This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (September 2009)

Then Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). Smoltz recorded 10 strikeouts in this game, three against Dunn.

In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out (denoted by SO or K^[1]) occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters. Pitchers want to throw as many strikeouts as possible, while batters attempt to minimize striking out themselves.

Although strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher, it is recognized that the style of swing that generates a home run also leaves batters somewhat susceptible to striking out. Some of the greatest home run hitters of all time – such as Reggie Jackson and Sammy Sosa – were notorious for striking out.

Rules[link]

A pitcher receives credit for (and a batter is charged with) a strikeout on any third strike, but a batter is out only if one of the following is true:

1. The third strike is pitched and caught in flight by the catcher (including foul tips);
2. On any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs;
3. The third strike is bunted foul and is not caught by a fielder.

Thus, it is possible for a batter to strike out, but still become a runner and reach base safely if the catcher is unable to catch the third strike cleanly, and he then does not either tag out the batter or force him out at first base. In Japan, this is called furinige (振り逃げ^?), or "swing and escape." In Major League Baseball, it is known as an uncaught third strike. As a result, pitchers have occasionally been able to record four strikeouts in one half-inning.

In baseball scorekeeping, a swinging strikeout is recorded as a K, or a K-S. A strikeout looking (where the batter does not swing at a pitch that the umpire then calls strike three) is often scored with a Backwards K, and sometimes as a K-L. Despite the scorekeeping custom of using "K" for strikeout, "SO" is the official abbreviation used by Major League Baseball.^[2]

"K" is still commonly used by fans and enthusiasts for purposes other than official record-keeping. One baseball ritual involves fans attaching a succession of small "K" signs to the nearest railing, one added for every strikeout notched by the home team's pitcher. The "K" may placed backwards in cases where the batter strikes out looking, just as it would appear on a scorecard. Virtually every televised display of a high-strikeout major league game will include a shot of a fan's strikeout display, and if the pitcher continues to strike out batters, the display may be shown following every strikeout.

The use of "K" for a strikeout was invented by Henry Chadwick, a newspaper journalist who is widely credited as the originator of the box score and the baseball scorecard. As is true in much of baseball, both the box score and scorecard remain largely unchanged to this day. Chadwick decided to use "K," the last letter in "struck," since the letter "S" was used for "sacrifice." Chadwick was responsible for several other scorekeeping conventions, including the use of numbers to designate player positions.^[3]

Those unaware of Chadwick's contributions have speculated that "K" was derived from the last name of 19th century pitcher Matt Kilroy. If not for the evidence supporting Chadwick's earlier use of "K," this explanation would be reasonable. Kilroy raised the prominence of the strikeout, setting an all-time single-season record of 513 strikeouts in 1886, only two years after overhand pitching was permitted. His record, however, is forever confined to its era since the pitcher's mound was only 50 feet (15 m) from the batter during that season. It was moved to its current distance of 60'6" in 1893. The modern record (1901–present) is 383 strikeouts, held by Nolan Ryan, one better than Sandy Koufax's 382.

History[link]

Early rules stated that "three balls being struck at and missed and the last one caught, is a hand-out; if not caught is considered fair, and the striker bound to run." The modern rule has changed very little. The addition of the called strike came in 1858.

In 1880, the rules were changed to specify that a third strike had to be caught on the fly. A later adjustment to the dropped third strike rule specified that a batter is automatically out when there are fewer than two out and a runner on first base. In 1887, the number of strikes for an out was changed to four, but it was promptly changed back to three the next season.

Jargon and slang[link]

Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax

A swinging strikeout is often called a whiff, while a batter who is struck out by a fastball is often said to have been blown away. A batter who strikes out on a swung third strike is said to have fanned (as in a fanning motion), whereas if he takes a called third strike it is called a punchout (describing the plate umpire's punching motion on a called third strike).

But sometimes these descriptive words are used generally as synonyms for strikeouts, irrespective of whether they were swinging or looking (e.g. Tim Lincecum has punched out nine batters tonight or Ryan Howard has been fanned six times in this series).

On a called third strike, it is said that the batter was caught looking, or that he looked at a strike. Typically, a called third strike can be somewhat more embarrassing for a batter, as it shows that he was either fooled by the pitcher or, even worse, had a moment of hesitation.

