Jamie Walker
Encyclopedia
James Ross "Jamie the Cat" Walker (born July 1, 1971 in McMinnville, Tennessee
) is an American Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent. He previously pitched for the Kansas City Royals
, Detroit Tigers
, and Baltimore Orioles
.
between 1990 and 1992 and ranks fifth all-time in school history with 17 wins and first with three career shutouts. Walker was drafted in the 10th round, the 265th pick of the 1992 MLB draft.
In , Walker nearly broke the major league record for most appearances in a season without a decision (no wins or losses). The record was held by Scott Aldred
(a former Tiger, coincidentally), who made 48 appearances for the 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
while accomplishing this feat. By September 29 (with three games left in the season), he had pitched in 54 games without being credited with a win or a loss. However, he would surrender four runs on three home runs against his former team (the Kansas City Royals
) in the top of the 11th inning and was charged with a loss. However, Aldred's record would only hold for one more season, as Trever Miller
of the Houston Astros
set the new mark with 76 decisionless appearances.
, due to his participating in spring training
during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike (see: Scab
). For the video game MVP Baseball 2004
, Jamie Walker is replaced by the fictional Makoto Miyagi. In the video game MVP Baseball 2005
, Walker is replaced by the fictional Daryl Smith. In the video game MLB 07: The Show
, he was replaced by the fictional Steve Cardwell. In Major League Baseball 2K7
, Jamie is replaced by the more name-appropriate Jim Wilson, who retained Walker's 2006 season stats. In MLB Dugout Heroes
, Walker is replaced by the fictional Javier Watkins. In MLB Power Pros 2008
, he is replaced by "Great Thompson". In all five instances, the fictional characters attributes are based on the real Jamie Walker.
Pitcher of the Year in 1992. He was inducted into the Austin Peay State University Athletics Hall of Fame on February 8, 2003, and into the Warren County, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on December 19, 2006.
. They have a second home in Overland Park, Kansas
.
McMinnville, Tennessee
McMinnville is the largest city in and the county seat of Warren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 13,605 at the 2010 census...
) is an American 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...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who is currently a free agent. He previously pitched for the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, Detroit Tigers
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...
, and 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...
.
Biography
Walker graduated from Warren County High School in McMinnville, Tennessee in 1989. He attended Austin Peay State UniversityAustin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:...
between 1990 and 1992 and ranks fifth all-time in school history with 17 wins and first with three career shutouts. Walker was drafted in the 10th round, the 265th pick of the 1992 MLB draft.
In , Walker nearly broke the major league record for most appearances in a season without a decision (no wins or losses). The record was held by Scott Aldred
Scott Aldred
Scott Phillip Aldred is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and current minor league pitching coach.-Early life:Aldred was born in Flint, Michigan...
(a former Tiger, coincidentally), who made 48 appearances for the 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season
The 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season was their first season in franchise history. This season, they finished last in the AL East division and finished the season with a record of 63-99. Their manager was Larry Rothschild....
while accomplishing this feat. By September 29 (with three games left in the season), he had pitched in 54 games without being credited with a win or a loss. However, he would surrender four runs on three home runs against his former team (the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
) in the top of the 11th inning and was charged with a loss. However, Aldred's record would only hold for one more season, as Trever Miller
Trever Miller
Trever Douglas Miller is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-High school:...
of the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
set the new mark with 76 decisionless appearances.
Video game alias
Walker is not a member of the MLBPA (Major League Baseball Players Association)Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
, due to his participating in 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...
during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike (see: Scab
Strikebreaker
A strikebreaker is a person who works despite an ongoing strike. Strikebreakers are usually individuals who are not employed by the company prior to the trade union dispute, but rather hired prior to or during the strike to keep the organisation running...
). For the video game MVP Baseball 2004
MVP Baseball series
MVP Baseball was a baseball game series published by EA Sports, running from 2003 to 2007 with five games produced. In 2003, MVP became the official successor to EA's long-running Triple Play Baseball series, and it simulated Major League Baseball from 2003 to 2005...
, Jamie Walker is replaced by the fictional Makoto Miyagi. In the video game MVP Baseball 2005
MVP Baseball 2005
MVP Baseball 2005 is a baseball video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. It features former Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez on its game cover. The game features full Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and Major League Baseball Players Association licenses. It...
, Walker is replaced by the fictional Daryl Smith. In the video game MLB 07: The Show
MLB 07: The Show
MLB 07: The Show, produced by SCE San Diego Studio, is a baseball video game for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PSP. It is the only first-party MLB-licensed video game for the season, and the only baseball game available for the PlayStation systems aside from Major League Baseball 2K7...
, he was replaced by the fictional Steve Cardwell. In Major League Baseball 2K7
Major League Baseball 2K7
Major League Baseball 2K7 is a Major League Baseball licensed baseball simulation video game developed by Kush Games and published by 2K Sports. Released on February 27, 2007, it is the only 2007 MLB licensed game available for the Xbox 360 and Xbox...
, Jamie is replaced by the more name-appropriate Jim Wilson, who retained Walker's 2006 season stats. In MLB Dugout Heroes
MLB Dugout Heroes
MLB Dugout Heroes is a massive multiplayer online baseball game for the PC owned by 916_river_cats. MLB Dugout Heroes was created by WiseCat , a Korean based game developer. The game is the first fully licensed and online-based PC baseball game in North America...
, Walker is replaced by the fictional Javier Watkins. In MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008 is the sequel to MLB Power Pros. It is a baseball video game developed by Konami for Nintendo's Wii and the Sony PlayStation 2 video game consoles, as well as the Nintendo DS handheld, and is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games....
, he is replaced by "Great Thompson". In all five instances, the fictional characters attributes are based on the real Jamie Walker.
Honors and awards
Walker was named Ohio Valley ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
Pitcher of the Year in 1992. He was inducted into the Austin Peay State University Athletics Hall of Fame on February 8, 2003, and into the Warren County, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on December 19, 2006.
Personal life
Walker is married (wife Natalie) and has two sons (Ross, born 1995; James Leyland, born 2007) and two daughters (Harlee, born 1999; Hannah, born 2004). The family resides on their Kansas ranch in Smith CenterSmith Center, Kansas
Smith Center is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,665.-Geography:Smith Center is located at...
. They have a second home in Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
.