Jerome Williams (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jerome Williams |
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Williams with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2012
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: December 4, 1981 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 26, 2003, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| CPBL: March 21, 2010, for the Uni-President Lions | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: September 26, 2016, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| CPBL: October 3, 2010, for the Uni-President Lions | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 52–66 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.59 | ||
| Strikeouts | 655 | ||
| CPBL statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 7–9 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.11 | ||
| Strikeouts | 76 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Jerome Lee Williams, born on December 4, 1981, is a former American baseball pitcher. He played for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2003 to 2016. He also played in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Jerome pitched for many teams, including the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals. In Taiwan, he played for the Uni-President Lions.
Contents
Jerome Williams' Baseball Journey
Starting with the San Francisco Giants
Jerome Williams was a top pick for the San Francisco Giants in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. He was the 39th player chosen overall. Before joining the big leagues, he spent about four and a half years playing in the minor leagues.
In 2003, Jerome was called up to the Giants. He became a regular starting pitcher for them in 2003 and 2004. In 2003, he won 7 games and lost 5, with a good ERA of 3.30. The next year, in 2004, he started 22 games and earned 10 wins.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs
In 2005, after starting three games for the Giants, Jerome was traded to the Chicago Cubs. In his first game with the Cubs, he pitched very well. He gave up only 2 runs and struck out six players. He finished the season with the Cubs, winning 6 games and losing 8.
In 2006, Jerome spent most of his time with the Cubs' Triple-A team, the Iowa Cubs. He only played in 5 games for the main Cubs team that year.
Time with the Washington Nationals
On January 12, 2007, Jerome signed with the Washington Nationals. He earned a spot in their starting pitching team during spring training.
His time with the Nationals had a tough start. His ERA went up to 7.77 in April. However, he then pitched a fantastic game against the New York Mets, allowing only one hit in six innings. Unfortunately, he injured his left ankle sliding into second base and had to take a break. He tried to come back but then got a shoulder injury. After struggling in the minor leagues, he was released in August.
Other Teams and Leagues
After leaving the Nationals, Jerome signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins in August 2007. He struggled there and was released after the season.
In 2008, he played for the Long Beach Armada in the Golden Baseball League. Later that year, the Los Angeles Dodgers bought his contract, and he played in their minor league system. He then briefly joined the Oakland Athletics organization.
Jerome also played winter baseball in Puerto Rico for the Indios de Mayaguez. In 2010, he played for the Uni-President Lions in Taiwan's CPBL.
Return to Major League Baseball with the Angels
On June 16, 2011, Jerome signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He played well in Triple-A, and the Angels called him up to the major leagues on August 16.
On August 21, 2011, Jerome earned his first major league win since 2005. He finished the season with an impressive 4–0 record in 10 games.
In June 2012, Jerome had some health issues, including breathing problems. Despite this, he spent the entire season in the major leagues, which was a first for him since his rookie year. He was a valuable pitcher for the Angels, sometimes starting games and sometimes pitching for many innings from the bullpen. He played in 32 games and started 15, finishing with a 6–8 record.
In 2013, Jerome made 25 starts for the Angels and appeared in 37 games overall. He had a 9–10 record that year. After the season, he became a free agent.
Playing for More MLB Teams
In 2014, Jerome signed with the Houston Astros. He was later released by them in July. Just a few days later, he signed with the Texas Rangers.
On August 10, 2014, the Philadelphia Phillies claimed Jerome. On September 20, he made history! He became the first pitcher in MLB history to beat the same team (the Oakland Athletics) with three different teams in the same season. He did it with the Astros, Rangers, and Phillies. He signed a new contract to stay with the Phillies for 2015.
In 2016, Jerome signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. He joined their Triple-A team, the Memphis Redbirds.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2017, Jerome played for the Somerset Patriots in an independent baseball league. He pitched in 11 games, winning 2 and losing 4.
In 2018, he played for the Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican Baseball League. He was released in July of that year.
Jerome Williams officially retired from baseball on December 10, 2018.
Coaching Baseball
After his playing career, Jerome began coaching.
Coaching for the New York Mets
On March 8, 2021, Jerome was named the pitching coach for the St. Lucie Mets. This team is a Low-A affiliate of the New York Mets.
Coaching in Other Leagues
On March 7, 2023, Jerome became the pitching coach for the State College Spikes. This team is part of the MLB Draft League.
On January 23, 2024, Jerome was named the pitching coach for the Yolo High Wheelers. This team is new and plays in the Pioneer League.
Jerome's Pitching Style
Jerome Williams used a variety of pitches to get batters out. His main pitches included:
- A sinker, which moved downwards, thrown at 89–93 miles per hour.
- A four-seam fastball, a very fast pitch, at 90–94 miles per hour.
- A cut fastball, which had a slight sideways break, at 87–91 miles per hour.
- A changeup, a slower pitch that looks like a fastball, from 83–86 miles per hour.
- A slider, which breaks sharply, at 78–83 miles per hour.
- A curveball, a slow pitch with a big arc, at 70–75 miles per hour.
Personal Life and Family
Jerome Williams grew up in Waipahu, Hawaii. He graduated from Waipahu High School in 1999.
He was known for always wearing a puka shell necklace when he played. This was a special way to honor his mother, Deborah, who passed away from breast cancer in 2001. He also wore a pink glove when he pitched. This was a symbol to support efforts to find a cure for breast cancer.
Images for kids
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Williams pitching for the San Francisco Giants in 2005 spring training.