For example, Carlos Beltran was caught looking at strike 3 to end the 2006 NLCS, and the season, for the New York Mets. Sports commentators have also been known to refer to it as browsing if the batter did not move his bat at all.

A pitcher is said to strike out the side when he retires all three batters in a half-inning by striking them out. A batter that takes the third strike looking, especially on a breaking pitch like a slider or a curveball that appears to be out of the strike zone but drops in before he can get the bat off his shoulders, can be said to have been frozen.

In slang, when a batter strikes out three times in a game, he is said to have completed a hat trick. If he strikes out four times, it is called a golden sombrero. He receives a platinum sombrero if he strikes out five times, and this dishonor is also known as the Olympic Rings.

Striking out six times is a rare occurrence, which in the history of major league play has only been accomplished in games that went to extra innings, with Sam Horn of the Baltimore Orioles being one of the distinguished few to achieve this feat. The slugger's then-teammate, pitcher Mike Flanagan, told reporters after that 1991 event that six strikeouts would thereafter be known as a Horn. He added that if anyone ever strikes out seven times in one game, it will be a Horn of Plenty.

Some pitchers who specialize in strikeouts have acquired nicknames including the letter "K." Dwight Gooden was known as "Doctor K" (back-referencing basketball star Julius Erving a.k.a. "Dr. J"). Francisco Rodriguez is known as "K-Rod."^[4] Roger Clemens has taken the "K" name to an extreme by naming his four sons Koby, Kory, Kacy, and Kody.

Hall of Fame strikeout artist Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers coincidentally has a last name starting with "K," and in his call of the pitcher's perfect game in 1965, Dodgers announcer Vin Scully commented that Koufax's name "will always remind you of strikeouts." Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is known as "Dice-K," a term which was used as a pronunciation guide for his name when he first arrived in MLB.

Four strikeouts in an inning[link]

If a third strike is not caught cleanly by the catcher, it is still recorded as a strikeout for both the pitcher and the batter. Under certain situations, however, the batter is not ruled out and the play is still alive. This occurs under the following circumstances:

1. First base is not occupied or there have already been two outs recorded.
2. The catcher fails to cleanly catch the ball that led to the third strike.^[5]

The batter may begin to run to first base as soon as he sees the catcher fail to cleanly catch the ball. If he makes it to first base without being tagged or forced out, the out is not recorded. Since a strikeout is awarded in such cases while the play that does not result in an out, it is possible for a pitcher to record more than three strikeouts in one standard half-inning. Recording four strikeouts in one inning has occurred 61 times in Major League history.^[6] The first Major League player credited with this rare feat was Ed "Cannonball" Crane of the New York Giants on October 4, 1888.^[7]

Prior to 1960, the event was extremely rare, having taken place only eight times.^[8] Although more common since then, it remains one of the most rare single-game achievements. Increased use of the split-finger fastball and forkball may contribute to a higher incidence of dropped third strikes, as both pitches are hard to catch since they usually reach the catcher near the dirt. More teams, an expanded schedule, and a higher total number of strikeouts could all be contributors to this phenomenon as well.

Chuck Finley accomplished the feat on May 12 and August 15, 1999, with the Anaheim Angels and again on April 16, 2000, with the Cleveland Indians. Pete Richert of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the only pitcher to do it in his MLB debut (April 12, 1962, against the Cincinnati Reds).^[9] The most recent player to achieve the feat is Ryan Cook of the Oakland Athletics in the eighth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on April 27, 2012.

Five strikeouts in one inning[link]

Five strikeouts in one inning has never occurred in a regulation Major League Baseball game. It has occurred at least three times at the minor league level. Mike Schultz of the Lancaster JetHawks struck out five batters in one inning on July 16, 2004, and Garrett Bauer of the Rockford RiverHawks struck out five batters in one inning on July 1, 2008.^[10] Houston Astros pitcher Joe Niekro did so in an exhibition spring training game, but exhibition games are not recorded in official statistics.^[11]

Strikeout records[link]

Pitchers[link]

The Top 20 Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders (active players in bold) (since 1901, through September 28, 2011):^[12]

1. Nolan Ryan – 5,714
2. Randy Johnson – 4,875
3. Roger Clemens – 4,672
4. Steve Carlton – 4,136
5. Bert Blyleven – 3,701
6. Tom Seaver – 3,640
7. Don Sutton – 3,574
8. Gaylord Perry – 3,534
9. Walter Johnson – 3,509
10. Greg Maddux – 3,371
11. Phil Niekro – 3,342
12. Ferguson Jenkins – 3,192
13. Pedro Martínez – 3,154
14. Bob Gibson – 3,117
15. Curt Schilling – 3,116
16. John Smoltz – 3,084
17. Jim Bunning – 2,855
18. Mickey Lolich – 2,832
19. Mike Mussina – 2,813
20. Cy Young – 2,803

• Note: The strikeout leader among active players (as of May 25, 2012) is Jamie Moyer at #36 with 2,439 strikeouts. The only others active players with 2,000+ strikeouts are Andy Pettitte at #47 with 2,270, CC Sabathia at #58 with 2,082 and Kevin Millwood at #64 with 2,013.^[13]

The Top 10 Major League Baseball career strikeout-per-nine innings leaders (since 1900, through games of September 28, 2011, minimum 1,000 IP):^[14]

1. Randy Johnson – 10.61
2. Kerry Wood – 10.34
3. Pedro Martínez – 10.04
4. Tim Lincecum - 9.87
5. Nolan Ryan – 9.55
6. Trevor Hoffman – 9.53
7. Sandy Koufax – 9.28
8. Oliver Perez – 9.12
9. Sam McDowell – 8.86
10. Johan Santana – 8.85

The Top 5 Major League Baseball single season strikeout-per-nine innings leaders (since 1900, through games of September 28, 2011, minimum 1.0 IP per team game):

1. Randy Johnson, 2001 – 13.41
2. Pedro Martínez, 1999 – 13.20
3. Kerry Wood, 1998 – 12.58
4. Randy Johnson, 2000 – 12.56
5. Randy Johnson, 1995 – 12.35

The Top 10 Major League Baseball single season strikeout totals (since 1900):^[15]

The Top 10 Major League Baseball single season strikeout totals (all time):^[16]

Progression of major league strikeout record for one nine-inning game, regular season (partial listing):

• 18 – Dupee Shaw, Boston Reds (UA), July 19, 1884;^[17] and by Henry Porter, Milwaukee Brewers (UA), October 3, 1884.^[17][18]

Modern era:

• 16 – Rube Waddell, July 29, 1908
• 18 – Bob Feller, October 2, 1938; matched by Sandy Koufax, August 31, 1959, and again on April 24, 1962; and by Don Wilson, July 14, 1968.
• 19 – Steve Carlton, September 15, 1969; matched by Tom Seaver, April 22, 1970; and Nolan Ryan, August 12, 1974.
• 20 – Roger Clemens, April 29, 1986 – matched by Clemens again, September 18, 1996; by Kerry Wood, May 6, 1998; and by Randy Johnson, May 8, 2001 (the first nine innings of an extra-inning game)

• Note: Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters overall, in a 16-inning game, September 12, 1962. He had 13 strikeouts through the first nine innings.

See also List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning MLB game

Progression of strikeout record for one game, World Series:

• 10 – 1903 (first modern Series), Game 1, Deacon Phillippe
• 11 – 1903, Game 2, Bill Dinneen
• 12 – 1906, Game 3, Ed Walsh
• 13 – 1929, Game 1, Howard Ehmke
• 14 – 1953, Game 3, Carl Erskine
• 15 – 1963, Game 1, Sandy Koufax
• 17 – 1968, Game 1, Bob Gibson

Progression of major league strikeout record for a relief pitcher, regular season (partial listing)^[19]

• 15 - Walter Johnson, July 25, 1915
• 16 - Randy Johnson, July 18, 2001

Batters[link]

The Top 16 Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders (through May 26, 2012):

1. Reggie Jackson – 2,597
2. Jim Thome – 2,497
3. Sammy Sosa – 2,306
4. Andrés Galarraga – 2,003
5. Alex Rodriguez – 1,951
6. José Canseco – 1,942
7. Willie Stargell – 1,936
8. Mike Cameron – 1,901
9. Adam Dunn - 1,883
10. Mike Schmidt – 1,883
11. Fred McGriff – 1,882
12. Tony Perez – 1,867
13. Dave Kingman – 1,816
14. Manny Ramirez - 1,813
15. Bobby Abreu - 1,783
16. Ken Griffey Jr. - 1,779

