Jorge Julio

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name = Jorge Julio
team = Atlanta Braves
number = 65
position = Relief pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1979|3|3
birthplace = Caracas, Venezuela
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = April 26
debutyear = 2001
debutteam = Baltimore Orioles
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 16-33
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 4.30
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 435
stat4label = Saves
stat4value = 99
teams =
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2001-by|2005)
*New York Mets (by|2006)
*Arizona Diamondbacks (by|2006)
*Florida Marlins (by|2007)
*Colorado Rockies (by|2007)
*Cleveland Indians (by|2008)
*Atlanta Braves (by|2008-present)

Jorge Dandys Julio Tapia (born March 3, 1979 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles from mlby|2001–mlby|2005, New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks in mlby|2006, and the Florida Marlins in mlby|2007 before being traded to the Rockies for Byung-Hyun Kim. He had a brief stint with the Cleveland Indians in mlby|2008. He bats and throws right-handed.

Julio depends primarily on his fastball, which he throws at least 75 percent of the time.fact|date=May 2008 He throws both a four-seam and a two-seam fastball in the 95-99 MPH range and has been known to hit triple digits from time to time. He also has a downward-breaking slider, which comes in at between 86-90 MPH and occasionally throws a changeup as well.

Julio's first full season in the majors was mlby|2002 with Baltimore. He went 5–6, posting a 1.99 ERA with 25 saves and 55 strikeouts in 68 innings. He finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting with 1 second-place vote and 11 third-place votes. He was unable to duplicate his rookie season success and eventually lost his job as the Orioles closer to B. J. Ryan at the end of mlby|2004. Julio began 2005 as the set-up man for Ryan. During April of that season, he allowed just one earned run in 12 ⅔ innings pitched. But his performance declined and he finished the season 3–5 with a 5.90 ERA in 67 appearances.

On January 21, 2006, Julio was dealt to the Mets with pitching prospect John Maine in exchange for Kris Benson. He began the season in the Mets bullpen, but was traded to the Diamondbacks on May 24, 2006, for Orlando Hernández. He replaced José Valverde as the Arizona closer and saved 15 games in 19 opportunities before losing the closer job to Valverde in early September.

On March 26, 2007, Julio was traded to the Marlins for Yusmeiro Petit and was named their closer coming out of spring training. But after failing to record a save in three opportunities, he was removed from the closer role in mid-April. On May 12, 2007, in his last outing as a Marlin, he gave up a walk-off grand slam to Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals. He was traded to the Rockies for Byung-Hyun Kim the following day. He pitched in both a middle relief and a set-up role for Colorado, appearing in 58 games and posting an 0–3 record with a 3.93 ERA for the Rockies.

During the 2007–2008 off-season, Julio was granted free agency in October, signed a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Indians on January 31, 2008, and was invited to their spring training camp. His contract was purchased by the team on March 25, 2008, and he was on their opening day roster. However, after 15 generally ineffective relief appearances, he was designated for assignment on May 28, 2008, and was later released on June 2. He posted a 0–0 record and 5.60 ERA in those 15 appearances. Shortly after his release, Julio signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

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