Randall Christopher Wolf (born August 22, 1976) nicknamed "Wolfie", 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
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
,
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
,
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 ...
,
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
,
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
,
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
, and
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 ...
.
Wolf graduated from
El Camino Real in
Woodland Hills, California
Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.
Geography
Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of Ca ...
. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 1994, but he did not sign. He played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and t ...
and then was drafted by the Phillies in 1997. He made his MLB debut in 1999. In 2003, Wolf was selected to the
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
.
Early life
Wolf was born on August 22, 1976, in
Canoga Park, California
Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and the ...
.
He played
PONY League Baseball in
West Hills, California
West Hills is a suburban / residential community in the western San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. The percentage of residents aged 35 and older is among the highest in Los Angeles County.
The neighborhood was f ...
. He played high school baseball at
El Camino Real in
Woodland Hills, California
Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.
Geography
Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of Ca ...
, where he was named High School "Pitcher of the Year" by the
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
in 1993, and "Player of the Year" in 1994. Wolf continued his amateur career at
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and t ...
where he was a freshman first-team
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
,
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference (WCC) — known as the California Basketball Association from 1952 to 1956 and then as the West Coast Athletic Conference until 1989 — is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I consisting of ...
Pitcher of the Year, second-team college All-American, and a West Coast Conference All-Star.
Draft and minor leagues
Wolf was originally drafted by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in the 25th round of the
1994 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign. He was then drafted by the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
in the second round of the
1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997. A total of 1607 players were drafted over the course of 92 rounds.
First round selections ...
. He rose through the
minor leagues
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...
quickly, including stops with
Single-A
Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A, Double-A (baseball), Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classif ...
Batavia
Batavia may refer to:
Historical places
* Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands
* Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...
(1997, 4–0, 1.58, 7 starts), Double-A
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
(1998, 2–0, 1.44, 4 starts), and Triple-A
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (1998, 9–7, 4.62, 23 starts & 1999, 4–5, 3.61, 12 starts).
Major league career
Philadelphia Phillies
Wolf made his
major-league debut on June 11, 1999, against 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 ...
, pitching 5 innings, giving up one
run, and recording his first career
victory
The term victory (from Latin ''victoria'') originally applied to warfare, and denotes success achieved in personal Duel, combat, after military operations in general or, by extension, in any competition. Success in a military campaign constitu ...
in the Phillies 8–4 win over Toronto. He finished his first season with a 6–9 record and a 5.55 ERA.
In his second season, Wolf was embedded in the rotation and was a mainstay the entire season, going 11–9 in 32 starts. He followed the next couple of seasons winning 10 and 11 games respectively in the years 2001 and 2002.
In 2003, Wolf was selected to the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
All-Star team and finished the year with a career-high 16 wins. On August 11, 2004, Wolf hit two
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s while pitching the Phillies to a 15–4 win against the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
. On July 1, 2005, Wolf underwent
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
, missing the remainder of the season and the first half of the 2006 season. He made his return to the Phillies' rotation on July 30, 2006. He finished the 2006 season with a 4–0 record, pitching only 55 innings. During his time with the Phillies, Wolf was supported at every home start by a fan group, “The Wolf Pack,” founded by eight brothers and their four cousins. The group, sporting wolf masks, assembled in the typically empty upper deck of Veterans Stadium and celebrated Wolf strikeouts by howling and dancing. Wolf befriended members of the group and kept in contact even after leaving the Phillies in 2006.
The Wolf Pack returned to Citizens Bank Park in 2016 for Wolf's retirement ceremony and performed a dance on top of the Phillies dugout with the Phillie Phanatic.
After the 2006 season Wolf's contract with the Phillies expired and he became a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Wolf signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wolf started 18 games, going 9–6. On July 4, 2007, Wolf went on the 15-day
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
due to left shoulder soreness. He underwent shoulder surgery and missed the rest of the season. On November 1, the Dodgers bought out his 2008 option and allowed Wolf to become a free agent.
San Diego Padres
On December 1, 2007, Wolf signed a one-year contract 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 ...
. On April 15, 2008, Wolf had a
no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
through 6 innings against the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
at
Petco Park
Petco Park is a baseball stadium in Downtown San Diego, California. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, and has also been used as a venue for concerts, soccer, golf, and rugby.
The ballpark is located between Se ...
before
Brad Hawpe
Bradley Bonte Hawpe (born June 22, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Hawpe played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Before he b ...
hit a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
.
Houston Astros
On July 22, 2008, Wolf was traded to the Houston Astros for
Chad Reineke.
Second stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers
On February 6, 2009, Wolf signed a one-year, $5 million contract to return to the Dodgers. He turned in one of his best seasons, finishing 11–7 with a 3.23 ERA in 34 starts for the team.
Milwaukee Brewers
On December 14, 2009, Wolf agreed to a three-year, $29.75 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
In 2010, Wolf finished 13–12 in 34 starts. In 2011, he started 33 games (4th in the National League) and was 13–10, with a 3.69 ERA.
