Casey Janssen
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 44
Relief Pitcher/Closer
Born: (1981-09-17) September 17, 1981 (age 30)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 27, 2006 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics (through May 28, 2012)
Win-loss record	22-20
Earned run average	3.76
Strikeouts	241
WHIP	1.31
Saves	13
Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (2006-present)

Robert Casey Janssen (born September 17, 1981 in Orange, California) is a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Minor League career[link]

He was selected by the Blue Jays out of UCLA in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. When an injury to A.J. Burnett created an opening in the Blue Jays' rotation, Janssen was promoted from the Syracuse Chiefs and made his major-league debut against the Baltimore Orioles on April 27, 2006.

Major League career[link]

Casey Janssen won his first two games against the Los Angeles Angels, both times posting extremely solid outings, allowing less than three hits over seven innings each.

In 2007, with multiple injuries to the Blue Jays rotation and bullpen, Janssen made a move to the bullpen and performed very well as the set-up man for interim closer Jeremy Accardo. He led the bullpen in innings pitched, and was second in team saves with six. Janssen established himself as one of the best in the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen as well as in the American League.

Janssen missed the entire 2008 season with a torn labrum. He was expected to make a full recovery and to be ready for Spring Training 2009, whether it be out of the bullpen or as a starter. But he suffered another injury setback, and did not make the Opening Day 2009 roster for Toronto.

On Saturday May 23, Janssen returned to MLB action facing the Atlanta Braves in inter league play going 6 innings and giving up 8 hits and 3 earned runs in a 4-3 decision giving him his first loss of the season.

On June 17, 2009, it was announced that Janssen was placed on the 15-Day disabled list, retroactive to June 14, with inflammation of his right shoulder.^[1]

On February 13, 2012, Janssen signed a two-year, $5.9 million extension with the Blue Jays. His deal includes a $4 million club option for 2014. He will earn $2 million in 2012 and $3.9 million in 2013. In arbitration, Janssen asked for $2.2 million, but the Jays countered with $1.8 million. His contract will cover his final arbitration year and his first free-agent year. He was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing the next day.^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Casey Janssen

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Josh Roenicke
Colorado Rockies – No. 30
Relief pitcher
Born: (1982-08-04) August 4, 1982 (age 29) Baltimore, Maryland
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 13, 2008 for the Cincinnati Reds
Career statistics (through 2011 Season)
Win–Loss	1–0
Earned run average	5.17
Strikeouts	69
Teams
Cincinnati Reds (2008–2009) Toronto Blue Jays (2009–2010) Colorado Rockies (2011–present)

Joshua James Roenicke (born August 4, 1982) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.

Career[link]

Cincinnati Reds[link]

Roenicke was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 10th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft out of UCLA where he was both an outfielder and a relief pitcher, as well as a defensive back and kick returner on the UCLA football team. Beginning his professional career with the Gulf Coast Reds, Roenicke pitched 8 innings and gave up only one run. He was promoted to the Rookie level Billings Mustangs where he finished 2006. He began 2007 with the High-A Sarasota Reds before being promoted to Double-A Chattanooga. Combined, he had a 3–2 record with a 2.31 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and 24 saves. Roenicke remained in Chattanooga to begin 2008, but was promoted to Triple-A Louisville after 22 appearances. In 35 games for Louisville, he had a 2.54 ERA and was promoted to the majors on September 9.

Roenicke made his major league debut on September 13, walking, striking out, and hitting 1 batter each.^[1]

Toronto Blue Jays[link]

On July 31, 2009, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays along with Edwin Encarnación and Zach Stewart, in exchange for Scott Rolen and cash considerations.

Colorado Rockies[link]

On June 2, 2011, Roenicke was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Rockies and was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.^[2]

Pitching style[link]

Roenicke throws five pitches. He has a four-seam fastball thrown at 91–95 mph, a two-seam fastball at 91–94, a slider (82–86), a curveball (76–79), and an occasional changeup (84–86). He does not use his changeup against right-handed hitters.^[3]

Personal[link]

Roenicke, who grew up in Nevada City, California, comes from a baseball family as his brother Jason plays in Toronto's minor league system, his father Gary played 12 major league seasons from 1976–1988 and is currently a scout in the Baltimore Orioles organization,^[4] and his uncle Ron played 8 seasons from 1981–1988 and is currently the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.

See also[link]

Baseball portal

• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Bryce Harper
Washington Nationals – No. 34
Outfielder
Born: (1992-10-16) October 16, 1992 (age 19) Las Vegas, Nevada
Bats: Left	Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 28, 2012 for the Washington Nationals
Career statistics (through May 30, 2012)
Batting average	.274
Home runs	4
Runs batted in	11
Teams
Washington Nationals (2012–present)
Career highlights and awards
2010 Golden Spikes Award

Bryce Aron Max Harper^[1] (born October 16, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. Harper was selected by the Nationals with the first overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. He stands at 6 feet 3 inches and weighs 225 lbs.^[2][3]

Harper won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award, awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player.^[4] Going into the 2012 season, baseball prospect-watchers, including Baseball America, MLB.com, and Baseball Prospectus routinely ranked Harper as a top #3 prospect. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals on April 28, 2012.

