Clay Rapada

Clay Rapada
Baltimore Orioles — No. 57
Relief pitcher
Born: March 9, 1981 (1981-03-09) (age 30) Portsmouth, Virginia
Bats: Right	Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 14, 2007 for the Chicago Cubs
Career statistics (through June 1, 2011)
Win–Loss	3–0
Earned run average	5.40
Strikeouts	36
Teams
Chicago Cubs (2007) Detroit Tigers (2007–2009) Texas Rangers (2010) Baltimore Orioles (2011)

Clayton Anthony Rapada (born March 9, 1981 in Portsmouth, Virginia) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball.

Career

Rapada started in the Chicago Cubs organization pitching for the Single-A Boise Hawks from 2002–2003. At the beginning of 2003, he was promoted to the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts, where he posted a 5.63 ERA and recorded 24 strikeouts over 24 innings pitched, primarily in relief. During a game that year, Rapada was ejected along with six other players following a brawl with the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Detroit Tigers affiliate. Rapada showed improvement in 2004 for the Lugnuts, going 6–6 with an ERA of 2.33 in 57 appearances.^[1][2]

In 2005, the Cubs moved Rapada up to the Single-A Daytona Cubs, where he went 1–3 with an ERA 3.83 in 27 appearances. 2006 saw Rapada progressing through the Cubs' minor league organization, and he pitched for both the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. Between the two teams, he appeared in 61 games and posted an ERA of 1.59.^[2]

Rapada made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs on June 14, 2007, against the Seattle Mariners. He faced only one batter, Raúl Ibáñez, who lined out to Cubs right fielder Cliff Floyd.^[3] Rapada was sent back to the Iowa Cubs on June 19, 2007, without making another appearance.

On August 30, 2007, Rapada was announced as the player to be named later in the trade between the Tigers and Cubs involving outfielder Craig Monroe.

Rapada made his Tigers debut on September 9, 2007. In a coincidence, he faced Ibáñez again, giving up a 3-run home run. He was pulled immediately after, giving him the distinction of facing the same batter (and only that batter) twice in his first two major league appearances; one while pitching for a National League club and the other with an American League club. He earned his first major league victory on April 15, 2008 as the Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 6–5.^[4]

Rapada did not make the Tigers 25-man roster and began the 2009 season playing for the Toledo Mud Hens.

On December 7, 2009, Rapada was traded to the Texas Rangers for a player to be named later or cash considerations.^[5] On December 16, Rapada was outrighted off the 40 man roster to Triple-A.

Rapada played most of the 2010 season with the minor league Oklahoma City RedHawks. On September 3, 2010, Texas called up Rapada to the major league roster.^[6]

On January 14, 2011, Rapada was placed on release waivers by the Rangers. On January 25, 2011, Rapada was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and invited to spring training to compete for a roster spot. After being sent to the minors after spring training, Rapada was called up by Baltimore on April 17.^[7] He made his Orioles' debut on April 18 with two outs in the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins.^[8] He was designated for assignment on June 29. In 12 1/3 games with Baltimore, Rapada had a 7.38 ERA.^[9]

References

1. ^ "Whitecaps win a ballgame – and fight – against Lugnuts; Seven players ejected; suspensions likely to follow". Grand Rapids Press: p. C3. July 2, 2003. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Clay Rapada Statistics (Minor Leagues)". Baseball-Reference.com. http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=26731. Retrieved April 23, 2008. 
3. ^ June 14, 2007 Seattle Mariners at Chicago Cubs Box Score and Play by Play – Baseball-Reference.com
4. ^ April 15, 2008 Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers Play by Play and Box Score – Baseball-Reference.com
5. ^ Jason Beck (December 7, 2009). "Tigers sign Thomas, deal Rapada". MLB.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091207&content_id=7767556&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. Retrieved December 7, 2009. 
6. ^ Grant, Evan. "Rangers activate Nippert, recall Teagarden and bring up Rapada. After the Texas Ranger's first postseason series clinch in franchise history, the team announced that Clay should be in the bullpen in the ALCS against the Yankees.". The Dallas Morning News. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/baseball/rangers/stories/090410dnsporangadds.ba9fb1a0.html. Retrieved September 3, 2010. 
7. ^ Clay Rapada: Rapada to be promoted from AAA on Monday
8. ^ Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles - April 18, 2011
9. ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben. "Orioles To Designate Clay Rapada For Assignment". MLBTradeRumors.com. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/06/orioles-to-designate-clay-rapada-for-assignment.html. Retrieved 29 June 2011. 

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Persondata
Name	Rapada, Clay
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 9, 1981
Place of birth	Portsmouth, Virginia
Date of death
Place of death