Tony Sipp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Sipp |
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Sipp with the Nationals in 2019
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: July 12, 1983 Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 22, 2009, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 30, 2019, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 26–22 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.72 | ||
| Strikeouts | 531 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Tony Marcel Sipp, born on July 12, 1983, is a former American professional baseball player. He was a relief pitcher, which means he came into games after the starting pitcher. Tony played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams, including the Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals.
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Tony Sipp's Early Life and Amateur Career
Tony Sipp was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He went to Moss Point High School in Moss Point, Mississippi. While there, he played both baseball and football. In 2000, his football team won a state championship. Tony also helped his high school baseball team reach the state championship.
He played against fellow major league player Joey Butler, as both grew up in Jackson County, Mississippi. After high school, Tony played college baseball at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Okaloosa-Walton College. He then transferred to Clemson University. During the summers of 2003 and 2004, he played for college summer teams, the Wareham Gatemen and the Cotuit Kettleers, in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Tony Sipp's Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians drafted Tony Sipp in 2004. He started his professional career that same year with the Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers. He had a good start, winning 3 games and losing 1, with a 3.16 ERA (Earned Run Average) in 10 games. He continued to play in the minor leagues, showing his skills as a pitcher.
Tony made his big league debut on April 22, 2009. He pitched as a relief pitcher, meaning he came into games from the bullpen to help his team. In his first year, he won 2 games and lost 0, with a 2.92 ERA. He also recorded 48 strikeouts. In 2010, he pitched in 70 games for Cleveland. The next year, he had a strong season, winning 6 games and losing 3, with a 3.03 ERA in 69 games.
He played for the Indians for four years. During this time, he appeared in 248 games. He recorded 167 holds, which means he entered a game with his team in the lead and kept that lead. He struck out 225 batters and had a 3.68 ERA.
Moving to the Arizona Diamondbacks
In December 2012, Tony Sipp was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. This was part of a big trade involving nine players and three teams. He played 56 games for the Diamondbacks, winning 3 games and losing 2, with a 4.78 ERA. He became a free agent in November 2013.
A Short Time with the San Diego Padres
In February 2014, Tony signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. He started the season with their Triple-A team, the El Paso Chihuahuas. However, he was released in May after pitching in 11 games.
Success with the Houston Astros
Tony Sipp then signed a major league deal with the Houston Astros in May 2014. He quickly became an important part of the Astros' bullpen. He was known for striking out many batters. In December 2015, the Astros re-signed him to a three-year contract.
In 2016, Tony pitched in 60 games for the Astros. In 2017, he appeared in 46 games. The Astros had a great season that year, winning 101 games and their division. They went on to win the 2017 World Series. Even though Tony did not pitch in the postseason, he was still part of the team that won the championship. In 2018, he had an excellent year, winning 3 games and losing 1, with a very low 1.86 ERA. He became a free agent after this season.
Finishing with the Washington Nationals
On March 14, 2019, Tony Sipp signed a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals. He reached a special milestone on June 7, completing 10 years of service time in Major League Baseball. He pitched in 36 games for the Nationals. He was released in August 2019.
Reports later mentioned that before the 2019 World Series, Nationals star pitcher Max Scherzer asked Tony Sipp about the Astros. Tony had played for the Astros before, and Scherzer wanted to know if the Nationals should be concerned about the Astros' hitting, even when no runners were on base. Tony replied that they should be.
Tony Sipp's Pitching Style
Tony Sipp used four main pitches when he was on the mound:
- Four-seam fastball: This pitch was fast, usually between 91 and 94 miles per hour.
- Two-seam fastball: A slightly slower fastball, around 89–91 miles per hour, that had a bit of movement.
- Slider: This pitch moved sideways, often thrown between 79 and 82 miles per hour. It was his most common pitch when he had two strikes on a batter.
- Changeup: He used this pitch against right-handed batters. It was slower, around 78–81 miles per hour, designed to look like a fastball but slow down, tricking the batter.
