Russ Springer #36

Russell Paul Springer...he and his wife, Kelly, make their offseason home in Pollock, Louisiana, with their daughter, Karlee (December 8, 1995), and son, Jake (December 8, 1998)...graduated from Grant High School in Dry Prong, Louisiana in 1986... earned All-District honors and was named MVP in the Louisiana State All-Star Game...attended LSU, where he was named a 1989 pre-season All-American by Baseball America...pitched three seasons for the Tigers, going to the College World Series in Omaha twice...in the 1989 College World Series, he picked up a win over Miami...still holds several LSU pitching records, including his record for innings pitched in a game, a 10.2 inning outing vs. Kentucky in 1988...was voted recipient of the 2007 Darryl Kile Award by his teammates, an award that goes to the player who best exemplifies the qualities, both on and off the field, of Kile, a former teammate.

2008

Veteran returned to the Cardinals for a second-straight season after signing a one-year contract October 10, 2007... the 2008 season marked his 16th big league season...finished with 70 appearances and a team low 2.32 ERA...the ERA was eighth lowest among National League relievers...ranked third on the team in appearances...allowed a .212 opponents batting average, including .176 (21 for 119) against right-handed hitters and .277 (18 for 65) against lefties... allowed three of his four home runs against left-handed hitters...limited opponents to .200 average with runners in scoring position...allowed 11 of 51 (21.6%) inherited runners to scored, which was 10th lowest in the NL...first batters faced hit .270 (17 for 63) with seven walks...had an ERA of 1.00 or less in three months (May 0.90, June 0.82 and July 1.00) and had just a 1.23 ERA in September...allowed just eight earned runs over his last 63 outings (45.1 ip, 1.59 ERA)...struck out 41 batters over that span and allowed a .186 (30 for 161) opponents batting average... went 2-0 with a 2.17 ERA before the All-Star Break and was 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA after the break.

2007

Veteran reliever returned to St. Louis after three seasons with Houston and turned in a spectacular performance. Had a career high, and team season high, 17.2-inning scoreless streak from 8/17-9/21. The 17.2-inning scoreless streak was third longest by an N.L. reliever. Carlos Marmol (CHI) had a 22.1-inning streak and Billy Wagner (NY) a 21.0-inning streak. Russ' streak was the longest by a Cardinal reliever since 2004 when Ray King strung a 21.0-inning scoreless streak. He also strung a 14.0-inning scoreless streak from 4/7-5/25, which was the team high until his 17.2 inning streak. Had a career-high eight wins...previous career high was five in 1998. The eight wins were tied for tops among N.L. relievers (J. Rauch-WSH). Ended the season with a five-game winning streak intact, which is his career-long win streak. His 76 games were a career high and his 66.0 IP were his most since 1996 (96.2 IP - PHI). Fanned 66 batters in his 66.0 IP and walked just 19. Was credited with 15 Holds while allowing just six of 27 inherited runners to score. Was 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA (34.0 IP / 7 ER) in 39 appearances at Busch Stadium. Limited opponents to a .181 batting average and right-handed batters were just 25-158 (.158). Opponents were 8-for-47 (.170) off of him with runners in scoring position. Was 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA (26.1 IP / 2 ER) with two or more days of rest. Allowed runs in back-to-back outings just twice - 6/25-26 at NY and 7/31 & 8/2 at PIT. Was 3-0 with a 1.36 ERA (33.0 IP / 5 ER) in 37 appearances versus N.L. Central opponents. He allowed just one run in 11.1 IP (0.79 ERA) vs. N.L. West teams spanning 13 outings. Had a 1.23 ERA (14.2 IP / 2 ER) in 14 outings against eventual playoff-bound teams (ARI, CHI, COL, PHI). Allowed just three home runs -- two which came in back-to-back games at NY on 6/25-26. Did not allow a hit in nine-straight outings (6.2 IP) from 4/10-5/5. Fanned two batters 4/16 vs. PIT in 1.0 IP, including the 500th of his N.L. career. Re-signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals for 2008 season on October 10.

