Gavin Floyd
Encyclopedia
Gavin Christopher Floyd (born January 27, 1983, in Annapolis, Maryland
) is a Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
for the Chicago White Sox
. He stands 6' 5" tall, weighs 220 pounds, and throws and bats right-handed.
graduate Mark Teixeira
.
In his first professional season (2002), Floyd pitched for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws
of the South Atlantic League
(SAL). A highlight of his impressive first year (2.77 ERA, .200 BAA) was pitching the first nine-inning no-hitter
in BlueClaws history on July 24 against the Lexington Legends
. However, Floyd actually lost the game, 1-0, due to a pair of sixth-inning errors, making him the first SAL pitcher since 1966 to lose a no-hitter.
In 2004, Floyd was a non-roster invitee to spring training. He began the season with the Reading Phillies
(AA) and did not allow any runs in his first 4 starts, allowing only 1 runner to make it past 2nd base. He was named the Phillies farm system Minor League Pitcher of the Week, as well as Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April (2-0, 0.00 ERA). He was promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
(AAA) in July and made 5 starts before having his contract purchased by Phillies as a September callup.
Floyd made his Major League debut September 3, 2004, against the division rival New York Mets
and earned the win pitching seven innings and allowing only one run on four hits, striking out five.
In 2005, Floyd made the team out of spring training
and pitched strongly against the St. Louis Cardinals
lineup, but struggled thereafter and was demoted to the minors, where he continued to struggle for the 2005 season. He came to 2006 spring training with barely a consideration and pitched his way into the Phillies rotation as the #4 pitcher, pushing Ryan Franklin
to the bullpen. However, once again Floyd struggled, with a 4-3 record and a 7.29 ERA, and on June 2, was demoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the second straight year.
His career statistics through the 2005 season include a 6.63 earned run average (40 ER in 54.1 IP), a 3-2 record (8 starts in 13 appearances), 32 walks and 41 strikeouts.
to the Chicago White Sox for Freddy Garcia
. Floyd was expected to be handed the spot vacated by Garcia. However, since he pitched poorly during spring training, Floyd lost the spot and was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte
.
On July 5, 2007, Floyd was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte by the White Sox. A day later, he pitched his first start as a South Sider in the second game of a doubleheader
against Matt Garza
of the Minnesota Twins
, earning the loss and yielding 6 runs in 6 innings of work; the White Sox would eventually be blown out of the game, losing 12-0 to the rival Minnesota Twins
.
In 2008, Floyd emerged as a legitimate and solid starting pitcher at the back end of the White Sox rotation. Showing flashes of brilliance, he carried near-no-hitter
s against visiting Detroit
(April 12) and Minnesota (May 6) into the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and also retired 12 consecutive Baltimore Orioles
to start an eventual 6-5 extra inning loss in Baltimore on April 17. He finished the regular season with a 17-8 record, with his final win coming in a game in which the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers to force a one-game playoff
with the Twins to determine the Central's winner. During 2008 he led the majors in stolen base
s allowed, with 37—9 more than the next closest pitcher.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-batting-pitching.shtml
He re-signed with the White Sox on March 22, 2009; his 4-year contract is worth $15.5 million.
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. He stands 6' 5" tall, weighs 220 pounds, and throws and bats right-handed.
Philadelphia Phillies
In 2001, Floyd was selected fourth by the Phillies in the MLB amateur draft, immediately before fellow Mount Saint Joseph High SchoolMount Saint Joseph College
Mount Saint Joseph High School, is a private, Catholic high school located in Baltimore, Maryland in the community of Irvington. The campus consists of four academic buildings, an athletic field house, and housing for the school's chaplains. It was founded by the Xaverian Brothers in November 1876...
graduate Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
.
In his first professional season (2002), Floyd pitched for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws
Lakewood BlueClaws
The Lakewood BlueClaws are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the South Atlantic League, a Class Single-A baseball league. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Park located in Lakewood Township, New Jersey...
of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
(SAL). A highlight of his impressive first year (2.77 ERA, .200 BAA) was pitching the first nine-inning no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
in BlueClaws history on July 24 against the Lexington Legends
Lexington Legends
The Lexington Legends are a minor league baseball team of the South Atlantic League , and the Class A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Lexington, Kentucky, and play their home games at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, located in an industrial area on the northeast side of the city just...
. However, Floyd actually lost the game, 1-0, due to a pair of sixth-inning errors, making him the first SAL pitcher since 1966 to lose a no-hitter.
In 2004, Floyd was a non-roster invitee to spring training. He began the season with the Reading Phillies
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
(AA) and did not allow any runs in his first 4 starts, allowing only 1 runner to make it past 2nd base. He was named the Phillies farm system Minor League Pitcher of the Week, as well as Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April (2-0, 0.00 ERA). He was promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
(AAA) in July and made 5 starts before having his contract purchased by Phillies as a September callup.
Floyd made his Major League debut September 3, 2004, against the division rival New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and earned the win pitching seven innings and allowing only one run on four hits, striking out five.
In 2005, Floyd made the team out of spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
and pitched strongly against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
lineup, but struggled thereafter and was demoted to the minors, where he continued to struggle for the 2005 season. He came to 2006 spring training with barely a consideration and pitched his way into the Phillies rotation as the #4 pitcher, pushing Ryan Franklin
Ryan Franklin
Ryan Ray Franklin is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Cardinals.-Early life:...
to the bullpen. However, once again Floyd struggled, with a 4-3 record and a 7.29 ERA, and on June 2, was demoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the second straight year.
His career statistics through the 2005 season include a 6.63 earned run average (40 ER in 54.1 IP), a 3-2 record (8 starts in 13 appearances), 32 walks and 41 strikeouts.
Chicago White Sox
On December 6, 2006, Floyd was traded with Gio GonzalezGio Gonzalez
Giovany A. Gonzalez is a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:...
to the Chicago White Sox for Freddy Garcia
Freddy García
Freddy Antonio García , nicknamed "The Chief", is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent...
. Floyd was expected to be handed the spot vacated by Garcia. However, since he pitched poorly during spring training, Floyd lost the spot and was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
.
On July 5, 2007, Floyd was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte by the White Sox. A day later, he pitched his first start as a South Sider in the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Matthew Scott Garza is a United States professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Amateur career:He attended Washington Union High School and Fresno State.-Minnesota Twins:...
of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, earning the loss and yielding 6 runs in 6 innings of work; the White Sox would eventually be blown out of the game, losing 12-0 to the rival Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
In 2008, Floyd emerged as a legitimate and solid starting pitcher at the back end of the White Sox rotation. Showing flashes of brilliance, he carried near-no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
s against visiting Detroit
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(April 12) and Minnesota (May 6) into the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and also retired 12 consecutive Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
to start an eventual 6-5 extra inning loss in Baltimore on April 17. He finished the regular season with a 17-8 record, with his final win coming in a game in which the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers to force a one-game playoff
One-game playoff
A one-game playoff, sometimes known as a pennant playoff or play-in game, is a tiebreaker in certain sports—usually but not always professional—to determine which of two teams, tied in the final standings, will qualify for a post-season tournament...
with the Twins to determine the Central's winner. During 2008 he led the majors in stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s allowed, with 37—9 more than the next closest pitcher.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-batting-pitching.shtml
He re-signed with the White Sox on March 22, 2009; his 4-year contract is worth $15.5 million.