Jon Switzer #52

Wife's name is Dana...Was originally drafted out of high school in the 26th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998...Majored in marketing at Arizona State...His sister, Heather, was the Big 8 Champion in the 200M freestyle at the University of Kansas.

2007

Twenty-seven year-old made 21 appearances with the Rays over two tours ... 16 were one inning or less ... Was recalled from AAA Durham on July 4 when Al Reyes was Dl'd with a mild rotator cuff strain ... optioned back on July 18 when Reyes was reinstated ... Appeared in 3 games the first tour, allowing 5 runs in 1.2 IP ... was touched for 4 runs on 5 hits in just an inning of work in his first outing July 5 in Boston, a game Rays lost 15-4 ... Recalled a second time on Aug. 7 when Casey Fossum was designated for assignment and remained with the club the rest of the season ... Pitched in 18 of the final 48 games ... 12 were scoreless including 7 of his last 9 ... Ten of his 21 appearances came against the Yankees and Red Sox (0-2, 8.68 ERA, 9.1-IP, 15-H, 9-ER) ... Suffered a pair of losses: Sep 11 at Boston, Sep 27 vs. New York ... Held left-handed hitters to a .242 avg (8-33), but righties batted .404 (19-47) ... for his career lefties are batting just .217 (23-106) and righthanders are hitting .366 (60-164) ... Opened this season on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis ... activated on June 2 and assigned to Durham ... Overall with Durham, worked to a 0.82 ERA allowing only 3 runs in 33.0 innings of work over 23 outings ... struck out 23 while walking only 8 and holding opponents to a .226 batting average ... Has made 6 stints with the Rays in the last 5 seasons ... also made 2 tours in 2003, spent 3 weeks with the club in 2005 and the second half of 2006 ... Joined the Rays on June 21, 2006 and appeared in 40 of the remaining 90 contests as the sole southpaw in the Rays 'pen in 2006 ... Was originally selected by the Rays in the 2nd round (47th overall) in the 2001 June Draft out of Arizona State University.

2006

Twenty-six year-old joined the Rays from AAA Durham on June 21 when RH Ruddy Lugo landed on the DL with a mid-back strain...Was the only southpaw to appear in the Rays 'pen going 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA (33.2-IP, 17-ER)...Appeared in 40 of the Rays remaining 90 games after his recall, including 17 the Rays final 31 contests...was the 9th most games among AL rookies and most among AL rookie lefthanders...20 of his outings were less than an inning...Led the staff stranding 79 % if his inherited runners (22-of-28)...Made his season debut June 24 against Atlanta on Turn Back the Clock Night at Tropicana Field...threw 1.2 in relief (3-H, 1-R, 1-SO)...Earned his 1st major league win July 4 vs. Boston with 0.2 scoreless (1-H, 1-SO)...came in his 12th ML outing...Allowed just one run over his first 9 appearances after joining TB (8.2-IP, 6-H, 1-R/ER, 2-BB, 7-SO, 0-HR - 1.04 ERA)...Worked to a 5.76 ERA over 24 appearances after that (25.0-IP, 32-H, 16-R/ER, 16-BB, 11-SO, 5-HR)...Tossed a season-high 2.0 innings of relief Sept 25 against the Yankees...was only his 4th career outing of 2.0+ innings...allowed an Andy Cannizaro solo HR (1st of his career) in his second inning of work...snapped Switzer's scoreless stretch at 9.2 innings over a 12-outing stretch in which opponents were just 6-for-36 off him (.167)...Suffered two blown saves...Aug 2 at Detroit - took the loss after facing 4 batters, 3 of which reached and would come around to score in a 3-8 Rays loss to the Tigers...Was also charged with the blown save Aug 17 vs. TOR allowing 2 HR (Overbay, Johnson) in 0.2 innings of work...the solo shot by Overbay was the first extra-base hit by a left-handed hitter off Switzer...was his 28th career appearance (30.1 IP)...Made 26 appearances, all in relief, for Durham before joining the Rays going 3-0 with 3 saves and a 0.87 ERA (31.0-IP, 3-ER)...opponents hit just .191 off him (22-for-115), lefties managed just a .132 avg. (5-for-38)...Did not allow an earned run in his last 23.2 innings of work, surrendering just one unearned run over the 20 game stretch from April 26-June 18.

2005

Returned to action in 2005 after missing all of 2004 recovering from left shoulder surgery...Opened the season at AA Montgomery but got the call from the Rays on May 11...pitched in a pair of games in relief, his first major league action since 2003...Made his season debut May 18 at Detroit working 3 scoreless innings (3-H, 2-BB, 4-SO)...Had a much tougher outing his second turn May 25 vs. Oakland as he pitched 1.0+, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 walks and a pair of hits...was optioned to Durham on May 29...Appeared in 17 games, making 8 starts, for the Bulls over the remainder of the year going 0-5 with a 7.17 ERA...allowed just one run over his final 6 outings (7.1 IP)...Missed time with soreness in his left elbow landing the lefty on the Disabled List July 10 through August 12...Was in Montgomery's rotation before the initial recall, making 6 starts (3-1, 3.45)...Combined at all three stops, he worked 79.2 innings over 28 appearances (14 starts), pitching to a 5.65 ERA.

2004

Missed the entire season with an injured left shoulder...underwent season-ending surgery on June 25, 2004 in Houston.

2003

Was up with the Rays from Aug. 1-19, 2003, and again Sept. 12 through season's end following AAA Durham's International League title...Made his ML debut Aug. 2 at KC entering in the 4th down 3-2 with the bases loaded, one out...allowed just a SF that inning and pitched 2.2 (4-H, 3-ER, 1-BB, 2-HB)...surrendered a home run to Carlos Beltran...Allowed runs in 4 of his 5 outings...last appearance, Sept. 23 at Toronto, he retired all 4 batters faced...Longest outing was Sept. 13 (G2) at Yankee Stadium when he worked a career-high 3.1 (4-H, 1-R/ER, 2-BB, 3-SO)...Next outing was also against New York, Sept. 20 at the Trop, and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, including a 2-run HR to Jorge Posada...was ejected after hitting Derek Jeter with a pitch in the 8th...He went a combined 9-8 with a 3.37 ERA in 23 starts for AA Orlando and Durham (131-IP, 123-H, 49-ER, 32-BB, 103-SO)...ranked 5th in the organization in ERA and strikeouts...Opened the season with Orlando and went 8-8, 3.43 ERA in 22 starts earning team Pitcher-of-the-Year honors...Was 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 5 July starts (30-IP, 28-H, 8-ER, 4-BB, 21-SO)...Pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the East in their 7-5 victory in the 2003 Southern League All-Star Game...Started and won Game One of the International League championship series Sept. 9, 5-3 over Pawtucket (Red Sox), striking out 11 in 5.2.

2002

Started the 2002 season slowly for Class A Bakersfield, then got hot in June and July before being sidelined in August with a tired arm...Finished 3rd among California League starting pitchers with an average of 11.24 strikeouts per 9 innings...Had 3 games of 10+ including a career-high 11 on June 10 vs. Modesto (Athletics)...Held left-handed hitters to a .225 average (16-71) and only one extra base hit (a double).

2001

Signed with Tampa Bay on Aug. 13, 2001, and began his professional career at Hudson Valley (A)...Made 5 appearances for the Renegades, all in relief, and notched a pair of wins, while pitching to a 0.63 ERA...surrendered one run in 14.1 innings while striking out 20...Made his debut Aug. 19 at Staten Island (Yankees) and pitched 1.2 of scoreless relief (1-H, 3-SO) in a 4-1 HV loss.