2006

Went 1-1 with a 3.47 ERA (23ER/59.2IP) in a career-high 72 appearances, 10 more than his previous career-high 62 in 2005...He ranked tied for 19th in the NL in appearances...Did not allow a run in 58 of his 72 games pitched...Pitched 59.2 innings, his most in a season since 62.0 in 2000 for Arizona...Did not allow a run in 10 of his last 11 outings from 9/9-10/1 (1.08 ERA, 1ER/8.1IP), including his last six of the season...Limited right-handed hitters to a .187 average, lefties to .253 and all hitters to a .211 average...Held opponents to a .175 average in 40 appearances in road games and posted a 2.78 ERA (10ER/32.1IP) on the road against a 4.28 ERA (13ER/27.1IP) at home...Owned a 3.03 ERA (10ER/29.2IP) in 35 appearances after the All-Star Break...Ranked 4th in the NL among relievers in fewest baserunners per nine innings at 9.96...Held opponents to a .277 on-base pct., the lowest of his career...Pitched 3.1 scoreless innings over his first six outings to start the season...Earned the win on 4/16 at ARI, retiring the only batter he faced (Jackson)...Ejected in the 5th inning on 5/16 vs. SF after hitting Barry Bonds with a pitch...Served a four-game suspension from 5/19-22...Pitched 6.1 consecutive scoreless innings from 5/25-6/3 and posted a 3.09 ERA in May (4ER/11.2IP)...Posted a 2.31 ERA (3ER/11.2IP) in 13 July outings, limiting opponents to a .128 average...Did not allow a run in 10 consecutive outings from 7/18-8/12, allowing only three hits in 9.1 innings while striking out 13...Made his 500th career appearance on 8/19 at MIL tossing 0.1 scoreless inning...Suffered the loss on 9/1 vs. the Mets, allowing two runs and three hits in 1.0 inning.

1992

Opened year with Triple-A Columbus, but was recalled by Yankees on April 14, making big league debut three days later with 4.0 innings of relief verses Cleveland...optioned to Columbus on April 28, then recalled on Aug. 22 when Tim Leary was traded...finished third in International League with 2.69 ERA, and was tabbed the third-best prospect in the Yankees organization by Baseball America.

1993

Began the year with Triple A Vancouver, going 5-4 in 11 games (nine starts)...made first Major League start on Aug. 11 for the Angels verses the White Sox, incurring in a 11-6 loss...posted first Major League win on July 10, a 4-2 triumph over the Yankees...lone career complete game was a 3-1 loss at Cleveland on July 17, an 8.0-inning stint...placed on the Disabled List from Aug. 2 through the remainder of the year with a cracked facet joint in lower back...pitched in the Arizona Fall League.

1994

Started year with Triple A Vancouver, tying for Pacific Coast League lead in complete games with four over 12 starts...recalled by the California Angels on June 9, going 1-0 with two saves and a 2.11 ERA in 13 relief appearances, but was 1-2 with an 8.51 mark in five starts.

1995

Opened the year with the Angels, but he was optioned to Triple A Vancouver on June 16 after seven games, going 10 with an 11.70 ERA...recalled on June 9, working 12 times (six starts), then was optioned again on July 28, remaining there until an Aug. 15 trade to Philadelphia as the player-to-be-named in the Dave Gallagher deal...made his N.L. debut with a three-inning, six-strikeout performance on Aug. 20 vs. San Francisco.

1996

Used primarily out of the pen for Philadelphia, appearing in 51 games, 44 in relief...fanned 73 batters in 62.2 innings out of the bullpen...tied a career-high with seven strikeouts in a 3.1-inning stint at Cincinnati on June 25...made his first start on July 2, a 3-2 win over the New York Mets, going 5.0 innings, his first start in the Majors since July 24, 1995, while with the Angels...worked 7.0 innings in a win over St. Louis on Aug. 1, his longest outing since an eight-inning stint on July 17, 1993 at Cleveland.

