Juan Salas #53

Full name JUAN SALAS ... Resides in Santo Domingo, DR... Attended La Escuela de Mendoza High School in Santo Domingo... Originally signed as a third baseman as a minor league free agent July 8, 1998 by Rudy Santin.

2008

Spent most of the year at AAA Durham and had two stints in the Majors, making a total of 5 appearances... Missed spring training with visa issues in his native Dominican Republic and did not report until April 17...Originally recalled from Durham on August 15 to replace the injured Troy Percival... Made his 2008 debut with the Rays on August 17 at Texas allowing a pair of runs... Was optioned to AA Montgomery after game on August 30 and recalled when rosters expanded on September 1, spending the final month of the season with the Rays...Worked the 7th and 8th innings September 15 vs. Boston without allowing a hit or run... Did not yield a hit or run over his last 3 appearances (3.1IP)...Allowed 5 runs/earned in 2.0 innings in his first outing with Durham, May 9 vs. Syracuse... From May 12 until July 28, compiled a 0.77 ERA (35.0IP, 3ER) over 22 outing to drop his season ERA to 1.95... Then allowed 5 earned runs over his final 5 outings (7.2IP) leading up to the August 15 recall...Held opponents to a .202 average with Durham... Struck out 53 in 44.2IP (10.58K/9.0IP) and yielded just 2HR and walked only 11 batters.

2007

Twenty-eight year-old rookie and former infielder pitched in 34 games over a pair of tours ... worked to a 3.72 ERA ... only Scott Dohmann (3.31) had a lower ERA among Rays relievers ... Had the 5th best ERA among AL rookie reliev- ers (min. 30 innings), behind Cleveland's Rafael Perez (1.78), Boston's Hideki Okajima (2.22), Kansas City's Joakim Soria (2.48) and Toronto's Brian Wolfe (2.98) ... After making his major league debut in Sep, 2006, he made his first Opening Day roster. Was suspended for 50 games on May 7 for violating MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program ... His 15 appearances were 3rd on the staff at the time ... struck out 12 batters in 13.2 IP and held opponents to a .192 mark (10-52). Last appearance before the suspension was May 3 vs. Minnesota ... stranded the bases loaded in relief of Camp striking out his only batter faced (Joe Mauer) ... Was reinstated on July 3 and optioned to Durham ... made 7 appearances with the Bulls going 1-0 with a save and a 2.08 ERA ... allowed only 2 runs in 9.2 innings pitched with 12 strikeouts and just 3 walks ... held opponents to a .161 average (5-for-31) ... Also pitched in a pair of games for AA Montgomery the last week of June (players can return in minors 16 days prior to end of suspension) ... Recalled July 23 from AAA and pitched in 19 games over the remainder of the season: 3.57 ERA (22.2-IP, 26-H, 9-R, 5-HR) ... Pitched to a 2.31 ERA in August (11.2-IP, 3-ER), 3rd best on the staff behind Scott Dohmann (0.63) and Grant Balfour (0.79) ... Was charged with the loss Apr 20 vs. Cleveland, his first major league decision. Earned his first big league win Apr 24 vs. the Yankees retiring his only batter faced (Miguel Cairo flyout) in the 7th to strand two runners ... Rays scored 4 in the bottom of the frame for the 6-4 win ... Pitched to a 2.14 ERA at Tropicana Field (21-IP, 5-ER), compared to 5.87 on the road (15.1-IP, 18-H, 10-ER) ... was the 2nd best ERA at home among all TB pitchers behind Scott Dohmann (0.00 ERA, 15-IP) ... min. 10-IP ... Allowed just a .208 avg. with runners on base (16-77), lowest on the staff ... Pitched to a 3.48 ERA against the AL East (20.2-IP, 21-H, 8-ER), his best vs. the three AL divisions. Allowed just three hits in 30 AB in spring training.

