Jesse Craig Carlson (born December 31, 1980) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

Amateur career

Born in

New Britain, Connecticut New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford. According to 2020 Census, the population of the city is 74,135. Among the southernmost of the communities encompassed wit ...

, 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 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 The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...

, where he lettered in baseball for three straight years (2000 to 2002). In 2001, he played

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

in the

Cape Cod Baseball League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...

for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Professional career

Carlson was drafted by the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

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 The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

in the top of the twelfth inning with the bases loaded after

Brandon League Brandon Paul League (born March 16, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. League has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a former closer and one-t ...

allowed two runs to Oakland, breaking the game's tie. Carlson struck out

Daric Barton Daric William Barton (born August 16, 1985) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics. Minor league career Barton was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ...

to end the inning. A few days later, against the Texas Rangers at the

Rogers Centre Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it ...

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 Allan James Burnett (born January 3, 1977), is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Philadelphia ...

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 Paul John Quantrill (born November 3, 1968) is a Canadian former professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons, from 1992 to 2005; his longest tenure was six seasons with the Toronto B ...

had 11 wins in the 2001 season. During a game against the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

on September 15, 2009, Carlson threw a pitch behind

Jorge Posada Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (born August 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Posada recorded a .273 batting average, 275 home runs, and ...

, causing Posada to take exception of the pitch and leading to both dugouts emptying. Posada would eventually walk then score a run. After Posada crossed home plate, Carlson was bumped and Posada was ejected for taunting after he bumped into Carlson. Posada charged at Carlson causing a brawl in which both dugouts and bullpens cleared. Carlson and Posada were both ejected and suspended three games. On December 11, 2011, the

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 ...

signed Carlson to a minor league contract. He also received an invitation to spring training. On June 16, 2012, the Red Sox released Carlson.

Pitching style

Carlson primarily relied on his 88–90 mph four-seam fastball and his 81–85 MPH slider. He also threw an occasional

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

from 77 to 80 mph, an 80–84 mph changeup, and a rare

two-seam fastball A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and softball. It is a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball and can also include late-breaking action caused by varying the pressure of the index and middle fingers on t ...

at 82–84 mph.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlson, Jesse Living people 1980 births American expatriate baseball players in Canada Baseball players from Connecticut Cardenales de Lara players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela UConn Huskies baseball players Frisco RoughRiders players Las Vegas 51s players Lexington Legends players Major League Baseball pitchers New Hampshire Fisher Cats players Oklahoma RedHawks players Oneonta Tigers players Portland Sea Dogs players Round Rock Express players Sportspeople from New Britain, Connecticut Syracuse Chiefs players Syracuse SkyChiefs players Toronto Blue Jays players Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox players