Jeff Karstens #27

Jeffrey Wayne Karstens...Wife's name is Jessica...Is a 2000 graduate of Mount Miguel High School in Spring Valley, California, where he was a catcher on the baseball team...Was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 2000...Also earned first-team All-Conference and second-team All-San Diego accolades...Played one season at Texas Tech University in 2003 after attending Grossmont Junior College in El Cajon, CA...Was a first-team All-Conference selection at Grossmont...Was drafted as a catcher in the 45th round of the 2000 FirstYear Player Draft by Montreal, but did not sign...Participated in Pirates Caravan and PirateFest in December 2011...Has hosted "Karstens Kares: Pirates Chef Event" at Nakama restaurant in Pittsburgh the past two years with his wife; the event has raised more than $50,000 to benefit Pirates Charities and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations (Western PA chapter)...Was the Pirates 2011 Clemente Award winner and national award nominee for his work in the local community.

2012

Was a member of the starting rotation on Opening Day...Made his season debut in game two vs. Philadelphia and gave up one run in 6.0ip...Suffered a 3-2 loss in Los Angeles while making his second start on 4/12 (5.0ip/3er)...Pitched just 1.0 inning in his third start on 4/17 at Arizona; left with inflammation in his right shoulder and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on 4/18...Made rehab start with Double-A Altoona on 5/21 and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings (37 pitches)...Left fourth rehab start on 6/7 after feeling tightness in his right groin (4.1ip)...Had MRI on 6/8 that revealed a hip flexor injury...Made rehab start with Altoona on 6/19 and gave up one run in 7.0ip while picking up the win...Made a total of five rehab starts and went 1-2 with a 3.04 ERA (23.2ip/8er)...Was recalled from rehab and reinstated from D.L. on 6/25...Made start at Philadelphia on 6/25 and suffered 8-3 loss...Won four straight decisions from 6/30 thru 8/1...Went 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA (27.0ip/8er) in four starts in July...Tallied third career RBI in no-decision on 7/16 (7.0ip/4er) at Colorado...Pitched into the 8th inning while winning a 4-0 decision vs. Milwaukee on 8/25; left game with right groin discomfort...Gave up four runs while retiring just one batter on 8/31 at Milwaukee; left game with discomfort in his right hip flexor...Did not pitch again until tossing 3.0 innings of relief (1 run) on 9/19 vs. Milwaukee...Finished season making four relief appearances (7.1ip/4er)...Went 5-4 with a 3.89 ERA in his 15 starts...Posted a 3-1 record and a 1.80 ERA (45.0ip/9er) in eight games at PNC Park and went 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA (26.0ip/5er) while making four afternoon starts...Went 3-for-28 (.107) with two RBI and one sacrifice bunt at the plate.

2011

Had a team-leading 3.38 ERA while spending first full season in the Majors with Pittsburgh...Established career highs in wins, starts, innings pitched and strikeouts...Began season in bullpen...Made season debut on 4/3 at Chicago and picked up the win...Pitched 3.1 innings of relief and struck out five batters (career high for relief appearance) on 4/8 vs. Colorado...Did not give up a run in his first three relief appearances (5.2ip)...Made first start on 4/17 at Cincinnati and received a no-decision in Pittsburgh's 7-6 victory (4.1ip/5er)...Pitched 6.0-plus innings and gave up two earned runs while winning his second start on 4/23 vs. Washington - that began a streak of 18 straight starts thru 7/31 in which he was charged with three earned runs or less...Lost four of his five decisions between 4/28 and 5/29...Suffered loss while making final relief appearance in 11-inning contest on 5/25 vs. Atlanta...Produced a career-high 15.2 scoreless innings streak from 6/3-19...Pitched 6.2 scoreless frames and combined with five relief pitchers on a 1-0 win at Houston on 6/14...Won a career-high five straight decisions from 6/14 thru 7/15...Threw just 83 pitches (64 strikes) while tossing second career complete game.shutout on 7/15 at Houston...Was named the National League Player-of-the-Week for the week ending 7/17 and had a 2.28 ERA following his start on 7/20... Gave up a season-high nine earned runs in 3.1 while losing a 15-5 decision to San Diego at PNC Park on 8/5...Struck out a career-high nine batters while winning his ninth and final game on 8/10 at San Francisco...Lost five of his last six decisions...Went 5-for-48 (.104) with a double, two RBI and seven sac bunts at the plate...Snapped an 0-for-34 streak with a single on 5/3 at San Diego.

