Sidney Ponson
Encyclopedia
Sidney Alton Ponson is a Major League pitcher who is currently a free agent. According to the Atlantic League website Ponson was placed on the "Retired" list as of June 18, 2010. Ponson stands at 6'1" tall and weighs 260 pounds. He throws right-handed. When he made his major league debut for the Orioles in , he became the third player from Aruba to play in the major leagues. He also has a fastball that tops out at 95 mph. After the season, he was decorated with a Order of Orange-Nassau
, in the grade Knight, along with fellow former Orioles Eugene Kingsale
and Calvin Maduro
.
. In , he went 14-6 with a 3.77 ERA
for the Orioles. Because Baltimore was not in contention for a playoff spot and Ponson was in the last year of his contract, the Orioles traded Ponson to the San Francisco Giants
at the trading deadline for three players: Kurt Ainsworth
, Damian Moss
, and prospect Ryan Hannaman. At the end of the 2003 season, Ponson re-signed a 3 year, $22.5 million contract with the Orioles.
In , Ponson was the opening day starter for Baltimore. However, he started off disastrously; his record was 3-12 by the All-Star Break. He rebounded for a strong second half, going 8-3 to finish with an 11-15 record and a 5.30 ERA.
Less than a month later, in January 2005, he was charged with driving under the influence
in Broward County, Florida
. Because of these activities, it was thought that he would not be able to enter Canada
to pitch in a series against the Toronto Blue Jays
in May . However, a visa was later granted, and he was able to make his scheduled start.
near downtown Baltimore, Maryland. He was stopped for following too closely and was subsequently arrested by Maryland Transportation Authority Police
for the traffic violation, DWI; he was later released.
for first baseman
Phil Nevin
at the 2005 trade deadline, but the deal fell through when Nevin invoked his no-trade clause. Nevin eventually was traded to Texas. On September 1, 2005, the Orioles released Ponson and voided his contract, saying that his infractions with the law went against a morals clause
in Major League Baseball
contracts. A week later, on September 8, the Major League Baseball Players Association
filed a grievance on Ponson's behalf. On December 12, 2005, Ponson was sentenced to five days in the Baltimore city jail after he was found guilty of driving while impaired. He was also fined $535. He was released from jail on December 19.
calling for a $1 million salary with the ability to earn an additional $1.5 million in incentives. Although his season started promisingly, Ponson struggled with stamina and rarely went more than five innings in his starts. On July 7, , the Cardinals designated Ponson for assignment, ending his stint with the Cardinals.
. The Yankees won his first game, lost the second game, and he was subsequently sent to the bullpen when the Yankees acquired Cory Lidle
from the Philadelphia Phillies
. Reportedly, Brian Cashman
asked Ponson if he would be amenable to being placed in the pen before going ahead with the trade (which also involved acquiring Bobby Abreu
). If Ponson had refused, he would have been released and the trade that sent Shawn Chacon
to the Pittsburgh Pirates
in exchange for Craig Wilson would have fallen through. After a poor pitching performance on August 18, 2006, the Yankees released Ponson, making him a free agent
.
and on March 31, 2007, his contract was purchased by the Twins and he was added to their 25-man roster as the fifth starter. He got off to a relatively slow start, having only a couple quality starts while his ERA hovered around 7. On May 13, the Twins designated him for assignment, and he was later released.
with the Texas Rangers
. Ponson began the 2008 season with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks
. On April 26, the Rangers purchased his contract, and he became the team's third starter.
Ponson compiled a fairly solid 4-1 record and 3.88 ERA for the season, and was one of the few bright spots on a dreadful rotation. However, he ran into trouble off the field. He was seen late at night in the hotel bar in St. Petersburg, Florida
while the Rangers were visiting Tampa Bay
. The next day, the Rays lit him up for 12 hits in five innings. Rangers officials told Ponson that any further incident would result in him being dropped from the team.
He was pulled four innings into a June 4 game against Cleveland, and reacted angrily, especially since three errors led to four runs. The next day, he blew up at manager Ron Washington
after being told he'd be pushed back from his next start to keep Kevin Millwood
on his regular schedule.
On June 6, Texas abruptly designated Ponson for assignment for what general manager Jon Daniels
called "disrespectful and adverse reactions to situations unbecoming of a teammate." Daniels added, "We don't feel Sidney deserves to be here or wants to be here. We're not going to get into details other than to say we're clearly trying to put together a team here, in a true sense of the word. Based on some recent comments and other such things, it was pretty clear that he did not want to be part of that, and it's something we're not going to tolerate."
against the Mets. Ponson pitched 6 shutout innings in his first start back with the Yankees, which they eventually won 9-0. His record with the Yankees in 2008 was 4-4 with a 5.85 ERA. For the season, he had the highest run support of all pitchers, with an average of 6.5 runs per game started.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-starter-pitching.shtml
in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
. Ponson would finish with an ERA of 4.00 in nine innings pitched over two appearances, earning the win for the Dutch in their shocking opening win over the heavily-favored Dominican Republic
. He was, however, the losing pitcher in the Dutch's second-round defeat to Venezuela
. On June 26, 2009, it was announced that he violated the IBAF/World Anti-Doping Agency
doping regulation during the 2009 World Baseball Classic
by taking Phentermine and is banned from international baseball tournament for two years. He will be allowed to play professionally in the US, however, since the American association does not validate the European laboratory results.
