Full name: JAMES CLAYTON RUSSELL...Married, Nikki Witt (1/3/15)… 2004 graduate of Colleyville Heritage High School (TX) … 2006 graduate of Navarro Junior College (TX)… Attended the University of Texas in 2007 and was second team all-Big 12… His father, Jeff, pitched for the Reds (1983-84), Rangers (1985-92, 1995-96), Athletics (1992), Red Sox (1993-94) and Indians (1994)… Hobbies: Golfing, hunting and fishing... His wife, Nikki, is the daughter of former Rangers and Indians pitcher Bobby Witt.
2016
Spent the season in the Phillies organization between Philadelphia and Triple-A Lehigh Valley...Was on the Phillies Opening Day roster, allowing runs in four of his seven Major League outings before being designated for assignment on April 20th, spending the rest of the season in the Minors...Posted a 4.16 ERA in 13 starts for Lehigh Valley (29ER/62.2IP) and during his tenure at AAA he limited left-handed hitters to a .176 average against (13/74, HR, .508 OPS)...Has never been on the disabled list in his professional career.
2015
Went to spring training with Atlanta before being released on 3/29...Signed by the Cubs on 4/8 and assigned to Iowa (AAA)...Did not allow a run in 7 appearances with Iowa (9.2 IP, 4 H, 12 SO) before having his contract selected on 5/5... Posted a 1.99 ERA (5 ER, 22.2 IP) over his first 35 games, 5/5-7/21, before posting an 11.91 ERA (15 ER, 11.1 IP) with a .396 opponent's AVG over his final 14 appearances before being designated for assignment on 8/31 (outrighted to Iowa on 9/3).
2014
Began the season with the Cubs...28 of his first 33 appearances were scoreless (1.96 ERA)...Traded to ATL on 7/31... Started on 9/28 at PHI (4.0 IP, 2 H, 4 SO), his first start since 5/22/11 at BOS.
2013
James led the Cubs, and ranked tied for 10th in the N.L., with 74 relief appearances in his fourth season with Chicago ... went 1-6 with a 3.59 ERA (21 ER/52.2 IP) and a team-leading 19 holds... Is just the fifth Cubs lefty to record multiple 70-game seasons for Chicago, joining Paul Assenmacher (1990-92), Sean Marshall (2010-11), Chuck McElroy (1991-92) and Bob Patterson (1996-97)... Posted a 1.89 ERA (7 ER/33.1 IP) in 41 day games ... had a 6.52 ERA (14 ER/19.1 IP) in 33 night games... Had a 2.95 ERA (7 ER/21.1 IP) in 31 games against the N.L. Central... Held left-handed hitters to a .183 average (21-for-115) ... right-handed hitters batted .321 (25-for-78) against him... Finished with a 1.22 WHIP, his lowest in a single season... Produced a 1.40 ERA (4 ER/25.2 IP) in his first 32 games through June 13 ... had a 5.67 ERA (17 ER/27.0 IP) in his final 42 outings beginning June 14... Stranded 36 of 51 inherited runners ... stranded 10 of 11 in April... Retired 52 of 74 first batters faced... Made his 200th-career appearance, April 4 in Pittsburgh... Began the season with 17-straight scoreless appearances, spanning 13.0 innings, April 1-May 6 … walked two and struck out 15 in that span... With 11.0 scoreless frames in April, became the first Cubs reliever in 44 years to go the season's first month without allowing a run while throwing at least 11.0 innings … the previous Cub to turn the trick was Ted Abernathy in 1969 (16.2 innings)... Allowed his first run of the season, May 8 vs. St. Louis, resulting in a blown save... Picked up his lone win of the season, May 12 in Washington, tossing a scoreless eighth inning with the game tied, 1-1 … Chicago would score the deciding run in the ninth... Tossed a season-high 1.2 innings of relief, June 5 at the Angels, allowing one run and suffering a blown save - Cubs went on to win, 8-6... After allowing four runs in three outings, June 28-July 2, kept the opponent scoreless in 20 of his next 21 games, July 6-August 16, posting a 1.54 ERA (2 ER/11.2 IP) in that stretch.
2012
James recorded career-highs with 77 relief appearances and 69.1 innings pitched in his third full season with the Cubs ... he
went 7-1 with a 3.25 ERA (25 ER/69.1 IP), walking 23 and striking out 55 ... his 77 relief appearances ranked tied for second-most among National League lefties...Has lowered his season ERA in each of his first three big league
campaigns ... had a 4.96 ERA in his rookie 2010 season, a 4.12 ERA
in 2011 and a 3.25 ERA this season.
...Allowed just five home runs in 69.1 innings pitched.
...Retired 54 of 77 first batters faced ... collected 13 holds, and was two
for five in save opportunities.
...Held the opposition scoreless in 60 of 77 outings ... did not walk a
batter in 57 of his games pitched.
...Stranded 20 of 29 inherited runners ... stranded his first 10 inherited
runners to start the year through June 12, but allowed nine of 19
inherited runners to score from June 17 through the end of the year.
...Posted a 1.99 home ERA (9 ER/40.2 IP), over three runs lower than his
5.02 road ERA (16 ER/28.2 IP).
...Recorded a 2.38 ERA (11 ER/41.2 IP) in 43 games prior to the All-Star
break ... had a 4.55 ERA (14 ER/27.2 IP) in 34 games in the second
half.
...Held the opponent scoreless in his first nine appearances to start the
season, spanning 7.2 innings, through April 27.
...Twice tossed a season-high 2.0 innings of relief: May 6 vs. the Dodgers
and July 4 in Atlanta - both were scoreless appearances.
...Recorded his first career save, May 29 vs. the Padres, securing a 5-3
victory.
...Surrendered a career-high six runs in 0.2 innings of work, July 21 in
St. Louis ... taking away that outing, pitched to a 2.49 ERA (19 ER/68.2
IP) in his 76 other outings on the season.
...Pitched to a 1.80 ERA (3 ER/15.0 IP) in his final 18 outings from
August 22 through the end of the season.
2011
James made 64 appearances in his second season with the Cubs, including five spot starts...pitched to a 4.12 ERA
(31 ER/67.2 IP), including a 2.19 mark (12 ER/49.1 IP) in 59 relief appearances...In his final 18 appearances at Wrigley dating to June 28, posted a 0.69
ERA (1 ER/13.0 IP)...yielded a run in two of those outings and an
earned run in just one...Held the opponent scoreless in 48 of his 59 relief appearances...Limited left-handed hitters to a .250 average (28-for-112) compared to
a .312 average (48-for-154) against right-handed hitters...Stranded 31 of 42 inherited runners...Posted a 1.69 ERA (4 ER/21.1 IP) during the day (24 outings)...Had a 1.10 ERA (2 ER/16.1 IP) in 16 relief appearances against the
N.L. East...Pitched three-straight days twice, holding the opponent scoreless: June
24-26 and July 16-18...Was 1-2 with a 3.90 ERA (14 ER/32.1 IP) at home compared to a 0-4
ledger with a 4.33 ERA (17 ER/35.1 IP) on the road...Did not surrender an earned run in his first 19 relief outings on the road
through July 29 (17.0 IP)...Rode a career-high six-game losing streak from April 12 through the end
of the season...When pitching in relief with one or more days rest, posted a 1.64 ERA
(7 ER/38.1 IP) in 41 appearances...owned a 4.09 ERA (5 ER/11.0
IP) in 18 relief appearances on no days rest...Finished April with a monthly-high 8.31 ERA (12 ER/13.0 IP) in seven
appearances (three starts)...Made his first career start, April 12 in Houston...charged with five runs
(four earned) in 1.2 innings of work in an 11-2 setback...Recorded his fifth, and final, start on May 22 in Boston...allowed three
runs in 4.0 innings of work in a 5-1 setback...Produced a 1.69 ERA (4 ER/21.1 IP), struck out 15 and walked five in
28 appearances in June and July...Held the opponent scoreless in 18-straight outings (14.0 IP), June 24-
July 29.
