Andy Sonnanstine
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2009) |
| Andy Sonnanstine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tampa Bay Rays – No. 21 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| June 5, 2007, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
| Career statistics (through 2009 season) | |
| Win-Loss | 25-28 |
| Earned run average | 5.40 |
| Strikeouts | 281 |
| Teams | |
| |
Andrew Michael Sonnanstine (born March 18, 1983, in Barberton, Ohio) is a Relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Sonnanstine is a graduate of Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, and attended Kent State University.
Baseball career
Sonnanstine made his first major league start against the Toronto Blue Jays, receiving a no-decision. He picked up his first major league win on June 10, 2007, in a game against the Florida Marlins.
Sonnanstine demonstrated strikeout potential in 2007 when, through seven innings of work against the Marlins, he struck out ten batters, including a franchise-record seven in a row, while allowing two runs on seven hits. He also went 2-for-3 as a batter, scored his first run and drove in his first career run.
Sonnanstine has impressed many by his mental approach to the game, as he is a fierce competitor who takes a mental approach similar to that of Greg Maddux.[1]
One of Sonnanstine's best starts came on August 31, 2007, against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, where he pitched 8 innings, allowing 2 hits and no earned runs (1 unearned run) with 5 strikeouts and no walks. He ended his rookie campaign with a 6-10 record, pitching 130 2/3 innings with an ERA of 5.85.
In another career night, on April 19, 2008, Sonnanstine pitched a complete game shutout against the Chicago White Sox. He allowed just 3 hits and struck out 4 batters while walking only one.[2]
On October 6, 2008, Sonnanstine pitched 5 2/3 innings of 2-run baseball against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago. The Rays prevailed putting up six runs of their own and clinching the American League Division Series.
Sonnanstine allowed two stolen bases in two years ('07-'08).
On May 17, 2009, in a game against the Cleveland Indians, Sonnanstine was included in the starting lineup due to a mistake when Rays manager Joe Maddon entered the wrong lineup card, which had both Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist playing third base, omitting the DH spot. The last time a pitcher was in the initial batting order in a game between two AL teams was September 23, 1976, when the White Sox batted Ken Brett eighth against the Twins.[3] Sonnanstine went 1 for 3 with an RBI double and ended up winning the game despite the lineup error and giving up five runs.
In 2009, through July 1 Sonnanstine had the highest ERA of any major league pitcher (6.61). After the Rays traded Scott Kazmir to the Los Angeles Angels, Sonnanstine was recalled from Triple-A Durham to fill the hole in the starting lineup. In his first game since the beginning of the season against the rival Boston Red Sox, he posted a loss, giving up 3 earned runs, 2 home runs, 8 hits and 5 total runs in 4 innings with a pitch count of 91 (55s-36b). [1]
References
- ^ Sonnanstine's best pitch is mental approach, St. Petersburg Times. Published March 24, 2008.
- ^ Chastain, Bill. Sonnanstine tosses three-hit shutout, Tampa Bay Rays. Published April 19, 2008.
- ^ Sonnanstine delivers RBI double, win for Rays after lineup error forces him to hit, ESPN.com, 2009-05-17.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)