Joe Smith (pitcher) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Smith |
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Smith with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 22, 1984 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 1, 2007, for the New York Mets | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 2, 2022, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 55–34 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.14 | ||
| Strikeouts | 666 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Joseph Michael Smith, born on March 22, 1984, is a former professional baseball pitcher from America. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for many teams. These include the New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, and Minnesota Twins. Smith went to Wright State University. The Mets chose him in the third round of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. He started playing in the major leagues in 2007.
Contents
Early Baseball Days
High School Achievements
Joe Smith went to Amelia High School in Batavia, Ohio. He was a top player on the baseball varsity team for three years. He also earned an award from the Fort Ancient Valley Conference. Smith pitched for the American Amateur Baseball Congress Midland team in Cincinnati for five years. Even after having surgery on his hip, he worked hard to get back to playing baseball.
College Career at Wright State
At Wright State University, Smith was a redshirt for the Wright State Raiders team. This meant he practiced with the team but didn't play in games for one year. He then played for three years in the Horizon League. Smith became the team's closer in his junior and senior years. A closer is a pitcher who finishes the game. He made his fastball faster by changing how he threw the ball.
In his last year, he had 13 saves and a very low earned run average (ERA) of 0.98. An ERA shows how many runs a pitcher allows. In three seasons, Smith had 22 saves, 145 strikeouts, and 39 walks. In 2005, he was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) for his team. In 2006, he won several awards, including Horizon League Pitcher of the Year.
Summer League Baseball
In 2004, Smith played collegiate summer baseball for the North Adams Steeplecats. This team is part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In 2005, he also pitched for the Rockville Express team. He played in nine games for them, getting one win and two saves. Later in 2005, Smith pitched for the Edenton Steamers. He had nine saves and a 2.08 ERA in 16 games. He also helped his team win their second championship.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the New York Mets
The New York Mets picked Joe Smith in the third round of the 2006 MLB draft. He started his professional career with the Brooklyn Cyclones. This team is in the New York–Penn League. Baseball America magazine named him one of the top 20 new players in that league.
Smith joined the Mets' main team for Opening Day in 2007. On April 1, 2007, he played in his first major league game. He struck out one batter and walked another. Smith got his first major league win on April 24, 2007. He came into the game when it was tied in the 12th inning. Smith did well at first in 2007 but later got tired. He was sent to the minor leagues for a short time. He played for the Mets again in 2008. He had a record of 6 wins and 3 losses with a 3.55 ERA.
Playing for the Cleveland Indians
On December 10, 2008, the Mets traded Smith to the Cleveland Indians. This trade involved twelve players and three teams. On January 18, 2013, the Indians signed Smith to a new contract. After the 2013 season, Smith became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team. However, he wanted to stay with the Indians.
Time with the Los Angeles Angels
On November 24, 2013, Smith agreed to a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels confirmed the deal a few days later. On April 25, 2014, Smith became the Angels' new closer. He took over this role after another pitcher had some trouble. A closer is usually the pitcher who finishes the game.
Later, on July 18, 2014, the Angels traded for another star closer, Huston Street. After this, Smith moved to an eighth-inning setup role. This means he pitched in the eighth inning to get the ball to the closer. In 2014, Smith finished with 15 saves in 76 games. He had a great ERA of 1.81. On June 8, 2016, Smith had a hamstring injury and was put on the disabled list.
Short Stint with the Chicago Cubs
On August 1, 2016, the Angels traded Smith to the Chicago Cubs. He played in 16 more games for the Cubs that year. He had a 1-1 record and a 2.51 ERA with them. For the whole 2016 season, playing for both teams, Smith appeared in 54 games. He was part of the Cubs' 2016 World Series championship team. However, he did not play in any of the postseason games.
Joining the Toronto Blue Jays
On February 9, 2017, Smith signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Smith became the Blue Jays' setup man early in the season. This happened after another pitcher struggled and a different pitcher moved to the starting team. On June 19, he was placed on the disabled list because of shoulder pain. In 38 games, he had a 3-0 record with a 3.28 ERA.
Return to the Cleveland Indians
On July 31, 2017, the Blue Jays traded Smith back to the Cleveland Indians. He pitched in 18 and a third innings for the Indians. He had an ERA of 3.44 during this time.
Years with the Houston Astros
On December 13, 2017, Smith signed a two-year contract with the Houston Astros. In his first year with Houston, Smith played in 56 games. He had a record of 5 wins and 1 loss with a 3.74 ERA. On December 13, while working out, Smith hurt his left Achilles tendon. He had surgery for it on December 20.
In 2019, Smith had a 1-0 record with a very good 1.80 ERA in 28 games. On December 16, 2019, Smith signed another two-year contract with the Astros. Smith did not play in the shorter 2020 season. He chose to be with his mother in Ohio. She was battling a serious brain condition called Huntington's disease. Smith returned to the Astros in 2021. However, he had a tougher time, with a 7.48 ERA in 27 games.
Playing for the Seattle Mariners
On July 27, 2021, Smith was traded to the Seattle Mariners. He was traded along with another player, Abraham Toro. In return, the Astros received two other players.
Final Season with the Minnesota Twins
On March 20, 2022, Smith signed with the Minnesota Twins. He played in 34 games for Minnesota. He had a 4.61 ERA and 17 strikeouts. On August 3, the Twins decided to remove him from their main roster. He was released from the team on August 5.
On January 31, 2024, Joe Smith announced that he was retiring from professional baseball. He shared this news on Instagram.
How Joe Smith Pitched
Smith's pitching style was very unique. Hitters often said he looked like he was throwing from the third base side of the mound. His arm slot, or how low he released the ball, was unusual. It was lower than a normal sidearm throw but higher than a submarine throw.
Smith's fastball usually went between 88 and 90 miles per hour. Sometimes it reached 93 miles per hour. His fastball was also like a sinker because it moved sharply downward. This made batters hit a lot of ground balls. Smith also threw a slider and a changeup.
Joe Smith's Life Outside Baseball
Smith is married to Turner Sports reporter Allie LaForce. Their first child, a son, was born in 2022.
In 2012, Smith's mother was diagnosed with Huntington's disease. This is a condition that causes nerve cells in the brain to die. Smith knows he has a 50% chance of getting the same condition. Smith and LaForce spend a lot of their time raising awareness for their organization, HelpCureHD.org. This group helps couples use a special process called PGD-IVF. This process helps prevent the disease from being passed on to future generations.
