Scott Schoeneweis
Encyclopedia
Scott David Schoeneweis (ˈʃoʊ.ɨnwaɪs; born October 2, 1973, in Long Branch, New Jersey
) is an American
Major League Baseball
left-handed
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent
.
In the five seasons from 2003–07, Schoeneweis allowed only one home run
to left-handed batters. Left-handed hitters batted
.209, with a .264 slugging percentage and .293 on base percentage
, in 227 plate appearances against him from 2005–06, and then only .207 with a .241 slugging percentage in 2007. In 2008, he was even stingier—lefties batted only .178 against him. That was second-best among all major league left-handers.
Through 2010, he had limited lefties to a .229 average.
. He attended Lenape High School
in Medford, New Jersey, where he lettered in baseball
and basketball
before playing collegiately at Duke University
, where he was a 1993 All-American as a freshman. That season, he had 12 wins, the second-best record in the school's history.
At age 19, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer
while playing the summer league in Cape Cod
. The cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes. To get back on the field by January, he requested an aggressive course of chemotherapy consisting of 3 week-long sessions. He said he took "6 months of chemotherapy
in 3 months," and commented that "it puts things in perspective." Schoeneweis overcame the cancer, but lost 20 pounds.
He returned to the team the following season, but was unable to win a single game in his weakened condition. He seriously injured his pitching elbow, perhaps as a result of his loss in strength, and required Tommy John surgery
. He lost his slider, and was only throwing an 80 mph fastball
after reconstructive surgery
. He spent the following summer rehabilitating and lifting weights before returning to pitch his senior year at Duke University. He enjoyed a sensational season with 10 wins, and graduated with a history
degree. Schoeneweis finished as Duke's career leader with 30 wins and 51 games started, and is second on the school's all-time strikeout
s list (315).
He played for the USA National Team
in before being drafted by the California Angels in the third round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
.
: a sinking 89–90 mph fastball and slider
, which are his better pitches, and a changeup
. He is able to get his fastball in on lefties, which keeps them off his breaking ball
on the outside corner.
He is a ground-ball pitcher and has been used many times as a lefty specialist.
, he went 3–2 with a 1.98 earned run average
for the Scottsdale Scorpions
, finishing second in ERA behind Rolando Arrojo
.
in his left elbow. The next season he was used as a starting pitcher
, pitching in 27 games, all starts, as he went 7–10 with a 5.45 ERA.
In , during which the Angels continued using him as a starter (beginning with opening day), he won a career-high 10 games and finished with a 5.08 ERA. He hit 14 batters (third in the American League
).
In , Schoeneweis was used primarily as a reliever, though he made 15 starts, going 9–8 with an ERA of 4.88, and left-handed batters batted only .202 against him. At the conclusion of the season, the Angels captured the American League Wild Card
and qualified for the postseason.
Schoeneweis appeared in three games versus the defending American League champion New York Yankees
, giving up one earned run. Anaheim took the series 3 games to 1, and defeated the Minnesota Twins
in the 2002 American League Championship Series
in five games. Scott appeared in one of those games, and did not surrender a run in 0.2 innings pitched. In the 2002 World Series
, Schoeneweis pitched in two games and held the San Francisco Giants
scoreless in the two innings he pitched. The Angels captured the World Series title in seven games. He started the 2003 season with the Angels.
after appearing in 39 games, all in relief, for Anaheim. He was traded with Doug Nickle for Gary Glover
, Scott Dunn
, and Tim Bittner on July 30. He finished the year with a combined 3–2 record between the Angels and ChiSox, to go along with his 4.18 ERA in 59 games. He was the recipient of the Gene Autry
Courage Award.
The next season he was used mainly as a starting pitcher by Chicago manager
Ozzie Guillén
, going 6–9. He held batters to a .111 batting average in games that were late and close.
ESPN
reported in 2007, that in 2003 and 2004 Schoeneweis received six steroid shipments from Signature Pharmacy while playing for the Chicago White Sox. Schoeneweis denied the report, and told the New York Daily News
that he has never heard of Signature Pharmacy or received shipments from Florida.
on January 11, 2005, for $2,500,000, which was just under what he made the two previous seasons combined.
