Casey Fossum #15

He and his wife, Kim, have a daughter, Ava, and son, Aidan, and make their home in Bradenton, FL...they relocated from Frisco, TX after the 2005 season...Casey was a graduate of Midway High School in Waco, TX, then attended Texas A&M University, leading the Aggies to the 1999 College World Series in Omaha, NE...he earned All-Big 12 honors in both 1998 and 1999, highlighted by a 12-7 record and 3.64 ERA during his junior campaign, establishing a single-season school mark with 162 strikeouts...Fossum won the C.E. "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher Award in '99 and was a second team All-American in 1998...He was Boston's third pick in the first round (48th overall) in the 1999 June draft, a selection the Red Sox received for Arizona's free agent signing of Greg Swindell...Casey was originally drafted by the Diamondbacks in the seventh round of the 1996 draft, but elected to attend Texas A&M.

2007

Twenty-nine year-old opened the season as the Rays #4 starter ... at 5-plus years, owned the most ML service time of any Rays starter and 2nd most on the staff behind reliever Al Reyes (6+) ... Moved to the bullpen June 1 after going 3-5 with a 7.89 ERA in 10 starts ... was his first relief action since 2005 ... As a starter, allowed the 3rd most runs and had the 2nd highest ERA in the AL among qualifiers ... allowed 5 ER or more in 6 of his 10 starts as opponents batted .336 off him ... Made 30 apps out of the 'pen: 24.2-IP, 36-H, 21-R, 20-ER, 11-BB, 23-SO (7.30 ERA) ... was called upon to face one batter 6 times ... As a reliever opponents batted .343, 5th highest among AL relievers ... also allowed nearly 50% of his inherited runners to score (14 of 30) while first batters hit .423 (11-for-26) ... Was outrighted to AAA Durham on Aug. 7 ... asked for and received his unconditional release on Aug 10 ... Since the start of 2004, has hit 46 batters, 6th most in the majors ... plunked 36 batters in 2+ seasons with the Rays, 3rd most in club history. During his tenure with the Rays, only Scott Kazmir won more games among Rays hurlers than Fossum (19) ... however, Casey's 26 losses are most on the club over the span ... Since the start of 2006 has pitched to a 7.93 ERA away from Tropicana Field (81.2-IP, 72-ER), highest road ERA among all ML pitchers ... over the same period worked to a 5.07 ERA at Tropicana Field (124.1-IP, 70-ER).

2006

The 28-year-old, in his 2nd season with the Rays, led the staff in starts (25), runs allowed (89), earned runs (77) and hit batters (12, 4th in AL)...tied with James Shields for most HR allowed on the club (18)...this despite missing the final month due to surgery to "clean up" his left shoulder...surgery performed on Sep 8 by Rays orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton...Also had a two-week stay on the DL with a left groin strain May 27-June 8...Rays went 14-11 in his starts, best record of any TB starter...His 50 starts as a Ray are 2nd to Scott Kazmir (56) over the last two seasons and 5th most by a lefty in club history behind Mark Hendrickson (74), Joe Kennedy (72), Wilson Alvarez (63) and Kazmir (63)...Over the last two seasons, his 14 wins are tied for 2nd most with Hendrickson behind Kazmir (20)...his 18 losses are 2nd to Seth McClung's 23 and only Kazmir has more IP (330.2) than his 292.2...Has 40 hit batsmen over the past three seasons...only Jeff Weaver (42) has more among major league pitchers over that period...In his season debut, April 7 at Toronto he hit the Jays' Reed Johnson 3 times...Allowed 12 unearned runs, tied for 6th most in the AL and 9th most in the majors...In his last 11 starts from July 4 averaged 10.34 strikeouts/9 innings (IP-51.1, SO-59, BB-28)...Prior to that had 29 K's and 35 walks in his first 78.2 IP...Twice struck out 10, matching his career high, both coming in his last 6 starts: July 31 vs. DET (beat Kenny Rogers) and Aug. 18 vs. CLE (ND)...On Aug. 17-18 he and Scott Kazmir became the first AL teammates since the 2001 Red Sox (Pedro Martinez and Hideo Nomo) to record back-to-back 10 strikeout games...Allowed a season-high 10 hits and 8 runs on a career-most 4 home runs (Blalock, Teixeira, Nevin, Mench) Apr 23 in loss to Texas...Three outings could not get through the 2nd, all coming in his last 7 starts...Lost his last start 12-9 at Chicago on Aug. 29...faced 13 batters (1.2 IP)...8 reached and 7 scored...opened the game with a pair of walks immediately followed by a Jermaine Dye 3-run home run...outing jumped his ERA nearly a 1⁄2 run from 4.91 to an ending 5.33...Exited with the lead four times only to see the bullpen give it away...July 4 vs. BOS, Apr 18 at BOS, May 3 vs. NYY and May 8 at SEA...Had more success pitching at Tropicana Field (4-2, 3.48, .215 opp avg., 14 starts) than on the road (2-4, 8.08, .330 opp avg., 11 starts)...in fact his ERA away from the Trop was the highest road ERA among all M.L. pitchers (min. 50 road IP)...Following consecutive home wins over Detroit (July 31) and Boston (Aug. 5), he pitched to an 11.30 ERA over his final four starts (14.1-IP, 18-ER, 15-BB)...Pitched to a 1.16 ERA against the Red Sox in 4 starts (23.1-IP, 16-H, 3-ER), going 2-0...in his 21 other starts he pitched to a 6.24 ERA (105.0-IP, 120-H, 74-ER)...Also had more success pitching at night (4.58 ERA) than during the day (7.03).

