Jamey Alan Wright (born December 24, 1974) is an American former professional baseballpitcher who serves as the
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 ...
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 ...
,
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 ...
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. He reached the majors with them in 1996 and was part of their starting rotation through the 1999 season. Traded to Milwaukee before the 2000 season, he became the Brewers'
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
starter in 2001, winning a career-high 11 games. After being traded to St. Louis during the 2002 season, he spent most of 2003 in the minor leagues, then pitched for the Rockies again in 2004 and 2005. He was named the fifth starter for the Giants and the Rangers in 2006 and 2007, respectively, but both times he was removed from the rotation during the year. After the 2007 season, he served almost exclusively as a reliever.
With the Rangers in 2008, Wright tied for third in the American League (AL) with 75 games pitched. He spent 2009 with the Royals, split 2010 between the Indians and Mariners, and spent 2011 with the Mariners. After a year with the Dodgers in 2012, he reached the playoffs for the first time in his 18th season, with the Rays in 2013. He pitched one final year for the Dodgers in 2014, then retired after failing to make an MLB roster in 2015 and 2016. In 719 appearances (248 starts), he had a 97–130
record
A record, recording or records may refer to:
An item or collection of data Computing
* Record (computer science), a data structure
** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity
** Boot sector or boot record, ...
Jamey Alan Wright was born on December 24, 1974, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Growing up, he was part of three
Little League Baseball
Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization He attended Oklahoma City's
Westmoore High School
Westmoore High School is an American four-year public high school located in south Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The school was founded in 1988 and serves the ninth through the twelfth grades as part of the Moore Public School District. Westmoore w ...
, where he was a second team High School All-American and the Southwest Region Gatorade Player of the Year in 1993. As a senior that year, he had a 7–2
record
A record, recording or records may refer to:
An item or collection of data Computing
* Record (computer science), a data structure
** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity
** Boot sector or boot record, ...
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 in 62
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 ...
, leading Westmoore to a third-place finish in the state torunament. (Note: May need to click "View More Bio Info+" for some information.) Wright also lettered in basketball at Westmoore. He is the only baseball player from Westmoore to reach the major leagues.
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 ...
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado Rockie ...
in 1996. According to sportswriter Larry Stone, he "dominated" in the minor leagues.
In 1996, Wright made his Major League debut when he started for the Rockies against the San Francisco Giants on July 3, allowing one
run
Run(s) or RUN may refer to:
Places
* Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia
* Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant
People
* Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
in six innings. He recorded his first major league win with a seven-inning start against the Giants on July 17, where he allowed only one earned run. The pitcher also recorded his first major league hit that day, a double against Osvaldo Fernández, though he injured his knee when sliding into second base. The injury did not end his season; Wright
started
"Started" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea for her second studio album ''In My Defense''. The song was written by Azalea alongside Ronny Wright and produced by American record producer J. White Did It. It was released by Ba ...
16 games (and made 1 relief appearance) in 1996, finishing with a 4–4 record and a 4.93 ERA in his debut season. He had arthroscopic surgery to repair the knee, then slipped on some ice in the off-season, requiring a second surgery.
Recovered by 1997, Wright made the Rockies roster out 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 ...
. He spent most of the season with Colorado, other than a stretch from May 15 through June 8 when he was on the
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
...
with right shoulder inflammation and a stint from June 18 through July 2 when he was demoted to Colorado Springs. He turned in his first
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
with a 7–1 win over the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Cubs. After playing for the Texas Rangers and C ...
. He made 26 starts for the Rockies in 1997, posting an 8–12 record and a 6.25 ERA.
The 1998 season saw Wright spend the whole year in Colorado's starting rotation, setting what would be career highs in starts (34) and innings pitched (). On August 5, he hit a two-run home run against Francisco Córdova and pitched a complete game in a 6–2 victory over the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. He had a 9–14 record, a 5.67 ERA, and 86 strikeouts. Wright finished ninth in the National League (NL) with 235 hits allowed.
After posting a 7.58 ERA in his first four starts of 1999, Wright was demoted to Colorado Springs. In 17 games (16 starts) for Colorado Springs, he had a 5–7 record, posting a slightly lower ERA at 6.46. Recalled on August 2, he posted a 4.18 ERA the rest of the season for the Rockies. He won four straight decisions from August 22 to September 20, the best winning streak of his career. In 16 starts for Colorado, he had a 4–3 record and a 4.87 ERA.
Milwaukee Brewers
On December 30, 1999, Wright and Henry Blanco were traded to the
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 ...
in a three-team trade in which 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 ...
sent
Jimmy Haynes
Jimmy Wayne Haynes (born September 5, 1972) is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher.
