John Patterson (pitcher)

Infobox MLB player
name=John Patterson

---

width=300
position=Starting pitcher
team=Free Agent
number=--
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|1|30
debutdate=July 20
debutyear=2002
debutteam=Arizona Diamondbacks
statyear=2007
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=18-25
stat2label=Earned Run Average
stat2value=4.32
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=415
teams=
*Arizona Diamondbacks (by|2002-by|2003)
*Montreal Expos (by|2004)
*Washington Nationals (by|2005-by|2007)

John Hollis Patterson (born January 30, 1978 in Orange, Texas) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is currently a free agent.

A USA Today prep All-American in his senior year at West Orange-Stark (TX) High School, Patterson was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the first round (5th overall pick) of the by|1996 Major League Baseball Draft. Montreal lost the draft rights to Patterson on a legal technicality: they sent him a contract offer that was not printed on official team letterhead, and he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $6.075 million. After a solid by|2002 rookie season where he had a 3.22 ERA, he had a disappointing by|2003 season with the Diamondbacks. Patterson was traded back to the Expos prior to the by|2004 season in exchange for Randy Choate, a left-handed reliever.

Always filled with immense potential, Patterson started to realize it in 2004, when he had a 3.57 ERA in April. He got hurt soon after, though, and never regained his form for the rest of the year.

Patterson had a breakout season in by|2005, posting a 9-7 record while setting career bests in ERA (3.13), innings pitched (198.3) and strikeouts (185) in 31 starts. On August 4 of that year, he pitched his first career complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Washington winning that game 7-0.

Early in 2006, Patterson suffered an injury to his right forearm which had to be surgically repaired on July 20, and he did not return for the 2006 campaign. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-nationals-patterson&prov=ap&type=lgns "Patterson speaks -- briefly -- after treatment in Toronto"] ] [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=rotowire-ohnattersonuccessful&prov=rotowire&type=lgns Successful surgery, Out 4-6 Weeks] ]

In by|2007, he started the year dismally, going 1-5 in seven starts with an ERA of 7.47. He went back on the DL on May 7, with elbow inflammation. He didn't pitch the rest of the season, eventually opting for surgery in September.

On March 20, by|2008, the Nationals released Patterson after 4 years with the team. Patterson has struggled the last couple of seasons with right forearm problems and nerve problems which forced him to miss most of the 2007 season. [ [http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080320&content_id=2446486&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=was Patterson released by Nationals] ]

On March 24, 2008, Patterson signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He was released on May 24.

He features a mid 90's fastball along with a big curveball and a sharp slider.

Patterson spends his offseason in his hometown of Orange, Texas. On November 10, 2007, he married 2005 Miss District of Columbia Shannon Schambeau, who was 4th runner-up in the 2006 Miss America pageant.

References

External links