Collin Balester
Collin Balester | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Huntington Beach, California, U.S. | June 6, 1986|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
Professional debut | |
MLB: July 1, 2008, for the Washington Nationals | |
KBO: April 5, 2016, for the Samsung Lions[1] | |
Last appearance | |
MLB: October 2, 2015, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
KBO: April 15, 2016, for the Samsung Lions[1] | |
MLB statistics (through 2015 season) | |
Win–loss record | 8–17 |
Earned run average | 5.47 |
Strikeouts | 157 |
KBO statistics | |
Win–loss record | 0–3 |
Earned run average | 8.03 |
Strikeouts | 5 |
Teams | |
Collin Thomas Balester (born June 6, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2008 to 2015 for the Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, and Cincinnati Reds. Balester has also played for the Samsung Lions of the KBO League.
Balester grew up in
In 2012, Balester started the season on a major league roster for the first time in his career but was
Early life
Collin Thomas Balester was born on June 6, 1986, in Huntington Beach, California, the son of Tom and Sally Balester.[2][3] He has two sisters, Lauren (older) and Jenna (younger).[3] His father runs a surfboard shop off of Slater Avenue in Huntington Beach and also makes "Balestar" surfboards, which are sold widely in surf shops.. Collin surfed regularly growing up. Playing Little League Baseball for the Huntington Valley team, Balester threw a pitch that was recorded at 83 miles per hour (134 km/h), making his father realize that his son might be a major league prospect one day.[4][5]
At
Professional career
Washington Nationals
2004–2007
Balester was drafted by the
Before the 2005 season, the Expos relocated to
Balester began the 2006 season with the High-A Potomac Nationals, where he got off to a bad start, going 1–3 with a 6.91 in nine starts. On the bad start, Balester said, "It kind of has been hard. I did so well last year. I think it's going to be good for me that I am failing a little bit more so that I know how to fail. I know I can use this in the future." He also added that, "I get way too high expectations for myself and I've got to realize I am only 19 years old."[14] In late August, after going 4–5 with a 5.20 ERA and a 1.521 WHIP in 22 starts for Potomac,[2] Balester was called up to Double-A Harrisburg. According to The Washington Times, Balester had already booked a flight home to Huntington Beach, expecting not to receive a call-up to Double-A.[15] In three starts for Harrisburg, he went 1–0 with a 1.83 ERA.[2]
In 2007, he was named the top prospect in the entire Nationals organization.
2008
Balester began the 2008 season with Columbus, going 9–3 with a 4.00 ERA in 15 starts for the club.
2009
In
2010
On March 15, 2010, Balester was sent to minor league training camp, ensuring that he would start the 2010 season in Syracuse.
2011
In 2011, Balester was optioned again to Triple-A Syracuse to begin the season.
Detroit Tigers
In 2012, Balester made the Tigers' Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher, marking the first time in his career that he started a season in the major leagues.[50] He picked up wins on April 12 and May 15, both times relieving a starting pitcher who had failed to make it through five innings.[51] However, he was designated for assignment by Detroit on May 23 to make room for Quintin Berry on the roster.[52] In 11 games with the Tigers, he had posted a 2–0 record, a 6.50 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and 11 walks in 18 innings.[24] Balester spent the rest of the season with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, posting a 1–1 record, a 3.64 ERA, 45 strikeouts, and 47 innings pitched in 31 relief outings.[2][51] He was granted free agency on November 2.[24]
Texas Rangers organization
Balester signed with the
Pittsburgh Pirates organization
Balester signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 20, 2013.[24] Although he was initially assigned to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, Balester opened the season on the disabled list and did not start pitching until he underwent a rookie-level rehab assignment. On July 31, he joined the Double-A Altoona Curve.[47] In 10 relief appearances, he had a 1–4 record, a 6.55 ERA, and 10 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched.[2] After the season, he pitched in three games for the Venados de Mazatlán of the Mexican Pacific League.[2]
In 2015, Balester split the first part of the season between Altoona and Indianapolis.[47] In 13 games with Altoona, he had a 1–0 record, 4 saves, a 1.77 ERA, and 14 strikeouts in 20+1⁄3 innings pitched. With Indianapolis in 8 games, he had no record, a 3.07 ERA, and 8 strikeouts in 14+2⁄3 innings pitched.[2] On June 19, Balester was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash.[24]
Cincinnati Reds