Haynes was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 7th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his Major League Baseball ...
to Milwaukee, the Rockies sent Justin Miller to the Athletics, and the Brewers sent Jeff Cirillo and Scott Karl to the Rockies. He began the 2000 season on the disabled list with a right rotator cuff tear, but he joined the starting rotation after being activated on May 23. Despite entering August with a 6–4 record, Wright won only one more game for the Brewers all season, giving up four runs (three earned) over innings in a 7–4 victory over the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
on September 26. In 26 games (25 starts), he had a 7–9 record and a 4.10 ERA. Wright led the NL with 18 hit batsmen.
The Brewers tapped Wright to open the 2001 season, starting on April 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went seven innings, allowing the only run of the 1–0 loss with a solo homer to
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for eight teams from 1988 to 2009. He is a sports agent.
For most of his career, Sheffield played right ...
. He threw his first shutout on April 29, allowing just two hits in a 10–0 triumph over the Montreal Expos. Wright missed some time from May 21 through June 10 when he was on the disabled list recovering from a right intercostal strain. On June 28, he hit three Pirates over innings but allowed just one run, though that was all the scoring in a 1–0 loss to Pittsburgh. He struck out a career-high 12 batters over innings on August 31 against the
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 ...
, though he took the loss in a 3–2 defeat. From July 19 through September 5, Wright hit a batter in 10 straight starts, the longest streak in the major leagues since 1970. Wright had a career-high 11 wins in 2001 and struck out over 100 batters (129) for the first time, posting an 11–12 record and a 4.90 ERA. His 20 hit batsmen tied
Chan Ho Park
Chan Ho Park (; ; born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, ...
for the league lead and set a Brewers record. After the season, on October 30, he had arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.
Wright fell to third in Milwaukee's rotation in 2002, preceded by Ben Sheets and
Rubén Quevedo
Rubén Eduardo Quevedo (; January 5, 1979 – June 7, 2016) was a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs (2000) and Milwaukee Brewers (2001–03).
Career
Quevedo was signed as an in ...
. He was placed on the disabled list with a right rotator cuff tear after his first start of the year on April 4; Wright did not return until May 24. On July 1, he allowed just three hits in a 2–0 shutout of the Pirates. Through August 30, he had a 5–13 record and a 5.35 ERA.
Mike Matthews
Michael Scott Matthews (born October 24, 1973) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who pitched from to . Matthews graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School in Woodbridge, Virginia.
Matthews pitched a single season at Montgomery Junior ...
) and Chris Morris. Wright had a 2–0 record in four appearances (three starts) for the Cardinals, with a 4.80 ERA. In 23 games (22 starts) total in 2002, he had a 7–13 record and a 5.29 ERA. The Cardinals won the NL Central title and advanced to the NL Championship Series (NLCS), losing to the Giants, but Wright was not part of the playoff roster. In 2013, when Wright expressed his desire to make an appearance in the playoffs, he told reporters that his time with St. Louis "definitely does not count". After the season, he became a free agent.
Journeyman
On January 28, 2003, Wright signed with the Seattle Mariners. It was a one-year, minor league contract with a $400,000 option if he made the majors. He spent most of spring training with them but was released on March 18, the last player cut prior to the regular season. He re-signed with the Brewers organization on March 26. After he appeared in seven games (four starts) with the Triple-A
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...
, he was released on April 28. He was then signed by the Texas Rangers on May 7, and he made seven starts for the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks, where he was 2–1 with a 4.12 ERA. Texas released him on June 15, and he signed with the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
on June 20. He made 13 appearances (12 starts) with the Triple-A Omaha Royals and was 3–5 with a 3.64 ERA. The Royals called him up to the majors on September 6, and he pitched a complete game that day against the Anaheim Angels, though the team from California won 3–1. His next start, on September 13 against 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 ...
, was a complete game shutout as the Royals beat the Tigers 7–0. With Kansas City, he was 1–2 with a 4.26 ERA in four starts. After the season, he became a free agent.
Wright signed with the Cubs on December 29, 2003, but was released before the start of the 2004 season on March 27. He signed a minor league deal with the Royals on April 2 and made 18 starts in Omaha, where he was 8–6 with a 4.21 ERA. Wright made the Triple-A All-Star Game but was released on July 21.
Colorado Rockies, second stint
A day after being released by the Royals, Wright re-signed with the Rockies and was added to the starting rotation. Making his MLB season debut on July 24, he held the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run in five innings, earning his first victory since September 13 of the previous season. However, he won just one more game all season, holding the Giants to one run in seven innings on September 1 in a 4–1 triumph. He was 2–3 with a 4.12 ERA in 14 starts in 2004.
