Nationals Wiki

Craig Stammen
Washington Nationals — No. 35
Pitcher
Born: March 9, 1984 (1984-03-09) (age 25) Coldwater, Ohio
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 21, 2009 for the Washington Nationals
Career statistics (through 2009)
Win-Loss	4-7
Earned Run Average	5.11
Strikeouts	48
Walks	24
WHIP	1.29
Teams
Washington Nationals (2009–present)

Craig Stammen (born March 9, 1984, in Coldwater, Ohio) is a major-league pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed.

Pre-professional career

Stammen is a graduate of Versailles High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. He was named to the all-Miami Valley baseball team and was awarded Academic All-Ohio honors in 2002. He attended the University of Dayton, where he majored in entrepreneurship and business management and made 60 pitching appearances over three seasons, as well as pitching in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League in 2004. He was an Atlantic Ten Conference Academic All-Conference Pick in 2005. Craig is also a member of the highly prestigious group known as "UDLegends". He is the first member to become a professional athlete.

Professional career

2005

Stammen was selected by the Washington Nationals in the twelfth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft and was assigned to the Vermont Expos of the short-season Class A New York – Penn League. He made seven starts and six relief appearances, accruing an ERA of 4.06 while striking out 32 batters and allowing 12 walks and 62 hits over 51 innings.

2006

In 2006 Stammen pitched for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the low Class A South Atlantic League and for the Potomac Nationals of the advanced Class A Carolina League. In 143 innings he accumulated a 4.03 ERA and struck out 109 batters while allowing 36 walks and 144 hits.

2007

Most of Stammen's 2007 season was spent at Potomac, although he did make one appearance with the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League. He pitched a total of 128⅔ innings, striking out 98 batters and yielding 57 walks and 160 hits on the way to a 4.41 ERA.

2008

Stammen's duties in 2008 were divided among Potomac, the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League, and Columbus. He posted an ERA of 3.52 over 150⅔ innings, striking out 128 batters while giving up 44 walks and 143 hits. He was a member of the Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star team. On July 14 he was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week.

2009

Stammen started off the year with the AAA Syracuse Chiefs, going 4-2 with a 1.80 ERA (through 20 May 2009). He was called up to the major leagues on May 20, 2009. He had his first major league start May 21 versus the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitched 6.1 innings with no decision. His first major league win was June 18 versus the New York Yankees. Stammen pitched 6.1 innings and allowed no runs. On July 11, 2009, he pitched his first Major League complete game against the Houston Astros, allowing only 2 runs on 9 hits.

Stammen continued to pitch in the starting rotation, going 4-7 with a 5.11 ERA in 19 starts, until the beginning of September when he was scratched from his scheduled September 4th start because of a sore elbow. An MRI on September 3rd revealed a bone spur in the back of his right (pitching) elbow. Arthroscopic surgery was performed on September 6th and Stammen is expected to recover in time for Spring Training in 2010. ¹

2010

Stammen is expected to return for Spring Training after having season-ending arthroscopic surgery for a bone spur in September 2009.²

References

1. ^ Stammen, Balester out for season
2. ^ Craig Stammen -- Fantasy News & Updates

External links

• University of Dayton baseball team biography
• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Yahoo Sports! Player Profile