Jason Isringhausen

Infobox MLB player
name=Jason Isringhausen

---

width=300
position=Closer
team=St. Louis Cardinals
number=44
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1972|9|7
city-state|Brighton|Illinois
debutdate=July 17
debutyear=1995
debutteam=New York Mets
statyear=August 16, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=45-49
stat2label=Earned run average| stat2value=3.61
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=749
stat4label=Saves
stat4value=293
teams=
*New York Mets (by|1995-by|1997, by|1999)
*Oakland Athletics (by|1999-by|2001)
*St Louis Cardinals (by|2002-present)

Jason Derik Isringhausen (born September 7, 1972 in Brighton, Illinois) is a closing pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Pro career

1990s

In the mid-1990s Isringhausen, along with pitchers Bill Pulsipher and Paul Wilson were all widely hyped as the next generation of New York Mets' superstars, despite all being in the minor leagues. Isringhausen played with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. The group received considerable press attention and the nickname "Generation K". However, injuries took their toll and by|1995 was the first year that all three started the season healthy.

Isringhausen began his career as a starter for the Mets near the end of the season, posting a 9-2 record in 14 starts. But a steady progression of serious injuries- tuberculosis, a broken wrist (sustained while punching a dugout trash can) and three major operations on his pitching arm derailed his progression into a major-league rotation.

Consequently, he was forced to miss most of the by|1997 season, as well as the entire by|1998 season. When he was finally healthy in by|1999, he was moved to the bullpen after only five starts. After inconsistent play with the Mets, he was infamously traded to the Oakland Athletics at the trading deadline for reliever Billy Taylor. Mets manager Bobby Valentine was reluctant to use Isringhausen in relief, saying that it would be akin to " [using] an Indy car as a taxi."

2000s

As a relief pitcher and closer for the Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals, Isringhausen's performance improved. After the A's made the playoffs in by|2000 and by|2001, Isringhausen left the team to sign with the Cardinals as a free agent before the by|2002 season. Since then, the Cardinals have won the Central Division in 2002, by|2004, by|2005, and by|2006 with World Series appearances in 2004 and 2006, winning it all in 2006. He had a league-leading 47 saves in 2004 and had a second-best 2.14 ERA in 2005.

However, the 2006 season was a rough one for Isringhausen. He began the season with two losses and a blown save in his first five appearances. He endured control problems throughout the season which led to 38 walks (the most given up by Isringhausen in a season since he became a closer) and a 3.55 ERA, which was his highest ERA as a closer besides the 2000 season in which his ERA was 3.78. Isringhausen finished the season with a 4-8 record and 33 saves along with 10 blown saves. He missed the entire 2006 playoffs due to a hip injury, allowing rookie Adam Wainwright to become the Cardinals' closer for the playoffs and led the Cardinals to their 10th World Series Championship.

During the 2006 off-season, Isringhausen underwent his second hip surgery in two years. With Wainwright slotted into the rotation, Isringhausen was returned to the closer role to begin by|2007. Isringhausen responded by notching career numbers in 2007, posting a 4-0 record, 2.48 ERA, and 32 saves while walking only 28, striking out 54, and giving up only 4 home runs in 63.1 innings pitched, appearing in 63 games. Batters hit .179 against him.

On September 25, 2007, Isringhausen was named as one of 10 finalists for the "DHL Presents the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award"; and on October 5, 2007 it was announced the St. Louis Cardinals had picked up Isringhausen's option for the by|2008 season.

On May 10, 2008, manager Tony La Russa removed Isringhausen as the club's closer. On July 29, 2008, Tony La Russa announced that Jason had been placed as the closer again.

On August 19, 2008, Isringhausen left the team and possibly retired due to lingering elbow tendinitis and a torn tendon. [ [http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/8CA293061437CBF1862574AB000FA93E?OpenDocument Isringhausen leaves team] ] [ [http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080820&content_id=3336721&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl Isringhausen's season is likely finished] ]

For his career, Isringhausen is 45-49 (.479) with a 3.61 ERA and 293 saves, with batters hitting only .239 against him with a 1.33 WHIP in 612 games. In his brief career as a starter (1995-1999, 52 starts), he threw three complete games and one shutout.

ee also

*List of Major League Baseball saves champions
*Pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches
*List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

References

External links

*baseballstats |mlb=116414 |espn=3289 |br=i/isrinja01|fangraphs=1158 |cube=I/jason-isringhausen
* [http://stlcardinals.scout.com/a.z?s=321&p=8&c=1&nid=2900106 Jason Isringhausen page at stlcardinals.scout.com]