During the 2005 season he slipped on a just-watered field in Oakland, and his fellow Toronto pitchers buckled over in laughter, not realizing that Schoeneweis had just sustained the worst injury of his career. He tore a tendon
behind his left knee, near his hamstring
, and the tendon remained torn as he pitched over the next two years.
He ended his first season in Canada
with a 3–4 mark, and picked up his second career save. Schoeneweis’s ERA improved to 3.32. He also saw action in a career-high 80 games (2nd in the American League). The lefty was also among the league leaders in holds, with 35. Left-handed hitters batted a meager .188 against him. In 2006, he went 2–2 for Toronto with a high ERA of 6.51 in 55 games.
for cash. In 16 games for the Reds, he was 2–0 with 3 saves and an 0.63 ERA.
worth $10.8 million. He struggled during the season, finishing with an 0–2 record, 2 saves, and a 5.03 ERA in 70 games. He did, however, hold lefties to a .204 batting average and .247 slugging percentage, and held batters to a .221 batting average when men were on base, and a .150 batting average with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. Schoeneweis later revealed that he pitched the 2007 season with a severed tendon in his left knee, affecting his push off the mound.
In 2008 he pitched 73 times, with a 3.34 ERA. Lefties hit only .178 against him, with a .243 obp and a .277 slugging percentage. He tied for seventh in the National League among left-handers, with 15 holds.
With his 73 appearances he became the only pitcher in the major leagues to pitch in at least 70 games each of the five seasons from 2004–08. The only other pitchers to do so in the four seasons from 2005–08 were Chad Qualls
, Bob Howry
, and Dan Wheeler
.
He was the losing pitcher in both the final home opener and the final game at Shea Stadium
during the 2008 season.
for Connor Robertson
.
He started off the season very well, as in March and April, he kept batters to a .226 batting average. Through May 20, he had given up only three earned runs in 10.2 innings.
Following his wife's sudden unexpected death on May 20, he was briefly placed on the restricted list, and then the bereavement list. He returned to the mound on June 9, but after his return he gave up 15 earned runs in nine innings. Batters hit .391 against him in July, and .444 in August.
He was then placed on the disabled list on August 11, 2009, to give him time to deal with depression resulting from her death and with parenting issues. "It's obviously been a horrific year for him," Arizona manager A. J. Hinch
said. "At this point, baseball becomes irrelevant." Four weeks later, he returned to the team for the last three weeks of the season. In November, he filed for free agency.
with an invite to spring training. He competed to be the second lefty out of the Brewers' bullpen. "If I didn't think I could play, I wouldn't be here. My kids want me to play.... This is my job; this is what I do."
He would have received an $800,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, with a chance to earn $700,000 in performance bonuses. However, he was released on March 23. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin
and manager Ken Macha
asked Schoeneweis him to take an assignment to Class AAA Nashville, but he declined.
Brewers pitching coach Rick Peterson
said:
. In 15 games and 31 innings at Fenway Park
in his career, he had a 2.59 ERA, with a .168 batting average against and .224 slugging percentage against. According to Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, one of the main factors in the competition for the final two roster spots in the bullpen was "being able to match up left on left". Red Sox manager Terry Francona
said: "I haven't even seen Schoeneweis yet, but the one thing he's been able to do is get left-handers out." According to a team source, he was to make $500,000 if he were to make the team.
On April 4, the Red Sox added him to their Opening Day major league roster. On May 20, Schoeneweis was designated for assignment after pitching in 15 games.
's Office met with Schoeneweis to discuss the 2007 ESPN
report's allegations. On December 6, 2007, the Commissioner's Office announced that there was insufficient evidence of a violation of the joint program in effect at the time of the conduct in question to warrant discipline of Schoeneweis.
Schoeneweis said the Mets and other clubs he had played for were aware of his use, which was tied to his treatment of testicular cancer, and the levels were within the limits established by the collective bargaining agreement. "I was just trying to get to normal, not above normal. It's all well-documented," Schoeneweis said.
in 2007 and Ken Holtzman
in 2008, and 9th in strikeouts (directly behind Larry Sherry
), three spots behind Jason Marquis
.
