Ray King (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ray King |
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King with the Colorado Rockies in 2006
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: January 15, 1974 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 21, 1999, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 23, 2008, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 20–23 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.46 | ||
| Strikeouts | 278 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Raymond Keith King, born on January 15, 1974, is a former American professional baseball player. He was a talented relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams from 1999 to 2008. King was known for his strong left-handed pitching and his ability to help his team win games.
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Ray King's Early Career
King grew up in Ripley, Tennessee, where he went to Ripley High School. He was a great athlete and played three different sports: football, basketball, and baseball. In his senior year, he was even named an All-American in baseball, which is a huge honor! After high school, he played college baseball for the Lambuth Eagles at Lambuth University.
Playing Professional Baseball
Ray King played in the major leagues for ten seasons. He appeared in 593 games, mostly coming in from the bullpen to pitch for a few innings at a time. Over his career, he had 20 wins and 23 losses, with a good ERA of 3.46. He also struck out 278 batters!
Starting Out in the Pros
The Cincinnati Reds picked Ray King in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB draft. He spent the next four years playing for different minor league teams. These teams were part of the Reds, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs organizations. Finally, on May 21, 1999, he made his big league debut with the Chicago Cubs.
Time with the Milwaukee Brewers
After playing a bit with the Cubs in 1999, King was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He became a very important part of the Brewers' bullpen. In both the 2001 and 2002 seasons, he played in more than 75 games each year, showing how reliable he was.
Moving to the Atlanta Braves
After his time with the Brewers, King was traded back to the Atlanta Braves. He continued to be a very durable pitcher, playing in 80 games for the Braves in 2003. He was their main left-handed reliever. That year, he also got to play in the postseason for the first time, pitching a perfect inning.
Success with the St. Louis Cardinals
In the winter of 2003, King joined the St. Louis Cardinals. The 2004 season was one of his best! He played in a career-high 86 games for the Cardinals. He also set personal bests with 31 holds, 5 wins, and a fantastic 2.61 ERA. From May to July, he had an amazing 30-game streak where he didn't give up any runs. He also pitched well in the postseason, helping the Cardinals win the National League pennant.
Playing for the Colorado Rockies
After two great seasons with the Cardinals, King was traded to the Colorado Rockies for the 2006 season.
With the Washington Nationals
King later joined the Washington Nationals on a minor league contract. He worked hard and made the Nationals' team for Opening Day in 2007.
Back to Milwaukee
In September 2007, King was traded back to the Milwaukee Brewers. He helped them during their push for the playoffs. After the season, he became a free agent.
One More Time with Washington
On November 30, 2007, King signed another contract with the Nationals. He again made the Opening Day roster for 2008. He played in 12 games that April. After that, he decided to become a free agent and did not play in a major league game again.
Ray King's Pitching Style
Ray King was known as a "lefty specialist" because he was especially good at getting left-handed batters out. He had a strong arm and was very reliable. From 2001 to 2005, he was one of the top ten relievers in the National League for how many games he appeared in. He threw a fastball that moved late and a sharp-breaking slider. He was also good at preventing runners from stealing bases and was a good fielder, making very few errors in his career.
Cool Facts About Ray King
- Even though he played in almost 600 games, King only had 2 saves and never started a game as a pitcher.
- He holds the record for the second-most single-season appearances for two different teams: 80 appearances with the Atlanta Braves in 2003 and 84 appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2001.
- In 2004, King received two special awards from the Milwaukee Brewers: the Manager's Award and the Amanda Curran Award for Community Service. This shows he was a great player and a great person in the community.
- King once went 328 games without giving an intentional walk. This was the longest known streak of its kind!
Coaching Career
On November 28, 2023, Ray King started a new chapter in his baseball career. He was named the first-ever pitching coach for the Oakland Ballers, a team in the Pioneer League.
