John Wasdin
Encyclopedia
John Truman Wasdin is an American former professional baseball
pitcher
who played in Major League Baseball
and Nippon Professional Baseball. He was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia and raised in Tallahassee, Florida
.
Wasdin graduated from Godby High in his hometown of Tallahassee and attended Florida State University
. He was drafted by the New York Yankees
in , but did not sign. He was eventually drafted by the Oakland Athletics
in , the 25th pick overall in that year's draft.
On April 7, , Wasdin pitched a perfect game
for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
against the Albuquerque Isotopes
at Herschel Greer Stadium
in Nashville
. Fewer than 750 fans witnessed the perfect game, as it was the same night as the 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Game, plus unseasonably cold weather dissuaded some from coming to the ballpark.
On August 1, , Wasdin was designated for assignment
by the Texas Rangers
, and was placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of granting him his release on August 3. Wasdin was signed to a minor league contract by the Pittsburgh Pirates
during the winter meetings in 2006 and made the team during the last week of spring training
in .
On November 19, 2007, he signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals
and in spent the entire season playing for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
. He became a free agent at the end of the season. In January , he signed with the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan.
After his career in Japan, Wasdin was hired in 2010 as the University Christian High School baseball coach in Jacksonville, Florida
. He also is currently the pitching coach for the Vermont Lake Monsters
, the Athletics' New York - Penn League
class A affiliate.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played in 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...
and Nippon Professional Baseball. He was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia and raised in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
.
Wasdin graduated from Godby High in his hometown of Tallahassee and attended Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He was drafted by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in , but did not sign. He was eventually drafted by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in , the 25th pick overall in that year's draft.
On April 7, , Wasdin pitched a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
against the Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
at Herschel Greer Stadium
Herschel Greer Stadium
Herschel Greer Stadium is a minor league baseball park located in Nashville, Tennessee, on the grounds of Fort Negley, an American Civil War fortification, approximately two miles south of downtown...
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. Fewer than 750 fans witnessed the perfect game, as it was the same night as the 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Game, plus unseasonably cold weather dissuaded some from coming to the ballpark.
On August 1, , Wasdin was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
by the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, and was placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of granting him his release on August 3. Wasdin was signed to a minor league contract by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
during the winter meetings in 2006 and made the team during the last week 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...
in .
On November 19, 2007, he signed a minor league deal with 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...
and in spent the entire season playing for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
. He became a free agent at the end of the season. In January , he signed with the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan.
After his career in Japan, Wasdin was hired in 2010 as the University Christian High School baseball coach in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. He also is currently the pitching coach for the Vermont Lake Monsters
Vermont Lake Monsters
The Vermont Lake Monsters are a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics. The team plays its home games at Centennial Field on the University of Vermont campus in Burlington, Vermont...
, the Athletics' New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
class A affiliate.