Scott Williamson | |||
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Relief pitcher | |||
Born: Fort Polk North, Louisiana |
February 17, 1976 |||
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MLB debut | |||
April 5, 1999, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
June 29, 2007, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 28–28 | ||
Earned run average | 3.36 | ||
Strikeouts | 510 | ||
Saves | 55 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Scott Ryan Williamson (born February 17, 1976) is a former right-handed relief pitcher. He played for the Cincinnati Reds (1999–2003), Boston Red Sox (2003-2004), Chicago Cubs (2005–2006), San Diego Padres (2006), and the Baltimore Orioles (2007). After a lightning-fast start: going from college to the major leagues in two years, with just five appearances at the Triple-A level and winning National League Rookie of the Year honors, Williamson's career tailed off in the mid-2000s as he suffered repeated injuries and spent long stretches on the disabled list.
Williamson attended Friendswood High School in Friendswood, Texas. In his senior year he posted a 0.68 ERA and was named district MVP. In college, Williamson played for first Tulane University and then Oklahoma State University. With the latter, he earned Big 12 first-team honors during the 1996-1997 school year. Williamson entered the draft after the season was over and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 9th round, 276th pick overall.
Cincinnati assigned Williamson their rookie affiliate, the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League. Starting for Billings, Williamson went 8-2 with a 1.78 ERA, the best in the league that year. For 1998 Cincinnati promoted Williamson to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League, bypassing Single-A altogether. In his first start for the Lookouts Williamson faced Atlanta Braves veteran John Smoltz, down with the Greenville Braves on a rehabilitation assignment. Williamson held his own, giving up two runs in six innings in a 6-5 loss. Mark Berry, Lookouts manager, praised Williamson's performance: "I was highly impressed...I expected him to be more erratic because of Smoltz, the big crowd and the whole situation. It's something he can build on." Williamson would start just 18 games for the Lookouts that year after battling injuries, but at the end of the season Cincinnati promoted him to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Cincinnati planned to call Williamson up in September but he "stretched a tendon in the middle finger of his pitching hand" during a game for Indianapolis, ending his season.