He is actively involved in the Office of the White House
National Drug Control Policy, encouraging students to say no to drugs.
On May 20, 2009, his wife, Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis, 39, was found dead on the floor of the master bedroom in their suburban Fountain Hills, Arizona home by Kiley, his wife's 14-year-old daughter from a first marriage. According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, she was unresponsive when sheriff's deputies arrived at 12:11 p.m. MST
, responding to a call made by Kiley. A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office said there were no signs of foul play
, and while they were not ruling anything out, they were not treating it as a homicide
initially. The cause of death
was determined by an autopsy
to be an overdose of cocaine and the anesthetic lidocaine according to a Maricopa County appellate court. Schoeneweis and his wife had four children (ages 14, 7, 5, and 2), including his wife's daughter from a prior marriage, and had celebrated their 10th anniversary in January 2009.
Schoeneweis left Miami, Florida
, where the Diamondbacks were playing a series with the Marlins, to fly to Phoenix on a private charter arranged by the Diamondbacks. General Manager Josh Byrnes
said on May 27 that the Commissioner's Office granted the team permission to place Schoeneweis on the restricted list after his seven-day stint on the bereavement list expired. Schoeneweis considered retirement, but changed his mind.
Schoeneweis returned to the club on June 9, 2009. "I think I will be OK," he said. "It's time for Daddy to go back to work." However, he was unable to focus on baseball, and was tagged for 15 runs in 9 innings. "He showed a lot of character coming back to pitch last season, even though he didn't pitch the way he wanted to," said pitcher Doug Davis. He was placed on the disabled list on August 11, 2009, however, to give him time to deal with depression
resulting from his wife's death and with parenting
issues.
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
left-handed
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...
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
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....
.
In the five seasons from 2003–07, Schoeneweis allowed only one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to left-handed batters. Left-handed hitters batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.209, with a .264 slugging percentage and .293 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, in 227 plate appearances against him from 2005–06, and then only .207 with a .241 slugging percentage in 2007. In 2008, he was even stingier—lefties batted only .178 against him. That was second-best among all major league left-handers.
Through 2010, he had limited lefties to a .229 average.
Early life
Schoeneweis grew up in Mount Laurel Township, New JerseyMount Laurel Township, New Jersey
Mount Laurel Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, and is an edge city "suburb" of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 40,221...
. He attended Lenape High School
Lenape High School
Lenape High School is a four-year regional public high school located in Medford Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. It is the oldest of the four high schools that comprise the Lenape Regional High School District, which serves students from Evesham Township, Medford Lakes,...
in Medford, New Jersey, where he lettered in 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...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
before playing collegiately at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, where he was a 1993 All-American as a freshman. That season, he had 12 wins, the second-best record in the school's history.
At age 19, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
while playing the summer league in Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
. The cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes. To get back on the field by January, he requested an aggressive course of chemotherapy consisting of 3 week-long sessions. He said he took "6 months of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
in 3 months," and commented that "it puts things in perspective." Schoeneweis overcame the cancer, but lost 20 pounds.
He returned to the team the following season, but was unable to win a single game in his weakened condition. He seriously injured his pitching elbow, perhaps as a result of his loss in strength, and required Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. He lost his slider, and was only throwing an 80 mph fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
after reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery is, in its broadest sense, the use of surgery to restore the form and function of the body, although Maxillo-Facial Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons and Otolaryngologists do reconstructive surgery on faces after trauma and to reconstruct the head and neck after cancer.Other...
. He spent the following summer rehabilitating and lifting weights before returning to pitch his senior year at Duke University. He enjoyed a sensational season with 10 wins, and graduated with a history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
degree. Schoeneweis finished as Duke's career leader with 30 wins and 51 games started, and is second on the school's all-time strikeout
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....
s list (315).
He played for the USA National Team
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
in before being drafted by the California Angels in the third round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
.
