He and his wife Betsy and their twin daughters Anthonella and Arisbeth (3/23/07) reside in Maracay, VZ in the offseason.
2013
Opened the 2013 season with Triple A Memphis in the St. Louis Cardinals organization before being claimed off waivers by the Cubs on May 21...Sidelined April 14-May 4 with a right forearm strain...Compiled a 3.26 ERA (30.1IP/11ER) in 24 appearances with Memphis before he was claimed off waivers by Chicago...Assigned to Triple A Iowa with Chicago -- compiled a 1-0 record and a 1.64 ERA (11.0IP/2ER) and 11 strikeouts in nine appearances during July...Had his contract recalled by Chicago on July 26 --appeared in two games with the Cubs before being optioned back to Iowa on August 6...Had his contract recalled by Chicago on August 8 -- tossed a season-high 2.1 innings at Philadelphia on that same night...also fanned a season-high three batters that game...Optioned back to Iowa on August 16...Compiled a 1-1 record and a 3.26 ERA (30.1IP/11ER) and 28 strikeouts in 24 games with Iowa.
2012
Began season in Memphis (AAA) and made 14 appearances before being recalled to St. Louis on 5/14 for 17 appearances, then optioned back to Memphis on 6/29 for the remainder of the season (16 appearances). Totaled 47 appearances between St. Louis (17) and Memphis (30) compiling a workload of 42.2 innings.
•Of his 17 appearances in St. Louis, 11 were scoreless and all of those were hitless as well.
Suffered one loss in St. Louis vs.KC (6/17)tossing 2.0 innings allowing three runs in a 15-inning loss. Was 9-for-10 in save opportunities at Memphis. Held right-handers to a .196 opponent batting average (10-51) with one home run at Memphis.
2011
Began the season at Memphis (AAA) where he was 1-0, 0.00 ERA in two appearances (3.0 IP)...Was recalled from Memphis on 4/13 and made his Major League debut with 2.0 scoreless IP at ARI, fanning five. The five K's
were the most by a Cardinals' rookie reliever in ML debut since Manny Aybar (6 K's) in 1998...Recorded a scoreless outing in 22 of 26 total appearances. Cardinals record was 22-4 in games he appeared...Pitched in 25 games before being placed on the 15-day disabled list on 6/16 with a right shoulder strain...Made three rehab starts in Springfield (AA) from 7/7-12 before being shut down (0-1, 4.15 ERA, 3 app, 4.1 IP). Was
transferred to the 60-day disabled list on 7/31...Activated from the 60-day DL on 9/13 and made his first ML appearance since 6/12 on 9/27 at HOU, striking out two in 1.1 IP...Finished the season with 12.0 scoreless innings in his final 10 appearances...Struck out 35 batters in 30.0 innings (10.5 K/9 IP)...Did not allow an extra base hit to a left-handed batter (38 AB)...Compiled a 1.80 ERA in 30.0 IP, which was T2nd lowest of any rookie pitcher in MLB with 30.0 or more innings...Made 23 of 26 app. of 1.0 IP or more, including five games of 2.0 IP. His seven app. of four outs or more were all scoreless...After fanning five in his MLB debut, struck out the side on 4/16 at LA in a scoreless 9th. Seventeen of his first 30 outs came
via the strikeout...Struck out nearly 3 of every 10 batters faced, ranking 10th in National League...His first ML save came on 4/27 at HOU (1.0 IP); his first win on 4/29 at ATL (2.0 IP); suffered his first ML loss 5/4 vs. FLA
when he allowed 2-run HR in 9th and allowed a 9th inning run on 5/13 at CIN for his first career blown save...Did not allow a hit in his last four appearances (5.0 IP) before being placed on the DL...Ranked the eighth-best prospect in the Cardinals minor league system by Baseball America.
