Jermaine Van Buren
From SoSH
| Born: | July 2, 1980 |
| Birthplace: | Hattiesburg, Mississippi |
| Hometown: | |
| Height: | 6' 1" |
| Weight: | 220 lbs |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 1998: 2nd Round by the Colorado Rockies |
| College: | |
| High School: | Hattiesburg HS (MS) |
| Other Teams: | Chicago Cubs 2005 |
| Years with Boston: | 2006 |
Jermaine Russell Van Buren (born July 2, 1980 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi) is a middle reliever for the Oakland Athletics. Van Buren pitched in 10 games for the Red Sox in 2006.
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Overall Career
Van Buren was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the second round of the 1998 amateur draft. After spending four years in the Rockies farm system, never playing above Single-A, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs in 2004, where he made a successful transition to the closer role. In 52 games at Triple-A Iowa, where he earned Pacific Coast League all-star honors, Van Buren was 2-3 with 25 saves, 22 walks and 65 strikeouts and an impressive 1.98 ERA in 54.2 innings, while limiting opponents to a .181 average and five homers. His increasing mound presence earned him a late-season call-up to Chicago, ending with a 0-2 record and a 3.00 ERA in 6 innings. At the end of the season, he was dealt by Chicago to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor league outfielder Matt Ciaramella.
In 2006, Van Buren was called up when David Wells went on the disabled list and made his Red Sox debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 21, pitching three innings, striking out one, and allowing one run on two hits and a walk. He was optioned back to Pawtucket a day later, and was recalled by Boston on May 24. He picked up his first big league win on May 31 against the Blue Jays, pitching a scoreless inning in relief. Van Buren spent the rest of the season riding the Pawtucket shuttle before opting for minor league free agency on November 1. In 10 games for the Red Sox, Van Buren finished with a 1-0 record with a 11.77 ERA, 15 walks and 8 strikeouts in 13 innings.
On November 7, 2006 Van Buren signed with the Washington Nationals. Failing to make the team out of spring training, Van Buren started the season at Triple-A Columbus, where he went 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA with 32 strikeouts and 21 walks in 40 innings.
The Oakland Athletics acquired Van Buren on June 27, 2007 for a player to be named later.
Scouting Report
- JVB possesses a low 90s fastball, utilizing a deceptive delivery. He also has a plus-slider, a plus-curveball, and a decent change. Power strikeout pitcher was extremely successful in the Cubs system after being released by Colorado at the age of 22. MLB setup potential.
Trivia
- His first three appearances for the Red Sox all came against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Awards
- 1998 Mississippi Player of the Year
- 2005 Cubs Triple-A Pitcher of the Year
- 2005 MiLB Relief Pitcher of the Year
- 2005 Pacific Coast League All-Star
- 2005 Pacific Coast League Post-Season All-Star
Red Sox Firsts
- Game: April 22, 2006
- Pitching Line: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
- Strikeout: April 22, 2006, Troy Glaus
- Start: None
- Win: May 31, 2006 (first in MLB)
- Save: None
Transactions
- June 2, 1998: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2nd round of the 1998 amateur draft. Player signed June 15, 1998.
- March 23, 2003: Released by the Colorado Rockies.
- January 24, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.
- December 1, 2005: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Boston Red Sox for Matt Ciaramella.
- November 7, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent with the Washington Nationals to a minor league contract.
- June 27, 2007: Traded by the Washington Nationals to the Oakland Athletics for a PTBNL.
External Links
- Jermaine Van Buren - Minor League Information Courtesy of Sox Prospects
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
