| Tim Lahey | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1982-02-07)February 7, 1982 (age 43) Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
Timothy William Lahey (/ˈleɪhiː/; born February 7, 1982) is an American former professionalbaseballrelief pitcher. He is officially listed as standing 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) tall and weighing 250 pounds (110 kg). Lahey is an example of a "phantom ballplayer": one who has spent time on a major league roster but never appeared in any games.
Lahey was born February 7, 1982, inWorcester, Massachusetts.[1] Growing up in Massachusetts, his favoriteMajor League Baseball team was theBoston Red Sox. He made the varsity team in his first season atSt. John's High School, located inShrewsbury, Massachusetts—the first freshman sinceRon Darling to be named a member of the varsity squad. In addition to baseball, he played golf and basketball in high school.[2]
After graduating, Lahey attendedPrinceton University, where he was a four-year member of theTigers baseball team. In his first two seasons, Lahey saw limited playing time as acatcher and hit a total of fivehome runs over those two years. As a junior, however, he hit 11 home runs, the Tigers' second-best single-season total, and was named to the all-regional team in that year'sNCAA Division I Baseball Championship. In 2003, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theChatham A's of theCape Cod Baseball League.[3] In his final season, he was named to the all-Ivy League second team,batting in 31 runs that year and "[solidifying] his status as one of the greatest catchers in recent Princeton history".[4] After graduating with a degree in politics,[2] Lahey was selected by theMinnesota Twins in the 20th round of the2004 Major League Baseball Draft, the 601st overall pick.[5][6]
After signing with the Twins, Lahey was assigned to the rookie-levelElizabethton Twins for the 2004 season, when they finished in second place in theAppalachian League's West Division.[7] He played 26 games for Elizabethton, leading the team's four catchers inassists anderrors during his 22 games in the field. For the season, he compiled a .202batting average (17hits in 84at bats), hitting 3 home runs and batting in 11 runs.[8] At the beginning of the 2005 season, the Twins kept Lahey in extendedspring training; after a discussion withJoe Vavra andJim Rantz, Lahey notified the team that he was willing to convert topitching. He spent the entire 2005 season in Elizabethton refining his pitching skills, leading the team insaves (15) andgames played (26) and allowing no home runs. On the year, he did notwin any games, butlost his first decision and amassed a 3.55earned run average (ERA).[9]
Lahey was promoted to the high-AFort Myers Miracle for the 2006 season. He earned his first victory that year, one of seven on the season. He finished with a 7–1win–loss record, with his .875winning percentage the highest mark of his career.[1] In the field, Lahey led the team's pitchers in assists, with 17, and made no errors. On the mound, he collected a 4.33 ERA; he was second on the team in games played (45) and notched the club's third-highest save total, with nine.[10] The following year found Lahey promoted again, beginning the 2007 season with the double-ANew Britain Rock Cats. Making a team-high 50 relief appearances, he led the Rock Cats with 13 saves and collected an 8–4 record and a 3.45 ERA.[11] On August 29, he was promoted to the triple-ARochester Red Wings,[12] where he finished the season, pitching in two games and saving one.[13]
After the 2007 season, Lahey was selected by theTampa Bay Rays with the first overall pick in the major league phase of theRule 5 draft on December 6; thereafter, he was immediately traded to theChicago Cubs for cash considerations.[14] He was waived by the Cubs in March, in favor ofJon Lieber, and subsequently claimed by thePhiladelphia Phillies.[15] Lahey opened the 2008 season in the Phillies bullpen.[16] but wasdesignated for assignment April 5 after not appearing in a game due to the activation of closerBrad Lidge from thedisabled list.[17] As a Rule 5 draft pick, Lahey was offered back to the Twins, returned to them on April 11, 2008,[17] and was assigned to Fort Myers. He appeared in two games for the Miracle, pitching three scoreless innings,[18] but was quickly called up to Rochester, where he faced the farm team of the club he had just left. He defeated theLehigh Valley IronPigs, the Phillies' triple-A affiliate, on April 23 by pitching1+1⁄3 scoreless innings and striking out two.[19] For the 2008 season, Lahey won five games and lost five, striking out 53 and serving as the setup man toBobby Korecky, earning eight saves. On the field, he compiled yet another errorless season.[20]
Lahey began 2009 with Rochester, but his56+2⁄3 innings pitched on the season were his lowest total since 2005, the season of his conversion to the pitcher's mound. He earned a single save, striking out 44 batters, and compiled a career-high 5.72 ERA.[1] His 41 appearances were second-most among Red Wings pitchers, and he committed no errors on the season while notching 12 assists.[21] The following season, Lahey improved his win–loss record to 5–3, lowered his ERA to 5.08, pitched the second-most innings of his career (79+2⁄3), and struck out 13 more batters than the previous year in only four more contests,[1][22] but was released by the Twins at the end of 2010.[23]
Lahey commands three pitches; his standard is a two-seamsinking fastball. He throws two breaking pitches: aslider, his "out pitch" to right-handed batters, and asplit-finger fastball, more effective against left-handers.[2] He credits baseball statistics and "numbers" for helping him improve the way he pitches; in a 2010 interview, Lahey claimed that his view of the game since the advent ofMoneyball and advanced statistics has not changed, although he said that it has changed the way the public views the game.[24]