Scott Elbert
Encyclopedia
Timothy Scott Elbert is a left-handed
pitcher
in Major League Baseball
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
and was a standout in football and baseball. In football, he played running back and as a junior, he led the state in rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns and was named as an All-State selection.
He is the school's all-time leader with an 0.94 ERA, 433 strikeouts, 29 complete games, and 238.0 innings. He is also Seneca's all-time offensive leader with 28 doubles, 10 triples, 22 homers, and 97 RBI.
and struck out
45 batters in 49.2 innings. With the Single-A Columbus Catfish
in , he went 8-5 with a 2.66 ERA
in 24 starts
. In the season, he pitched for the Vero Beach Dodgers and earned Florida State League
midseason All-Star honors. He was then promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
, where he went 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA and was ranked as the #3 prospect in the Southern League
by Baseball America
. He also ranked #11 on MinorLeagueBaseball.com's "Top 50 Prospects List.
A shoulder injury caused him to miss most of the season, but he returned in as a reliever at Jacksonville. Elbert earned his first trip to the Majors when the Dodgers called him up from the minors on August 29, .
Elbert made his MLB debut on August 29, 2008, pitching two thirds of an inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks
. He pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen
for the Dodgers in 2008, finishing the season 0-1 with an ERA of 12.00.
He spent most of 2009 in the minors and was selected as the Dodgers "Minor League Pitcher of the Year" after finishing a combined 4-4 with a 3.84 ERA in 18 starts for Double-A Chattanooga
and Triple-A Albuquerque
. He also appeared in 19 games in the Majors with the Dodgers, finishing 2-0 with a 5.03 ERA and appeared in relief in Game 3 of the 2009 National League Championship Series
.
He began 2010 as a starting pitcher for Albuquerque and was promoted to the Dodgers on May 28. He walked three left-handed hitting batters in that game and was promptly optioned back to AAA. He made one more start for the Isotopes before abruptly leaving the team for unspecified reasons. He eventually returned to action by pitching for the Phoenix Desert Dogs
in the Arizona Fall League
, where he was selected to the "Rising Stars Game".
He began 2011 in the bullpen for Albuquerque and was called up to the Dodgers on May 11. Elbert pitched in 47 games for the Dodgers, mostly as a left handed specialist. He finished with a 2.43 ERA in 33.1 innings with 34 strikeouts and also saved two games.
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
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 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...
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
High school years
Elbert attended Seneca High School in Seneca, MissouriSeneca, Missouri
Seneca is a city in Newton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,336 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-2008 tornado:...
and was a standout in football and baseball. In football, he played running back and as a junior, he led the state in rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns and was named as an All-State selection.
He is the school's all-time leader with an 0.94 ERA, 433 strikeouts, 29 complete games, and 238.0 innings. He is also Seneca's all-time offensive leader with 28 doubles, 10 triples, 22 homers, and 97 RBI.
Baseball career
Elbert was selected in the 1st round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Dodgers. He made his professional debut for the Ogden RaptorsOgden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
and struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
45 batters in 49.2 innings. With the Single-A Columbus Catfish
Columbus Catfish
The Columbus Catfish were a minor league baseball team in Columbus, Georgia. They were a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and were an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 29, 2006. The Catfish relocated to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the 2009 season.The Catfish played home...
in , he went 8-5 with a 2.66 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 24 starts
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....
. In the season, he pitched for the Vero Beach Dodgers and earned Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
midseason All-Star honors. He was then promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
, where he went 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA and was ranked as the #3 prospect in the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. He also ranked #11 on MinorLeagueBaseball.com's "Top 50 Prospects List.
A shoulder injury caused him to miss most of the season, but he returned in as a reliever at Jacksonville. Elbert earned his first trip to the Majors when the Dodgers called him up from the minors on August 29, .
Elbert made his MLB debut on August 29, 2008, pitching two thirds of an inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. He pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
for the Dodgers in 2008, finishing the season 0-1 with an ERA of 12.00.
He spent most of 2009 in the minors and was selected as the Dodgers "Minor League Pitcher of the Year" after finishing a combined 4-4 with a 3.84 ERA in 18 starts for Double-A Chattanooga
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
and Triple-A Albuquerque
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...
. He also appeared in 19 games in the Majors with the Dodgers, finishing 2-0 with a 5.03 ERA and appeared in relief in Game 3 of the 2009 National League Championship Series
2009 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in the 2009 World Series. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers four...
.
He began 2010 as a starting pitcher for Albuquerque and was promoted to the Dodgers on May 28. He walked three left-handed hitting batters in that game and was promptly optioned back to AAA. He made one more start for the Isotopes before abruptly leaving the team for unspecified reasons. He eventually returned to action by pitching for the Phoenix Desert Dogs
Phoenix Desert Dogs
The Phoenix Desert Dogs are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Phoenix, Arizona. They play their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics...
in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
, where he was selected to the "Rising Stars Game".
He began 2011 in the bullpen for Albuquerque and was called up to the Dodgers on May 11. Elbert pitched in 47 games for the Dodgers, mostly as a left handed specialist. He finished with a 2.43 ERA in 33.1 innings with 34 strikeouts and also saved two games.