amateur draft, the San Diego Padres selected Lawrence in the 17th round. After spending the rest of that year at the rookie and short-season Class A levels of the Padres' organization, he played a full season in by|1999 with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, finishing with a 12-8 record and a 3.39 ERA.

During the by|2000 season, Lawrence split time between the Class AA Mobile BayBears and the Class AAA Las Vegas Stars.

At the end of the by|2001 season, Lawrence made his major league debut for the Padres. He ended up going 5-5 with a 3.45 ERA in 27 games (15 starts). The 2001 season was the only one in which the Padres used him extensively in a relief role.

By by|2002, he had established himself in the Padres' starting rotation, and he made at least 31 starts with the Padres in each of the next four seasons. For three consecutive years (2002 to by|2004), he logged more than 200 innings pitched, and he won at least ten games in each of those seasons.

On June 12, 2002, Lawrence struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 2-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Lawrence became the 24th National League pitcher and the 33rd pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning. However, in by|2005, his record was just 7-15, and his ERA 4.83 - his highest-ever ERA in the majors.

After the 2005 season, the Padres traded Lawrence to the Washington Nationals for third baseman Vinny Castilla. Following the trade to the Nationals, Padres General Manager Kevin Towers was quoted as saying "Brian Lawrence was an effective low cost innings-eater". The righty would never have an opportunity to pitch for the Nationals. On the second day of spring training for the by|2006 season, team doctors discovered a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, which put him on the disabled list for all of 2006. After the 2006 season, the Nationals declined their by|2007 option on Lawrence.

On January 21, 2007, Lawrence was signed by the Colorado Rockies, but was released early in the season. On May 6, 2007, Lawrence signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. The Mets assigned him to their AAA minor league affiliate team, the New Orleans Zephyrs. On August 2, 2007, Lawrence was called up to the major leagues, and started his first game with the Mets against the Milwaukee Brewers. His victory in Milwaukee was his first major league win in almost 2 years. He was designated for assignment on September 18, 2007. [ [http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/recap/MLB_20070802_NYM@MIL Milwaukee Brewers, Geoff Jenkins, Brian Lawrence, Johnny Estrada, Major League Baseball, New York Mets - CBSSports.com ] ] Lawrence made six starts for the Mets and posted a 6.83 ERA. Lawrence opted for free agency after the season.

On January 19, by|2008, the Kansas City Royals signed Lawrence to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, he was released from the team on March 27, 2008. On April 24, 2008, Lawrence signed with the Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League.

On June 8, the Atlanta Braves bought Lawrence's contract from Camden and assigned him to Triple-A Richmond.

ee also

* Pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches

External links

* [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6700 ESPN profile]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lawrebr02.shtml Statistics at Baseball Reference]
* [http://thebaseballcube.com/players/L/brian-lawrence.shtml Major- and minor-league statistics at The Baseball Cube]
* [http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=400147 Washington Nationals player page]
* [http://www.tireball.com/behindthedugout/profiles/brian-lawrence/ Brian Lawrence: Behind the Dugout]

References