Louis William Pote (born August 21, 1971) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
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 ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Anaheim Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
and
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
.
Early career
Pote was originally drafted by the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
in 1990. He began his professional career the following season with the
Arizona League Giants
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Four C ...
, and continued to pitch in the Giants farm system until 1995, when he was traded to the
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 t ...
. He was released by Montreal near the end of
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 1997, eventually signing with the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
in August. He became a free agent at the end of the season, signing with the Angels.
Anaheim Angels
After pitching for the
Midland Angels
Midland may refer to:
Places Australia
* Midland, Western Australia
Canada
* Midland, Albert County, New Brunswick
* Midland, Kings County, New Brunswick
* Midland, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Midland, Ontario
India
* Midland Ward, Kohima, Naga ...
in 1998, he was promoted to the
Triple-A Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in Edmonton, Alberta. They were a part of the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Their home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton.
The ...
in 1999. He was called up to the major leagues in August, making his debut on August 11. It was in 2001, while pitching for the Angels, that Pote caused mild-mannered Seattle Mariners DH
Edgar Martínez
Edgar Martínez (born January 2, 1963), nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a designated hitter and third baseman for the Seattle Mariners from 19 ...
to charge the mound for the first and only time in his career.
Japan
Pote was released by the Angels in January 2003, signing with the
Hanshin Tigers
The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway ...
in Japan. He spent one season in NPB before returning to North America.
Later career
Pote returned to the Cardinals prior to the 2004 season, but his contract was sold to the Indians in May. He returned to the major leagues in June, pitching in two games for Cleveland, before being released from his contract. He signed with the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
organization, finishing the season with their top farm club, the
Portland Beavers
The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL.
Franchise history
Many baseball teams ...
.
After spending 2005–06 in the
Texas Rangers organization, Pote signed a contract with the
Edmonton Cracker-Cats
The Edmonton Capitals, originally the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, were a Canadian professional independent minor league baseball team that played between 2005 and 2011 in several leagues.
The Capitals are based in Edmonton, Alberta, and are currently ...
for the 2007
Northern League season and finished in the top 10 in pitching; he also played for the
Atlantic League's
Camden Riversharks
The Camden Riversharks were an American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey, from 2001 to 2015. They were a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which was not at that time affiliat ...
. In 2008, he played for Chinese Professional Baseball League's
Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions
The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, stylized as Uni-President 7-ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇn Lions, also known as Uni-Lions (), are a professional baseball team playing in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). The Lions are based in Tainan City, Ta ...
.
In 2009, Pote returned to Edmonton with the Capitals, who at the time played in the
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in San Ramon, California, with teams located in the western United States, western Canada and northwest Mexico.
The GBL was not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the orga ...
. He started the 2010 season with the
Dorados de Chihuahua
Dorados de Chihuahua (English: Chihuahua Goldens) are a refounded baseball team from the city of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua. Recently, the Tuneros de San Luis moved to Chihuahua and took the Dorados namesake, which also brought the LMB (AAA ...
in the
Mexican League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
, but pitched in just eight games before returning to the Capitals. He retired with the Capitals in 2011 after winning the NABL championship and getting the honors of MVP.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pote, Lou
1971 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
American expatriate baseball players in Japan
American expatriate baseball players in Taiwan
Anaheim Angels players
Arizona League Giants players
Arizona League Rangers players
Arkansas Travelers players
Bakersfield Blaze players
Baseball players from Illinois
Camden Riversharks players
Cleveland Indians players
De La Salle Institute alumni
Dorados de Chihuahua players
Edmonton Capitals players
Edmonton Cracker-Cats players
Edmonton Trappers players
Everett Giants players
Frisco RoughRiders players
Hanshin Tigers players
Harrisburg Senators players
Kishwaukee Kougars baseball players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Mexican League baseball pitchers
Midland Angels players
Oklahoma RedHawks players
People from Evergreen Park, Illinois
Portland Beavers players
Sacramento River Cats players
Salt Lake Stingers players
San Jose Giants players
Shreveport Captains players
Tiburones de La Guaira players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Tomateros de Culiacán players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions players