Rocky Cherry
From BR Bullpen
Rocky Ty Cherry
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 5", Weight 225 lb.
- School University of Oklahoma
- High School Coppell High School
- Debut April 23, 2007
- Final Game September 24, 2008
- Born August 19, 1979 in Dallas, TX USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Pitcher Rocky Cherry debuted in the majors in 2007 with the Chicago Cubs.
Rocky was 7-5 with a 4.92 ERA as a freshman at the University of Oklahoma in 2000. The next year, he went 8-8 with a 4.88 ERA. Cherry was drafted originally by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round of the 2001 amateur draft but he did not sign. Returning to school, he had a 3-3, 2.77 line as a junior. The Chicago Cubs took him in the 14th round of the 2002 amateur draft. He signed too late to pitch that year in their system.
In 2003, Cherry made his professional debut with the Boise Hawks (5-2, 2.17, 55 K in 54 IP, .180 opponent average) and the Lansing Lugnuts (2-0, 2.76). Had he qualified (he was 7 innings shy), he would have ranked 3rd in the Northwest League in ERA, just ahead of Patrick Misch.
Rocky's 2004 season was spent with the Daytona Cubs, where he only was 5-10 with a 5.20 ERA. He tied teammate Andrew Sisco for the Cubs minor league lead in losses. Cherry only pitched three games for the 2005 West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (0-0, 2.89) before being sidelined by a torn elbow ligament on April 21. He had Tommy John surgery then went to work in the paint department at Home Depot. His family had run "Cherry Paint" for 30 years, so Cherry had plenty of experience in the paint business.
Rocky returned to baseball in 2006 and moved to the bullpen. He went 4-1 with 2 saves and a 2.22 ERA while striking out over a batter per inning in 31 games for West Tenn. He was 1-0 with a 10.13 ERA in two games for the Iowa Cubs in his AAA debut.
Cherry began 2007 with the Iowa Cubs, saving 3 of 7 games and posting a 3.86 ERA with 12 K in 9 1/3 IP before getting called up Chicago. He made his Major League debut on April 23rd, coming on in relief in the 12th inning. He was saddled with the loss after giving up a home run to Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cherry was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 12 outings for the Cubs in his rookie year and 2-0 with 7 saves and a 4.59 ERA in 43 games for Iowa, fanning over a batter per inning. He was traded in late August with Scott Moore to the Baltimore Orioles for Steve Trachsel. With the Orioles, Rocky walked 13 and allowed 17 hits in 16 1/3 IP for a 7.71 ERA. he then pitched 18 games for Baltimore in 2008, but the results weren't great: a 6.35 ERA with 16 walks in 17 innings. he had done well for the Norfolk Tides earlier that year, going 0-1 but with a 2.89 ERA in 37 1/3 innings, with 37 strikeouts against only 9 walks. The Orioles dropped him from their major league roster, and he was picked by the New York Mets in that December's Rule V draft. Not only did he fail to make the team in spring training in 2009, but he was released in March and the Orioles declined to repatriate him. A free agent, he latched on to the Boston Red Sox. He pitched quite well for the Pawtucket Red Sox, going 3-1, 2.57 in 38 games, but he was released again on August 15th. He signed with the San Diego Padres organization, but he was 0-1, 12.27 in 7 games for the Portland Beavers, marking the end of his career in organized baseball.
Sources: 2002-2007 Baseball Almanacs, Scout.com interview, The Baseball Cube