Active batters with over 1,400 K's (through May 26, 2012):

1. Jim Thome – 2,497
2. Alex Rodriguez – 1,951
3. Adam Dunn – 1,883
4. Manny Ramirez - 1,813
5. Bobby Abreu – 1,783
6. Andruw Jones – 1,700
7. Derek Jeter – 1,678
8. Jason Giambi - 1,487
9. Alfonso Soriano - 1,459

Single season strikeout records (batters):

See also[link]

Baseball portal

• Baseball statistics
• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of Major League Baseball pitchers with 18 strikeouts in one game
• Pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches
• Top 100 Major League Baseball strikeout pitchers
• 3,000 strikeout club

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts (batters)
• Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts (pitchers)
• Four Strikeouts in 1 Inning

Kerry Wood
Wood pitching for the Cubs in 2008.
Pitcher
Born: (1977-06-16) June 16, 1977 (age 35) Irving, Texas
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 12, 1998 for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
May 18, 2012 for the Chicago Cubs
Career statistics
Win–loss record	86–75
Earned run average	3.67
Strikeouts	1,582
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1998, 2000–2008) Cleveland Indians (2009–2010) New York Yankees (2010) Chicago Cubs (2011–2012)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star selection (2003, 2008) NL Rookie of the Year (1998) Holds share of record for most strikeouts in one nine-inning game with 20

Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003 and is the co-holder the MLB record for strikeouts in a single game (20), earning himself the nickname Kid K. He was a two-time National League All-Star and pitched in the post-season five times in a career that spanned 15 seasons.^[1] Wood was the 1998 National League Rookie of the Year.

Wood transitioned to a relief pitcher in 2007 due to struggling with injuries throughout his career. He has been placed on the disabled list 14 times in 13 major league seasons, including missing the entire 1999 season due to Tommy John surgery. After a slow start to the 2012 season, Wood retired on May 18th, 2012.

Early life[link]

Wood became a phenomenon while attending MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, for his first three seasons of high school baseball. He continued his domination of batters at Grand Prairie High School in his final season as a high school player.^[2]

Professional career[link]

Chicago Cubs[link]

1995-1997[link]

The Chicago Cubs drafted Wood as the fourth overall selection in the 1995 Amateur Draft. He spent three years playing in the Minor Leagues. His best season in the Minors came in 1996, when he posted a 10-2 record for the Daytona Cubs.^[3] He also played for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.^[3] In 1997 he led all minor league pitchers in walks, with 131.^[4]

1998[link]

A prospect in the minor leagues, Wood made his first appearance in the Major Leagues on April 12, 1998. In his fifth career start, on May 6, he threw a one-hit, no walk, 20-strikeout shutout against the Houston Astros, tying Roger Clemens' record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game and breaking Bill Gullickson's single-game rookie record of 18 strikeouts in 1980. To date, Wood and Bob Feller are the only two pitchers to strike out their age in one game (at age 17, Feller struck out 17 batters in one game in 1936). Wood allowed only two baserunners: Ricky Gutiérrez on an infield single and Craig Biggio on a hit by pitch. Gutiérrez's single, off third baseman Kevin Orie's glove, was close enough that some fans lobbied to have it changed in scoring to an error, which would have given Wood a no-hitter. The game is considered by many to be the most dominant pitching performance in the history of baseball.^[5]

Wood finished the 1998 season with a 13–6 record; despite missing the last month of the season with elbow soreness, he easily won the National League Rookie of the Year award. He pitched one game in the playoffs, losing against the Atlanta Braves.^[1]

1999–2003[link]

During spring training of 1999, Wood underwent Tommy John surgery to repair damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, missing the entire season.