2010
Began the season at Springfield (AA) where he played in 24 games and was 11-for-13 in save opportunities before being
promoted to Memphis (AAA) on 6/24...Was 3-for-3 in save opportunities in 26 games at Memphis...Allowed just one earned run at Springfield in his first 15 games pitched (18.1 IP, 11 H, 18 K) and finished the regular season at
Memphis on a 14-game streak without an earned run allowed (16.1 IP, 10 H, 21 K)...Ranked in the Top 10 of all Cardinals minor leaguers with 50 games pitched (9th) and 14 saves (8th)...Held right handed batters to a combined .157 BA (17-for-108) between Springfield and Memphis...Registered an ERA of just 0.73 in 12.1 IP at Springfield in April...Slammed the door on opposing batters at both Springfield and Memphis as they combined to hit just .125 (7-for-56) with
runners in scoring position...Tied for the league lead with four playoff appearances...Took the loss in the final game (game three) of the PCL championship series vs. Tacoma as he allowed four runs on four hits
in one inning pitched. Prior to that game he had not allowed a run in three games (4.0 IP) in the PCL playoffs...Struck out a season-high four batters twice, once at Iowa (8/22) in 2.0 IP and once at Omaha (9/5) in 1.2 IP...Pitched for Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League...Ranked the seventh-best prospect in the Cardinals minor league system by Baseball America.
2009
Pitched 19 games for Palm Beach (A) before receiving a promotion to Springfield (AA) on 5/24 for the rest of the season...Hard throwing RHP used primarily as a set-up man, but took over closer role while Francisco Samuel fought injuries...Led all Cardinals minor leaguers with 60 appearances, finished 3rd in opp. avg (.174), 5th in saves (13) and 3rd in WHIP
(0.92). His 75.0 IP were the second most (Ramon Delgado) by any Cardinals pitcher who did not make a start...Registered 16 of 19 scoreless appearances in Palm Beach with a 1.44 ERA, three saves and 26 K in 25 IP...Converted a career-high10 saves in 12 opportunities in Springfield, while going 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 56 K in 50 IP...Strung together 16 consecutive scoreless appearances from 7/6 to 8/17, covering 19.2 IP with 8 H and 24 K...Had two season-high four strikeout appearances, one vs. CC (6/8) in 2.0 IP and another in 1.2 IP for a save at FRI (7/11)...Made one post-season appearance in the Texas League playoffs surrendering three runs in one inning and a home run...Had one plate apperance drawing a walk and coming around to score at TUL (6/26)...Pitched for Aragua of the Venezuelan Winter League recording one save in three appearances (0-1, 7.36 ERA) over 3.2 IP...Rated as the sixth-best prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America.
2008
Began the season as a starter in Quad Cities (A), but
finished with 15 relief appearances and one save...struck out a
career-high six batters twice as a starter (5/14 [2] at PEO, vs. BUR
5/31)...was 3-0 with a 2.21 ERA as a reliever in 36.2 IP and 2-1,
4.05 ERA as a starter...struck out 55 batters in 56.2 IP and held
RH batters to a .198 (16-81) average.
2007
Made 19 relief apperances between the Gulf Coast League
(R) and Johnson City (R)...combined to go 2-2 with a 1.27 ERA
with 17 of 19 scoreless appearences...struck out 29 batters in 21.1
IP and stranded nine out of 10 inherited runners...opposing
batters hit a mere .139 against...nearly flawless in the GCL with
six of seven scoreless appearances for three saves in four opp.
and seven strikeouts in six innings...held opposing RH batters to
an .056 average (1-18) in the GCL...nailed down all five save
opportunities...made 11 scoreless appearances out of 12 and
recorded at least one strikeout in every apperance...held opposing
RH batters to a .132 average (5-38) while with Quad Cities.
2006
Pitched in 19 games in the Venezuelan Summer League
mainly as a reliever...lone win came vs. DET/FLA on 7/29 throwing
a season-high five innings allowing five hits with an unearned
run and three strikeouts.
2005
Signed by the Cardinals as a non-drafted free agent on December 26, 2005.