2010

Established career highs in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts while spending majority of season with Pittsburgh, where he went 3-10 with a 4.78 ERA in 19 starts and 0-0 with a 5.87 ERA in seven relief appearances...Began season with Triple-A Indianapolis and picked up his lone win in relief while making first appearance on 4/9 at Columbus...Suffered loss in relief on 4/16 vs. Toledo...Made lone start with Indy on 4/22 vs. Louisville and lost a 7-1 decision (5.1ip/3er)...Was selected by Pittsburgh on 4/27 and made first start that night in Milwaukee; received a no-decision (6.0ip/2er) in Pirates 7-3, last at bat win...Suffered a 9-3 loss in second start on 5/2 at Los Angeles (5.0ip/6er)...Pitched 6.0 scoreless innings and combined with four other pitchers on a 2-0 win vs. St. Louis on 5/8...Joined bullpen on 5/11 and gave up four runs in 1.2ip...Gave up two runs (1 earned) while making second relief outing on 5/17 at Philadelphia (2.1ip)...Pitched 3.1 innings of relief (1 run) on 5/21 vs. Atlanta...Made final relief appearance on 5/27 at Cincinnati and gave up one run in 4.0 innings of work...Joined starting rotation on 6/1 and gave up two runs in 6.0ip while receiving a no-decision vs. Chicago (NL)...Suffered 5-2 loss at Washington on 6/8 (5.0ip+/4er)...Was in line for a win on 6/13 at Detroit (7.0ip+/2er), but Tigers scored three runs in 8th for the victory...Won second game on 6/19 vs. Cleveland...Suffered an eight-game losing streak from 6/29 thru 8/20 - the longest losing streak by a Pittsburgh pitcher since Zach Duke lost nine in a row in 2008...Walked a career-high six batters in a 4-3 loss at Milwaukee on 7/10...Tied career high with six strikeouts on 7/19 vs. Milwaukee...Battled Chris Carpenter and pitched 6.0 scoreless innings in a no-decision on 7/30 at St. Louis (Pirates lost, 1-0, in 10 innings)...Snapped his eight-game losing streak with a victory at Chicago (NL) on 8/31; also tied career high with six K's...Did not pitch again until 9/30 at Florida (1.0ip/1r) due to right arm fatigue...Went 2-for-33 (.061) at the plate, picking up both hits in his first eight at bats...Went hitless in his last 25 at bats after his single off Ted Lilly on 6/1.

2009

Began season in Pittsburgh's starting rotation...Did not make first start until team's 10th game on 4/16 vs. Houston and received a no-decision in club's 6-3 loss (4.0ip/4h/3r/3er/5bb/1so)...Won a 3-2 decision vs. Florida in second start on 4/21 (6.0ip/1er)...Gave up three home runs in a no-decision at Milwaukee on 4/27 (5.0ip/5er)...Suffered first loss on 5/3 vs. Cincinnati (5.0ip/5r/4er)...Lost second straight decision on 5/14 vs. St. Louis...Was in line for victory at Washington on 5/19, but bullpen suffered blown save...Won second game on 5/30 vs. Houston (7.0ip/2er); his first victory in six starts...Suffered third loss on 6/5 at Houston (5.2ip/6er); was trailing 2-1 before giving up four runs in the 6th inning...Made first relief appearance on 6/8 at Atlanta and suffered loss in 15-inning contest; was his first relief outing since 9/25/07 and snapped a string of 31 straight starts...Was officially moved to the bullpen when Charlie Morton joined the starting rotation on 6/10...Pitched 4.2 innings in relief of Morton and picked up win on 6/10 at Atlanta; Morton left the game after the 1st inning due to tightness in his right hamstring...Made five straight scoreless relief appearances from 6/16-28 (6.2ip)...Was scored upon in his next two games (2.2ip/4er)...Made six straight scoreless outings from 7/5-23 (12.0ip) and four hitless outings from 7/12-23 (10.0ip)...Tossed 3.0 innings (0 runs) vs. Milwaukee on 7/20 and was hit by a pitch in lone plate appearance; igniting a benches-clearing incident (was Milwaukee's retaliation from Karstens hitting Ryan Braun on 4/27)...Gave up three runs in 3.2 innings at Arizona on 7/26...Was scored upon in three straight games from 7/26 thru 8/3 (6.1ip/8er) and in five of his six outings from 7/26 thru 8/12 (9.2ip/13er), raising ERA from 4.26 to 5.09...Was on bereavement list from 8/21-25 due to the death of his grandmother...Was placed on 15-day disabled list on 8/25 with a low back strain...Began rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on 8/30...Struck out three of the eight batters he faced in 2.0 scoreless innings in first rehab game on 8/30 at Toledo...Also tossed 2.0 scoreless frames vs. Louisville on 9/3 and on 9/6 at Louisville...Was recalled from rehab assignment on 9/8 and was reinstated from D.L. on 9/9...Gave up two runs in 2.0ip on 9/9 vs. Chicago...Retired all six batters he faced on 9/20 vs. San Diego...Gave up five runs in 0.1ip and suffered fifth loss the following day against the Padres...Started and received a no-decision on 9/23 vs. Los Angeles (3.0ip/1er) - his first start since 6/5...Finished season making three straight starts; winning at Chicago (NL) in game two of a day/night doubleheader on 9/30 (5.0ip/2er) and losing at Cincinnati in season finale on 10/4 (2.1ip/2er)...Was scored upon in 11 of his last 14 games with Pittsburgh (25.2ip/26er - 9.12 ERA), raising ERA from 4.26 on 7/23 to final mark of 5.42...Posted a 2.05 ERA (26.1ip/6er) in his first 15 relief appearances and a 12.33 ERA (15.1ip/21er) in his last 11 games in relief...Allowed three of his nine inherited runners to score...The Pirates went 6-7 in his 13 starts...Went 1-for-22 with two walks at the plate, picking up lone hit (single) off Mike Hampton at Houston on 6/5.