Pitching
Schoeneweis has three pitchesPitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
: a sinking 89–90 mph fastball and slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
, which are his better pitches, and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
. He is able to get his fastball in on lefties, which keeps them off his breaking ball
Breaking ball
In baseball, a breaking ball is a pitch that does not travel straight like a fastball as it approaches the batter. A pitcher who uses primarily breaking ball pitches is often referred to as a junkballer. A breaking ball will have some sideways or downward motion on it...
on the outside corner.
He is a ground-ball pitcher and has been used many times as a lefty specialist.
Minor Leagues
From 1996–, in the minor leagues, Schoeneweis was 28–20. In the Arizona Fall LeagueArizona 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...
, he went 3–2 with a 1.98 earned run average
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...
for the Scottsdale Scorpions
Scottsdale Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Scottsdale, Arizona. They play their home games at Scottsdale Stadium....
, finishing second in ERA behind Rolando Arrojo
Rolando Arrojo
Luis Rolando Arrojo Avila was a Major League Baseball pitcher who pitched from to .Arrojo made his mark with the teams from Villa Clara in the Cuban National Series, where he still is the all-time leader in hit batsmen. He was the staff ace on the Villa Clara team that won 3 consecutive Cuban...
.
Anaheim Angels (1999–2003)
Schoeneweis started his MLB career with the Anaheim Angels, where in , he appeared in 31 games and finishing the year with a 1–1 record. His season was cut short by a torn medial collateral ligamentMedial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
in his left elbow. The next season he was used as a starting pitcher
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....
, pitching in 27 games, all starts, as he went 7–10 with a 5.45 ERA.
In , during which the Angels continued using him as a starter (beginning with opening day), he won a career-high 10 games and finished with a 5.08 ERA. He hit 14 batters (third in the 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...
).
In , Schoeneweis was used primarily as a reliever, though he made 15 starts, going 9–8 with an ERA of 4.88, and left-handed batters batted only .202 against him. At the conclusion of the season, the Angels captured the American League Wild Card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
and qualified for the postseason.
Schoeneweis appeared in three games versus the defending American League champion 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...
, giving up one earned run. Anaheim took the series 3 games to 1, and defeated the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in the 2002 American League Championship Series
2002 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 2002 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaJoe Mays outdueled Kevin Appier as the Twins won Game 1. A.J. Pierzynski hit a sac fly to put the Twins out in front first, but the Angels tied it the next inning on an error by Cristian Guzmán. The Twins...
in five games. Scott appeared in one of those games, and did not surrender a run in 0.2 innings pitched. In the 2002 World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
, Schoeneweis pitched in two games and held the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
scoreless in the two innings he pitched. The Angels captured the World Series title in seven games. He started the 2003 season with the Angels.
Chicago White Sox (2003–04)
During the season, he was dealt to the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
after appearing in 39 games, all in relief, for Anaheim. He was traded with Doug Nickle for Gary Glover
Gary Glover
John Gary Glover was a Major League Baseball pitcher who currently plays for the SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball League...
, Scott Dunn
Scott Dunn
Scott Allen Dunn is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. After graduating from Winston Churchill High School in San Antonio, he attended the University of Texas at Austin...
, and Tim Bittner on July 30. He finished the year with a combined 3–2 record between the Angels and ChiSox, to go along with his 4.18 ERA in 59 games. He was the recipient of the Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
Courage Award.
The next season he was used mainly as a starting pitcher by Chicago manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
, going 6–9. He held batters to a .111 batting average in games that were late and close.
ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
reported in 2007, that in 2003 and 2004 Schoeneweis received six steroid shipments from Signature Pharmacy while playing for the Chicago White Sox. Schoeneweis denied the report, and told the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
that he has never heard of Signature Pharmacy or received shipments from Florida.
Toronto Blue Jays (2005–06)
He was signed as a free agent by the Blue JaysToronto 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 January 11, 2005, for $2,500,000, which was just under what he made the two previous seasons combined.
During the 2005 season he slipped on a just-watered field in Oakland, and his fellow Toronto pitchers buckled over in laughter, not realizing that Schoeneweis had just sustained the worst injury of his career. He tore a tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
behind his left knee, near his hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
, and the tendon remained torn as he pitched over the next two years.