2005

Began the season in the Rays bullpen, moved into the rotation in mid-May and wound up with career highs in wins (8), innings (162.2) and strikeouts (128)...Entered the rotation when Dewon Brazelton was optioned to AAA Durham...Averaged 17.3 pitches per inning, tied with SF's Noah Lowry as the 3rd highest in the majors...Teammate Scott Kazmir and SF Jason Schmidt led with a rate of 17.7 pitches per IP...Led the AL and tied for the major league lead in hit batters...Dodgers RHP Jeff Weaver also hit 18 batters (18)...Became the 3rd Ray to lead the AL in hit batters joining Rolando Arrojo (19 in 1998) and Victor Zambrano (20 in 2004)...Had a streak of 10 consecutive starts, May 28-July 19, with at least one hit batter...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he and Jamey Wright (Milwaukee, 2001) are the only pitchers to make that claim over the last 35 years...Lost all four of his Interleague starts (0-4, 6.44) and was 6-7 in 21 starts vs. AL opponents (4.81)...How ever, on June 14 in a 4-0 loss to Milwaukee he tied his career high with 10 strikeouts, just the 7th Rays pitcher to fan 10+ in a game, first since Joe Kennedy fanned 10 Yankees on May 29, 2002...Was 2-1 with a 3.92 ERA in 11 relief appearances before moving into the rotation for good on May 17...Was 6-11 with a 5.07 ERA in 25 starts...Was winless in his first 6 starts (0-4) and his last 6 starts (0-2)...In 13 starts in between, June 20-Aug 26, was 6-5...When he won at Yankee Stadium on June 20, it was his first win as a starter since Aug 28, 2004...Had gone 0-7 in 12 starts in between...Took a 2-hit shutout into the 8th inning before leaving (IP-7.0+, H-3, R-1, ER-1, BB-3, SO-5)...Between June 14 and July 29, he went 6+ innings in 8 of 9 starts and worked to a 3.53 ERA (IP-58.2, ER-23) while going 4-4...On July 14, the first game after the All-Star Break, he logged a career-high 7.2 innings and combined with Danys Baez on a 6-hit shutout at Toronto, the Rays first SHO since Aug 23, 2004 (125 games without)...He took a 4-hit shutout into the 8th inning on July 29 vs. KC and settled on a 6-3 win as Lou Piniella passed Hall of Fame skipper Earl Weaver for 19th place on the all-time list of managerial wins (1481)...Was the Rays best starter in July going 3-2 with a team-best 3.29 ERA in 6 starts...Opponents batted .241 (38-158) off him with runners in scoring position, best on the Rays starting staff and 16th in the AL, two points behind Minnesota's Johan Santana...Earned wins over two Devil Rays southpaw nemeses: Texas' Kenny Rogers (Aug 21) and Toronto's Ted Lilly (July 14) two pitchers who were 8-2 and 6-1 respectively vs. the Rays...Left two games with minor injuries: June 3: at Seattle in the 4th with tightness in his left groin and July 19 at Boston in the 5th inning with leg cramps...Last win came Aug 26 vs. the Angels in Anaheim... His last start of the season was a 6-0 loss at Cleveland in which he worked just 2 innings, his shortest outing as a starter in more than two years.

2004

For the first time in his big league career Casey was used exclusively as a starter, finishing third on the Diamondbacks staff in starts (27), innings pitched (142.0) and strikeouts (117), despite missing the first 5 1/2 weeks to recover from surgery from the previous September...he went 4-15, with his loss total tied for second in the National League, while surrendering 31 home runs, tied for the sixth most...Arizona only scored 86 runs in his 27 starts, a 3.19 per game avg...His year began with 5 minor league rehab starts between El Paso (AA) and Tucson (AAA), allowing only 2 earned runs over a total of 19.1 innings, with opponents hitting at a .204 clip (11-for-54)...He returned to a Major League mound on May 14 vs. Montreal, almost 8 months to the day of having left shoulder surgery, working 5.0 innings of a no decision, a contest the Expos won, 4-3...After 4 straight losses, he tossed 6.0 shutout innings at Baltimore on June 10 for his first triumph as a Diamondback, 3-0, allowing 5 hits with 5 K's...Fossum notched his first career win vs. a National League opponent on July 1, defeating the Padres, 7-5, allowing 3 runs in 6.0 inning...On July 23 against Colorado, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, only to allow a pair of home runs and lost an 8-2 decision...on August 18, he notched his first win in almost 7 weeks, prevailing 6-3 over the Pirates, sparking a brief 2-game win streak...Following a no decision at Pittsburgh on August 23 in which he picked up his first big league hit, Casey beat the Reds 6-3, on August 28...he was outstanding at Coors Field on September 23, achieving something no pitcher in the majors accomplished during the year, tossing 6.0 shutout innings and striking out 9 in the rarified air of Coors Field...unfortunately, the only man he faced in the seventh inning reached on a walk and scored the game-tying run after Fossum's departure as the D'Backs eventually lost a 2-1 decision in 10 innings...no pitcher from Colorado or any visiting club threw at least 6.0 shutout frames in Denver this year while fanning at least 9...He opened his career 0-for-26 at the plate, but was 4-for-16 over his final 8 starts.

2003

Casey opened the season in Boston's starting rotation for the first time in his career, but battled injury problems in splitting the season between the Red Sox, the disabled list and minor league stints with Portland (AA) and Pawtucket (AAA)...he made 19 appearances (14 starts) for the BoSox while appearing in 8 games (6 starts) for Portland and Pawtucket...he was 6-5 with a save and a 5.47 ERA for Boston...Casey's year began by going 4-4 with a 5.76 ERA in 12 starts for the Red Sox through June 7...he was placed on the 15-day D.L. on June 8 with tendinitis in his left shoulder...after a rehab appearance at Portland and 3 more with Pawtucket, Fossum was activated by the Red Sox on July 17...he went 1-0 with a save and a 3.86 ERA in 3 relief appearances, earning a rescue with a 4-inning stint in Boston's 14-5 win on July 21 vs. Detroit...he was optioned to Pawtucket on July 28 and made 2 starts for the PawSox, posting a win and a 2.00 ERA...he was recalled August 8 to start the second game of a doubleheader that day against the Orioles, suffering a loss to Baltimore allowing 4 earned runs in 5.1 innings...Fossum made only 3 more appearances the remainder of the year before being shut down due to a recurrence of tendinitis in his pitching shoulder...during his work as a starter, the Red Sox went 9-5, winning 7 of his first 8 assignments...he registered a season-high 8 strikeouts in his 2003 debut, a 5.0-inning effort in a 14-5 win April 3 at Tampa Bay...0he followed by fanning 7 in his second outing, April 9 at Toronto, but did not record more than 5 strikeouts in any other outing...in a 6-5 win over the Devil Rays April 15 at Fenway, allowed just one run on 6 hits over 7.0 innings...he threw 7.0 innings of 5-hit shutout ball in a 5-2 win April 25 at Anaheim...on May 1 vs. Kansas City, Casey was ejected by umpire Phil Cuzzi with 2 outs in the top of the first, coming close with a pitch to Raul Ibanez following a 2-run homer by Mike Sweeney.

