Doug Waechter #40

Douglas Michael Waechter...last name is pronounced "WECK-ter"...resides in St. Petersburg, Fla., with his wife, Kristin...Graduated from Northeast High in St. Petersburg, Fla...was a closer and starter on the baseball team and quarterback on the football team, leading the squad to a winning streak of 33 games, a county record...Was a highly-recruited player out of high school and signed to play football at the University of South Florida, but chose baseball after being selected by the Rays...Became a certifi ed scuba diver in Puerto Rico in 2005...Family has long been involved in a Christian ministry team that visits prisons throughout the Tampa area...his older brother, Peter, was a defensive lineman at The Citadel (SC).

2008

Established a career best with 48 appearances as one of the anchors of a strong Florida bullpen...spent his fi rst full professional season pitching in relief...After signing with the Marlins in the offseason, began the year at Albuquerque (AAA) before having his contract purchased on April 18...Earned wins in his fi nal four decisions of the season, establishing a career-long winning streak...Spent 3 weeks on the D.L. in August with right shoulder infl ammation...Spent 3 weeks on the D.L. in August with right shoulder infl ammation...Held right-handed hitters to a .216 (30-for-139) average while lefties hit .303 (33-for-109) against him...Pitched well in Interleague play against the A.L., posting a 1.23 ERA in 7 outings (14.2 IP, 2 ER)...tossed 4.2 scoreless innings over 2 outings against Kansas City in May.

2006

Waechter went 1-4 with a 6.62 ERA in 11 appearances for the Rays -- 10 as a starter -- before getting sent down to Triple-A Durham. The right-hander struggled at Durham, where he went 1-12 with an 8.32 ERA. Waechter could be converted to a reliever, but the Rays are unsure about what to do with him after his poor showing in 2006.

2004

Despite a season plagued by injuries, the 23-year old placed among AL rookie leaders in wins with 5 (T-7th), starts with 14 (6th) and IP with 70.1 (9th)...His .252 opponents batting average was bettered by only SEA Bobby Madritsch (.232) and OAK Justin Duchscherer (.241) among AL rooks with at least as many innings pitched...and only TOR David Bush (.206) was tougher against righthanders than Doug's .216...Allowed 20 hone runs in 70.1 innings...only 2 other pitchers in major league history have finished a season allowing 20+ home runs in 80 or fewer innings: Scott Klingenbeck (Balt-Minn, 1995, IP-79.2, HR-22) and Scott Allred (Minn, 1977, IP-77.1, HR-20)...Rookie officially made the opening day roster March 30 in Tokyo, Japan, but was optioned to AAA Durham before game time to make room for outfielder Charles Gipson as Rays cut to 11 pitchers...Was slowed early in the season by a blister on the tip of his right middle finger and didn't make his season debut until April 15...Was initially recalled from Durham on April 24 when the Rays needed a 5th starter for the first time...started that day at Chicago and defeated Dan Wright 4-1 (6.0-IP, 4-H, 1-R/ER, 0-BB, 5- SO)...lone run allowed was a 4th-inning solo shot by Frank Thomas...His next start,April 30 vs. Oakland, was his season debut at Tropicana Field and lost 4-2...was ejected with two outs in the 7th after he hit Bobby Crosby with a pitch...Crosby followed Erubiel Durazo, who homered twice...Beat Cleveland 6-3, May 22 at Tropicana Field to snap a career-high 4-game losing skid...still pitched to a respectable 4.44 ERA over his 4-game skid (24.1-IP, 21-H, 12-ER)...Rays scored a total of 7 runs in his 4 defeats...Major League Players/Roster...The last of those four defeats was May 16 at Cleveland as he allowed 6 unearned runs on route to a 10-0 loss to C.C. Sabathia...was cruising thru 4 yielding just a pair of hits before a pair of Rays errors in the 5th led to the Tribe's 6-run inning...his line: 4.1-IP, 4-H, 6-R, 0-ER, 4-BB, 5-SO...was the first time he did not go 5.0 innings in his 10 career starts...June 2 at Minnesota he defeated fellow Tampa Bay area native Brad Radke, 4-2 (IP-7.0, H-3, R-2, ER- 2, BB-2, SO-1, HR-1)...had a no-hitter for 5.2 innings before Lew Ford singled...Allowed 2-run HR to Corey Koskie in the 7th...Trever Miller and Danys Baez finished up for a combined 4-hitter...Remained in the rotation until being placed on the 15-day disabled list following his start on June 8 vs. San Francisco where he exited after 2.0 innings with a strained tendon in his right middle finger...Was shelved two days later and missed the next 79 games...was 3-6 with a 4.97 ERA...Was leading all AL rookie pitchers in innings pitched at the time of his injury (50.2 IP)...Allowed 16 home runs, which were tied for 3rd most in the AL at the time of his injury...including AAA, surrendered 31 gopher balls this season in 99.2 total innings...Made 6 rehabilitation starts for AAA Durham covering the month of August and went 0-2, 5.56 (22.2-IP, 23-H, 14-R, 14-ER, 15-BB, 19-SO, 8-HR)...Reinstated off the DL on Sep 6 and made 5 starts, going 2-1 but pitching to an 8.69 ERA (19.2-IP, 24-H, 19-ER)...Best outing after being activated was Sep 17 at Toronto...pitched into the 7th inning and recorded the 11-4 win (6.2-IP, 4-H, 4-R/ER, 3-BB, 5-SO)...runs were results of a pair of 2-run HR (Delgado, Crozier)...was his first win since June 2 at Minnesota...His next outing, Sep 22 vs. KC he lasted just 1.0+ inning (50 pitches), the shortest outing of his career: 3-H, 3-R/ER, 3-BB, 0-SO...got a no decision in a 7-6 Royals win in 10 innings...allowed a leadoff HR to David DeJesus...Did win his last outing, Sep 29, 9-4 over Boston and Pedro Martinez at Tropicana Field (5.0-IP, 5-H, 3-R/ER, 3-BB, 5-SO)...Fared better away from Tropicana Field (3-3, 4.82) than at home (2-4, 7.36).

