Dicky Gonzalez
Dicky Angel Gonzalez Vallenilla (born December 21, 1978) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Yomiuri Giants, and Chiba Lotte Marines. Career Gonzalez was drafted by the New York Mets in the 16th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. He played part of the season for the Mets. Prior to the 2002 season, he was traded with Bruce Chen, Luis Figueroa, and a player to be named later ( Saúl Rivera) to the Montreal Expos for Phil Seibel, Scott Strickland and Matt Watson. Prior to the 2003 season, he was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox. Gonzalez pitched for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization in , pitching for the Devil Rays briefly. He was released on June 7, 2004. He joined the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and their farm team in . He missed all of with an elbow injury. He played in the 2006 World Baseball ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Starting Pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pitchers are expected to pitch for a significant portion of the game, although their ability to do this depends on many factors, including effectiveness, stamina, health, and strategy. A starting pitcher in professional baseball usually rests three, four, or five days after pitching a game before pitching in another. Therefore, most professional baseball teams have four, five or six starting pitchers on their rosters. These pitchers, and the sequence in which they pitch, is known as the ''rotation''. A team's best starter is known as the ace, and is almost always the first man to pitch in the rotation. In modern baseball, a five-man rotation is most common. In contrast, a pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a re ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in Tokyo, founded in 1934, and the original circuit for the sport in the Empire two years later – Japanese Baseball League (1936–1949), and continued to play even through the final years of World War II. The league that is today's NPB for Japan was formed when that sports organization reorganized in 1950, creating two leagues with six teams each in the Central League and the Pacific League with an annual season-ending Japan Series championship play-off series of games starting that year. The NPB also oversees the Western League (Japanese baseball), Western League and the Eastern League (Japanese baseball), Eastern League, NPB's minor league, minor leagues. Since the first Japan Series in , the Yomiuri Giants have the most cha ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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No-decision
A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports. Baseball and softball A starting pitcher who leaves a game without earning either a win or a loss is said to have received a ''no decision''. Major League Baseball (MLB) rules specify that a starting pitcher, in order to earn a win, must pitch at least five innings, leaving the game with a lead that their team "does not relinquish". There is no innings requirement for a starting pitcher to earn a loss, simply that the pitcher allows a run that gives the winning team a lead that they do not relinquish. When a starting pitcher does not earn a win or a loss, it is a no decision, and the outcome of the game does not affect the starting pitcher's win–loss record, as a relief pitcher will receive the win or loss. Attributing wins, losses, and no decisions can be complex, such as when a starting pitcher lea ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated territories of the United States, unincorporated territory of the United States. It is located in the northeast Caribbean Sea, approximately southeast of Miami, Florida, between the Dominican Republic and the United States Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and includes the eponymous main island and several smaller islands, such as Isla de Mona, Mona, Culebra, Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques, Puerto Rico, Vieques. It has roughly 3.2 million residents, and its Capital city, capital and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, most populous city is San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan. Spanish language, Spanish and English language, English are the official languages of the executive branch of government, though Spanish predominates. Puerto Rico ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2006 World Baseball Classic
The 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from Major League Baseball. It was held from March 3 to 20 in stadiums that are in and around Tokyo, Japan; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Lake Buena Vista, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; Scottsdale, Arizona; Anaheim, California; and San Diego, California. The first two rounds had a round-robin format, which led to two teams being eliminated on run difference tiebreakers: in the first round, Canada was eliminated despite its 2–1 record, due to a blowout loss to Mexico as well as failing to run up the score on South Africa; and in the second round, eventual champion Japan advanced despite its 1–2 record, due to a blowout win over Mexico and losing more narrowly to South Korea than did the United States. The higher-seeded teams generally advanced to the second round, including Puerto Rico and Venezuela, as well as the teams mentioned elsewhere in this summary. Althoug ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox' home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox" name was chosen by the team owner, John I. Taylor, , following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the "Boston Red Stockings," including the Boston Braves (now the Atlanta Braves). The team has won nine World Series championships, tied for the third-most of any MLB team, and has played in 13 World Series. Their most recent World Series appearance and win was in . In addition, they won the American League pennant, but were not able to defend their 1903 World Series championship when the New York Giants refused to participate in the 1904 World Series. The Red Sox were a dominant team in the new league, defeating the Pittsburgh Pira ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Matt Watson (baseball)
