William Charles Risley (born May 29, 1967), is an American former professional

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

from – with the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

and

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

Career

Risley graduated from Marist High School in Chicago and attended Truman College before being drafted by the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

in 1987. He was traded to Montreal in 1991. He would be a relief pitcher throughout his MLB career. Yet in the second game of a doubleheader at

Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium is a ballpark in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a ...

on July 8, 1992, Risley's big-league debut turned out to also be his only time as a starter. Pressed into duty by manager

Felipe Alou Felipe Rojas Alou (born May 12, 1935) is a Dominican former professional outfielder, first baseman, coach and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Montreal Expos (1992–2001) and the San Francisco Giants (2003–2006). The fir ...

when the Expos needed to play two doubleheaders against the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

in three days, Risley was the winning pitcher, going five innings and allowing the Dodgers just four hits, with relievers Bill Sampen and

Mel Rojas Melquíades Rojas Medrano (born December 10, 1966) is a Dominican former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher. From 1990 to 1999, he played for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers of the National Leagu ...

closing out a 4-1 victory. That game turned out to be Risley's only appearance with Montreal during the 1992 season, and he was used just twice out of the bullpen in 1993, pitching in 41 games in the minors, before Montreal placed him on waivers. Risley was claimed by Seattle, where he became a reliable middle reliever on the Mariners' staff. A career highlight came in 1995, when Risley pitched in the first four games of the American League division playoffs against the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

, earning a save in Game 4. Ace starter

Randy Johnson Randall David Johnson (born September 10, 1963), nicknamed, "the Big Unit," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (1988–2009) for six teams, primarily the Seattle Mariners and Arizo ...

's three innings of relief in an 11-inning victory in Game 5 sent Seattle on to the

1995 American League Championship Series The 1995 American League Championship Series (ALCS) was the second round of the American League side in Major League Baseball's 1995 postseason, which matched the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians against the West Division champion S ...

, where Risley saw action again against the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

. Risley was traded that December to the

, where he spent the last three seasons of his career.

References

External links

1967 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Canada Baseball players from Chicago Calgary Cannons players Cedar Rapids Reds players Chattanooga Lookouts players Dunedin Blue Jays players Greensboro Hornets players Gulf Coast Reds players Indianapolis Indians players Major League Baseball pitchers Montreal Expos players Nashville Sounds players Ottawa Lynx players Seattle Mariners players St. Catharines Stompers players Syracuse Chiefs players Syracuse SkyChiefs players Tacoma Rainiers players Toronto Blue Jays players 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-baseball-pitcher-1960s-stub