2008

Was a member of the Yankees in spring training...Suffered a strained right groin on 3/27 and was placed on the 15-day disabled list to start the season...Remained in New York's extended spring training program before making a rehab start with Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre on 5/20 (5.0ip/3er)...Was recalled from rehab assignment, reinstated from D.L. and optioned to Scranton-Wilkes Barre on 5/22...Picked up first win in fourth start on 6/11 at Richmond...Struck out season-high 11 batters and allowed one unearned run in 6.2ip and won second game on 6/22 vs. Toledo...Went 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA (20.2ip/3er) in a three-start stretch from 6/22 to 7/2...Gave up six runs in 5.1ip while losing for the last time on 7/7 at Toledo...Won his last three Triple-A starts and posted a 2.29 ERA (19.2ip/5er) in that time...Went 1-3 with a 5.87 ERA (23.0ip/15er) in his first five starts with Scranton and 5-1 with a 2.76 ERA (45.2ip/14er) in his final seven assignments...Was acquired by Pittsburgh on 7/26 and joined Pirates on 7/28...Made first start with Bucs on 8/1 and tossed 6.0 scoreless innings in 3-0, combined victory at Chicago (NL)...Took a perfect game into the 8th inning in his 2-0 victory at Arizona on 8/6; Chris Young broke up perfect game with a two-out double to left field on a 1-1 pitch (last Bucco pitcher to be perfect that long was Ken Brett, who tossed 8.0 perfect frames against San Diego on May 27, 1974)...Also went 2-for-3 and singled off Randy Johnson on 8/6 for first Major League hit (fourth career plate appearance)...Did not allow a run in his first 15.0 innings of work with Pittsburgh; since 1900 the only pitcher to begin his career with the Pirates with a scoreless streak longer than 15 innings was Dan Plesac in 1995 (16.0 innings from April 27 to May 30)...Joined Ernie Bonham (1947) as the only two pitchers in club history to win each of their first two starts while not allowing a run...Surrendered a pair of home runs and suffered first loss on 8/12 vs. Cincinnati (7.0ip/4r/3er)...Also gave up two homers while losing a 4-0 decision to Johan Santana at PNC Park on 8/17...Received a total of six runs of offensive support in his first four starts while giving up eight...Suffered third straight loss while pitching a season-low 3.0 innings and giving up five runs vs. Chicago (NL) on 8/25...Took a 5-0 lead and a no-hitter into the 4th inning at San Francisco on 9/7, but gave up eight runs (five earned) without retiring a batter in the Giants' 10-run frame and suffered fifth straight loss...Gave up season-high 11 hits and lost sixth straight decision on 9/16 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (5.0ip/5r/2er)...Pitched into the 7th inning, gave up three runs (one earned) and struck out a career-high six batters, but received a no-decision in final start on 9/23 at Milwaukee...The Pirates went 2-7 in his nine starts...Went 2-for-14 (.143) with two sac bunts at the plate.