1997

Made the transition to full-time reliever, appearing 54 times out of the pen for the Astros...fanned six in a two-inning stint on April 13 at St. Louis...had a career-high three saves in seven chances...finished with 74 strikeouts in 55.1 innings, a 12.3 per 9-inning ratio, second on the Houston staff to Billy Wagner's 14.4...placed on the Disabled List from June 17July 10 with a lower back strain...appeared twice against the Braves in the Division Series, allowing a run in 1.2 innings, the tally scoring in the seventh inning of Game 3.

1998

Selected with the third choice in the third round of the expansion draft to become a member of the original Diamondbacks, making 26 relief appearances before a June 23 trade to Atlanta in exchange for left-hander Alan Embree...posted an impressive 1.46 ERA in May (two earned runs in 12.1 innings), but struggled with an 8.31 mark in seven games in June, then was dealt to the Braves...allowed only one earned run over his first 8.0 innings with Atlanta, but was touched up for eight earned runs in his next 5.1 frames before going on the D.L. with bone spurs in his right elbow...underwent surgery to clean up the injury in October.

1999

Served as the right-handed set-up man for the National League Champion Atlanta Braves and posted an impressive second half, allowing six earned runs over 29.0 innings (29 appearances), a 1.85 ERA, while not allowing an earned run in 24 of his final 26 outings...overall, he limited the opposition to a .185 average, surrendering just 31 hits in 168 at bats...was particularly effective against left-handed batters, allowing only 10 hits in 65 at bats, a .154 mark, while righties hit .204 (21x103)...tossed 5.1 shutout innings in five postseason appearances for the Braves with three hits allowed, two walked and three strikeouts...worked against the Astros in the Division Series, allowing two hits over an inning of work...his lone postseason decision was a win in Game 6 of the NLCS, working the top of the 11th inning, then benefiting from the bases loaded walk to Andruw Jones that sent the Braves to the World Series...appeared twice in the World Series vs. the Yankees, tossing 2.0 shutout frames in Game 2 at Turner Field, then recording an out in the Series finale at Yankee Stadium....recorded a save against Cincinnati on Aug. 23, his first in nearly two seasons dating back to Sept. 9, 1997, while hurling for the Astros...his big league season started late due to January back surgery (herniated lumbar disc), working 11 times for Richmond (AAA) on a rehab stint before joining Atlanta on May 17.

2000

Became the first player to leave the Diamondbacks and then return when he signed a free-agent contract on Nov. 23, 1999...picked up decisions in Arizona's first two extra-inning games of the season, earning the 3-2 win in 11 inning at homes vs. the Phillies on April 6, then suffering the loss when he surrendered a 13th-inning homer to Ed Sprague at San Diego on April 11...recorded 13 strikeouts in a 9.2-inning stretch from Aug. 4-22, spanning seven appearances -- included were season-high four, four-strikeout outings on Aug. 4 (3.1 innings vs. Mets) and Aug. 8 (1.2 innings vs. Montreal)...the 3.1-inning stint against the Mets on August 4...struck out 34 batters in his final 30.2 innings for a 9.98 strikeout per nine-inning ratio after posting 25 strikeouts in his first 31.1 frames (7.18 ratio)...was 0-for-2 in save situations...singled off Philadelphia's Steve Schrenk in the eighth on April 25 for his first base hit since Jul. 20, 1996, when he was with the Phillies.

2001

Limited to 18 relief appearances over the first seven weeks of the season with Arizona before succumbing to a right shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery...ran into health problems after his May 22 appearance, allowing a pair of home runs in 0.1 innings against the Giants in what turned out to be his final outing of the year...underwent arthroscopic surgery on Aug. 15, performed by Diamondbacks team physician Dr. Michael Lee, to repair his right shoulder...recorded his first save as a Diamondback on April 24 against Florida, coaxing a game-ending fly ball with runners on first and second to preserve a 9-8 Arizona victory.