, Ponson signed a minor league deal to play for the Kansas City Royals
and was invited to spring training. On April 10, , the Royals purchased Ponson's contract and he made his debut the same day against the New York Yankees. He pitched six innings, and gave up four earned runs for the loss. He made his second start for the Royals on April 15, in which he allowed only two runs in six innings. Ponson got a no decision in the 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians. After a record of 1-7 with an ERA of 7.36, he was designated for assignment by the Royals on August 2, and released August 12.
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
, in the grade Knight, along with fellow former Orioles Eugene Kingsale
Eugene Kingsale
Eugene Humphrey "Gene" Kingsale is a former Major League Baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Detroit Tigers from until...
and Calvin Maduro
Calvin Maduro
Calvin Gregory Maduro is a retired professional baseball player. He played 5 years in Major League Baseball between and . He is currently a scout for the Baltimore Orioles.- Playing career :...
.
Baltimore Orioles
Ponson has played most of his career with the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore 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...
. In , he went 14-6 with a 3.77 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...
for the Orioles. Because Baltimore was not in contention for a playoff spot and Ponson was in the last year of his contract, the Orioles traded Ponson to 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....
at the trading deadline for three players: Kurt Ainsworth
Kurt Ainsworth
Kurt Harold Ainsworth is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles and went to Louisiana State University...
, Damian Moss
Damian Moss
Damian Joseph Moss is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.-Career:After making his major league debut on April 26, , with the Atlanta Braves, Moss would also spend the season in Atlanta, where he placed fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year award...
, and prospect Ryan Hannaman. At the end of the 2003 season, Ponson re-signed a 3 year, $22.5 million contract with the Orioles.
In , Ponson was the opening day starter for Baltimore. However, he started off disastrously; his record was 3-12 by the All-Star Break. He rebounded for a strong second half, going 8-3 to finish with an 11-15 record and a 5.30 ERA.
Brushes with the law
On December 25, 2004, Ponson was arrested in Aruba and charged with assaulting an Aruban judge following an incident about a complaint of Ponson's handling of his powerboat. He spent 11 days in jail, but the charges were dropped after he reached a settlement that included restitution, community service and contributions to local charities on the island.Less than a month later, in January 2005, he was charged with driving under the influence
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
in Broward County, Florida
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
. Because of these activities, it was thought that he would not be able to enter 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...
to pitch in a series against 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 ....
in May . However, a visa was later granted, and he was able to make his scheduled start.
2nd drunk driving incident
Early in the morning of August 25, 2005, Ponson was arrested for driving under the influence and driving while impaired on southbound Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
near downtown Baltimore, Maryland. He was stopped for following too closely and was subsequently arrested by Maryland Transportation Authority Police
Maryland Transportation Authority Police
The Maryland Transportation Authority Police is the second largest state law enforcement agency in Maryland and is charged with providing law enforcement services on Maryland Transportation Authority highways and facilities throughout the state of Maryland in addition to contractual services that...
for the traffic violation, DWI; he was later released.
Released by the Orioles
Just prior to the second drunk driving incident, Baltimore attempted to trade Ponson to the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Phil Nevin
Phil Nevin
Phillip Joseph Nevin is a retired American professional baseball player who spent twelve seasons in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros , Detroit Tigers , Anaheim Angels , San Diego Padres , Texas Rangers , Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins...
at the 2005 trade deadline, but the deal fell through when Nevin invoked his no-trade clause. Nevin eventually was traded to Texas. On September 1, 2005, the Orioles released Ponson and voided his contract, saying that his infractions with the law went against a morals clause
Morals clause
A morals clause is a provision within a instruments of the contract which curtail, or restrain, or proscribe certain behavior of individuals or party to the contract...
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...
contracts. A week later, on September 8, the Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
filed a grievance on Ponson's behalf. On December 12, 2005, Ponson was sentenced to five days in the Baltimore city jail after he was found guilty of driving while impaired. He was also fined $535. He was released from jail on December 19.
St. Louis Cardinals
On December 21, 2005, Ponson signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. 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...
calling for a $1 million salary with the ability to earn an additional $1.5 million in incentives. Although his season started promisingly, Ponson struggled with stamina and rarely went more than five innings in his starts. On July 7, , the Cardinals designated Ponson for assignment, ending his stint with the Cardinals.
New York Yankees
On July 14, 2006, he signed on with the New York YankeesNew 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...
. The Yankees won his first game, lost the second game, and he was subsequently sent to the bullpen when the Yankees acquired Cory Lidle
Cory Lidle
Cory Fulton Lidle was an Americanright-handed baseball pitcher who spent nine seasons in the major leagues with seven different teams. His twin brother Kevin Lidle also played baseball, as a catcher for several minor league teams...
from 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...
