Ken Giles
Kenneth Robert Giles (born September 20, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Leones de Yucatán of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners. Exposed to baseball at an early age, Giles played the game while attending Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although he was drafted out of high school by the Florida Marlins, Giles instead enrolled at Yavapai College, where he played college baseball until the Phillies drafted him in the seventh round (241st overall) of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. Giles quickly progressed through the Phillies' Minor League Baseball (MiLB) system, overcoming two oblique injuries to participate in major league spring training before the 2014 season. Although he began that season in MiLB, Giles soon received a promotion to the major leagues, making his debut on June 12. One of the team' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major league clubs based in Texas; the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers belong to the same division. Based in Daikin Park, the team's name reflects Houston's role as the host of the Johnson Space Center. Established as the Houston Colt .45s, the Astros entered the National League as an expansion team in along with the New York Mets. The current name was adopted three years later, when they moved into the Astrodome, the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, and named "Eighth Wonder of the World". The Astros moved to Enron Field (now Daikin Park) in . The team played in the National League West, NL West division from 1969 to 1993, then the National League Central, NL Central division from 1994 to 2012, before being moved to the AL ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rio Grande High School
Rio Grande High School is a public high school located in the south valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Albuquerque Public Schools system. Athletics RGHS competes in the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA), as a class 6A school in District 5. In 2014, the NMAA realigned the state's schools in to six classifications and adjusted district boundaries. Other schools in District 5-6A include West Mesa High School, Albuquerque High School, Valley High School and Atrisco Heritage Academy High School. The Ravens have talented baseball and wrestling teams. The wrestlers have placed second in state in recent years. Notable alumni * Shelia Burrell (class of 1990), Olympic heptathlete * Ken Giles - pitcher for the San Francisco Giants * Greg Jackson - Head Coach and strategist for his Submission Fighting and mixed martial art Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Slider (baseball)
In baseball, a slider is a type of breaking ball, a pitch that moves or "breaks" as it approaches the batter. Due to the grip and wrist motion, the slider typically exhibits more lateral movement when compared to other breaking balls, such as the curveball. The slider is generally among the fastest breaking balls, commonly ranging . A variation of the slider, known as the sweeper, is characterized as being slightly slower, but having more lateral movement. Pitches that exhibit qualities similar to that of both a slider and a curveball are referred to as a slurve. Grip and action The grip for a slider is characterized as being similar to that of a fastball. Like all pitches, the grip can take many different forms, with slight variations between pitchers suiting their individual preferences. A common feature in most slider grips is the index and middle finger being in close proximity to each other. The associated wrist motion often contributes a large amount to the pitch's move ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Power Pitcher
Power pitcher is a term in baseball for a pitcher who relies on pitch velocity at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts, and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power. An average pitcher strikes out about 5 batters per nine innings while a power pitcher will often strike out one or more every inning. The prototypical power pitcher is Hall of Fame member Nolan Ryan, who struck out a Major League Baseball record 5,714 batters in 5,386 innings. Ryan recorded seven no-hitters, appeared in eight Major League Baseball All-Star Games but also holds the record for most walks issued (2,795). Other prominent power pitchers include Hall of Famers Walter Johnson, Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martínez, Randy Johnson, and Bob Feller. Feller himself famously led his league in strikeouts and walks several times. The traditional school of thought on power pitching was known as "throw till you blow".Shaw, Bud. (Ma ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Robert Papelbon (; born November 23, 1980) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Boston Red Sox, with whom he was an Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star in four consecutive seasons (2006 Boston Red Sox season, 2006–2009 Boston Red Sox season, 2009), won the 2007 Delivery Man of the Year Award, and was a 2007 World Series champion. The Red Sox drafted Papelbon in the fourth round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, and he played three seasons of minor league baseball before breaking into the majors. He also pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2012 to 2015, and the Washington Nationals during 2015 and 2016. Early life Jonathan Robert Papelbon was born on November 23, 1980, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is the oldest son of three to John, a staff sergeant in the United States Army, and Sheila, a corporate trust banker. In college, Sheila had been a pitcher ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer (abbreviated CL), is a relief pitcher who specializes in getting the final out (baseball), outs in a close game when his team is leading. The role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. Before the 1990s, pitchers in similar roles were referred to as a fireman and stopper. A small number of closers have won the Cy Young Award. Nine closers have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Lee Smith (baseball), Lee Smith, Bruce Sutter, Billy Wagner, and Hoyt Wilhelm. Usage A closer is generally a team's best reliever and designated to pitch the last few outs of games when his team is leading by a margin of three runs or fewer. Rarely does a closer enter with his team losing or in a tie game, however in the playoffs they are often brought on if it is a close game. A closer's effectiveness has traditionally been measured by ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Setup Man
