Jerry Blevins

Jerry Blevins
Blevins with the Mets in 2016
New York Mets – No. 39
Relief pitcher
Born: (1983-09-06) September 6, 1983
Johnson City, Tennessee
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 16, 2007, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Win–loss record 29–13
Earned run average 3.52
Strikeouts 471
Teams
Medals
Men’s baseball
Representing  United States
Baseball World Cup
2007 Tianmu National team

Jerry Richard Blevins (born September 6, 1983), nicknamed Gordo[1] (Spanish for "fat"), is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Oakland Athletics and Washington Nationals.

Early life

Blevins was born in Tennessee but moved to Ohio at four years old after his parents divorced. Although his biological father was not present in his life, he came to regard his stepfather, who came into his life when he was a freshman in high school, as a father.[2] Blevins played baseball, basketball and football and was in the marching band at Arcadia High School in, Arcadia, Ohio.[3] Blevins became a fan of the Oakland Athletics during the 1990 World Series and his favorite baseball players included Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson,[4] though he idolized Ken Griffey, Jr.[2]

Before graduating in 2001[3] with fewer than 40 other students,[4] Blevins was only recruited to play college baseball by a local Division III school. Blevins chose instead to attend the University of Dayton on an academic scholarship. As a freshman, he attended an open tryout for the Dayton Flyers baseball team and earned a spot on the roster. He was teammates at Dayton with future Washington Nationals teammate Craig Stammen.[5] Blevins struck out 70 batters in 73.2 innings as a junior at Dayton.[6]

Professional career

Chicago Cubs

Blevins was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 17th (516th overall) round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed with the club on June 23 of that year, and began his pro career with the Single-A Boise Hawks, where he pitched 23 games.

In 2005, he pitched for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, but returned to Boise for the 2006 season. In 2006, he also pitched for the Single-A Daytona Cubs and the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.

Blevins began the 2007 season with the Daytona Cubs. He pitched in 15 games there and had a 1–0 record with a 0.38 ERA before being promoted to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies on May 15, 2007. He pitched in 23 games for the Smokies, in which he had a 2–2 record with a 1.53 ERA. Blevins pitched a total of 38 games in the Cubs organization and had a 3–2 record with a 1.02 ERA.

Oakland Athletics

Blevins was traded to the Oakland Athletics, along with catcher Rob Bowen, for catcher Jason Kendall on July 16, 2007.[7]

The Athletics, upon receiving Blevins, optioned him to Double-A Midland. He went 1–3 there with a 3.32 ERA in 17 games. He was promoted to the Sacramento River Cats, the Athletics Triple-A affiliate, on August 31, 2007. Before the River Cats season ended, he pitched in one game in which he did not give a run and got the win in 2​2⁄3 scoreless innings pitched. Blevins helped the River Cats win the Pacific Coast League championship. After the win, Blevins was promoted to the Athletics major league club on September 15, 2007. Blevins pitched for four different minor league teams in 2007 and had a combined 5–5 record with a 1.63 ERA in 56 games. He also struck out 11.87 batters per nine innings and had a total of 102 strikeouts in 77​1⁄3 innings.

On September 16, 2007, Blevins made his major league debut, coming into the game in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers. He pitched a perfect ninth inning and struck out David Murphy.

Blevins was designated for assignment on May 23, 2011.[8] He was later re-added back to the 40-man roster, only to be designated for assignment again on July 19.[9] He was re-added to the 40-man roster a day later.

Blevins pitching for the Oakland Athletics in 2012

Blevins earned one save during the 2012 season, also his second save in his career in a clutch relief when A's closer Grant Balfour allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning making the score 6–5 against the Los Angeles Angels. Blevins came in with the tying run at third and winning run at first, but he struck out Kendrys Morales and grounded Howard Kendrick into a double play to earn the save.

Blevins signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Athletics to avoid arbitration before the 2013 season. On April 29, Blevins got the win in a 19 inning game against the Angels, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings. The Athletics won the game in the bottom of the 19th on a walk-off Brandon Moss home run. Blevins also batted in that game, striking out against Barry Enright in the 18th inning. In 67 appearances in 2013, Blevins went 5-0 with 4 holds and a 3.15 ERA, striking out 52 in 60 innings.

Washington Nationals

On December 11, 2013, Blevins was traded to the Washington Nationals for minor league outfielder Billy Burns.[10] Blevins finished his 2014 season 2-3, 4.87 ERA, 66 strikeouts, 23 walks, giving up 31 runs in 64 games in 57.1 innings pitched.

New York Mets

Blevins with the Mets in 2016

On March 30, 2015, Blevins was traded to the New York Mets for outfielder Matt den Dekker.[11]

On April 19, 2015, Blevins was hit by a comebacker and suffered a distal radius fracture of the left arm and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.[12] Blevins was recovering when he slipped on a curb and re-fractured his arm again and missed the rest of the season. Blevins finished the 2015 season 1-0, 4 strikeouts, 5 innings pitched in 7 games with no runs allowed.

On December 15, 2015, Blevins signed a one-year, four million dollar deal with incentives.[13]

On February 9, 2017, Blevins signed a one-year contract with the Mets that included a team option for the 2018 season.[14][15]

On June 24 at Citi Field, after a late injury to Jason Vargas, Blevins made his first Major League start. He allowed home runs to the first two batters he faced, Kike Hernandez and Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Blevins became only the second pitcher since 1900 to allow home runs to both of the first two hitters in his first career start. He was pulled after two innings.[16]

Personal life

Blevins proposed to his wife, Whitney, on the National Mall.[2] Their son, Ellis Layne Blevins, was born on May 14, 2018.[17]

During the 2017 offseason, Blevins received a lifetime pass to any MLB game.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "MLB Players Weekend: National League nicknames".
  2. 1 2 3 Serby, Steve (18 June 2017). "Jerry Blevins on striking out his hero, waiting for his bobblehead". New York Post. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 Bohnert, Brian (January 23, 2017). "Spend An Evening With Jerry Blevins". Review Times. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  4. 1 2 Archdeacon, Tom (August 7, 2013). "A's reliever proud of his UD roots". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Wagner, James (22 March 2015). "Nationals' Jerry Blevins as much a renaissance man as he is a baseball player". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  6. ↑ Harris, Doug (October 9, 2009). "Blevins reaches majors after rough start at UD". Springfield News-Sun. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  7. ↑ Urban, Mychael. "A's deal catcher Kendall to Cubs ", MLB.com, July 16, 2007. Accessed September 16, 2007.
  8. ↑ Athletics Designate Jerry Blevins For Assignment, MLBTradeRumors.com, May 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ Nicholson-Smith, Ben. "A's Designate Jerry Blevins For Assignment". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Nationals acquire LHP Jerry Blevins from Athletics". Curly W Live. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  11. ↑ "MASN News & Information: Nats acquire outfielder Matt den Dekker from Mets". MASNsports. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  12. ↑ SI Wire (April 19, 2015). "New York Mets place Jerry Blevins, Travis d'Arnaud on disabled list - MLB - SI.com". SI.com. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Mets re-sign LH reliever Jerry Blevins". SNY. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  14. ↑ "New York Mets on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  15. ↑ Adams, Steve (February 9, 2017). "Mets Designate Ty Kelly For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  16. ↑ Walker, Mollie (25 June 2018). "Jerry Blevins' first career start didn't go how anyone was hoping". New York Post. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  17. ↑ Garro, Adrian (May 17, 2018). "Jerry Blevins and wife welcome well-dressed newborn into the world". Cut4. Major League Baseball. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  18. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BdBhO1HAy3N/
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