Through 2011, his 9 career shutouts were 6th-most of all active pitchers.
On October 13 in the
2011 NLCS against 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 ha ...
, Randy Wolf won his first career postseason start. With this victory, Wolf is no longer the active leader in career games started without a postseason win. The Brewers lost the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals in 6 games. On August 22, 2012, Wolf was given his release by the Brewers organization after going 3–10 with a 5.69 ERA.
Jeff Bianchi was brought up from Triple A to fill his spot on the roster. A few weeks before being released, Wolf threw a 49 mph curveball, the slowest in MLB history.
Baltimore Orioles
The
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
and Wolf reached an agreement on August 31, 2012, and was subsequently added to the team's 25-man roster as a member of the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
. Wolf was also included on the Orioles postseason roster until losing the
2012 ALDS
The 2012 American League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams in the 2012 American League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—the winner of a one-game Wild Card ...
against the Yankees. Wolf went 2–0 in 5 games for the O's. Wolf was released after the season ended.
2013
On October 30, Wolf underwent
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
for the second time of his career. As a result, Wolf missed the entire 2013 season.
Seattle Mariners
On February 11, 2014, Wolf signed a minor league contract with the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
. The Mariners' released him on March 25.
Arizona Diamondbacks
On April 11, 2014, he signed a minor league contract with the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. Wolf opted out of his contract on May 14, 2014.
Miami Marlins
Wolf agreed to a one-year contract with the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
on May 14, 2014.
Wolf pitched in 6 games for the Marlins, posting a 1–3 record with a 5.26 ERA. On June 16, the Marlins designated Wolf for assignment after a couple of poor starts. Two days later on June 18, Wolf cleared outright waviers and elected free agency.
Second stint with the Baltimore Orioles
On June 22, 2014, Wolf agreed to a minor league contract to return to the Orioles. After 6 games (1 start) with the Triple-A
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
, he opted out of his minor league deal on July 13.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Wolf signed a minor league deal with the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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 ...
on July 26, 2014, and subsequently made 7 starts for the Triple-A
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. They are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and play their home games at Smith's Ballpark. The ballpark op ...
.
Toronto Blue Jays
On March 16, 2015, Wolf signed a minor-league contract with 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 ...
. The Blue Jays announced the signing officially on March 18, and assigned him to the Triple-A
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
. Wolf made 23 starts for the Bisons in 2015, and posted a 9–2 record, with a 2.58 ERA, 106 strikeouts and 40 walks in 139 innings.
Detroit Tigers
On August 20, 2015, Wolf was traded to 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 ...
for cash considerations. He made his debut for the Tigers on August 22 in a game against the
Texas Rangers. In his debut, he pitched seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits, with five strikeouts and no walks. Eight of Texas' first 14 batters singled against him, before retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced. Wolf appeared in a total of 8 games with the Tigers, pitching to an 0–5 record with a 6.23 ERA. Wolf retired during the offseason, following a 16-year career.
Scouting report
Wolf threw a
four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is c ...
and a
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 ...
clocked at 87–90 mph. He also threw a
cut fastball
In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slide ...
in the mid-80s, a late breaking
slider
Slider or Sliders may refer to:
Arts
* K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise
* '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex
* ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series
* ...
in the upper 70s, a sweeping
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 ...
in the upper 60s to lower 70s, and occasionally mixed in a
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
in the upper 70s. Wolf primarily pitched to contact for fly balls, though he was capable of racking up strikeouts in his starts.
Personal life
Wolf's older brother,
Jim
Jim or JIM may refer to:
* Jim (given name), a given name
* Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James
* Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy
* OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism
* ''Jim'' (comics), a series by Jim Woodring
* ''Jim ...
, is a Major League
umpire
An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection.
The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per'', ...
. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, Jim did not work behind the plate during his brother's starts. Eventually Jim would not officiate in any capacity in games Randy's team were playing. If his crew was involved in games that included Randy's team, he was removed from those games and switched with another umpire. Wolf's cousin,
Sid Akins, is a retired professional baseball player who appeared in the
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...
.
In 2007, Wolf purchased a house in Los Angeles'
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California.
Geography
The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains.
The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...
from rocker
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
.
See also
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolf, Randy
1976 births
Living people
Baseball players from Los Angeles
Major League Baseball pitchers
National League All-Stars
Philadelphia Phillies players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
San Diego Padres players
Houston Astros players
Milwaukee Brewers players
Baltimore Orioles players
Miami Marlins players
Detroit Tigers players
Pepperdine Waves baseball players
Batavia Clippers players
Reading Phillies players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons players
Clearwater Phillies players
Lakewood BlueClaws players
Clearwater Threshers players
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino players
Reno Aces players
Norfolk Tides players
Salt Lake Bees players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
People from West Hills, Los Angeles
El Camino Real High School alumni