Billy Traber

Infobox MLB player

---

width=200
name=Billy Traber
position=Relief pitcher
team=New York Yankees
number=61
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1979|9|18
birthplace=city-state|Torrance|California
debutdate=April 4
debutyear=2003
debutteam=Cleveland Indians
statyear=September 14, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=12-14
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=5.54
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=151
teams=
*Cleveland Indians (by|2003)
*Washington Nationals (by|2006-by|2007)
*New York Yankees (by|2008)

William Henry "Billy" Traber, Jr. (born September 18, 1979 in Torrance, California) is a left-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees.

Playing career

College

Traber went to Loyola Marymount University, where he was First-Team All-American and West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He set a single-season school strikeout record with 156 strikeouts (in 123 innings pitched).

In by|2000, Traber entered the draft and was picked in the first round (16th overall) by the New York Mets. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E6DB1030F931A3575AC0A9669C8B63 BASEBALL; Traber, Mets' Top Pick, Signs - New York Times ] ] The Mets were prepared to offer Traber a contract worth $1.3 million, but after an MRI showed some damage to his pitching elbow, he signed a contract worth only $400,000. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E0D9123DF93AA35754C0A9659C8B63 BASEBALL; Traber Shuts Down Yankees - New York Times ] ]

Minor league

In 2001, the Mets traded Traber to the Cleveland Indians along with Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, Earl Snyder, and Jerrod Riggan for Roberto Alomar, Mike Bacsik, and Danny Peoples. The deal to get Traber and the rest for Alomar ultimately beat out another that would have traded Alomar straight across for Gary Sheffield.

In by|2002, Traber was runner-up minor league pitcher of the year, going 17-5 for the Akron Aeros (Double-A) and Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A), and was voted by "Baseball America" as having the best control and curveball in the league. His numbers were also good enough to give him top-honors for Cleveland pitching prospects.

Major league

On April 4, mlby|2003, Traber made his Major League debut. Although he started out well (1.59 ERA, 1-0 record in 7 games that spring) -- even pitching a one-hit shutout of the New York Yankees on July 8 -- Traber's season fell apart when elbow problems that haunted him in college and the minors came back to end his '03 campaign and ultimately the entire mlby|2004 season when he needed Tommy John surgery.

During the 2004-mlby|2005 offseason, the Boston Red Sox signed Traber. Before playing a single game, the Red Sox placed him on waivers. On November 10, 2004, he was claimed by the Indians off waivers and was signed to a minor league deal on December 22, 2004. [ [http://indians.scout.com/2/341332.html Scout.com: 40-Man Roster ] ]

On December 5, by|2007, he was released by the Washington Nationals after having pitched for them the previous two seasons.

On January 5, by|2008, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees and was invited to spring training. On March 15, he was added to the 40-man roster and he opened the season in the Yankee bullpen. He sepnt much of the season splitting time between the Yankees and their Triple-A affiliate. He was designated for assignment on September 1. [ [http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-spynotes025826190sep02,0,5523550.story] ]

References

External links

*
* [http://www.attheyard.com/artman/publish/billytraber.shtml/ Billy Traber baseball diary - At the Yard] (2003)