Balester began his Reds tenure with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. He had no record, seven saves, a 2.05 ERA, and 13 strikeouts in 21 games for the Bats.[2] On August 23, the Reds purchased Balester's contract when Manny Parra went on the disabled list with shoulder trouble and biceps tendinitis. "The last two (years), I've thought: 'Man, am I going to get back?' ... To get back today was a big thing for me," Balester said.[55] He pitched in his first MLB game in three years that same day, then got his first win in three years on August 24, pitching two scoreless innings as the Reds scored 10 runs in the sixth inning to come from behind and beat the Tigers, 12–5. "It was unbelievable – it was the best inning I'd ever seen," Balester said of the offensive outburst.[56][57] He remained with the Reds for the rest of the season.[56] In his final outing of the year, against the Pirates at PNC Field on October 2, Balester entered a tied game in the 11th and took the loss in the 12th when he gave up a two-run, walk-off home run to Starling Marte.[56][58] Balester posted a 1–1 record, a 7.47 ERA, 13 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 15 appearances (15+2⁄3 innings pitched).[24] He became a free agent on November 4.[24]
Samsung Lions
For the 2016 season, Balester was signed by the Samsung Lions of the KBO League. He did not pitch much for them, experiencing a sore right elbow early in the season.[59] He lost all three of his starts for the Lions, recording an 8.03 ERA in the process.[2] The Lions released him on May 18, and Balester considered retirement.[60][59]
Last professional season
After moving to
On May 6, 2017, Balester signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants. He was assigned to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels on May 22.[47] In 12 games (1 start), he had a 1–4 record, a 2.75 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and 3 walks in 19+2⁄3 innings.[2] On July 18, he was temporarily assigned to the Single-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, but he did not make any appearances with them before getting assigned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats on July 22.[47] In 14 games, he had a 1–0 record, a 5.79 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and 7 walks in 23+1⁄3 innings.[2] The Giants did not call him up at the end of the year. He became a free agent on November 6 and has not pitched professionally since.[47][64]
Pitching style
Balester threw three pitches: a fastball, a curveball, and a cutter. His fastball was his primary pitch, which he threw over 60 percent of the time. It averaged 93 miles per hour (150 km/h) in the major leagues, topping out at 95 miles per hour (153 km/h).[65] He tended to throw his curveball anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of the time, though in 2010 he threw it 35.5 percent of the time. It averaged 78 miles per hour (126 km/h). Though he resorted to the changeup 14.8 percent of the time in 2008, Balester usually threw it less than three percent of the time with the Nationals. It averaged 84.9 miles per hour (136.6 km/h).[66] His back leg tended to drop too low while he was throwing pitches.[59]
Earlier in his professional career, Balester used to yell at umpires when he did not like a call, but he had become more docile by 2007. "I think I’ve made some progress, especially on the emotional side. When they make a bad call now I just sort of turn my back and walk to the other side of the mound. It’s the type of thing that got me in trouble before," he said that year.[4]
Personal life
Balester married Ashley Sterling in 2009.[3][67] They have multiple children.[68] Ashley was from Ohio originally, and in 2016, the Balesters moved to Perrysburg, Ohio. They started Local Roots Juice Co., which sells healthy smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and snacks.[59][68] Balester's sister, Jenna, won several surfing competitions growing up.[4] At various times with the Nationals, he had a mustache. He re-grew it in November 2010 for Movember, as part of an effort to educate people about cancers affecting men. None of his family had been affected by such cancer, yet Balester wanted to be part of the cause.[67]
References
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Collin Balester Minor, Winter & Korean Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c Balester, Collin (October 21, 2008). "About bally". Mlblogs. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Life Flows from the Beach to the Ballpark". Orange County Register. July 14, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ a b "Collin Balester Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved August 3, 2021. (Note: Will need to click "View More Bio Info+" to see some info.)
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External links
- Official website
- Local Roots Juice Co. - business started by Balester and his wife
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)