In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth. As closers were reduced to one-inning specialists, setup men became more prominent. Setup pitchers often come into the game with the team losing or the game tied. They are usually the second best relief pitcher on a team, behind the closer. After closers became one-inning pitchers, primarily in the ninth inning, setup pitchers became more highly valued. A pitcher who succeeds in this role is often promoted to a closer, and often fill in for the regular closer when the regular closer needs a day off for rest. Setup men are paid less than closers and mostly make less than the average Major League salary. The most common statistic used to evaluate relievers is the save. Due to the definition of the statistic, setup men are rarely in position ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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National League Rookie Of The Year
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946. The award became national in 1947; Jackie Robinson, the Brooklyn Dodgers' second baseman, won the inaugural award. One award was presented for all of MLB in 1947 and 1948; since 1949, the honor has been given to one player each in the NL and AL. Originally, the award was known as the J. Louis Comiskey Memorial Award, named after the Chicago White Sox owner of the 1930s. The award was renamed the Jackie Robinson Award in July 1987, 40 years after Robinson broke the baseball color line. Nineteen players have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame—Robinson, seven AL players, and eleven others from the NL. The ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Spring Training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for the roster and position spots, and it gives established players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warm climates (MLB goes to Arizona and Florida while the KBO, NPB, and CPBL go to Okinawa, Kyushu, Australia, and Taiwan) to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play. In modern MLB training, teams that train in Florida will play other Florida-training teams in their exhibition games, regardless of regular-season league affiliations. Likewise, Arizona-training teams will play other Arizona teams. This arrangement commenced long before either state received MLB franchises of their own, and th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Abdominal External Oblique Muscle
The abdominal external oblique muscle (also external oblique muscle or exterior oblique) is the largest and outermost of the three flat Abdomen#Muscles, abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen. Structure The external oblique is situated on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen. It is broad, thin, and irregularly quadrilateral, its muscular portion occupying the side, its aponeurosis the anterior wall of the abdomen. In most humans, the oblique is not visible, due to subcutaneous adipose, fat deposits and the small size of the muscle. It arises from eight fleshy digitations, each from the external surfaces and inferior borders of the fifth to twelfth ribs (lower eight ribs). These digitations are arranged in an oblique line which runs inferiorly and anteriorly, with the upper digitations being attached close to the cartilages of the corresponding ribs, the lowest to the apex of the cartilage of the last rib, the intermediate ones to the ribs at some distance fr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National League (baseball), National League and American League, as the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL or NA). Minor League Baseball originated as simply the organization of lower tiers of professional baseball in the United States, comprising clubs that lacked the financial means to compete with the National League and later the American League. The association of minor leagues remained independent throughout the early 20th century, protected by agreements with the major leagues to ensure they were compensated when minor-league players were signed by major-league clubs. Later, Minor League Baseball evolved to be constituted entirely of farm team, affiliates of larger clubs, giving young prospects a chance to develop the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2011 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Gerrit Cole out of the University of California, Los Angeles, with the first overall pick. Draft order The draft order was determined by the 2010 Major League Baseball standings. The Pittsburgh Pirates received the first pick after having the worst record in 2010. The Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, and Milwaukee Brewers each received a compensation pick for failing to sign draft picks from the 2010 draft. Also, teams lost draft picks for signing certain free agents, while teams losing free agents received draft picks as compensation. The Elias Sports Bureau ranks all players based on performance over the past two seasons, with the top 20% being considered "Type A" and the next 20% considered "Type B". If a team offers a Type A free agent arbitration and he signs with another club, the player's former ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |