Marc Rzepczynski
Encyclopedia
Marc Walter Rzepczynski (zəpˈtʃɪnski ; born August 29, 1985 in Yorba Linda, California
) is an American
professional baseball
left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
.
The Toronto Blue Jays
blogosphere
gave Rzepczynski the nickname "Scrabble".
in Anaheim
, California
and played college baseball at the University of California, Riverside
.
He also played for the Corvallis Knights
in the West Coast League
, an independent summer collegiate league.
by the Toronto Blue Jays
. He made his professional debut that season for the short-season Jays' Class A affiliate Auburn Doubledays
of the New York-Penn League. With Auburn, he posted a 5-0 won-lost record and a 2.76 ERA
in 11 games (7 starts), with 49 strikeouts and 17 walks in 45.2 innings pitched.
In 2008, Rzepczynski advanced to the Class A Lansing Lugnuts
of the Midwest League
, where he finished 7-6 with a 2.83 ERA in 22 starts, with 124 strikeouts and 42 walks over 121 innings pitched.
In 2009, Rzepczynski through early July had split his season between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
, the Jays' AA team in the Eastern League, and the Las Vegas 51s
, the Jays' AAA team in the Pacific Coast League
. His 2009 statistics between AA and AAA combined for 16 games (all starts), with a 9-5 record, a 2.66 ERA, 104 strikeouts, and 40 walks, in 88 innings pitched.
, himself a rookie starter who had pitched very well for Toronto, became the latest casualty, when he went on the disabled list
on July 4, retroactive to July 1, due to biceps
tendinitis. Richmond, before play on July 6, ranked 16th of 40 eligible American League
pitchers in Earned Run Average (ERA). Brett Cecil
, another rookie who is already in the Jays' starting rotation, started on July 5 on short notice in Richmond's stead, against the New York Yankees
, but this still left Toronto with only four healthy starters, leading to Rzepczynski's promotion and opportunity. Rzepczynski pitched solidly in his debut against the defending American League
champion Rays, lasting 6 innings, during which he gave up 2 hits and 1 earned run, walked 4, and struck out 7 in a no-decision; the Jays lost 3-1 in 11 innings. In his second big-league start, Rzepczynski again pitched well, but took the loss against the Baltimore Orioles
on July 12, lasting 6 innings and allowing 3 earned runs; Toronto lost the game 4-2. Rzepczynski won his first major-league game on July 18, defeating the American League leading Boston Red Sox
; he pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits, walking 4 and striking out 4; Toronto won 6-2. Jays Manager Cito Gaston
stated before the game that Rzepczynski would remain in the rotation for at least the next couple of weeks, pending Richmond's return from the disabled list.
He was traded on July 27, 2011, to the St. Louis Cardinals
along with Octavio Dotel
, Edwin Jackson
and Corey Patterson
for Colby Rasmus
, P. J. Walters
, Trever Miller
and Brian Tallet
.
Yorba Linda, California
Yorba Linda is a suburban city in northeastern Orange County, California, approximately northeast of Downtown Santa Ana, and southeast of Downtown Los Angeles....
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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...
left-handed pitcher for 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...
.
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 ....
blogosphere
Blogosphere
The blogosphere is made up of all blogs and their interconnections. The term implies that blogs exist together as a connected community or as a social network in which everyday authors can publish their opinions...
gave Rzepczynski the nickname "Scrabble".
Amateur career
Rzepcynski attended Servite High SchoolServite High School
Servite High School is an all-boys, Roman Catholic college preparatory high school operated by the Order of Friar Servants of Mary . Located on a campus in Anaheim, California, USA, as of 2011 it had an enrollment of about 985 and about 9200 alumni. Its mascot is the Friar and its colors are black...
in Anaheim
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and played college baseball at the University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
.
He also played for the Corvallis Knights
Corvallis Knights
The Corvallis Knights is a collegiate summer baseball team located in Corvallis, Oregon. Founded in 1990 in Beaverton by Dan and his brother Joe Segal, the Knights moved to Corvallis from Gresham in , they play in the West Coast League, a college summer wood-bat league where college players and...
in the West Coast League
West Coast League
The West Coast League is a collegiate summer baseball league founded in 2005, comprising teams from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. The league is designed to develop college talent. As such, only current college players are allowed to participate in the league...
, an independent summer collegiate league.
Minor league career
In June 2007, Rzepczynski was drafted in the fifth round (175th overall) of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
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 ....
. He made his professional debut that season for the short-season Jays' Class A affiliate Auburn Doubledays
Auburn Doubledays
The Auburn Doubledays are a minor league baseball team in Auburn, New York, USA, that is owned and operated by Auburn Community Baseball. They are a member of the Short-Season Class A New York-Penn League and have been a farm team of the Houston Astros , the Toronto Blue Jays , and Washington...
of the New York-Penn League. With Auburn, he posted a 5-0 won-lost record and a 2.76 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 11 games (7 starts), with 49 strikeouts and 17 walks in 45.2 innings pitched.
In 2008, Rzepczynski advanced to the Class A Lansing Lugnuts
Lansing Lugnuts
The Lansing Lugnuts are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays, that plays in the Midwest League.The Midwest League came to Lansing, Michigan in 1996. The franchise began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1955; after two seasons it moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where it...
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
, where he finished 7-6 with a 2.83 ERA in 22 starts, with 124 strikeouts and 42 walks over 121 innings pitched.
In 2009, Rzepczynski through early July had split his season between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a minor league baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major-league club....
, the Jays' AA team in the Eastern League, and the Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
, the Jays' AAA team in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. His 2009 statistics between AA and AAA combined for 16 games (all starts), with a 9-5 record, a 2.66 ERA, 104 strikeouts, and 40 walks, in 88 innings pitched.
Promotion to Major League Baseball
A series of injuries to pitchers at the major league level had plagued the parent Blue Jays for the first three months of the 2009 season, leading to opportunities for several rookies to advance to the top level. Scott RichmondScott Richmond
Scott Daniel Richmond is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball...
, himself a rookie starter who had pitched very well for Toronto, became the latest casualty, when he went on 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:...
on July 4, retroactive to July 1, due to biceps
Biceps
Biceps may refer to:*Biceps brachii muscle, a muscle located on the inside of the upper arm*Biceps femoris muscle, one of the hamstring muscles of the back of each thigh*Biceps , a point in a metrical pattern...
tendinitis. Richmond, before play on July 6, ranked 16th of 40 eligible American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pitchers in Earned Run Average (ERA). Brett Cecil
Brett Cecil
Brett Aarion Cecil is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. Cecil was drafted as the 38th overall pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Blue Jays...
, another rookie who is already in the Jays' starting rotation, started on July 5 on short notice in Richmond's stead, against 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...
, but this still left Toronto with only four healthy starters, leading to Rzepczynski's promotion and opportunity. Rzepczynski pitched solidly in his debut against the defending American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champion Rays, lasting 6 innings, during which he gave up 2 hits and 1 earned run, walked 4, and struck out 7 in a no-decision; the Jays lost 3-1 in 11 innings. In his second big-league start, Rzepczynski again pitched well, but took the loss against the 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...
on July 12, lasting 6 innings and allowing 3 earned runs; Toronto lost the game 4-2. Rzepczynski won his first major-league game on July 18, defeating the American League leading Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
; he pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits, walking 4 and striking out 4; Toronto won 6-2. Jays Manager Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
stated before the game that Rzepczynski would remain in the rotation for at least the next couple of weeks, pending Richmond's return from the disabled list.
He was traded on July 27, 2011, to 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...
along with Octavio Dotel
Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel is a Domincan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent....
, Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
and Corey Patterson
Corey Patterson
Donald Corey Patterson is an American professional baseball free agent outfielder in Major League Baseball. He is the older brother of outfielder Eric Patterson.-Amateur career:...
for Colby Rasmus
Colby Rasmus
Colby Ryan Rasmus is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-Early years:...
, P. J. Walters
P. J. Walters
Phillip DeWayne "P. J." Walters is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Personal life:Walters was born March 12, 1985, in Dothan, Alabama. He is married to Brittney....
, Trever Miller
Trever Miller
Trever Douglas Miller is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-High school:...
and Brian Tallet
Brian Tallet
Brian Curtis Tallet is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He stands 6' 6" in height. Brian Tallet pitched for the LSU Tigers and won a national championship in 2000....
.