He ended his first season in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with a 3–4 mark, and picked up his second career save. Schoeneweis’s ERA improved to 3.32. He also saw action in a career-high 80 games (2nd in the American League). The lefty was also among the league leaders in holds, with 35. Left-handed hitters batted a meager .188 against him. In 2006, he went 2–2 for Toronto with a high ERA of 6.51 in 55 games.
Cincinnati Reds (2006)
On August 16, Schoeneweis was traded to the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for cash. In 16 games for the Reds, he was 2–0 with 3 saves and an 0.63 ERA.
New York Mets (2007–08)
In January 2007, Schoeneweis agreed to a 3-year deal with the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
worth $10.8 million. He struggled during the season, finishing with an 0–2 record, 2 saves, and a 5.03 ERA in 70 games. He did, however, hold lefties to a .204 batting average and .247 slugging percentage, and held batters to a .221 batting average when men were on base, and a .150 batting average with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. Schoeneweis later revealed that he pitched the 2007 season with a severed tendon in his left knee, affecting his push off the mound.
In 2008 he pitched 73 times, with a 3.34 ERA. Lefties hit only .178 against him, with a .243 obp and a .277 slugging percentage. He tied for seventh in the National League among left-handers, with 15 holds.
With his 73 appearances he became the only pitcher in the major leagues to pitch in at least 70 games each of the five seasons from 2004–08. The only other pitchers to do so in the four seasons from 2005–08 were Chad Qualls
Chad Qualls
Chadford Michael Qualls is a relief pitcher.-Astros:Qualls was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros. He began his career as a starting pitcher with the Michigan Battle Cats in...
, Bob Howry
Bob Howry
Bobby Dean Howry is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-Early life:Howry attended Deer Valley High School in Arizona,then he attended McNeese State University and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants...
, and Dan Wheeler
Dan Wheeler
Daniel Michael Wheeler is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
.
He was the losing pitcher in both the final home opener and the final game at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
during the 2008 season.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2009)
On December 12, 2008, Schoeneweis was traded to the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona 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...
for Connor Robertson
Connor Robertson
James Connor Robertson is a currently inactive right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher...
.
He started off the season very well, as in March and April, he kept batters to a .226 batting average. Through May 20, he had given up only three earned runs in 10.2 innings.
Following his wife's sudden unexpected death on May 20, he was briefly placed on the restricted list, and then the bereavement list. He returned to the mound on June 9, but after his return he gave up 15 earned runs in nine innings. Batters hit .391 against him in July, and .444 in August.
He was then placed on the disabled list on August 11, 2009, to give him time to deal with depression resulting from her death and with parenting issues. "It's obviously been a horrific year for him," Arizona manager A. J. Hinch
A. J. Hinch
Andrew Jay Hinch is the current vice president of professional scouting for the San Diego Padres. He is a former Major League Baseball catcher and a former manager. Hinch played for the Oakland Athletics , Kansas City Royals , Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies , and managed the Arizona...
said. "At this point, baseball becomes irrelevant." Four weeks later, he returned to the team for the last three weeks of the season. In November, he filed for free agency.
Milwaukee Brewers (2010)
On February 9, 2010, Schoeneweis signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
with an invite to spring training. He competed to be the second lefty out of the Brewers' bullpen. "If I didn't think I could play, I wouldn't be here. My kids want me to play.... This is my job; this is what I do."
He would have received an $800,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, with a chance to earn $700,000 in performance bonuses. However, he was released on March 23. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin
Doug Melvin
Douglas Robert Melvin is a Canadian front office executive in Major League Baseball who currently serves as the general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers of the National League...
and manager Ken Macha
Ken Macha
Kenneth Edward Macha is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During an 8-year managing career, he managed the Oakland Athletics , whom he guided to the American League's Western Division championship in both his first and final seasons with the team, and the Milwaukee Brewers...
asked Schoeneweis him to take an assignment to Class AAA Nashville, but he declined.
Brewers pitching coach Rick Peterson
Rick Peterson
Erick Harding "Rick" Peterson is a former pitcher and pitching coach in Major League Baseball. He was a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, but is most notable as the pitching coach for the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets...
said:
He did not face that many [left-handed batters in spring training], but I am almost certain that he got every left-hander he faced out. Under different circumstances, this would have been a great fit. But Mitch [StetterMitch StetterMitchel Blake Stetter is an American professional baseball pitcher.-College:Stetter attended Indiana State University where he was a pitcher. He was then drafted in the 16th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft...