2007

Began season on New York's 15-day disabled list with right elbow tendinitis...Made one rehab appearance with Single-A Tampa before being recalled from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the disabled list on 4/21...Made his season debut that day at Boston and suffered the loss (4.1ip/9h/7r/7er)...Made second start on 4/28 vs. Boston; was hit in the right leg by a Julio Lugo line drive on the first pitch of the game and was removed after allowing a single to the next batter he faced (Kevin Youkilis)...Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on 4/29 with a fractured right fibula...Was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on 7/1...Went a combined 3-0 with a 1.07 ERA (25.1ip/3er) in five rehab starts with Gulf Coast League Yankees, Single-A Staten Island, Double-A Trenton and Scranton- Wilkes Barre from 7/7-27...Was recalled from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the D.L. on 8/1...Went 0-2 in three starts before being optioned to Scranton on 8/15...Was recalled for a third time by the Yankees on 9/11...Earned lone win on 9/22 vs. Toronto with a scoreless inning of relief in New York's 10-inning walkoff victory...Surrendered a walkoff home run to Tampa Bay's Dioner Navarro in 10th inning in final appearance on 9/25...Went 2-0 with a team-best 0.69 ERA in two starts following the season for Team USA; team won the IBAF World Cup in Taiwan...Was charged with one run in 7.0 innings and earned the win in Team USA's quarterfinal victory over Korea on 11/16...Went 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 17 strikeouts in four starts overall (including exhibitions) with Team USA.

2006

Posted a 2-1 record with a 3.80 ERA in eight games (six starts) with the Yankees in 2006...the Yankees were 3-3 in games he started...opponents batted .242 (40-for-165, 6HR); LH .253 (20-for-79, 1HR), RH .233 (20-for-86, 5HR)...limited opposing hitters to a .242 batting average and held right-handed hitters to just .233 (20-for-86)...in six starts with the Yankees, was 2-1 with a 4.17 ERA (36.2IP, 17ER)...in two relief appearances was 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA (6.0IP, 1ER)...began the 2006 season with Triple-A Columbus...Was 0-5 in his first seven starts before being transferred to Double-A Trenton on 5/14...went 6-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 11 starts with Trenton from 5/14-7/6 before being promoted to Columbus on 7/13...in his second stint with Columbus from 7/15-8/15, was 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA across seven starts (39.0IP, 35H, 8ER, 9BB, 24K) while limiting opposing hitters to a .235 batting average (35-for-149)...Won 11 consecutive decisions (was 6-0 at Trenton from 5/14 - 7/6 and was 5-0 at Columbus from 7/15 - 8/15)...was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on 8/19...made his Major League debut on 8/22 at Seattle and recorded no-decision in a 6-5 come-from-behind Mariners' win...Was bidding to become the first Yankee to win his Major League debut as a starter since LHP Brad Halsey on 6/19/04 at Los Angeles Dodgers (left with a 5-3 lead in the sixth)...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became only the fourth pitcher in the last 100 seasons to make his Major-League debut by starting against a team with a losing streak of at least 11 games (first since Tampa Bay's Delvin James in 2002 vs. Detroit). ..Recorded his first Major League win on 8/27 at the L. A. Angels of Anaheim in an 11-8 Yankees' victory...suffered his first Major League loss on 9/2 vs. Minnesota despite allowing just 2ER in 7.0IP...made his first Major League relief appearance on 9/8 at Baltimore, allowing 1H and 1ER in 5.0IP...the 5.0 innings marked the longest outing by a Yankees reliever in 2006.

2005

In his first season at the Double-A level, went 12-11 with a 4.15 ERA in 28 games (27 starts) for Trenton...led all Yankees minor leaguers and ranked second in the Eastern League in wins...also ranked second in the league with his 27 starts, third with 147 strikeouts and fourth with 169.0 IP...allowed two walks or less in 22 of his 28 appearances, including seven appearances without issuing a walk...Went at least 5.0 innings in 25 of his 28 appearances, including 17 of his first 18 games...was 3-0 with a 0.81 ERA versus Portland (Red Sox)...was 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA in five May appearances...pitched 8.0 IP of shutout relief to earn the win on 5/21 vs. Harrisburg.

2004

Spent the season at Single-A Tampa, going 6-9 with a 4.02 ERA in 24 starts...tied for the team lead with 116 strikeouts...allowed two walks or less in 22 of his 24 starts and four earned runs or less in 21-of-24 games...won his first start of the season with 5.0 innings of no-hit ball on 4/21 at Ft. Myers...fired first career complete-game shutout on 7/16 at Palm Beach, allowing just two hits (1BB, 9K)...struck out a season-high 10 batters twice (5/23 at Daytona and 8/10 vs. Lakeland).

2003

In his first professional season, went 4-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 14 games (10 starts) for Single-A Staten Island...ranked fifth in the New York Penn League with his 2.54 ERA...also ranked fifth in the league by allowing 7.16 runners per nine innings...was 4-1 with a 2.82 ERA as a starter...in four relief appearances, was 0-1 with a 1.65 ERA, holding opponents to a .127 average (7-for-55)...went 4-0 with a 0.58 ERA in six game span from 7/22-8/21...struck out a career high 11 batters on 8/21 vs. Hudson Valley, throwing 6.0 shutout innings to earn the win.