Robert Randolph Ellis (born December 15, 1970) is a former
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 pit ...
who 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), ...
between and . He batted and threw right-handed.
Career
Listed at 6' 5", 220 lb., Ellis was selected by the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
in the
1990 Major League Baseball draft out of the
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
. From –, he pitched at five different
minor league
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 Nor ...
levels. Ellis began his pro baseball career in the minors with the
New York–Penn League
The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed th ...
's
Utica Blue Sox
The Utica Blue Sox was the name of two minor league baseball teams based in Utica, New York.
In the 2010s, the ''Utica Blue Sox'' is the name of a collegiate summer baseball team of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) based in ...
in 1991. Ellis spent the next season playing for both the
Gulf Coast League
The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
White Sox and the Single-A
South Bend White Sox of the Mid West League in . In , Ellis once again played for two different teams playing for the Single-A
Sarasota White Sox
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The c ...
of the
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
. And later for the Double-A
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The current ...
of the
Southern League. On July 27, 1996, Ellis was traded to the
California 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 ...
for
Pat Borders.
Ellis reached the majors in 1996 with the Angels, spending one year with them before moving to 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 ...
(),
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 ...
() and
Texas Rangers (). His most productive season came in 2001 with Arizona, when he set career-highs in
wins (6),
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s (41) and
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
(92.0).
In a four-season career, Ellis posted a 7–7 record with 54 strikeouts and a 6.03
ERA
An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth.
Comp ...
in 118.0 innings.
After that, Ellis pitched in the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
for the
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
and
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
organizations.
On February 4, , Ellis was named the
Gulf Coast Mets
The Florida Complex League Mets are a Rookie-level affiliate for the New York Mets, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Mets. The team plays its home games a ...
pitching coach
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...
.
Beginning in late 2009, Ellis was the strength and conditioning and head baseball coach at Henderson High School in Henderson, Texas.
In August 2012, Ellis became Assistant Athletic Director and head baseball coach at Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas.
In early 2021, Ellis starting coaching at Bullard High School in Bullard, Texas, where he is the head baseball coach and teaches Outdoor Education and Physical Education.
Personal life
Ellis is a family friend and mentor of pitcher
Philip Humber
Philip Gregory Humber (; born December 21, 1982) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Houston Astros in seven seasons in Major League ...
.
Humber humble about recent success
''Chicago Tribune''
References
External links
, o
The Baseball Gauge
Mexican League
Venezuela Winter League
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Robert
1970 births
Living people
Águilas Cibaeñas players
American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Baseball coaches from Louisiana
Baseball players from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Birmingham Barons players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
California Angels players
Gulf Coast White Sox players
Las Vegas 51s players
Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Louisville Redbirds players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Mexican League baseball pitchers
Minor league baseball coaches
Nashville Sounds players
New Orleans Zephyrs players
Northwestern State Demons baseball players
Northwestern State University alumni
Oklahoma RedHawks players
Panola Ponies baseball players
Sarasota White Sox players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons players
Sportspeople from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
South Bend White Sox players
Sultanes de Monterrey players
Syracuse Chiefs players
Texas Rangers players
Tucson Sidewinders players
Utica Blue Sox players
Vancouver Canadians players