. Reportedly, Brian Cashman
Brian Cashman
Brian McGuire Cashman is an American Major League Baseball executive for the New York Yankees.-Early life:Cashman was born in Rockville Centre, New York and raised in Washingtonville, New York. He was raised in an Irish Catholic family. He moved with his family to Lexington, Kentucky, where his...
asked Ponson if he would be amenable to being placed in the pen before going ahead with the trade (which also involved acquiring Bobby Abreu
Bobby Abreu
Bob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....
). If Ponson had refused, he would have been released and the trade that sent Shawn Chacon
Shawn Chacón
Shawn Anthony Chacón is a Major League pitcher, currently a free agent. He last played in the Majors for the Houston Astros...
to 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...
in exchange for Craig Wilson would have fallen through. After a poor pitching performance on August 18, 2006, the Yankees released Ponson, making him 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....
.
Minnesota Twins
In January , he signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota 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...
and on March 31, 2007, his contract was purchased by the Twins and he was added to their 25-man roster as the fifth starter. He got off to a relatively slow start, having only a couple quality starts while his ERA hovered around 7. On May 13, the Twins designated him for assignment, and he was later released.
Texas Rangers
On March 9, , Ponson signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring trainingSpring 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...
with 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...
. Ponson began the 2008 season with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
. On April 26, the Rangers purchased his contract, and he became the team's third starter.
Ponson compiled a fairly solid 4-1 record and 3.88 ERA for the season, and was one of the few bright spots on a dreadful rotation. However, he ran into trouble off the field. He was seen late at night in the hotel bar in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
while the Rangers were visiting Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. The next day, the Rays lit him up for 12 hits in five innings. Rangers officials told Ponson that any further incident would result in him being dropped from the team.
He was pulled four innings into a June 4 game against Cleveland, and reacted angrily, especially since three errors led to four runs. The next day, he blew up at manager Ron Washington
Ron Washington
Ronald Washington is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and the current manager of the Texas Rangers. Prior to managing the Rangers, Washington coached in the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics organizations.-Playing career:Washington was signed by the Kansas City Royals on July 17, 1970...
after being told he'd be pushed back from his next start to keep Kevin Millwood
Kevin Millwood
Kevin Austin Millwood is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has previously played for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies.-Personal life:Millwood graduated from Bessemer City High School in North Carolina...
on his regular schedule.
On June 6, Texas abruptly designated Ponson for assignment for what general manager Jon Daniels
Jon Daniels
Jon Daniels is the current General Manager of the Texas Rangers, a Major League Baseball. When hired, at age 28, he was the youngest GM in Major League Baseball history. And as of 2011 was still the youngest GM.-Biography:...
called "disrespectful and adverse reactions to situations unbecoming of a teammate." Daniels added, "We don't feel Sidney deserves to be here or wants to be here. We're not going to get into details other than to say we're clearly trying to put together a team here, in a true sense of the word. Based on some recent comments and other such things, it was pretty clear that he did not want to be part of that, and it's something we're not going to tolerate."
Return to the Yankees
On June 9, 2008, Ponson signed a minor league deal returning to the Yankees for a second time. He made his first start on June 27, 2008 in a Subway SeriesSubway Series
The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball games played between teams based in New York City. The term's historic usage has been in reference to World Series games played between New York teams...
against the Mets. Ponson pitched 6 shutout innings in his first start back with the Yankees, which they eventually won 9-0. His record with the Yankees in 2008 was 4-4 with a 5.85 ERA. For the season, he had the highest run support of all pitchers, with an average of 6.5 runs per game started.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2008-starter-pitching.shtml
World Baseball Classic
Ponson pitched for the NetherlandsNetherlands national baseball team
The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Netherlands. They are currently the top team in Europe and currently the sixth ranked men's baseball team in the IBAF World Rankings....
in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. Ponson would finish with an ERA of 4.00 in nine innings pitched over two appearances, earning the win for the Dutch in their shocking opening win over the heavily-favored Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic national baseball team
The Dominican Republic national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Dominican Republic.-World Baseball Classic Roster:- Dominican Republic:Manager: 17 Felipe Alou...
. He was, however, the losing pitcher in the Dutch's second-round defeat to Venezuela
Venezuela national baseball team
The Venezuela national baseball team is the national team of Venezuela. They are currently ranked seventh in the world by the International Baseball Federation.-World Baseball Classic:...
. On June 26, 2009, it was announced that he violated the IBAF/World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
doping regulation during the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
by taking Phentermine and is banned from international baseball tournament for two years. He will be allowed to play professionally in the US, however, since the American association does not validate the European laboratory results.
Kansas City Royals
On March 17, 2009, two days after Netherlands' elimination from the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
, Ponson signed a minor league deal to play for 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...
and was invited to spring training. On April 10, , the Royals purchased Ponson's contract and he made his debut the same day against the New York Yankees. He pitched six innings, and gave up four earned runs for the loss. He made his second start for the Royals on April 15, in which he allowed only two runs in six innings. Ponson got a no decision in the 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians. After a record of 1-7 with an ERA of 7.36, he was designated for assignment by the Royals on August 2, and released August 12.