] did so well last year. He was one of the left-handed guys in the game. ... Schoeneweis is an effective big league pitcher, without an opportunity here.
Boston Red Sox (2010)
On March 26, 2010, Schoeneweis signed a minor league contract with a spring training invitation with the Boston Red SoxBoston 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"...
. In 15 games and 31 innings at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
in his career, he had a 2.59 ERA, with a .168 batting average against and .224 slugging percentage against. According to Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, one of the main factors in the competition for the final two roster spots in the bullpen was "being able to match up left on left". Red Sox manager Terry Francona
Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
said: "I haven't even seen Schoeneweis yet, but the one thing he's been able to do is get left-handers out." According to a team source, he was to make $500,000 if he were to make the team.
On April 4, the Red Sox added him to their Opening Day major league roster. On May 20, Schoeneweis was designated for assignment after pitching in 15 games.
Mitchell Report
The Baseball CommissionerBaseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
's Office met with Schoeneweis to discuss the 2007 ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
report's allegations. On December 6, 2007, the Commissioner's Office announced that there was insufficient evidence of a violation of the joint program in effect at the time of the conduct in question to warrant discipline of Schoeneweis.
Schoeneweis said the Mets and other clubs he had played for were aware of his use, which was tied to his treatment of testicular cancer, and the levels were within the limits established by the collective bargaining agreement. "I was just trying to get to normal, not above normal. It's all well-documented," Schoeneweis said.
Personal life
Schoeneweis is Jewish. Of Jewish pitchers, through 2010 he was first all-time in career games played, having passed Sandy KoufaxSandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
in 2007 and Ken Holtzman
Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman is a left-handed former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics...
in 2008, and 9th in strikeouts (directly behind Larry Sherry
Larry Sherry
Lawrence Sherry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
), three spots behind Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
.
He is actively involved in the Office of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
National Drug Control Policy, encouraging students to say no to drugs.
On May 20, 2009, his wife, Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis, 39, was found dead on the floor of the master bedroom in their suburban Fountain Hills, Arizona home by Kiley, his wife's 14-year-old daughter from a first marriage. According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, she was unresponsive when sheriff's deputies arrived at 12:11 p.m. MST
Mountain Time Zone
The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time, during the shortest days of autumn and winter , and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn...
, responding to a call made by Kiley. A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office said there were no signs of foul play
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, and while they were not ruling anything out, they were not treating it as a homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
initially. The cause of death
Cause of Death
Cause of Death is a 1990 album by American death metal band Obituary. Cause of Death is considered a classic album in the history of death metal. The artwork was done by artist Michael Whelan...
was determined by an autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
to be an overdose of cocaine and the anesthetic lidocaine according to a Maricopa County appellate court. Schoeneweis and his wife had four children (ages 14, 7, 5, and 2), including his wife's daughter from a prior marriage, and had celebrated their 10th anniversary in January 2009.
Schoeneweis left Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, where the Diamondbacks were playing a series with the Marlins, to fly to Phoenix on a private charter arranged by the Diamondbacks. General Manager Josh Byrnes
Josh Byrnes
Josh Byrnes is the general manager of the San Diego Padres. Previously, he served as General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball from November 2005 to July 2010.-Biography:...
said on May 27 that the Commissioner's Office granted the team permission to place Schoeneweis on the restricted list after his seven-day stint on the bereavement list expired. Schoeneweis considered retirement, but changed his mind.
Schoeneweis returned to the club on June 9, 2009. "I think I will be OK," he said. "It's time for Daddy to go back to work." However, he was unable to focus on baseball, and was tagged for 15 runs in 9 innings. "He showed a lot of character coming back to pitch last season, even though he didn't pitch the way he wanted to," said pitcher Doug Davis. He was placed on the disabled list on August 11, 2009, however, to give him time to deal with depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
resulting from his wife's death and with parenting
Parenting
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
issues.