Lee Gronkiewicz

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name = Lee Gronkiewicz
team = Boston Red Sox
number = 68
position = Relief pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1978|8|21
birthplace = city-state|Los Angeles|California
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = June 19
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Toronto Blue Jays
statyear = 2007
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 0-0
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 2.25
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 2
teams =
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2007)

Lee Matthew Gronkiewicz (born August 21, 1978 in Los Angeles, California) is a Major League relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He is 5'10 in height and weighs 200 pounds.

College career

Gronkiewicz attended college first at Spartanburg Methodist College, and then transferred to the University of South Carolina. In by|2001, he was selected to the All-SEC team and was a First-team All-American. He led the country in saves that year with 16, and had a 1.42 ERA.

Minor League career

Gronkiewicz signed with the Cleveland Indians in by|2001 as an amateur free agent. He spent four years in Cleveland's minor league system before he was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays in the by|2004 Rule 5 Draft. In seven minor-league seasons, Gronkiewicz has a career 18-16 record, pitching almost entirely in relief with just one start for the by|2007 Syracuse Sky Chiefs, putting up a 2.48 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP along the way. He struck out nearly four times as many batters as he walked (421 strikeouts and 111 walks through 2007).

Major League career

Gronkiewicz' major league debut (and only major league appearance to date) was on June 19, mlby|2007, when the Blue Jays hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers. He allowed one run -- a home run to Dodgers catcher Russell Martin -- on two hits, walking two and striking out two, over four innings of work. It turned out to be his only major league game of the season.

In November 2007, he signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=669 Baseball America - Minor League Transactions] ] .

In April by|2008, after a stellar month in Triple-A where he allowed 1 run in 11 innings, he was placed on the DL with elbow soreness. It was later determined to be damage to his UCL and he underwent Tommy John surgery, ending his season [ [http://www.soxprospects.com/injuries/index.htm soxprospects.com - Injury and Inactive Report] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.soxprospects.com/players/gronkiewicz-lee.htm Sox Prospects] statistics and analysis