After the 2004 season, Wright became a free agent, but he resigned with the Rockies on December 22, 2004. He spent most of the 2005 season in their rotation. From June 4 through 16, he threw straight scoreless innings. After beating the Giants on August 2, Wright proceeded to lose his next five starts. After Wright posted a 6–16 record and a 5.71 ERA, the Rockies moved him to the bullpen at the end of August to make room for Zach Day and Sunny Kim in Colorado's rotation. "This could be the beginning of the second half of my career, and I would like it to be here," Wright said of the move. He was 8–16 with a 5.46 ERA in 34 appearances (27 starts) in 2005. Wright's 16 losses were topped only by Kip Wells's 18 in the NL. After the season, he became a free agent.
San Francisco Giants
Wright signed a minor league contract with the Giants on January 17, 2006. He was brought to spring training in 2006 as a non-roster invitee. Following a strong performance there, in which Wright pitched nine scoreless innings, the Giants promoted him to the major leagues as their No. 5 starter. Wright beat out Brad Hennessey for the job. On May 16, he allowed three runs in seven innings, earning the win against the Astros in a 14–3 triumph. The win was his first ever victory against Houston after 12 losses, the most by a starting pitcher to start his career against any team since Don Sutton lost his first 13 decisions against the Cubs from 1966 to 1969. On August 11, Giants' manager Felipe Alou announced that Hennessey would replace the struggling Wright in the rotation. At the time, Hennessey was 6–10 with a 5.18 ERA, but since May 22 his record had been 1–7 with a 6.40 ERA. Trouble locating his pitches and a flat sinkerball contributed to his struggles. Overall, he appeared in 34 games, making 21 starts in 2006 with a 6–10 record and 5.19 ERA. According to sportswriter Rich Draper, Wright "fell far short of expectations in 2006". However, he did lead NL pitchers in batting with a .261 average. On November 1, 2006, the Giants declined their option on Wright for the 2007 season, making him a free agent.
Texas Rangers
On January 25, 2007, the Texas Rangers signed Wright to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. He competed with Kameron Loe and Bruce Chen for a spot in the starting rotation. Winning the fifth spot, Wright made one short start for the Rangers on April 10 before being placed 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
...
with right shoulder inflammation. After four rehab starts, he was activated on June 15. "My arm strength is good. I'm ready to go and to get back out there," he said. He rejoined the rotation upon being activated on June 15, posting a 3–4 record and a 4.57 ERA through August 3. Long opposed to pitching exclusively in relief, Wright reluctantly moved to the bullpen during the 2007 season, starting just one game for the rest of the season. The transition would be permanent for him this time, as he would start just two more games for the rest of his career. In 20 games (nine starts), he had a 4–5 record and a 3.62 ERA, his finest to that point.
Remaining with the Rangers in 2008, Wright pitched exclusively out of the bullpen, posting an 8–7 record and a 5.12 ERA. His 75 games pitched set a new franchise record and tied with Dennys Reyes for third in the AL, behind
Matt Guerrier
Matthew Olson Guerrier (born August 2, 1978) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.
Amateur career
A native of Cleveland ...
's and Francisco Rodríguez's 76. Wright also had the second-most wins of AL relievers and the third-most innings pitched (). After the season, he became a free agent.
Kansas City Royals
On February 10, 2009, Wright signed a minor league contract with the Royals and was invited to spring training. He was the only non-roster invitee that year to be named to the team's Opening Day roster. He had a 1.66 ERA through May 16 and also pitched scoreless ball in seven games in a row from August 6 through 22. Wright struggled to hold
inherited runners
This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, along with their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries.
...
, however, allowing 22 of 47 to score. He was 3–5 with a 4.33 ERA in 65 games. After the season, he became a free agent.
Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners
On February 9, 2010, Wright signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians with an invitation to spring training. He made the team and was 1–2 with a 5.48 ERA. On June 4, the Indians designated Wright for assignment. He was released six days later.
Wright signed a minor league contract with 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 ...
on June 16. He made 10 appearances with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, where he was 1–0 with a 9.00 ERA. On July 15, he opted out of his contract to sign with the Seattle Mariners, who added him to the major league roster. In 28 games for the Mariners, he had an 0–1 record and a 3.41 ERA. Over 46 games between Cleveland and Seattle, he had a 1–3 record and a 4.17 ERA.