2002

Sat out the entire season as he continued recovery from right shoulder surgery...pitched for Caguas Cirollos in the Puerto Rican Winter League and was 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA and six saves in 17 games, striking out 19 batters in 17.0 innings pitched.

2003

Spent the season in the St. Louis organization, pitching in 17 games after missing the entire 2002 campaign...finished 1-1 with an 8.37 ERA (16ER/17.1IP) in 17 games for the Cardinals...12 of the 16 runs he allowed came via home runs...activated from the Disabled List on Aug. 30 after missing 109 games...placed on the 15-day DL on May 1 with a strained ligament in his right elbow...sent to Triple A Memphis for a rehab assignment...also pitched seven games for Memphis...recorded no decisions and 1.42 ERA (1ER/6.1IP)...worked a season-high 2.0 scoreless innings on April 14 at Milwaukee with two strikeouts...retired five straight batters on April 12 at Houston...credited with the win on the March 31 season opener vs. Milwaukee for his first Major League win since 2001.

2004

Signed by Houston to a minor league contract on June 19 and started pitching at Triple A New Orleans...did not allow a run in 13 of his 16 games with the Astros...was 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA (4ER/13.2IP) in his 16 outings for Houston...made two appearances in the NLDS vs. Atlanta...0-1 with an 18.00 ERA (4ER/2ER)...suffered the loss in Game 4...suffered the loss on Sept. 15 at St. Louis in his first decision of the season after allowing two runs on three hits over 0.2 innings...had only allowed one run over his first 10 games with Houston (8.0 innings)...made his 2004 Astros debut on Aug. 28 at the Chicago Cubs, working one scoreless frame...contract purchased from Triple A New Orleans on Aug. 22...1-2 with six saves and a 3.48 ERA (12 ER/31IP) in 26 games with the Zephyrs, including 14 walks and 33 strikeouts...recorded five saves for New Orleans over 11 appearances in August...struck out four over 2.0 scoreless innings with one hit on July 23 vs. Memphis.

2005

A non-roster invitee to Spring Training, he made a careerhigh 62 appearances out of the bulllpen and finished 4-4 with a 4.73 ERA (31ER/59IP)...pitched 59.0 innings, his highest total since 2000 (62.0 for ARI)...did not allow a run in 47 of his 62 appearances...posted a 5.46 ERA (19ER/31.1IP) in the first half and a 3.90 ERA (12ER/27.2) after the All-Star Break...did not allow a run in 20 of his last 26 and 26 of his last 33 outings...allowed four or more runs four times - subtracting those four appearances, he owned a 2.35 ERA (15ER/57.1IP) in his 58 other outings...did not allow a run in a 9.0-inning stretch over nine appearances from 4/15-5/9...made his 400th career appearance on 5/23 at CHI and pitched 1.0 scoreless inning...suffered the loss by allowing an eighthinning grand slam (Atkins) on 6/28 at COL...struck out all four hitters he faced in 1.1 innings on 7/2 at CIN...earned his second win of the year with one scoreless inning on 7/10 vs. LA...tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts for his third win 7/24 at WSH...earned fourth win with 1.1 scoreless innings 8/19 vs. MIL ...posted an 0.93 ERA (1ER/9.2IP) in 10 August outings...snapped a string of 9.1 scoreless innings from 8/10-9/2 with the loss on 9/3 vs. STL, surrendering one run over 0.2 innings...pitched a season-high 2.0 innings three times, including 2.0 scoreless innings on 9/28 at STL. 2005 POSTSEASON - Pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in NLDS Game 4...tossed 1.0 scoreless inning in NLCS Game 1...allowed one run in 1.0 inning of World Series Game 1, and recorded a scoreless seventh inning in WS Game 3.