Travis Blackley

Infobox MLB player
name=Travis Blackley


width=90
position=Starting Pitcher
team=Philadelphia Phillies
number=44
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1982|11|4
debutdate=July 1
debutyear=2004
debutteam=Seattle Mariners
statyear=2007
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=1-3
stat2label=Earned Run Average
stat2value=9.35
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=21
teams=
*Seattle Mariners (by|2004)
*San Francisco Giants (by|2007)

Travis Jarrod Blackley (born November 4, 1982 in Melbourne, Australia) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Professional career

eattle Mariners

Blackley was signed by the Seattle Mariners as an undrafted free agent on October 29, by|2000. He began his professional career with the Single-A Everett AquaSox in by|2001. He had a 6-1 record with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts. He also had 90 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .211 batting average.

Blackley played for the Single-A San Bernardino Stampede in by|2002. He had a 5-9 record with a 3.49 ERA in 21 games, 20 of which were starts. He had 152 strikeouts in 121.1 innings, his strikeouts were second among all Mariners minor leaguers.

Blackley played for the Double-A San Antonio Missions in by|2003. His 2003 season was his most impressive of his minor league career. He led the Texas League with 17 wins; was second in ERA (2.61), fourth in strikeouts (144) and fourth in innings pitched (162.1). His 17 wins were the most by a Texas League pitcher since Jeff Reardon of the Jackson Mets in by|1978.

He participated in the Texas League Postseason All-Star game and was named to the World squad in the 2003 All-Star Futures Game at U.S. Cellular Field on July 15. Blackley was also named the Mariners minor league pitcher of the year by the organization.

In by|2004, Blackley was named by "Baseball America" as the #63 prospect out of 100 prospects. He was named the third best prospect in the Mariners system, behind pitchers Félix Hernández and Clint Nageotte, and was their top left-handed prospect. Blackley began the season in Triple-A with the Tacoma Rainiers. The Mariners, after trading Freddy Garcia to the Chicago White Sox, needed another starter and Blackley's contract was purchased on July 1, 2004. He made his major league debut on that same day against the Texas Rangers and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits in 5 2/3 innings and got the win. He became just the sixth pitcher in Mariners history to start and win on their major league debut.

After spending a month with the major league club in which he went 1-3 with a 10.04 ERA in 6 starts, Blackley was optioned back to Triple-A Tacoma on August 1, 2004. He had an 8-6 record with a 3.83 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) with Tacoma in 2004 before ending the season on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis in his left arm.

Blackley missed the whole by|2005 season while recovering from left shoulder surgery.

In March of by|2006, Blackley was slated to play in the World Baseball Classic with team Australia but was held back to continue rehabbing his shoulder.

Blackley spent the majority of the 2006 season with Double-A San Antonio. After going 8-11 with a 4.06 ERA in 25 starts in Double-A, Blackley was promoted to Triple A Tacoma at the end of August. He made 2 starts in Tacoma and had a 1-1 record with a 4.09 ERA.

an Francisco Giants

On April 1, by|2007, following the end of Spring Training, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Jason Ellison. Blackley was immediately optioned to Triple-A Fresno. Blackley played the whole minor league season with the Grizzlies. He went 10-8 with a 4.66 ERA in 28 starts. He was recalled on September 21, and on September 23 made his first major league start since July 31, 2004 against the Cincinnati Reds. Blackley won his debut, giving up two runs in the first inning and three hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out five.

Philadelphia Phillies

After being outrighted off the San Francisco roster, on December 6, 2007, Blackley was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft.

Towards the end of the by|2008 spring training, Blackley was placed on waivers. The Giants did not reclaim him and the Phillies outrighted him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Personal life

Blackley is married to model Arynne Tiller of Wichita, Kansas and has a son, Tristan (born January 6, 2005). He resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

ee also

*List of players from Australia in Major League Baseball

External links

* [http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=429715 MLB.com Player Profile]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/blacktr01.shtml Baseball Reference Player Profile]
* [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/Travis-Blackley.shtml The Baseball Cube Player Profile]