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. This was his wife's last name. During the 2009 World Baseball Classic, he used Ian Davila-Snell, which was his stepfather's last name. As a pitcher, he threw a very fast fastball. He also used a curveball, a slider, and a changeup.
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Playing Baseball Professionally
Ian Snell was a great pitcher at Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, Delaware. The Pirates picked 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.
He made his first professional appearance on July 17, 2000. He pitched for 1.2 innings and did not allow any runs. In 2001, Snell played for two teams. He was with the GCL Pirates and the Williamsport Crosscutters. The Crosscutters were a Short Season-A team.
In 2002, Snell played for the Hickory Crawdads. This was a Single-A team that won the South Atlantic League championship. He was fourth in strikeouts among pitchers in that league. He also ranked seventh in ERA, which measures how well a pitcher prevents runs.
The year 2003 was a big one for Snell. He won 14 games and lost only 4. His ERA was 3.00, and he had 145 strikeouts. He played for two Single-A teams, Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona. Because of his great performance, he was named the Pirates' best pitcher in their minor league system.
Snell spent most of 2004 with the Altoona Curve. He set a team record for strikeouts in a single season. He finished second in the league with 142 strikeouts.
Time with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Ian Snell was called up to the Pirates' main team. He made his Major League Baseball debut on August 20, 2004. This game was against the St. Louis Cardinals. In his first game, he gave up one hit, which was a home run. He also walked three batters and struck out two. After this, he went back to Altoona. He was called up again on September 21, after Altoona's season ended.
In 2005, Snell split his time between the Pirates and their Triple-A team, the 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 off him. He was named the International League pitcher of the week twice.
He played in 15 games for the Pirates that year, starting 5 of them. His first win in MLB came on September 19, 2005. He beat Roger Clemens and the Houston Astros. In that game, he allowed only three singles in eight innings. He finished the 2005 season with 1 win and 2 losses.
In 2006, Snell had a very good year. He won 14 games for Pittsburgh, which was the most wins for any Pirates pitcher in several seasons. He also led the team in strikeouts.
On January 28, 2007, Ian Snell received a special award. The Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association named him the "John J. Brady Athlete of the Year." This award goes to the best athlete from Delaware each year.
On March 16, 2008, Snell signed a new contract with the Pirates. It was a three-year deal worth at least $8 million. He finished the 2008 season with 7 wins and 12 losses. He faced some challenges during this time. He later shared that he was feeling unhappy with his situation.
On June 24, 2009, Snell asked to be sent down to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. In his first game back in Triple-A, he had an amazing performance. He struck out 17 batters and allowed only two hits.
Moving to the Seattle Mariners
On July 29, 2009, Ian Snell was traded to the Seattle Mariners. He moved with shortstop Jack Wilson. In return, the Pirates received several players: Jeff Clement, Ronny Cedeño, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin, and Nathan Adcock.
Snell joined the Mariners' main team on July 31. He finished the 2009 season with the Mariners with 5 wins and 2 losses. His ERA was 4.20 in 12 starts. Overall in 2009, combining his time with the Pirates and Mariners, he had 7 wins and 10 losses.
Snell started the 2010 season as one of the Mariners' main pitchers. He began with 0 wins and 3 losses. He was then moved to the bullpen, which is where relief pitchers wait. He later returned to the starting rotation. On June 9, Snell had a very tough game. He pitched only 1.2 innings and gave up eight runs. After this game, he was moved back to the bullpen.
On June 15, Snell was designated for assignment. This means the team 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 Teams
On January 14, 2011, Snell signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was invited to their spring training. He decided to retire in March but later changed his mind. The Cardinals then released him so he could look for other opportunities.
On May 20, 2011, Snell signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played for their AAA team, the Albuquerque Isotopes. He pitched in six games for them. He faced some challenges and missed the rest of the season. He was released by the Dodgers in March 2012.
On March 25, 2013, Snell signed with the Long Island Ducks. This team is part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played in 50 games as a relief pitcher. He became a free agent after that season.
Playing for Puerto Rico
Ian Snell's father has some Puerto Rican family history. Because of this, Ian 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 for his sports career. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.