2002

Went 5-4, 3.46 in 43 G, 12 GS...Made his first M.L. Opening Day roster...Allowed one run in just two of his first 16 relief apps., going 2-0, 1.17 during that span (15.1 IP, 2 ER)...Recorded his first win on 4/6 at Balt., 4-2 (2 IP, 1 ER)...Was 1-0, 1.86 in nine relief apps. in April (9.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K)...Was 1-0, 3.00 in 11 relief apps. in May (12 IP, 15 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)...Optioned to Pawt. (AAA) on 6/25, where he went 0-3, 3.96 in 5 apps., 3 GS...Was recalled to Boston on 7/24...Pitched 7 inngs. in relief on 7/24 vs. TB, the longest relief outing by a Red Sox pitcher since T. Bolton on 7/1/90 vs. Tex. (7.1 IP)...Also had 9 K in that game, the most K by a Red Sox reliever since Diego Segui had 12 K in 7.2 IP on 9/22/74 vs. Balt...The 9 K in relief were the most in M.L. since R. Johnson (16 K on 7/18/01 at SD w/Ariz.) and the most in the A.L. since A. Rhodes (10 K on 8/20/95 w/Balt. at Oak.)...Went 2-1-1, 3.15 in 31 relief apps, 3-3, 3.65 in 12 GS...Made his first start on 7/29 at Ana., recording a ND (6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)...Recorded a ND in each of his first three starts; Red Sox lost all three starts by a total of four runs...Lost 4-3 at Sea. on 8/15, allowing 4 unearned runs in the fourth inning (5 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 K)...Went 0-1, 2.78 w/3 ND thru his first four starts (22.2 IP, 7 ER)...Red Sox lost all four starts by a total of five runs...Won 8-4 at NYY on 9/2, his first career start at Yankee Stadium and his first win as a starter in '02...Struck out a career-high 10 batters in a ND vs. Cle. on 9/18 in 6.2 IP, his longest outing as a starter...Five of his eight ML wins have come in Sept. (3-1, 3.51 in '02)...Issued 2 BB or less in all 12 of his starts...Had 101 K to just 30 BB overall...Had 14 unearned runs in his 12 starts.

2001

Called up from Trenton (AA) on 7/27, the 1st Red Sox pitcher to make the jump from AA to the M.L. since Jin Ho Cho in 1998...3-7, 2.83 ERA in 20 GS w/Trenton (117.2 IP, 102 H, 47 R, 37 ER, 28 BB, 130 K)...2-0, 1.08 in 5 GS for Trenton in July (33.1 IP, 4 ER)...Made M.L. debut in relief on 7/28 vs. CWS in a 3-1 loss (1 IP, 1 H)...1 relief IP on 7/31 in 4-3 loss to Ana...Optioned to Trenton on 8/1 and recalled on 8/3...Recorded his 1st M.L. win on 8/6 vs. Tex. 10-7 (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)...3.2 relief IP on 8/8 in 6-1 loss at Oak...Allowed 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB and struck out the side in the 8th inng...1st M.L. start on 8/18 vs. Balt...The 1st LH starter for the Red Sox since P. Schourek on 9/10/00...4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K in a Red Sox 5-1 win vs. Balt...Made his 2nd M.L. start on 8/23 at Ana. (ND, 5.1 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) in Red Sox 7-6 win...Got 1st career win as a starter 5-2 vs. Det. on 9/2 (5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)...6.2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K in 9-6 win vs. Balt. on 9/ 26...Retired 14 straight Balt. batters from the final out in 2nd inng. thru the first out of the 7th inng...In 13 G, was 3-2, 4.87 ERA...Red Sox were 5-2 in his 7 starts.

2000

Spent season w/single-A Sarasota...Was 9-10 w/3.44 ERA in 27 GS (3 CG, 3 SHO, 149.1 IP, 147 H, 71 R, 57 ER, 36 BB, 143 K)...Led all Class-A pitchers w/3 shutouts:7/10 at Vero Beach (7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K), 7/22 vs. Tampa (7 IP, 2 H, 1 HB, 6 K) and a no-hitter on 8/7 vs. Clearwater (9 IP, 2 BB, 16 K)...Did not allow a baserunner past 2B in 2-0 no-hitter...Led FSL in shutouts, T2nd in CG, T3rd in K, 4th in K/9 IP (8.62) and T4th in GS (27)...Led all Red Sox minor lg. pitchers w/143 K...Named Red Sox Minor Lg. Pitcher of the Month in Aug. (3-0, 1.54 ERA, 41 IP, 7 ER, 49 K)...Named Pitcher of the Week for 8/7-8/13 (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 IP, 6 BB, 26 K)...Also voted Sarasota's Pitcher of the Year.

1999

Pitched and started in 5 G for Class-A Lowell...Went 0-1 w/1.26 ERA in 14.1 IP (2 ER, 5 BB, 16 K)...Opps. hit only .122 (6-49) against him.