Ian Snell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ian Snell |
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Snell with the Pittsburgh Pirates
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 30, 1981 Dover, Delaware, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 20, 2004, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 14, 2010, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 38–53 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.80 | ||
| Strikeouts | 639 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Ian Dante Snell (born October 30, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Ian played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners.
He used different names during his career. From 2001 to 2003, he was known as Ian Oquendo. During the 2009 World Baseball Classic, he used Ian Davila-Snell. As a pitcher, he threw a fast fastball. He also used a curveball, a slider, and a changeup.
Contents
Ian Snell's Baseball Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Ian Snell was a great pitcher in high school. He played at Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, Delaware. The Pittsburgh Pirates chose him in the 26th round of the Major League Baseball Draft in 2000.
He started his professional career with the Gulf Coast Pirates. This was a rookie league team. His first game was on July 17, 2000. He pitched for 1.2 innings and did not allow any runs.
In 2001, Ian played for two teams. He was with the GCL Pirates and the Williamsport Crosscutters. The Crosscutters were a Short Season-A team.
Climbing the Minor League Ranks
Ian played for the Hickory Crawdads in 2002. This was a Single-A team. He was one of the best pitchers in the league. He ranked fourth in strikeouts. He was also seventh in ERA.
In 2003, Ian had a fantastic year. He won 14 games and lost only 4. His ERA was 3.00. He also struck out 145 batters. He played for two Single-A teams, Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona. Because of his great performance, the Pirates named him their "Pitcher-of-the-Year."
Ian spent most of 2004 with the Altoona Curve. He set a team record for strikeouts. He had 142 strikeouts that season. This was the second-highest in the league.
Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Ian Snell was called up to the Pirates in 2004. He made his first Major League Baseball game on August 20, 2004. He played against the St. Louis Cardinals. In that game, he gave up one home run. He also walked three batters and struck out two. After this, he went back to Altoona. He was called up again in September.
In 2005, Ian played for both the Pirates and the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. With the Indians, he had a great record of 11 wins and 3 losses. His ERA was 3.70. On May 15, he pitched a no-hitter against the Norfolk Tides. This means no opposing player got a hit. He was named "Pitcher of the Week" twice.
Ian joined the Pirates full-time later that year. His first win came on September 19. He beat Roger Clemens and the Houston Astros. He allowed only three hits in eight innings. He finished 2005 with one win and two losses.
In 2006, Ian had his best season with the Pirates. He won 14 games and lost 11. This was the most wins for a Pirates pitcher in several years. He also led the team in strikeouts.
In 2007, Ian received a special award. The Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association honored him. He was named the "John J. Brady Athlete of the Year." This award goes to the best athlete from Delaware.
On March 16, 2008, Ian signed a new contract. It was a three-year deal with the Pirates. He finished the 2008 season with 7 wins and 12 losses. His ERA was 5.42.
In 2009, Ian faced some challenges. He asked to be sent to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. In his first game there, he struck out 17 batters. He allowed only two hits. Ian later shared that he had faced personal difficulties. These challenges affected his performance on the field.
Moving to the Seattle Mariners
On July 29, 2009, Ian Snell was traded. He and Jack Wilson went to the Seattle Mariners. In return, the Pirates received several players. Ian joined the Mariners' main roster on July 31. He finished 2009 with 5 wins and 2 losses for the Mariners. His ERA was 4.20. Overall in 2009, he had 7 wins and 10 losses.
Ian started the 2010 season as a starting pitcher for the Mariners. He struggled early in the season. He was moved to the bullpen. Later, he returned to the starting rotation. On June 9, he had a very tough game. He pitched only 1.2 innings and gave up eight runs. The Mariners lost 12–2. After this game, he was moved back to the bullpen.
On June 15, the Mariners removed him from their main roster. He then went to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. After the season, he became a free agent.
Later Career and Retirement
On January 14, 2011, Ian signed a minor league contract. This was with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was invited to their spring training. On March 15, he decided to retire from baseball. However, he later changed his mind. The Cardinals then released him. This allowed him to look for other opportunities.
On May 20, 2011, Ian signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played for their Triple-A team, the Albuquerque Isotopes. He pitched in six games there. He had 1 win and 2 losses. He was suspended by the team later that season. He was released in March 2012.
On March 25, 2013, Ian signed with the Long Island Ducks. This team is part of the Atlantic League. He pitched in 50 games as a relief pitcher. He had 2 wins, 3 losses, and 1 save. After that season, he became a free agent.
International Baseball
Ian Snell has some Puerto Rican family background. Because of this, he played for Puerto Rico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. This is a big international baseball tournament.
Other Achievements
In 2019, Ian Snell was honored. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. This recognizes his great career in sports.
