Jeff Weaver

Jeff Weaver
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 36
Starting pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
April 14, 1999, for the Detroit Tigers
Career statistics (through 2008 season)
Win-Loss	93-114
Earned run average	4.72
Strikeouts	1,124
Teams
Detroit Tigers (1999-2002) New York Yankees (2002-2003) Los Angeles Dodgers (2004-2005) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2006) St. Louis Cardinals (2006) Seattle Mariners (2007) Los Angeles Dodgers (2009-present)

• World Series Champion (2006)

Olympic medal record
Men’s Baseball
	1996 Atlanta	Team competition

Jeffrey Charles Weaver (born August 22, 1976 in Northridge, Los Angeles, California) is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has pitched in the majors for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, St. Louis Cardinals, and Seattle Mariners.

Professional career

Weaver, a graduate of Simi Valley High School in Simi Valley, California, was drafted by Detroit in the first round of the 1998 amateur draft and made his Major League debut a year later. He was their Opening Day starter in 2001 and 2002. In the 2002 season, he was traded to the New York Yankees in a three team deal that also involved the Oakland Athletics and Yankees prospects John-Ford Griffin, Jason Arnold, and Ted Lilly.

Weaver's time with the Yankees was very turbulent, bouncing in and out of the starting rotation. In Game 4 of the 2003 World Series, he allowed a 12th inning walk-off home run to Álex González.

In August, 2003, ebay member "freerangeveal" attempted to sell Weaver on eBay. The auction appeared the day after Weaver gave up 11 runs against the Kansas City Royals. The auction lasted for one day, and the bidding reached the ebay limit and record of $99,999,999.00 before it was removed as against eBay policy.

He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the off-season for Kevin Brown.

In 2005, the Dodgers built their rotation around Weaver. He went 14-11, with a 4.22 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, 3 complete games and a career-high 157 strikeouts in 224 innings. Following the 2005 season, Weaver filed for free agency. The Dodgers offered him salary arbitration, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.

On February 15, 2006, Weaver signed a 1-year deal with the Angels for $8.5 million. After posting a 3-10 record with a 6.29 ERA in Anaheim, he was designated for assignment on June 30. Coincidentally, his younger brother, Jered Weaver, was recalled and replaced Jeff in the starting rotation.

On July 5 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired Weaver from the Angels in exchange for minor leaguer Terry Evans and cash considerations. He debuted with the team as a pinch hitter in a 14-inning game between the Cardinals and Dodgers on July 13, 2006, at Busch Stadium.

Jered and Jeff both appeared in a July 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated that chronicled how Jeff Weaver's trade impacted Jeff and Jered both baseball-wise and in life away from the game. The younger Weaver was disappointed that his brother left without being around to see him set history by winning his first 9 career decisions.

After yielding six runs in four innings in his first start, Weaver played a key role in the Cardinals World Series win. He won important games for the Cardinals in the final weeks of the season, helping them win the National League Central Division, and he started and won Game 2 of the 2006 National League Division Series. Weaver started and was the losing pitcher for Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on October 12, 2006. He pitched five scoreless innings before giving up a two-run home run to Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran in the sixth inning; as the Cards lost 2-0.

In Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on October 17, 2006, Weaver pitched 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, winning his second game of the 2006 postseason.

After losing Game 2 of the 2006 World Series to the Detroit Tigers, Weaver came back on October 27, 2006, in Game 5 to pitch 8 innings, giving up 4 hits and 1 earned run. He was credited with the win as the Cardinals clinched the series 4-1.

On January 26, 2007, the Seattle Mariners signed Weaver as a free agent to a one-year deal worth $8-9 million. Weaver had a 14.32 ERA with only 22 innings pitched after 6 starts and was placed on the 15-day disabled list with “right shoulder tendinitis”. It was speculated that this was a strategic move by the team to allow Weaver to take some time off and make a series of “Rehab” starts with a minor league affiliate. The hope was that he would be able to work out his problems without adversly impacting the Major League ball club; it seemed to work as Weaver pitched more effectively after his return. On June 20 versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, Weaver posted a 4-hit, complete game, 7-0 shutout, which was his first win with Seattle. Although he pitched well in July and August, he finished with a 7-13 record and 6.20 ERA and became a free agent after the season.

On April 15, 2008, Weaver signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, after pitching in just nine minor league games, Weaver requested and was granted a release from his contract. On July 5, Weaver signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, but did not appear in the majors with them, spending the rest of the season in AAA.

He signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in February 2009 and was assigned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes. After a few appearances with the Isotopes, Weaver was recalled to the Dodgers on April 30 and he pitched four scoreless innings of relief against the San Diego Padres, his first appearance in a Major League game since 2007.

See also

• MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs

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