Joe Thatcher

Joe Thatcher
Thatcher with the Padres in 2009
San Diego Padres – No. 54
Relief pitcher
Born: October 4, 1981 (1981-10-04)
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
July 26, 2007 for the San Diego Padres
Career statistics (through August 19, 2010)
Win-Loss	4-6
Earned run average	3.36
Strikeouts	142
Teams
San Diego Padres (2007-present)

Joseph Andrew Thatcher (born October 4, 1981 in Kokomo, Indiana) is Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres. Nicknamed "The Prime Minister, and The Throw'in Kokomoan" he is 6'2" tall and weighs 230 lb (100 kg). In college, he pitched for Indiana State University. He made his debut with the Padres on July 26, 2007, in Houston against the Astros.

He appeared in 22 games in 2007, finishing with a 2-2 record; in 2008, in appeared in 25 games finishing with an 0-4 record. Following spring training in 2009, Joe started the season in Portland, OR, with the Portland Beavers, the AAA affiliate of the Padres but was called up to San Diego on May 15, 2009.

During the offseason, he resides in Kokomo, Indiana and enjoys playing golf on his down time. Both of his sisters were student-athletes at Indiana State University, Anne a member of the women's basketball team and Mary Kate "Goose", a member of the women's golf team. He is the son of Phil and Sara Thatcher and his father also pitched for Indiana State University while his mother was a cheerleader.

Also an accomplished basketball player, Thatcher was a member of Kokomo High School's basketball team for four years. He was a freshman on the 1997 team that played in Indiana's final true state tournament and set a school record for 3-pointers in a game as a senior in 2000.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)