Levale Speigner

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name=Levale Speigner
position=Pitcher
team=Washington Nationals
number=37
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|9|24
birthplace=city-state|Thomasville|Georgia
debutdate=April 2
debutyear=2007
debutteam=Washington Nationals
statyear=September 5, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=2-3
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=8.72
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=19
teams=
*Washington Nationals (by|2007-present)

Jimmy Levale Speigner (born September 24, 1980 in Thomasville, Georgia) is an American baseball relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals. Speigner attended college, and played NCAA ball for four years, at Auburn University.

Minor Leagues

A 14th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in by|2003, Speigner worked his way up the minor league chain, having a solid year in by|2006 for the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats, and spent a short time with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. After the season, he was selected by the Washington Nationals as a Rule 5 Draft pick.

2007

Speigner worked as a middle reliever and appeared in 12 games, with a respectable 3.77 ERA through mid-May. But by then, four of the Nationals five starters were on the disabled list, and, Speigner, along with a few other Nats relievers, was pressed into service as a starter. From May 16 through June 2, Speigner started four times, each time a disaster. His longest outing was 4 innings, and over the four game span compiled a record of 0-2 and an ERA of 14.44. In his June 2 start, however, while he gave up 6 runs on 6 hits in the first inning, he then retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WAS/WAS200706020.shtml Box Score] , Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres, June 2, 2007] This gave Manager Manny Acta enough confidence to try Speigner one more time. On June 9, facing two-time Cy Young award winner Johan Santana, Speigner threw a gem, six innings, two hits, and one run, earning a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN200706090.shtml Box Score] , Washington Nationals vs. Minnesota Twins, June 9, 2007] Speigner gave credit to pitching coach Randy St. Claire for correcting a number of errors. [cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/09/AR2007060901565.html | title=Speigner, Nats Have A Surprise: Nationals 3, Twins 1 | author=Barry Svrluga | publisher=Washington Post | date=June 10, 2007 | page=E01] But he followed that with a game against the Toronto Blue Jays in which he surrendered seven runs in 3 1/3 innings. Three days later, he appeared in relief, and surrendered 2 runs in 2 innings, and the following day he was designated for assignment. The Nationals and the Twins worked out a deal allowing the Nationals to send Speigner to Triple-A Columbus. The Nationals gave up minor league outfielder Darnell McDonald.

References

External links

* [http://www2.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/players/Levale_Speigner/ Sportsnet Player info]