2010
James made 57 relief appearances in his debut season with the Cubs after breaking camp with the team ... was 1-1 with a 4.96
ERA (27 ER/49.0 IP), including a 2.92 ERA (8 ER/24.2 IP) in 28 road contests.
... Is the eighth rookie southpaw to reach 50 appearances for Chicago ... is
the fourth to reach 57 since Will Ohman had 69 in 2005.
... Allowed nine combined earned runs, June 11 vs. the White Sox and
September 5 vs. the Mets (0.2 IP) ... taking away those two outings, had
a 3.35 ERA (18 ER/48.1 IP) in his 55 other games.
... Recorded a 3.62 ERA (11 ER/27.1 IP) in 28 relief outings in the first half
... posted a 6.65 ERA (16 ER/21.2 IP) in 29 games following the All-Star
break.
... Walked 11 and fanned 42, while allowing a team-high 11 home runs in
relief.
... In his first 15 games through May 20, posted a 2.70 ERA (4 ER/13.1 IP),
walking just two compared to 12 strikeouts.
... Made his major league debut Opening Day, April 5 in Atlanta, tossing 2.0
scoreless innings.
w Became the first Cubs southpaw in nearly 33 years to throw at
least 2.0 scoreless innings of relief in his major league debut -
Willie Hernandez threw 2.1 shutout innings in his debut, April 9,
1977 vs. the Mets.
... Tossed a career-high 4.0 shutout innings of relief, May 28 vs. St. Louis.
... Optioned to Triple-A Iowa, June 12, for RHP Mitch Atkins and had a 5.73
ERA (7 ER/11.0 IP) in five games before he was recalled, June 29.
... Went a career-high nine-straight games without allowing a run, July 1-17,
spanning 6.1 innings.
... Recorded his first major league win, September 3 vs. the Mets (0.1 IP).
2009
James combined to go 5-6 with a 4.03 ERA (46 ER/102.2 IP) in 37 games (12 starts) with Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A
Iowa ... it marked his first action at the Triple-A level in his career...Was promoted to Triple-A Iowa, May 30 and remained with the I-Cubs for
the rest of the season...Posted a 3.43 ERA (25 ER/65.2 IP) with a 3-3 record in 26 games
(seven starts) in his first Triple-A action...Went 1-2 with a 1.47 ERA (5 ER/30.2 IP) in seven starts for the I-Cubs
compared to a 2-1 mark with a 5.14 ERA (20 ER/35.0 IP) in 19 relief
outings ... was a member of Iowa's starting rotation, August 1-27...Held left-handed hitters to a .231 average (18-for-78) with Iowa...Opponents hit a paltry .215 (14-for-65) with runners in scoring position
... went 8-for-37 (.216) with RISP and two outs...Went 2-3 with a 5.11 ERA (21 ER/37.0 IP) in 11 games (five starts) with
the Smokies, April 9-May 26.
2008
Split the campaign between Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee, combining to go 6-10 with a 5.44 ERA (77 ER/127.1 IP)
and 86 strikeouts in 26 games (25 starts)...Spent majority of the year with Tennessee, going 4-8 with a 6.36 ERA (61
ER/86.1 IP) in 18 games (17 starts)...Was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA (13 ER/30.1 IP) in six May starts...Made his lone relief outing of the season in Tennessee's 2-1, 10-inning
setback to Mississippi ... tossed 5.0 hitless innings, walking two and
fanning two...Appeared in eight games for Single-A Daytona, recording a 3.51 ERA (16
ER/41.0 IP) with a 2-2 record ... had two stints with the D-Cubs: April 2-
30 and August 5 through the remainder of the season.
2007
James began his professional career pitching in three games with Rookie-League Mesa and Single-A Peoria ... had no record,
while holding the opposition scoreless in 9.0 innings of work ... struck out 11 while walking four.