College career[link]

Harper earned his General Educational Development after his sophomore year at Las Vegas High School in December 2009, making him eligible for the June 2010 amateur draft in order to begin his professional baseball career earlier.^[5][6] For the 2010 college season, 17-year-old Harper enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada of the Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). An advantage for Harper in his eventual transition to his professional career was that the SWAC, like MLB, uses wooden bats in conference play. In 66 games, he hit 31 home runs, 98 RBI, hitting .443/.526/.987 (AVG/OBP/SLG).^[7] His 31 home runs shattered the school's previous record of 12. He was named the 2010 SWAC Player of the Year.^[8] The next day, in a doubleheader, he went 2-for-5 with a three-run double in the first game, and in the second game went 6-for-6 with 4 home runs, a triple, and a double.^[9]

On June 2, 2010, Harper was ejected from a National Junior College World Series game by home plate umpire Don Gilmore after a called third strike. Harper drew a line in the dirt with his bat as he left the plate, presumably to show where he thought the pitch was. It was Harper's second ejection of the year, and resulted in a two-game suspension.^[10] The suspension ended his amateur career, as Southern Nevada lost the game from which Harper was ejected and lost their next game with Harper suspended, which eliminated them from the tournament.^[11]

Harper won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award.^[4] In May 2012, the book The Last Natural: Bryce Harper's Big Gamble in Sin City and the Greatest Amateur Season Ever by sportswriter Rob Miech was published by the Thomas Dunne Books imprint at St. Martin's Press. The book chronicles Harper's historic college season and culminates in his being the first player selected in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft and signing a multimillion-dollar contract just before the signing deadline. Steve Rushin endorsed the book as "a fascinating eyewitness account, a baseball version of the Beatles in Hamburg circa 1961, just before the klieg lights get switched on."^[12]

Professional career[link]

Harper playing for the Hagerstown Suns, Single-A affiliates of the Nationals, in 2011.

Harper was drafted #1 overall by the Washington Nationals,^[13] becoming the Nationals second consecutive number one overall pick of the Major League Baseball Draft, following Stephen Strasburg.^[14] Although Harper had predominantly played catcher, the Nationals drafted him as an outfielder to extend his career and to accelerate his player development, so that he could debut in MLB earlier. He has been considered one of the most highly touted prospects in Major League Baseball History. ^[13]

Harper signed a 7-year contract worth $18.9 million,^[15] and on August 26, 2010, Harper was introduced by the Nationals. Harper said he chose to wear #34 because "I always loved Mickey Mantle, three and four equals seven."^[16]

After batting .419 with a .407 OBP (and leading his team in hits, homers, RBI and walks) in the Nationals' fall instructional league, Harper was selected to participate in the Arizona Fall League as a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions taxi-squad,^[17] the second-youngest player in the history of the league (two days older than when Mets' prospect Fernando Martínez appeared in the league in 2006).^[18] He batted .343 and slugged .729.^[19] On November 20, Harper and the Scottsdale Scorpions won the 2010 Arizona Fall League Championship.

After batting .399 in spring training, the Nationals optioned Harper to the Hagerstown Suns of the Class-A South Atlantic League to begin his minor league career.^[20] In April 2011, after a slow start in the minor leagues, Harper visited optometrist Dr. Keith Smithson who reportedly told him, "I don't know how you ever hit before. You have some of the worst eyes I've ever seen." In his first 20 games after receiving contact lenses, Harper hit .480, collecting 7 home runs, 40 doubles and 23 RBI.^[21]

Harper was selected to represent the United States in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game during the 2011 All Star Game weekend. He was promoted to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators on July 4. Harper went 4 for 4 in his AA debut with two singles, a double, triple and a walk.^[22]

On August 18, 2011, Harper injured his hamstring while running from first to third base on an extra base hit. The injury was severe enough that he had to be carried off the field by his coaches. Harper was placed on the 7-day disabled list, and it was reported that the injury had ended Harper's season.^[23]

During 2012 spring training, Harper was optioned to AAA Syracuse, where he started the season, playing centerfield.^[24] After a strong start, Harper was called up to the Nationals on April 27, 2012, as Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the DL. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals the next day against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Harper grounded out to the pitcher (Chad Billingsley) in his first career Major League at bat. He recorded his first Major League hit with a double in his third at-bat against Billingsley and got his first RBI on a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth against Javy Guerra.^[25]

On May 6, 2012 Harper was hit in the lower back by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels in the first inning on the first pitch of the at bat. ^[26] Harper would steal home plate that same inning, but the Nationals lost the game 9-3. Hamels subsequently admitted to hitting him intentionally and was suspended by MLB for 5 games.

On May 14, 2012, Harper hit his first Major League home run, a solo blast off of San Diego Padres pitcher Tim Stauffer.^[27] He was the youngest player to homer in the major leagues since Adrian Beltre in 1998.^[28]

Career accomplishments[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2012)

Personal life[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

Harper's older brother, Bryan, was a left-handed pitcher for College of Southern Nevada with Bryce. Bryan now plays for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, back to back winners of the 2010 and 2011 College World Series. Bryan was also selected in the 2010 MLB Draft, by the Chicago Cubs.^[29][30] He did not sign and then was drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals.

Harper was featured in an episode of ESPN E:60^[31] and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 2009.^[32] Harper also just recieved a sponsorship deal with a nutritional supplement company focusing on active lifestyles, MusclePharm. ^[33]

Read more: MusclePharm Signs Pro Baseball Rookie Phenom Bryce Harper As Sponsored Athlete - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_20681350#ixzz1wM2Zge4h Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Bryce Harper is also a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.^[34]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bryce Harper

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Bryce Harper's College Statistics