2003

Pronounced WECK-ter ... 22 year-old St. Petersburg native began the year at Double-A and finished in the big leagues.

Is a 1999 graduate of Northeast High School here in St. Petersburg, located 4 1/2 miles from Tropicana Field.

Is the 10th Florida-born to play for the Rays, first from Pinellas County.

Was promoted from AAA Durham on Aug. 25 and made 6 appearances (5 starts) for the Rays over the final five weeks of the season.

Rays went 3-2 in his 5 starts.

Made his major league debut Aug. 27 at Seattle, entering the game in the 5th with the Rays holding a 5-3 lead ... struck out his first batter faced, Edgar Martinez ... worked a scoreless 2.1 (2-H, 2-BB, 3-SO) to earn the victory as Rays held on 8-4.

Became the 5th Ray to win his ML debut joining Rolando Arrojo (1998), Mickey Callaway (1999), Joe Kennedy (2001) and Seth McClung (2003).

Took his next turn Sep 9 vs.Toronto and beat Cory Lidle 11-6 (6.0-IP, 8- H, 4-R/ER, 1-BB, 6-SO) ... allowed 3 first-inning runs on a Josh Phelps HR, then settled to down and allowed just one run (Orlando Hudson HR) over his remaining 5 frames.

Became the first Devil Ray to earn a win in his first 3 major league appearances ... Only major leaguer to do it in 2003 ... the last major leaguer to do it was the Dodgers' Kazuhisa Ishii in 2002 (won his first 6

Went into the rotation and became the 14th Rays pitcher to start a game in 2003 (club record) when he took the mound Sep 3 vs. Seattle at Tropicana Field ... hometown boy pitched a complete game 2-hit shutout in his first big league start for the 7-0 win (walked 2, struck out 7, 100 pitches) ... was his mom's birthday (Nancy Waechter).

He became the first Devil Ray and 9th American Leaguer since 1970 to throw a CG SHO in his first big league start ... the others: Sep 3, 2002 Andy Van Hekken, Detroit over Cleveland
July 21, 1990 Ben McDonald, Baltimore over Chicago WS
Aug. 1, 1983 Rick Lysander,Minnesota over California
Oct. 4, 1980 Bob Lacey,Oakland over Milwaukee
May 6, 1978 Jim Wright, Boston over Chicago WS
Sep 28, 1975 Larry Anderson, Milwaukee over Detroit
May 25, 1975 Dennis Eckersley, Cleveland over Oakland
April 10, 1975 Mike Norris, Oakland over Chicago WS

He became just the 3rd major leaguer since 1970 to do it in his hometown, joining San Francisco Bay area native Mike Norris who did it for Oakland over CWS on April 10, 1975 and Los Angeles native Wayne Simpson who did it for Cincinnati in LA on April 9, 1970.

He is only the second St. Petersburg native to throw a shutout in the major leagues, joining Jeff D'Amico, who has three.

Was one of 4 AL rookies to throw a CG SHO in 2003 and the 3rd Rays rookie ever to record a CG SHO joining Rolando Arrojo (2 in 1998) and Travis Harper (2000). games, all starts April-May, 2002) ... he is the 2nd Devil Ray to win his first 2 major league starts joining Joe Kennedy who did it in 2001.

Began his career with 11.1 scoreless innings, a club record to start a career.

Lost two of his next three starts ... suffered his first ML defeat Sep 19 vs. the Yankees, despite allowing just a pair of runs over 7.0 innings (8-H, 2-BB, 4- SO) ... allowed a leadoff HR to Alfonso Soriano ... lost 2-1 to Jose Contreras.

Was his second straight start against NY ... Pitched to a respectable 3.00 ERA against the Bronx Bombers (12-IP, 4-ER).

Dropped final start, 5-3, Sep 24 at TOR (6.0-IP, 5-H, 5-R/ER, 4-BB, 6-SO).

Went a combined 8-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 23 games, 22 starts for AA Orlando and AAA Durham.

Logged 6.0 or more innings in 16 of his 22 minor league starts ... worked a season-high 7.2 innings May 31 in a 4-3 win vs. Chattanooga (Reds).

Opened the season with the O-Rays and went 5-3, 4.13 in 13 app. (12 starts) ... was promoted to AAA on June 20 and posted a 3-3 record with a 3.33 ERA in 10 starts for the Bulls.

Started the Hall of Fame Game vs. Philadelphia June 16 at Cooperstown (2.0- IP, 6-H, 5-R/ER, 1-BB, 1-SO, 2-HR, 1-WP).

Led the organization in 2002 with 155 strikeouts at Bakersfield (A) and Orlando and ranked 3rd in wins (10) and innings pitched (162.2).

Threw the first 9-inning no-hitter in Rays history in 2000 for Hudson Valley against Pittsfield (Mets).

Began career 0-7 before recording first win on July 3, 2000 for the Renegades.

Entered the season as the Rays' 4th-best pitching prospect by Baseball America behind Dewon Brazelton, Seth McClung and Jon Switzer.

Was the Rays' third round choice in the '99 draft behind outfielders Josh Hamilton and Carl Crawford ... was recruited to play quarterback at University of South Florida in Tampa ... was starting quarterback at Northeast that accumulated a 33-game win streak, a Pinellas County record.

2002

Led the Devil Rays organization with 155 strikeouts and helped lead Class A Bakersfieldbs pitching staff to a 2002 minor league high 1,281 Ks.

Was 3rd in the organization in innings pitched (162.2) and tied for 3rd in wins (10).

Was 10-9 with a 3.54 ERA in 162.2 innings and 28 starts combined at Class A Charleston and Bakersfield and AA Orlando.

Promoted from Bakersfield to Orlando on August 9 with the 2nd best ERA in the California League. He won his first start at Orlando, 4-2, over Carolina (Rockies) with five shutout innings...That win gave him a 10-6 record with a 2.76 ERA in his first 25 starts...Then lost his last three starts (12.46, IP-13, H-23, ER-18, HR-4) for Orlando.

Fanned 7 or more in 14 of his 28 starts including a season-high 9 batters three times...Allowed 2 ER or less in 18 of his 28 starts.

Rated as Raysb 10th best prospect by Baseball America and 4th-best pitching prospect behind Dewon Brazelton, Seth McClung and Jon Switzer.