Wood returned in 2000 and struggled to an 8–7 record, but the following season, he returned to form. In 2001, Wood went 12-6 with a 3.36 ERA. The following season, Wood finished 12–11 with a 3.67 ERA, but perhaps more important was the fact he did not miss a start all year long, setting career highs with 213.6 innings pitched and 33 starts. He rang up 217 strikeouts in both seasons.^[1]

In 2003, Wood continued to improve, setting career highs with 266 strikeouts, 14 wins (as part of a 14–11 record), a 3.20 ERA, and two shutouts. He threw the fastest fastball in the majors among starters, averaging 95.4 miles per hour.^[6] He also walked 100 batters and surrendered 24 home runs, also career highs, but was selected as a National League All-Star and helped lead the Cubs to the playoffs as one half of "Chicago Heat" along with fellow pitcher Mark Prior.^[1]

Wood earned two wins in the Divisional Series against the Atlanta Braves and was the starter in Game 3 of the 2003 National League Championship Series, which the Cubs won in extra innings. However, the Cubs lost in seven games to the eventual World Series champion Florida Marlins. In the decisive Game 7, Wood hit the first home run by a pitcher in a NLCS game since another Cub, Rick Sutcliffe, did so in Game 1 in 1984. However, the Marlins won the game 9-6. Wood was the losing pitcher and the Cubs were eliminated.^[1]

2004–2006[link]

Wood went just 8-9 during the 2004 season and was sidelined for nearly two months with a strained triceps.^[1]

In 2005, Wood continued to struggle. On August 31, 2005, Wood underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the season. During Spring Training in 2006, Wood suffered several injuries which required an additional surgery (on his knee) and time off shortly after that to recover from injuries sustained falling out of a hot tub. On May 18, 2006, Wood returned to the Cubs' pitching rotation when he started and lost a home game against the Washington Nationals. In June, Wood returned to the DL with a sore shoulder. The following month, the Cubs announced that Wood had sustained a partially torn rotator cuff which was likely to keep him from pitching again for the rest of the year. At the end of the 2006 season, the Cubs exercised their option on Wood's contract and bought out the remaining $13M.^[7]

2007–2008[link]

With his long history of injuries and inability to stay in the starting rotation, Wood accepted the Cubs offer to return as a relief pitcher in 2007. Wood attempted to sustain a regular throwing schedule and appearances during Spring Training games. However, Wood was placed on the 15 day DL with soreness in his elbow and was then moved to the 60 day DL. Wood considered retiring if he continued to have pain in his throwing arm.^[8] He began playing catch on May 21. In his first rehab assignment in Cubs Rookie Ball, he struck out all three batters he faced. On July 24, he pitched 1 inning with the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, throwing 9 pitches. He made back-to-back appearances on July 26 and July 27, throwing his fastball between 92-94 mph with no discomfort.^[9]

The Cubs activated Wood from the 60-Day Disabled List on August 3, causing many to believe that he would make his actual return on that day.^[10] In the seventh inning, however, Lou Piniella opted to send Bob Howry to the mound, and most fans, eager to see Kerry back on the hill, mistakenly gave Howry a standing ovation, only to realize moments later it was actually not Wood.^[11] Piniella later stated he wanted Wood to receive a "softer landing", or in other words, make his return in a game where the Cubs have a comfortable lead over their opponents.^[12] Wood made his return on August 5, with the Cubs trailing the New York Mets by four runs.^[13] He pitched a single inning, during which he allowed one hit, and struck out another batter.^[13] Piniella praised Wood's performance, stating "He threw the ball real good", and "His breaking ball had some bite to it, and he threw it up there about 93-94, about what we expected".^[14] He remained healthy appearing in 22 games and posting a 1-1 record with a solid 3.33 ERA.^[1]

He was generally limited to one inning per outing, not appearing in games on back to back days, though he did pitch in both halves of a double header on September 15. Wood was a major contributor to the Cub's NL Central Division Championship down the stretch in late September, earning a win and 8 holds. Wood filed for free-agency on November 11, 2007, though he suggested that he wanted to remain in pinstripes for the 2008 season. Despite multi-year offers from other teams, Wood agreed to a one year, $4.2 million deal with the Cubs.^[15]

Wood, along with Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol, competed for the role as the Cubs' closer after Ryan Dempster was moved to the starting rotation.^[15] After posting a 2.84 ERA in the spring, Wood won the job. He recorded his first career save April 3, 2008 with a win over the Brewers.^[16][17] Wood recorded 34 saves in 39 opportunities, 82 strike-outs and a 1.12 WHIP. He was selected to the 2008 MLB All-Star Game as a relief pitcher on July 6, 2008 along with six other teammates.^[18]

Wood was placed on the 15-day DL on July 24, 2008 with a blister on his right index finger.^[19]

On November 13, 2008, after acquiring closer Kevin Gregg from the Florida Marlins, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry announced that the organization did not plan on re-signing Wood.^[20] He had previously requested a multi-year contract with the team, but was deferred due to financial reasons. Wood stated he wished to remain with the Cubs, but also wanted to continue playing baseball.^[21]

Cleveland Indians[link]

Wood pitching for the Cleveland Indians in 2010.