Matthew Kyle Watson (born September 5, 1978) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics between 2003 and 2010. Amateur career A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Watson attended J. P. McCaskey High School and Xavier University. In 1998 he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 16th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. Professional career In 2002, Watson was traded with Phil Seibel and Scott Strickland to the New York Mets for Bruce Chen, Luis Figueroa, Dicky Gonzalez and a player to be named later, who would be Saúl Rivera. Watson made his major league debut with the Mets in 2003. Following the 2003 season, Watson was selected off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. He spent 2004 in the minors, and played for the Athletics in 2005. The Chiba Lotte Marines purchased Watson from the A's after the 200 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Scott Strickland
Scott Michael Strickland (born April 26, 1976) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher who played for several teams between 1999 and 2010. Amateur career A native of Houston, Texas, Strickland attended the University of New Mexico, and in 1996 he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Professional career Montreal Expos Strickland was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 10th round of the 1997 MLB Draft. He played in the Expos minor league system from 1997–1999 with the Vermont Expos, Cape Fear Crocs, Jupiter Hammerheads, Harrisburg Senators and Ottawa Lynx. Strickland made his Major League debut on August 14, 1999 against the Colorado Rockies. He worked 1.2 innings and allowed one earned run in his debut. New York Mets He was a relief pitcher for the Expos from 1999 through 2002, when the Expos traded him to the New York Mets in a seven player transaction. With the Mets, Strickland pitched in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Phil Seibel
Philip Matthew Seibel (born January 28, 1979) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Biography Seibel attended the University of Texas, where he pitched for the Texas Longhorns baseball team from 1998 to 2000. He also pitched for Team USA in 1999. His professional career began in 2000 when he was drafted in the 8th round by the Montreal Expos. In April 2002 he was traded along with two other players to the New York Mets for Bruce Chen, Dicky Gonzalez, Luis Figueroa, and a player to be named later (Saul Rivera). Following the 2003 season, Seibel was placed on waivers by the Mets and picked up by the Boston Red Sox. Seibel made his major league debut on April 15, 2004, and faced just two batters. The first batter reached on an error, and the second batter walked. He also pitched on April 18, 2004, against the New York Yankees, where he pitched 3 scoreless, hitless innings, and received a no-decision in the Red Sox loss. He walked 5 and struck out one. Seibel rece ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (NL) East division from 1969 until 2004. Following the 2004 season, the franchise relocated to Washington, D.C., and became the Washington Nationals. Immediately after the minor league Triple-A Montreal Royals folded in 1960, political leaders in Montreal sought an MLB franchise, and when the National League evaluated expansion candidates for the 1969 season, it awarded a team to Montreal. Named after the Expo 67 World's Fair, the Expos originally played at Jarry Park Stadium before moving to Olympic Stadium in 1977. The Expos failed to post a winning record in any of their first ten seasons. The team won its only division title in the strike-shortened season, but lost the 1981 National League Championship Seri ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Saúl Rivera
Rabell Saúl Rivera (born December 7, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks. Career Minnesota Twins Rivera attended the University of Mobile, and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins. He was assigned to the Elizabethton Twins after signing. He was promoted to the Quad Cities River Bandits in 1999, where he would spend the season. In 2000, he began the season with the advanced Single-A Fort Myers Miracle before receiving a promotion to the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats. He would spend the 2001 season with New Britain, pitching in 33 games for the club. He was added to the Twins roster in the offseason. New York Mets On November 20, 2001, Rivera was selected off waivers by the New York Mets. He began the 2002 season with the Double-A Binghamton Mets. Montreal Expos On July 16, 2002, the Mets sent Rivera to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Player To Be Named Later
In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the season. Postponing a trade's final conditions or terms is often done for several reasons. First, the team receiving the PTBNL might not be certain which position they want to fill, so this type of deal gives them more time to figure it out. Second, this type of arrangement gives the team receiving the PTBNL more time to evaluate the available talent on the other team. Also, when a trade takes place during August, a player must clear waivers before he can be traded; the PTBNL concept allows the player's original team to make an attempt to have him clear waivers then finalize the deal, or (if the player cannot clear waivers) wait until the end of the season to trade him. When a PTBNL transaction occurs, the negotiating teams usually agree on a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |