David Aardsma

David Allan Aardsma
(The D.A.)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 200 lb.
• School Pennsylvania State University, Rice University
• High School Cherry Creek High School
• Debut April 6, 2004

• Born December 27, 1981 in Denver, CO USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

Pitcher David Aardsma is a former first-round draft pick who has played parts of seven seasons in the majors. He is also famous as being first alphabetically in the list of all-time major league baseball players, preceding Hall of Famer Hank Aaron (through 2011).

Aardsma attended Penn State in his freshman year of college after graduating from Cherry Creek High School in 2000. He transferred to Rice University in 2001, where he remained for the rest of his college tenure. With the Owls, he became a dominant closer and set school single-season and career save records. In the 2003 College World Series, he earned two wins and a save while striking out 15 of the 16 batters he faced, as Rice won their first national championship.

Aardsma was drafted in the first round of the 2003 amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants with the 22nd overall pick. He was signed by scout Tom Korenek and sent to the Class A San Jose Giants, playing brilliantly that year, posting a 1.96 ERA while striking out 28 in 18 and a third innings and notching 8 saves. Earning an invitation to Spring Training with the Giants in 2004, he again pitched well, posting a 2.08 ERA and a striking out 6 in 8.2 innings. His talent earned him a spot on the Giants' Opening Day roster - in the 10 months since he was drafted he had skipped AA and AAA and went straight to the majors. He made his debut one day after the season opener, pitching two innings, allowing three hits, and walking one. In his first 6 appearances, he had a 1.80 ERA, but this success did not last. The day after giving up 2 runs in an inning on April 20, he was sent down to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies. He split the remainder of the year between San Francisco, where he posted a 6.75 ERA in 11 games, and Fresno, where he was 6-4 with a 3.09 ERA and 11 saves.

The Giants decided to try to convert Aardsma to a starter in 2005, and he began the year with the AA Norwich Navigators, with whom he went 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA. On May 28, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with Jerome Williams for LaTroy Hawkins. He spent the remainder of the season with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, going 4-1 with a 3.91 ERA and 2 saves in 33 games. He earned a spot in the Cubs bullpen in 2006, going 3-0 with a 4.08 ERA in 45 games. After the season, he was traded again, this this time across town to the Chicago White Sox along with Carlos Vasquez for Neal Cotts. He split the 2007 season between the big leagues, where he posted a 6.40 ERA in 25 games, and the AAA Charlotte Knights, with whom he notched 15 saves. He was traded again after the season, this time to the Boston Red Sox, in return for two minor leaguers. He pitched 45 games for the Red Sox in 2008, posting a 4-2 record and a 5.55 ERA.

Involved in his fourth trade prior to the 2009 season, Aardsma to the Seattle Mariners in return for minor leaguer Fabian Williamson, he finally showed the talent his previous teams had been looking for. He was intalled as the M's closer and responded with 38 saves - he had not recorded a single save over his first four seasons - and a 2.52 ERA in 73 games. His other stats were consistent with those of an elite closer: in 71 1/3 innings, he gave up only 49 hits while striking out 80. He was back at it in 2010, saving another 31 games, but with a 3.44 ERA, He missed some time with an injury, pitching in only 53 games, and his won-loss record was 0-6. However, he missed the start of the 2011 season with a hip injury, then played in only 5 games with the AAA Tacoma Rainiers on a rehabilitation assignment before having to undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season. Brandon League took over as Seattle's closer in his absence. Aardsma was released by the Mariners following the season and signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees on February 22, 2012.

His younger sister, Amanda Aardsma, is an actress who formerly competed in the Miss Teen USA beauty pageant.

[edit] Notable Achievements

• 30 Saves Seasons: 2 (2009 & 2010)

[edit] Related Sites