Joakim Soria
From BR Bullpen
Joakim Agustin Soria (The Mexecutioner)
- Born May 18, 1984 in Monclova, Coahuila Mexico
[edit] Biographical Information
Joakim Soria pitched the third perfect game in the history of the Mexican Pacific League in 2006, following Vicente Romo in 1971 and Jesus Moreno in 1989.
He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He debuted in 2002 with the DSL Dodgers East, going 3-2 with a 2.01 ERA in the pitching-dominated league. He also threw four games for the GCL Dodgers, posting a 3.60 ERA and getting no decisions. Soria missed 2003 due to Tommy John surgery and only came into four games for one of the DSL Dodgers before they let him go.
In 2005, Soria pitched for the Mexico City Red Devils, going 5-0 with a 4.48 ERA, primarily as a reliever. It was a high-scoring league and Soria's ERA was better than the average mark of any team in the circuit. He was second on Mexico City in ERA, ahead of ex-big-leaguers like Jose Silva and Francisco Cordova.
Joakim split 2006 between Mexico City and the Fort Wayne Wizards, a San Diego Padres farm club (San Diego owned his MLB rights and Mexico City his LMB rights). With Fort Wayne, he was 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA, 5 hits allowed, two walks allowed and 11 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings over 7 solid appearances. Soria spent most of the season with Mexico City as their closer, getting no decisions, saving 15 and having a 3.89 ERA in 39 games. He tied for 10th in the Mexican League in saves. In the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, Soria struck out 5 in 3 2/3 shutout innings, saving one game in five appearances as Mexico won Bronze.
That winter, the Kansas City Royals took Soria from San Diego in the Rule V Draft, making him the 2nd pick. Less than a week later, Joakim threw his perfect game to enter the Mexican Pacific League record books. He was dominating the LMP, going 9-0 with a 1.77 ERA in 11 starts for the Yaquis de Obregón after the perfect game was factored in. He had walked 19 and allowed only 46 hits in 71 1/3 innings, while striking out 73. He was leading the LMP in all three pitching Triple Crown statistics. He won the perfect game 6-0 over the Hermosillo Naranjeros, who featured a defending LMP batting titlist and Jerry Hairston Jr. as the big stars. He threw 101 pitches and fanned nine in the outing.
Soria made his MLB debut on April 4, 2007 for the Royals against the Boston Red Sox. He went 2-3 with 17 saves and a 2.48 ERA in 62 games as a rookie. Soria allowed only 46 hits in 69 innings while striking out 75.
Soria was 2-3 with 41 saves as the closer of the 2008 Royals. He had a 1.60 ERA, giving up just 39 hits in 67 1/3 IP; opponents hit a minuscule .169/.248/.255 against him. He was second in the 2008 AL in saves, behind only Francisco Rodríguez, who played for a much better team. In the 2008 All-Star Game, he was the 12th American League pitcher, between Mariano Rivera and George Sherrill; he worked the 11th inning and part of the 12th without allowing a run.
Soria pitched for Mexico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, retiring all six batters he faced.
Sources: Viva Beisbol newsletter by Bruce Baskin, Minorleaguebaseball.com, Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database, Kansas City Royals press release on Rule V selection, 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, World Baseball Classic site
[edit] Notable Achievements
- AL All-Star (2008)
- 30 Saves Seasons: 1 (2008)
- 40 Saves Seasons: 1 (2008)
