Robert Coello (; born November 23, 1984) 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 ...
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, ...
. He played in
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 ...
(MLB) for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
,
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 ...
, and
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
, and in the
KBO League
The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most success ...
for the
Nexen Heroes
The Kiwoom Heroes () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. They are a member of the KBO League. The Heroes play their home games at Gocheok Sky Dome in Gocheok-dong, a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of Se ...
.
Professional career
Coello attended
Lake Region High School in
Eagle Lake, Florida
Eagle Lake is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Most of the town being centered around a subsection of U.S. Highway 17. The population was 3,008 as of ...
and
Northwest Florida State College
Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) is a public university, public college with its main campus in Niceville, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, offering a ...
. He was 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 the 20th round of the
2004 Major League Baseball Draft. He then played for the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
Arizona League
The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it fo ...
team in 2007.
Boston Red Sox
After playing for Edmonton of the independent
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in San Ramon, California, with teams located in the Western United States, Western Canada and northwest Mexico.
The GBL was not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the org ...
in 2008, he signed with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
organization for the 2009 season. Coello made his major league debut September 2010 with Boston and had a 4.76 ERA in six relief outings. He was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on February 9, 2011. In three minor league seasons he posted a record of 13–10 with a 2.91 ERA.
Chicago Cubs
On February 15, 2011, the Red Sox traded Coello to the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
for minor league second baseman Tony Thomas. The Cubs designated him for assignment on May 27, 2011.
Toronto Blue Jays
On December 9, 2011, Coello signed a minor league contract with the
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 ...
. He spent most of 2012 pitching for the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, going 4–1 with a 3.00 ERA in 19 games (three starts). He was placed on the 40-man roster on May 31, 2012. He made six appearances for the Blue Jays in 2012, giving up 12 earned runs in 12 innings. On October 9, the Blue Jays reinstated Coello from the 60-day disabled list, and outrighted him off their 40-man roster. According to the Jays transaction page, Coello refused the assignment and elected free agency.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
On January 28, 2013, he was signed a to a
Minor League contract with an invitation to big league
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. Spri ...
by the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
.
He was outrighted off the roster on October 8, 2013.
New York Yankees
Coello signed a minor league deal with 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 ...
on January 8, 2014. He opted out of his deal on July 2, 2014.
Baltimore Orioles
On July 11, Coello signed a minor league deal with the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
.
San Francisco Giants
Coello signed a minor league deal with the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
with an opt out clause by June 1. Coello exercised his opt out clause and became a free agent on June 1. Prior to his release, Coello had been pitching as a starter in AAA, starting 11 games for the River Cats.
Texas Rangers
Coello signed a minor league contract with the
Texas Rangers in August 2015.
Nexen Heroes
Coello signed a one-year $550,000 contract with the
Nexen Heroes
The Kiwoom Heroes () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. They are a member of the KBO League. The Heroes play their home games at Gocheok Sky Dome in Gocheok-dong, a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of Se ...
of the
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ) is the Sport governing body, governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League () and KBO Futures League ( (F ...
in December 2015. He was waived on June 16, 2016, when the team signed
Scott McGregor.
Minor Leagues
In his six-year
Minor League
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...
career, Coello has compiled a 3.33 ERA in 171 games (31 starts), posting a rate of 9.9
strikeouts
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...
per nine innings, 3.9
walks per nine innings and a 1.23
WHIP
A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...
.
Repertoire
Coello developed a
forkball
The forkball is a type of pitch in baseball. Related to the split-finger fastball, the forkball is held between the first two fingers and thrown hard, snapping the wrist. Due to its movement being similar to that of a spitball, the pitch is oft ...
to go along with his fastball and changeup. He has nicknamed his forkball "The
WTF
WTF most often refers to:
* WTF (Internet slang), an expression of disbelief
WTF may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Books and online publications
*''The Daily WTF'', a blog about information technology "perversions"
*''WTF? What's the ...
" because of its unusual movement.
References
External links
, o
Retrosheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coello, Robert
1984 births
Living people
Algodoneros de Guasave players
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
American expatriate baseball players in South Korea
Arizona League Angels players
Arkansas Travelers players
Boston Red Sox players
Calgary Vipers players
Edmonton Cracker-Cats players
Iowa Cubs players
Las Vegas 51s players
Los Angeles Angels players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Navegantes del Magallanes players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
KBO League pitchers
Kiwoom Heroes players
21st-century American sportsmen
Norfolk Tides players
Northwest Florida State Raiders baseball players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Baseball players from Polk County, Florida
Portland Sea Dogs players
Round Rock Express players
Sacramento River Cats players
Salem Red Sox players
Salt Lake Bees players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players
Baseball players from Bayonne, New Jersey
Tennessee Smokies players
Tiburones de La Guaira players
Tigres del Licey players
American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Tomateros de Culiacán players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Toronto Blue Jays players