Following the 2010 season, Wright became a free agent, but he resigned with Seattle for 2011. After Wright held opponents scoreless until his 10th game of 2011, Stone wrote that he had "become an increasingly vital member of Seattle's bullpen". On July 5, he earned his first career save, throwing a scoreless 10th inning in a 4–2 victory over Oakland. The save came in his 500th game; only Frank Tanana took more games (530) to get his first save. From July 29 to the end of the year, he had a 1.37 ERA in 19 games. In 60 games, he was 2–3 with a 3.16 ERA. He became a free agent after the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers, first stint
On February 7, 2012, Wright signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that contained a spring training invitation. He was officially added to the roster before the start of the season on March 27. Wright pitched better at Dodger Stadium than on the road, posting a 5–0 record and a 1.71 ERA at home versus an 0–3 record and a 5.50 ERA in away games. He allowed no runs in 15 of his last 17 games. In 66 games, he had a 5–3 record and 3.72 ERA. After the season, he became a free agent.
Tampa Bay Rays
On January 22, 2013, Wright signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. By this time, he was one of three players in the last three decades to play for at least 17 years and never make the playoffs. His contract was selected by the Rays on March 31. On September 1, with the Rays facing a predominantly left-handed Oakland lineup, Rays manager Joe Maddon elected to skip right-handed starter Roberto Hernández's start in favor of a bullpen game handled mostly by left-handers. Wright, making his first start since 2007, allowed one run in innings and left with the game tied, but Oakland won 5–1. He finished the season with a 2–2 record in 66 appearances, and his 3.09 ERA was the lowest of his career.
Wright finally reached the playoffs, as the Rays won a wild card berth and defeated the Indians in the AL Wild Card Game. He made two appearances in the AL Division Series (ALDS) against the Red Sox. In Game 1, he finished a game the Rays trailed 8–2, allowing four runs in the eighth inning of a 12–2 loss at Fenway Park. He relieved Jeremy Hellickson with no outs and the bases loaded in the second inning of Game 4, getting out of the inning with no runs scoring by striking out Jarrod Saltalamacchia and inducing Stephen Drew to hit into a
double play
In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.
In Major Leag ...
. However, Tampa ultimately lost the game 3–1 and was eliminated from the playoffs. After the season, he became a free agent.
Los Angeles Dodgers, second stint
On December 24, 2013, the Dodgers announced that they had signed Wright to a one-year Major League contract, the first time since 2005 that he was guaranteed a spot on the roster coming into spring training. He pitched better in the first half of the season than the second half, posting a 3.50 ERA prior to the All-Star break and a 5.74 ERA thereafter. On September 21, he filled in for a start against the Cubs. Though he hoped to last five or six innings, he only pitched two. He allowed one run in an eventual 8–5 victory. Wright appeared in 61 games, posting a 5–4 record and a 4.35 ERA. The Dodgers won the NL West, and Wright was part of the playoff roster, though he did not pitch at all as Los Angeles was eliminated by the Cardinals in four games in the NLDS. After the season, he became a free agent.
End of career and statistics
On February 14, 2015, Wright signed a minor league contract with the Rangers. However, he was released on March 31 when he was unable to make the roster during spring training. He sat out the rest of the season, then signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on February 24, 2016. Unable to make the Dodgers Opening Day roster, he announced his retirement on March 28, 2016.
Wright pitched for 19 seasons in the major leagues. Of his 719 appearances, 248 were starts. He had a 97–130 record, a 4.81 ERA, 1,189 strikeouts, 978 walks, and 2,168 hits allowed in innings. Although nearly 40 percent of his career was spent in the bullpen, Wright tied with Bert Blyleven for 17th all-time in most batters hit by pitches, with 155 each.
After retiring, Wright worked for his agent for a few years before rejoining the Dodgers organization in 2020 as a special assistant. In 2021, Wright was hired as the
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 ...
Wright was a sinkerballer, throwing the pitch at 90–93 mph with an average speed of approximately 92 mph. He also threw a cut fastball at 88–90 mph and an occasional four-seamer in the low 90s. His main breaking ball was a sharp
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 ...
which travelled around 77–81 mph. Wright had a tendency to get ground ball outs. Prior to the 2011 season, he threw a changeup; he stopped throwing it in 2011 and 2012 but brought it back about nine percent of the time in 2013. He threw a slider through 2007, bringing it back in 2010. Once he joined the Mariners in 2010, pitching coach Rick Adair encouraged him to lower his hands to waist-level before starting to throw, which generated a faster arm action. "I've learned to be more aggressive and attack the hitter a little more than I have in the past," he said in 2011.
Personal life
Wright and his wife, Marnie, have one daughter (Presley) and two sons (Jett and Kingston). Presley's middle name, Kile, is in reference to Darryl Kile, Wright's former teammate. "I followed that guy around like a puppy dog. He helped me more than anybody else could," said Wright, after Kile's untimely death in 2002. "He was a great person and a great friend." The Wrights currently live in Dallas, Texas. An Oklahoma native, the Oklahoma Sooners are his favorite college team; he wore the same gray "Oklahoma Sooners" shirt for many years during his career.