Aaron Crow
| Aaron Crow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Kansas City Royals – No. 43 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 10, 1986 Topeka, Kansas | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| March 31, 2011, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| Career statistics (through May 14, 2013) | |
| Win–loss record | 7–5 |
| Earned run average | 3.02 |
| Strikeouts | 137 |
| WHIP | 1.26 |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Aaron James Crow (born November 10, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball.
Early life
Crow was born on November 10, 1986 in Topeka, Kansas[1] to parents Kevin and Julie Crow.[2] Crow and his siblings -- brother Travis and sister Jennifer -- were raised in the small community of Wakarusa, Kansas not far from Topeka.[2] Following his graduation from Washburn Rural High School, Crow attended the University of Missouri.
College career
In his three years at Mizzou, Crow started 46 games, going 23-8 with a 3.27 ERA.
Spending time in both the bullpen and the starting rotation as a freshman, Crow earned his first career victory by throwing a complete game against Pepperdine, staving off elimination in the 2006 NCAA Regional.[3] Mizzou went on to win the regional, becoming the first #4 seed ever to win an NCAA Regional.[4]
As a sophomore, Crow went 9-4 with a 3.60 ERA, earning first-team All Big 12 honors.[5]
As a junior, Crow went 13-0 with a 2.35 ERA. He threw four complete-game shutouts and struck out 10.65 batters per nine innings. He was named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year.[6]
He won the Robert A. McNeece Award as the top professional prospect in the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League season while playing for the Falmouth Commodores.[7]
Professional career
Crow was selected by the Washington Nationals in the first round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft with the ninth overall selection. Negotiations stalled and Crow did not sign, saying he wouldn't join a "Losing organization".[8] Crow signed with the Fort Worth Cats for the 2009 season.[9]
Crow was selected with the twelfth pick in the first round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals. Crow signed a contract with the Royals on September 15, 2009. To make room for Danny Duffy on the Double A Northwest Arkansas Naturals roster, Crow was demoted to High-A Wilmington on July 31, 2010.
Crow made his first major league appearance on March 31, 2011, which was Opening Day. He faced four Angels batters, striking out three.[10]
On May 30, 2011, Royals manager Ned Yost announced that Crow had been promoted to the team's closer position on a temporary basis to replace the struggling Joakim Soria.[11] However, on June 6, Yost announced that Soria had earned the spot back.[12] Crow had no save opportunities in his brief stint as closer.
In 2011, Crow was selected to the All-Star Game, although he did not play.[13]
Pitching style
Crow is a sinkerballer with a heavy sinker at 94–97 mph. His main off-speed pitch, and most-used pitch against right-handed hitters, is a slider at 85–88. He also has a four-seam fastball. Against left-handed hitters, he throws a small amount of curveballs and changeups. The majority of his 2-strike pitches are sliders, owing to its 49% whiff rate.[14]
References
- ^ "Aaron Crow". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ a b Kaegel, Dick (24 December 2012). "Crow relishes spending holidays near Kansas City". MLB.com via KC Royals official team website. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Missouri Downs Pepperdine Behind Crow's Complete Game". Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Mizzou baseball team upsets Pepperdine". msnbc. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Player Bio: Aaron Crow". mutigers.com. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Aaron Crow Named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year". mutigers.com. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ Bailey, Erica. "Robert A. McNeece Award as Top Pro Prospect Of 2007 Goes to Falmouth Pitcher Aaron Crow". capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2009/268143.html
- ^ http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3701011
- ^ Dodd, Rustin (March 31, 2001). "Rookie pitchers are 'dynamite' in relief". Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ Kaegel, Dick (May 30, 2011). "Aaron Crow would replace Joakim Soria as the Royals' closer". MLB.com. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310606107
- ^ "July 12, 2011 All-Star Game Play-By-Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
- ^ "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Aaron Crow". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
External links
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Missouri Player Bio: Aaron Crow
- Fort Worth Cats Player Bio: Aaron Crow