Les Walrond
Encyclopedia
Leslie Dale "Les" Walrond (born November 7, 1976) is a professional baseball
pitcher
in the Philadelphia Phillies
organization.
During his freshman and sophomore years in high school, Les played baseball
at Booker T. Washington High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma) under the tutelage of Coach Corey Slagle. With Walrond anchoring the baseball team, Booker T. experienced an athletic renaissance that included New York Giants
defensive back
R.W. McQuarters and Washington Wizards
center
Etan Thomas
. He graduated from Union High School
in Tulsa and attended the University of Kansas
.
Walrond made his major league debut on June 8, , while he was with the Kansas City Royals
against the Colorado Rockies
as a relief pitcher
.
He was signed as a free agent
on January 11, , by the Chicago Cubs
and played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Iowa Cubs
in . On May 2, , Walrond signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was called up from the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
, on August 1, , then sent back down on August 20, following the activation of Pedro Feliz
from the disabled list
. He was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays
on November 4, 2008, but waived on November 20. In December, he signed with the Yokohama BayStars of Japan's Central League.
In 2011, Les paid for his own airline ticket to the Mets Spring Training Camp where he was signed to a Minor League Contract. Les pitched well during the Big League Camp, but became ill before the break of camp. Unfortunately, Les was waived by the Mets. On April 15, 2011, Les signed a deal with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League.
On May 26, 2011, Walrond signed a minor league deal and was assigned to Double-A Reading
two days later.
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...
in the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization.
During his freshman and sophomore years in high school, Les played baseball
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...
at Booker T. Washington High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma) under the tutelage of Coach Corey Slagle. With Walrond anchoring the baseball team, Booker T. experienced an athletic renaissance that included New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
R.W. McQuarters and Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Etan Thomas
Etan Thomas
Dedreck Etan Thomas, commonly referred to as Etan Thomas , is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association.-College:...
. He graduated from Union High School
Union Public Schools
Union Public Schools is a public school district located in southeast Tulsa, and northwest Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The school district is the eleventh largest in Oklahoma. Union is notable among school districts in the area because Union does not encompass a particular city...
in Tulsa and attended the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
.
Walrond made his major league debut on June 8, , while he was with 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...
against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
as a 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...
.
He was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
on January 11, , by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
in . On May 2, , Walrond signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was called up from the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
, on August 1, , then sent back down on August 20, following the activation of Pedro Feliz
Pedro Feliz
Pedro Julio Feliz is a Dominican Republic minor league baseball third baseman for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. Feliz has hit 20 or more home runs in four of his first five seasons as a starting third baseman and is an above average fielder at third base...
from the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. He was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on November 4, 2008, but waived on November 20. In December, he signed with the Yokohama BayStars of Japan's Central League.
In 2011, Les paid for his own airline ticket to the Mets Spring Training Camp where he was signed to a Minor League Contract. Les pitched well during the Big League Camp, but became ill before the break of camp. Unfortunately, Les was waived by the Mets. On April 15, 2011, Les signed a deal with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League.
On May 26, 2011, Walrond signed a minor league deal and was assigned to Double-A Reading
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....
two days later.