On December 13, 2008, Wood signed a two-year contract with the Cleveland Indians.^[22]

Cubs fans showed their appreciation for him by giving him a standing ovation when the Cleveland Indians played at Wrigley Field on June 19, 2009.^[23] During the 2010 season, Wood was placed on the disabled list until May 8 due to an upper back muscle strain.^[24] On July 17, 2010, Wood was placed on the disabled list for the 14th time in his major league career, this time due to a blister on his right index finger.^[24]

New York Yankees[link]

Wood was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Yankees on July 31, 2010 for Andrew Chive, Matt Cusick, and cash.^[25] With the Yankees, he went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 24 games, including 21 straight scoreless appearances, and served as the bridge to Mariano Rivera in the 2010 postseason.^[8][26] During the 2010 postseason, Wood had a 2.25 ERA appearing in 7 games overall. The Yankees won the 2010 ALDS against the Minnesota Twins in 3 games but lost to the Texas Rangers in 6 games of the 2010 ALCS.

The Yankees announced on October 27 that the club had declined to exercise their option for Wood for 2011.^[27]

Second stint with the Chicago Cubs[link]

On December 16, 2010, Wood agreed to a one year deal worth $1.5 million with the Cubs.^[28] Wood reportedly turned down offers for long-term deals from several other teams worth more money due to his desire to keep his family in Chicago.^[29] Wood re-signed with the Cubs on January 13, 2012 for a 1 year, $3 million deal with a team option for 2013.^[30]

On May 18, 2012, Wood retired, striking out the only (and therefore final) batter he faced, Dayán Viciedo of the Chicago White Sox. The fans at Wrigley Field gave Wood a long standing ovation as his son, Justin, ran out to greet him as he exited the field. On his baseball career: "I had fun, I had a blast," Wood said. "I wouldn't trade anything in."^[31] Long-time White Sox play-by-play voice Hawk Harrelson, who called the game that day for WGN, said of Wood, "In this game you are either an asset or a liability, and this guy (Wood) was definitely an asset."

MLB records[link]

• Fastest to reach 1000 strikeouts in MLB history (in appearances): 134 games
• Fastest to reach 1000 strikeouts in MLB history (in innings pitched): 853 IP
• Strikeouts in a 9-inning game: 20 on May 6, 1998 (tied record with Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson)

Personal life[link]

Wood is married to Sarah Pates of Waukegan, Illinois.^[32] The couple has one son, Justin, and two daughters, Katie and Charlotte.^[33] Until 2008, the family resided in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago.^[34]

While playing for the Cubs, the Woods hosted a celebrity bowling tournament called Kerry Wood's Strike Zone, which also featured a silent auction that raised over two million dollars.^[35][36]

See also[link]

• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning MLB game

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kerry Wood

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

Stephen Strasburg
Washington Nationals – No. 37
Starting pitcher
Born: (1988-07-20) July 20, 1988 (age 23) San Diego, California
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 8, 2010 for the Washington Nationals
Career statistics (through May 27, 2012)
Win–loss record	11–5
Earned run average	2.58
Strikeouts	186
Walks	36
WHIP	1.03
Teams
Washington Nationals (2010–present)

Medal record
Men's Baseball
Competitor for  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze	2008 Beijing	National team
World University Championship
Gold	2008 Brno	National team

Stephen James Strasburg ( /ˈstrɑːzbərɡ/; born July 20, 1988) is a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals, who selected him with the first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. Strasburg signed a record $15.1 million contract with the Nationals. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2010.

Strasburg was called the "most-hyped pick in draft history" by ESPN^[1] and the "most hyped and closely watched pitching prospect in the history of baseball" by Sports Illustrated.^[2]