Kevin Hart (baseball)

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name = Kevin Hart
team = Chicago Cubs
number = 22
position = Relief pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1982|12|29
birthplace = city-state|Cleveland|Ohio
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = September 4
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Chicago Cubs
statyear = September 30, 2008
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 2-2
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 4.89
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 36
teams =
*Chicago Cubs (by|2007–present)

Kevin Richard Hart (born December 29, 1982 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.

Kevin attended Dallas Jesuit high school and played collegiately at the University of Maryland and was then selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round (319th pick) in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. On December 7, by|2006, Hart was acquired by the Chicago Cubs as the player to be named later in a trade that had sent Freddie Bynum to the Orioles a day earlier. He is of no relation to Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Corey Hart.

Professional career

When rosters expanded, he made his major league debut on September 4, mlby|2007, after being called up from the Double-A Tennessee Smokies that same day. Hart's debut came under difficult circumstances, as he was summoned to relieve Will Ohman in the 8th inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with the bases loaded and nobody out. After walking the first batter (former Cub Ramón Martínez) on 4 pitches to force in a run, Hart struck out Mark Sweeney, and Rafael Furcal hit into an inning-ending double play. Hart gave up one hit in his second inning of work while also striking out Jeff Kent and Andre Ethier, for a total of three strikeouts, one hit, and no runs in his two-inning Major League debut.

Despite his inexperience, manager Lou Pinella showed a willingness to use Hart as the Cubs progressed through the stretch run of a pennant race, and he appeared in several close games in September. He was impressive enough during his limited time to be chosen as one of the 11 pitchers on the team's playoff roster. [ [http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071002&content_id=2246644&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc The Official Site of The Chicago Cubs: News: Notes: Hart makes NLDS roster ] ] Hart made 8 appearances in September's stretch playoff run. He held a .82 ERA with 11 innings pitched, 13 strikeouts, and held batters to a .189 batting average.

References

External links

* [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-20-cubs-bits-chicagojun20,0,3808120.story]
* [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/Kevin-Hart.shtml The Baseball Cube Player Profile]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hartke01.shtml Hart's page at baseball-reference.com]
* [http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070904&content_id=2188902&vkey=pr_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc Chicago Cubs press release announcing Hart's promotion]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN200709040.shtml Play-by-play of Hart's debut]