Scott Michael Strickland (born April 26, 1976) is an American former
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)
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weat ...
who played for several teams between 1999 and 2010.
Amateur career
A native of
Houston, Texas, Strickland attended the
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...
, and in 1996 he played
collegiate summer baseball with the
Falmouth Commodores
The Falmouth Commodores are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Commodores play their home games at Arnie Alle ...
of the
Cape Cod Baseball League.
Professional career
Montreal Expos
Strickland was selected by 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 ...
in the 10th round of the
1997 MLB 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 played in the Expos minor league system from 1997–1999 with the
Vermont Expos
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...
,
Cape Fear Crocs
The Cape Fear Crocs were a minor league baseball team in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
They were a low Class-A baseball team which played in the South Atlantic League, and were a farm team of the Montreal Expos for the franchise's entire tenu ...
,
Jupiter Hammerheads
The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roger Dean ...
,
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League, and the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who play their home games at FNB Field on City Island, which opened in 1987 a ...
and
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a Minor League Baseball team that competed in the Triple-A International League (IL) from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over 15 seasons, the team was an affiliate of the Montreal ...
. 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
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in a seven player transaction. With the Mets, Strickland pitched in 68 games in 2002, finishing 6-9 with a 3.59 ERA. However, after appearing in only 19 games in 2003 he had to undergo
Tommy John surgery and was sidelined for most of the next two years.
Houston Astros
He did not return to the Major Leagues until September 3, 2005 with the
Houston Astros. He only pitched four innings with the Astros that season.
Pirates/Padres/Yankees
From 2006–2008 he pitched in AAA with the
Indianapolis Indians (
Pirates),
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 ...
(
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 pennan ...
) and
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (often abbreviated to SWB RailRiders) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Moosic, Pennsylvania, in the ...
(
Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
).
Los Angeles Dodgers
He went 4-0 with a 3.53
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 ...
and 72
strikeouts in 2008 with Scranton and became a free agent at the end of the season. On December 19, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with 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 ...
and was assigned to the AAA
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an e ...
.
With the Isotopes, Strickland became the closer after the release of
Tanyon Sturtze
Tanyon James Sturtze (born October 12, 1970) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
Early life and education
He attended Saint Peter-Marian High School then Quinsigamond Community College and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1 ...
. Strickland collected 32 saves in 34 opportunities, finishing with a 2-1 record and a 2.98 ERA with 57 strikeouts. On August 10 of that year, Strickland became the all time Albuquerque baseball saves leader with his 25th, in an 8-6 win over the
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960 ...
.
Florida Marlins
On December 14, 2009, Strickland signed a minor league contract with the
Florida 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 fran ...
with an invitation to spring training.
He got called up to the Marlins on June 13, 2010 for the first time in 5 years and pitched in three games before he was sent back down. He became a free agent after the season.
References
External links
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strickland, Scott
1976 births
Living people
Albuquerque Isotopes players
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball players from Houston
Bravos de Margarita players
Cape Fear Crocs players
Gulf Coast Mets players
Falmouth Commodores players
Florida Marlins players
Harrisburg Senators players
Houston Astros players
Indianapolis Indians players
Jupiter Hammerheads players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Montreal Expos players
Navegantes del Magallanes players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
New Orleans Zephyrs players
New York Mets players
Norfolk Tides players
Ottawa Lynx players
Portland Beavers players
Round Rock Express players
St. Lucie Mets players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees players
Vermont Expos players
Mat-Su Miners players