Jesse Carlson

Jesse Carlson
Toronto Blue Jays — No. 43
Relief pitcher
Born: December 31, 1980 (1980-12-31) (age 30) New Britain, Connecticut
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 10, 2008 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics (through August 19, 2010)
Win–Loss	8–8
Earned run average	3.52
Strikeouts	106
Saves	2
Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (2008-present)

Jesse Craig Carlson (born December 31, 1980) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. Born in New Britain, Connecticut, Carlson graduated from Berlin High School, where he starred in basketball as well as baseball. Carlson was a member of the team that defeated Seymour Connecticut High School to win the state championship in 1999. After high school, Carlson was awarded Big East rookie honors while pitching for the University of Connecticut, where he lettered in baseball for three straight years (2000 to 2002).^[1]

Carlson was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2002. He remained in the minor leagues for seven seasons with four different organizations before making his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on April 10, 2008. He entered the game against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the twelfth inning with the bases loaded after Brandon League allowed two runs to Oakland, breaking the game's tie. Carlson struck out Daric Barton to end the inning.^[2]

A few days later, against the Texas Rangers at the Rogers Centre on April 16, Carlson came on in the 11th inning with the bases loaded and no one out. In an amazing and very rare feat, he struck out the side on 12 pitches, marking the first time since 1960 that a reliever came into a game in extra innings with the opponent's team loading the bases with no outs and striking out the side. Carlson also became the first pitcher in MLB history to achieve the feat on only his third game played. Carlson then pitched the 12th inning and was relieved before the start of the 13th. Ultimately the effort was in vain because the Jays lost in the 15th inning and A.J. Burnett was the losing pitcher in relief (his first relief appearance since 2004).

At the end of the 2008 season, he held a 7–2 record, becoming the winningest reliever for the club since Paul Quantrill had 11 wins in the 2001 season.

Pitching Style

Carlson primarily relies on his 88-90 MPH four-seam fastball and his 81-85 MPH slider. He also throws an occasional curveball from 77-80 MPH, an 80-84 MPH changeup, and a rare two-seam fastball at 82-84 MPH.^[3][4]

References

1. ^ "Jesse Carlson: Biography and Career Highlights". Major League Baseball Advanced Media, LP. http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=434482. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
2. ^ "April 10, 2008 Oakland Athletics at Toronto Blue Jays Box Score and Play by Play". Sports Reference LLC. 2008-04-11. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR200804100.shtml. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
3. ^ http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfx.aspx?playerid=4391&position=P
4. ^ http://www.60ft6in.com/BlueJays.html

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	Carlson, Jesse
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 31, 1980
Place of birth	New Britain, Connecticut
Date of death
Place of death