2006

The 28-year-old converted infielder saw his first major league action after being selected from AAA Durham on Sept 5...made his ML debut that night against Minnesota allowing 3 runs (2 earned) in an inning of work (2-H, 1-BB, 1-SO)...Became the Rays' club-record 25th different pitcher to appear in game and one of nine different Rays to make their major league debut in 2006...Surrendered just one run over his next 5 outings (7.0 IP) before running into trouble against the Yankees Sept 25 when he was touched for 3 runs in an inning...Made 8 appearances overall (0-0, 5.40 ERA, 10.0-IP, 13-H, 7-R, 6-ER, 3-BB, 8-SO)...5 of them were scoreless...Named the organization's Pitcher of the Year at AAA Durham and received the team's Goodmon Award as the Bulls' most outstanding pitcher in 2006... also named to Baseball America's All-Minor League All-Star Team and was awarded MiLB.com's Minor League Reliever of the Year...Led all Rays farmhands appearing in 50 games combined at AA Montgomery and Durham in this, just his 2nd full season as a pitcher...Was 4-1 with 17 saves and a 0.71 ERA (63.1-IP, 28-H, 9-R, 5-ER, 25-BB, 85-SO) holding opponents to a .128 batting average (28-for-219), second lowest among all minor league relievers...Began the season with a minor league-best 47.1 innings without allowing an earned run...did not allow his first ER until his 34th appearance of the year (2-run HR July 14 vs. Columbus)...Earned the Rays June Pitcher of the Month honors going 2-0 with two saves in 11 games combined between AA Montgomery and AAA Durham throwing 17.0 innings of scoreless relief in the month...opponents batted just .177 (11-for-62) as he struck out 24 while walking just four...Recorded the final two outs July 16 against Columbus (Yankees) combining with Jason Hammel for the first ever no-hitter in Bulls' Triple-A history and just the 2nd ever at Durham Bulls Athletic Park...Pitched for the World Team at the 2006 All-Star Futures Game retiring his only batter faced...Pitched in two games during spring training as a non-roster invite, throwing 2.0 perfect innings and striking out 2.

2005

Split the 2005 season between Visalia (A) and Montgomery in his first full season as a pitcher...Combined to go 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA while striking out 65 in 60.1 IP...Held Cal League opponents to a .216 batting average (30-for-139)...did not allow an earned run in his first six appearances (11.0 IP) with the Oaks...Earned his first professional save May 21 at Rancho Cucamonga (LAA) with a scoreless ninth...Fanned six of the 10 batters he faced June 8 at Modesto (COL)...Earned a promotion to Montgomery June 29 where his first six apps. were scoreless (9.2 IP)...Appeared in 15 games for Aguilas of the Dominican Republic Winter League...was 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA, striking out 14 in 16.0 IP.

2004

Hit safely in each of his first 13 games (.345, 19-for-55) in 2004 with Montgomery...Played 78 games with the Biscuits before transferring to Princeton (R) to work as a pitcher...Appeared in eight games with the P-Rays going 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA...did not allow a run in his first three appearances.

2003

Began the 2003 season with Single-A Bakersfield where he batted .321 (44-for-127) in his first 37 games with the Blaze...Provided the game-winning, 3-run, 'walk-off' home run on May 10 against Stockton (TEX)...Promoted to Double-A Orlando on May 12 where he batted .272 (76-for-279) with 30 runs and 41 RBI over his final 75 games.

2002

Was limited to just 66 games with Bakersfield in 2002 when his season was cut short after tearing his left knee meniscus on July 3.

2001

Set career highs in nearly every offensive power category in 2001 with Charleston (A) leading the RiverDogs in hits (114), games (135) and at-bats (500)...Tabbed by Baseball America as having the best infield arm in the Rays system (for the 2nd straight year) and the South Atlantic League.

2000

Split the 2000 campaign between Charleston and Hudson Valley (A) batting a combined .254...Rated by Baseball America as having the best infield arm in the Rays system.

1999

Named an Appy League Top Ten Prospect by Baseball America in 1999...hit .259 with nine doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI in 53 games at Princeton (R) in his first professional season.