Boris Bokaj
From BR Bullpen
Boris Bokaj
- Bats Right, Throws Right
Boris Bokaj has pitched for the Czech national team.
In the 2003 Extraliga, Bokaj went 3-4 with a 6.10 ERA as a 16-year-old for the Arrows Ostrava; he was 1 for 15 at the plate. A year later, he was the staff ace, going 4-0 with a 2.20 ERA. In 2005, he was 3-2 with a 1.48 ERA and fanned 52 in 60 2/3 IP. He was 10th in the league in strikeouts and 5th in ERA. He even went 5 for 12 with 3 doubles at the plate.
Bokaj was with the Czech squad for the 2005 Baseball World Cup. The 19-year-old was one of the worse hurlers on a bad staff, going 0-1 with a 16.62 ERA with 13 hits allowed in 4 1/3 IP. He took the loss against the Puerto Rican national team. Only Jan Drabek, normally a position player, had a higher ERA for the Czechs, who made their Baseball World Cup debut.
In 2006, Boris went 2-4 with 3 saves and a 3.01 ERA for Ostrava. The Arrows ace continued to cruise in 2007, going 7-1 with a save and a 2.74 ERA. He tied for the Extraliga lead in complete games (4) and wins, led in innings (82) and tied for 5th in strikeouts (56). In the 2007 European Championship, the right-hander pitched one game, allowing two unearned runs in 5 innings in a no-decision against Austria (the Czech team went on to win).
During the 2008 season, Bokaj went 6-4 with 2 saves and a 2.25 ERA. He was 6th in the league in ERA, innings (76) and opponent average (.199) and was 9th in K (57). During the 2008 World University Championship, he had a 1-1, 2.92 record, getting the lone Czech win (over Lithuania). In the 2008 European Championship Qualifiers, he allowed one run in 5 2/3 IP.
