David Aardsma

David Aardsma
Chicago White Sox – No. 54
Relief Pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
April 4, 2004, for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics (through 2007)
Win-Loss	6-1
Earned Run Average	3.80
Strikeouts	84
Teams
San Francisco Giants (2004) Chicago Cubs (2006) Chicago White Sox (2007-present)

David A. Aardsma (born December 27, 1981) is a Major League Baseball player for the Chicago White Sox.

Aardsma attended Cherry Creek High School in Colorado, which was also the high school of Major Leaguers like Josh Bard, John Burke, Brad Lidge, Darnell McDonald and Donzell McDonald. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 2000.

He attended Penn State in his freshman year of college. He transferred to Rice University in 2001, where he remained for the rest of his college tenure. At Rice, Aardsma became a dominant closer, where he set school single-season and career saves records in 2002-03. In the 2003 College World Series, Aardsma earned two wins and a save as the Owls won their first national championship. He also retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced at the College World Series.

The righthander was drafted in the 1st round (22nd overall) of the 2003 amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants. He went to the San Jose Giants (Class A), and played brilliantly. He posted a 1.96 ERA while striking out 28 in about 18 innings. He made the major-league roster in 2004, skipping AA and AAA, and made his debut in the season's second game. In his major league debut, in front of friends and family at Minute Maid Park, he pitched two innings, allowing three hits and walking one, to earn his first MLB win. In his first 6 appearances, he had a 1.80 ERA (this success did not carry over, as he finished the season with a 6.75 ERA in 11 games: After giving up two runs in one inning on April 20, he was sent down to Fresno, the Giants AAA team, the next day).

File:David-Aardsma.jpg

2004 Topps baseball card

Aardsma's route through professional baseball has been somewhat unique, given that after making the leap from A ball to the Giants, he was demoted to AAA and then subsequently started the 2005 season in AA. He started the 2006 season with AAA Iowa.

Aardsma has earned the nick name "Crazy Eyes" during the 2007 season.

David Aardsma started the 2007 season strong. In April, he posted a 1.72 ERA while pitching 23 strikeouts in only 15.2 innings pitched. However, troubles mounted in May, and Aardsma finished the month with an ERA of 4.73 and an ERA of 9.00 for the month.

Following June 2nd, Aardsma was optioned to AAA Charlotte Knights. He was recalled on June 19, and has continued to struggle in his last few starts with the team.

Honors and Awards

• In 2002, Aardsma was a Summer League First-Team All-American.

Transactions

• Traded with Jerome Williams to the Chicago Cubs for LaTroy Hawkins on May 28, 2005.
• Traded with Carlos Vasquez to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Neal Cotts on November 16, 2006.

Other Facts

• Aardsma currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• In his career, Aardsma has spent more time as teammates with minor leaguers Chris Begg and James Garcia and catcher Trey Lunsford, than any other teammate.
• Cubs fans have taken to using Aardsma's name in reference to a vulgar and uncommon act.
• Aardsma's fast ball calculates to around 99 mph.
• He is very good friends with actress Kirsten Dunst.
• Of all baseball players in history, 'Aardsma' ranks first alphabetically. When he came into the league, he succeeded Hank Aaron for this position.
• Aardsma's sister Amanda was Miss Colorado Teen USA 1997, and Miss Teenage California 1994

External links

• Statistics at Baseball Reference
• David Aardsma, The Baseball Cube
• David Aardsma, MILB
• Another David Aardsma Biography