Mark DiFelice
From BR Bullpen
Mark Andrew DiFelice
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.
- School Western Carolina University
- Debut May 18, 2008
- Born August 23, 1976 in Bryn Mawr, PA, USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Veteran minor league pitcher Mark DiFelice was roughed up in his major league debut on May 18, 2008, pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park: the Boston Red Sox touched him for three runs on five hits in one inning of work. He pitched a scoreless inning in his second game, four days later.
DiFelice pitched for a decade in the minor leagues before making the Show, beginning his career in the Colorado Rockies organization in 1998, and including two stints in the independent Atlantic League in 2005 and 2006. He did well at first, reaching AAA as a starting pitcher by 2001, but his career stalled afterwards. He was released by Colorado after the 2003 season, was converted to bullpen duty by the Baltimore Orioles while pitching for the Ottawa Lynx in 2004, but was released in spite of a fine 9-4, 3.44 record and 70/27 strikeout to walk rate. He was solid as a starter for the Somerset Patriots in 2005, earning a look in the Washington Nationals organization for the second half of the season, but failed miserably by posting an 8.40 ERA at New Orleans.
Back in the Atlantic League in 2006, he went 12-9, 3.19 for the Camden Riversharks. The Milwaukee Brewers signed him for 2007 and he breezed through the AA Southern League, posting a 1.62 ERA for the Huntsville Stars. That earned him a promotion to AAA Nashville, where back in the starting rotation, he went 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts. He started 2008 in Nashville, before finally getting the call to the Big Leagues on May 15 when David Riske went on the disabled list; he had gone 3-0 in four starts at that point.
