Scott Diamond
From BR Bullpen
Scott Michael Diamond
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.
- School State University of New York at Binghamton
- High School Centennial Collegiate
- Debut July 18, 2011
- Born July 30, 1986 in Guelph, ON Canada
[edit] Biographical Information
Despite being undrafted out of college, Scott Diamond went 15-3 his first year as a pro.
Diamond had a 1.85 ERA in high school and struck out 181 in 166 1/3. Slam Sports in Canada ranked him as the #26 Canadian entering the 2004 amateur draft. He was 4-6 with a 4.15 ERA as a college freshman at SUNY Binghamton and was named the America East Conference Rookie of the Year, beating out Curt Smith among others. Diamond fell to 5-6, 5.14 in his sophomore season, well back of Binghamton's top two hurlers. In 2007, the southpaw improved to 5-3, 3.45 but was now the #4 man on the staff. He signed with the Atlanta Braves following the 2007 amateur draft (in which he was not picked) for about $50,000.
Diamond made his pro debut in 2008. He began with the Rome Braves, going 3-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 9 starts. That earned him a promotion to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, where he went 12-2 with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 85 and walking 28 in 100 innings while holding left-handed hitters to a .190 average. One of the other stars on the staff was a fellow Canadian, reliever Bryan Dumesnil. Had he qualified, Diamond would have led the Carolina League in ERA ahead of Jake Arrieta. He tied Carlton Smith and Aaron Hartsock for the league lead in wins despite joining the league during the season. He also led all Braves minor leaguers in victories. Diamond tied six others (including Madison Bumgarner and Adam Pettyjohn) for 5th in the affiliated minors in wins.
Diamond was on the Canadian roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic, a far cry from where he had been a year earlier. He came on in relief of Vince Perkins and T.J. Burton in the 4th inning of Canada's game against Italy. He spent 2009 with the Mississippi Braves of the AA Southern League, going 5-10, 3.50 in 23 starts. In spite of his mediocre won-loss record, he was a mid-season Southern League All-Star. He started 2010 back with Mississippi, then graduated to the AAA Gwinnett Braves in mid-year. He was 4-6, 3.52 in AA and 4-1, 3.36 in his first taste of AAA. Overall, in 27 starts, his record was 8-7 with a solid 3.46 ERA in 158 2/3 innings, during which he struck out 123 batters.
After the 2010 season, Diamond was picked by the Minnesota Twins in the Rule V Draft. He was sent to the AAA Rochester Red Wings to begin the 2011 season, but did not pitch as well as the previous year. In his first 17 starts, he was 4-8 with a 4.70 ERA, but the Twins still called him up to start the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians on July 18. Pitching in sweltering weather at Target Field, he gave up 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings to be charged with a loss. After two losses, he earned his first major league win on August 31st, beating the Chicago White Sox, 7-6. His teammates made things easy for him, as he had a 6-0 lead before he even took the mound in the 1st inning; he then left the game after 6 innings, holding a 7-3 lead, but his bullpen made things interesting after that. He ended the year with a 1-5, 5.08 record in 7 starts.
[edit] Sources
- 2006-2009 Baseball Almanacs
- Binghamton bio
- Scout.com
- 2008 Braves Media Guide
