Robert Joe Wickman (born February 6, 1969) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...

. He played 15 seasons in

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(MLB) for five teams: 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 ...

(–),

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

(1996–),

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 ...

(2000–),

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

(2006–), and

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

(2007). He batted and threw right-handed.

Amateur career

Wickman is from

Abrams, Wisconsin Abrams is a town in Oconto County, Wisconsin, Oconto County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,960 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 Census. The census-designated place of Abrams is located in the town. It is located near U.S. ...

. During a childhood farming accident, he lost part of his index finger on his right hand. At Oconto Falls High School, he played

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table tennis Table tennis (also known as ping-pong) is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the Tennis court, court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of ...

and

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, being named an All-State pick in

. After

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

, he attended

University of Wisconsin–Whitewater The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater (UW–Whitewater or UWW) is a public university in Whitewater, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System. As of Fall 2024, the university offers 47 undergraduate majors ...

, and was selected by the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

in the 1990 Major League Baseball draft (2nd round) and signed by area scout Mike Rizzo. In 1992, he was sent by Chicago to the

in the same trade that brought

Steve Sax Stephen Louis Sax (born January 29, 1960) is a retired American Major League Baseball player and coach. He played as a second baseman in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1994, celebrated as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers with whom he won ...

to the White Sox.

Major league career

New York Yankees

Wickman's career with the Yankees began with a superb record of 20–5 in his first two seasons (1992–1993), including a 14–4 mark in 1993. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Wickman appeared in an American League-high 53 games, all in relief, and posted a 3.09

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA) for the league-leading Yankees. Though he slumped to a 4.05 ERA in 1995, he rebounded to pitch three shutout innings in the

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against the

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. The Yankees lost that series in five games to Seattle.

Milwaukee Brewers

In August 1996, the Yankees traded Wickman and Gerald Williams to the Brewers for Graeme Lloyd and

Pat Listach Patrick Alan Listach (born September 12, 1967) is an American professional baseball shortstop, coach, and manager. As a player, Listach appeared in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros from 1992 and 1997. He won th ...

. The Brewers later sent Ricky Bones to the Yankees and reacquired Listach as Listach was injured at the time of the trade. After the Yankees won the World Series, they gave Wickman a World Series ring for being part of the active roster during the 1996 season. Wickman made his first

All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...

appearance in 2000 as a member of the

. The day after Wickman was traded to the Cleveland Indians, the Brewers chose to hold a Bob Wickman Poster Night.

Cleveland Indians

Occurring on July 28, 2000, the trade to Cleveland was a seven-player deal which brought Richie Sexson to Milwaukee. On May 7, 2006, Wickman became the Indians' all-time franchise leader in saved games with 130, surpassing the record previously held by Doug Jones. His 139 saves with the Indians was a club record until Cody Allen passed it July 3, 2018, and his 45 saves on the season in

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

is tied for second-best in team history.

Atlanta Braves

On July 20, 2006, Wickman was traded to the Atlanta Braves for

Max Ramírez Maximiliano R. Ramírez (born October 11, 1984) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for numerous teams. Career Atlanta Braves In 2002 Ramírez was signed as an international undrafted f ...

. Wickman then served as Atlanta's closer, recording his first save on July 24. On September 20, 2006, Wickman signed a one-year $6.5 million contract extension to stay with the Atlanta Braves for the 2007 season. On August 24, 2007, after giving up a walk-off two-run home run to

Adam Dunn Adam Troy Dunn (born November 9, 1979), nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American former professional baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Cincinnati Reds. A two-time Major L ...

of 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 extra innings, Wickman complained to manager

Bobby Cox Robert Joe Cox (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of ...

about pitching in non-save situations. Consequently, he was released.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On September 7, 2007, Wickman signed a contract with the

, joining a bullpen that featured relievers Brandon Lyon and Tony Peña, alongside established closer

José Valverde José Rafael Valverde (born March 24, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. He is nickname ...

. Wickman pitched in 8 games for the Diamondbacks, going 0–1 with a 1.35 ERA. He became a free agent after the season, subsequently retiring. Wickman ended his career with 511 games finished, ranking 34th all time among major league pitchers.

Pitching style

Wickman was known to rely on his sinker to save games. He credited much of the motion on his sinker to missing part of his index finger.

References

External links

* – Official Bob Wickman Baseball Club {{DEFAULTSORT:Wickman, Bob 1969 births Living people National League All-Stars American League All-Stars American League saves champions Sportspeople with limb difference Arizona Diamondbacks players Atlanta Braves players Cleveland Indians players Milwaukee Brewers players New York Yankees players Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Wisconsin Gulf Coast White Sox players South Bend White Sox players Sarasota White Sox players Birmingham Barons players Columbus Clippers players Lake County Captains players Akron Aeros players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Sportspeople from Green Bay, Wisconsin Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball players People from Abrams, Wisconsin 20th-century American sportsmen