Joe Strong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Strong |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 9, 1962 Fairfield, California, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| CPBL: March 17, 1990, for the Wei Chuan Dragons | |||
| MLB: May 11, 2000, for the Florida Marlins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| CPBL: June 15, 1996, for the China Times Eagles | |||
| MLB: May 5, 2001, for the Florida Marlins | |||
| CPBL statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 47–33 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.71 | ||
| Strikeouts | 385 | ||
| KBO statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 6–5 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.95 | ||
| Strikeouts | 54 | ||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 1–1 | ||
| Earned run average | 5.81 | ||
| Strikeouts | 22 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Joseph Benjamin Strong (born September 9, 1962) is a former professional baseball pitcher from the United States. He played for the Florida Marlins in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2001.
Contents
Joe Strong's Baseball Journey
Starting in College
Joe Strong went to the University of California, Riverside. There, he played college baseball for the Highlanders team in 1984. After college, he was chosen by the Oakland Athletics in the 15th round of the 1984 MLB draft. This meant the Athletics had the chance to sign him to play professionally.
Playing Around the World
Joe Strong had a long journey in baseball before reaching the major leagues. In 1995, he played as a replacement player during spring training. After being released by the Chicago Cubs organization in 1995, he played for an independent team called the Surrey Glaciers.
He took a break from baseball for two years. But he returned to play in the Korea Baseball Organization in 1998. In February 1999, he signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He became a free agent at the end of that season.
Reaching Major League Baseball
In February 2000, Joe Strong signed with the Florida Marlins. After playing in five different countries over 16 years, he finally made his MLB debut. This happened on May 11, 2000, when he was 37 years old. He became the oldest rookie to debut in MLB in 40 years, which is a very unique achievement!
Memorable Moments
On June 17, 2000, Joe Strong earned his only MLB save. A "save" is when a pitcher finishes a close game and helps their team win. He got the final out in the 11th inning, helping the Marlins beat the Pirates 4-3.
He continued to play for the Marlins in 2001. After that season, he became a free agent again. In 2002, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A team, the Indianapolis Indians. His final season was in 2004, when he played for the independent Camden Riversharks team.
