Jason Schmidt debuts on BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot
In 2001, the San Francisco Giants took a flier on the future when they acquired a 28-year-old starting pitcher in a midseason trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The tall right-hander had compiled a 49-53 overall record in just over six seasons in the Major Leagues.
Five years later, one-time prospect Jason Schmidt had established himself as one of the most dominant aces in baseball, making three All-Star appearances with the Giants while finishing in the top five in Cy Young voting on two occasions.
“He’s a bona fide No. 1 guy,” former Giants teammate Mark Sweeney told the Los Angeles Times in 2007. “There aren’t too many No. 1 guys in the game, and Jason is one of the best.”
Now, Schmidt could be headed for a permanent home in Cooperstown.
Schmidt debuts on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot this fall, one of 34 players on the 2015 BBWAA ballot for the Class of 2015.
BBWAA members who have at least 10 years of tenure with the organization can vote in the election, and the results will be announced Jan. 6. Any candidate who receives at least 75 percent of all BBWAA votes cast will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015. The Induction Ceremony will be held July 26 in Cooperstown.
Bio
Born in Lewiston, Idaho on Jan. 29, 1973, Schmidt was an All-State MVP pitcher, as well as a football and basketball player in high school. He received a scholarship offer from the University of Arizona, but instead elected to sign with the Atlanta Braves, who drafted him in the eighth round of the 1991 MLB Draft.
Schmidt made his Major League debut on April 28, 1995 as a relief pitcher. He did not make his first Major League start until Sept. 3 of that season, but on that day he picked up his first Major League victory when he held the Cubs scoreless through eight innings.
In 1996, Schmidt was sent to the Pirates in a midseason trade that brought Denny Neagle to Atlanta as the Braves made a run to the World Series. Schmidt spent five seasons with the Pirates, three of which resulted in double-digit win totals. Pittsburgh then traded him to the Giants in 2001.
Schmidt’s career took off while in San Francisco. In 2002, his first full season with the Giants, he compiled a 13-8 overall record while posting a career-best 3.45 ERA. Though San Francisco would eventually lose to the Anaheim Angels in seven games in the World Series that year, Schmidt started two Fall Classic games – both Giants’ victories.
He had a break-out year in 2003, dropping his ERA to 2.34 and winning 17 games en route to his first All-Star appearance. He also finished second in Cy Young voting behind the Dodgers’ Eric Gagné.
“I never thought I’d be in this position,” Schmidt told the Boston Globe in 2003. “You always strive for something like this and hope your career kind of turns out this way, but of all the years I never guessed that this would be my season. It’s just a blessing.”
Schmidt continued to post career numbers with the Giants, earning berths on two more All-Star teams in the next three seasons and finishing fourth in the Cy Young voting in 2004. His success earned him praise amongst sportswriters and popularity with San Francisco fans.
“He’s a guy who not only can be counted on to beat the other team but to make the other team’s hitters feel lousy about themselves in the process,” Contra Costa Times columnist Gary Peterson wrote of Schmidt. “In short, Schmidt was (and is) to the Giants’ pitchers what Barry Bonds was (and is) to Giants’ hitters — the singular talent that gives the collective more credibility than it deserves.”
On June 6, 2006, Schmidt tied Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson’s franchise record for most strikeouts in a game with 16 against the Florida Marlins.
After the 2006 season, Schmidt left the Giants to sign with the Dodgers, who were coming off of an NLDS appearance. However, he missed almost all of the next two seasons with an ongoing shoulder injury.
Schmidt’s shoulder cut his playing time short in 2009 as well as he won two of the four games he started for the Dodgers. He retired in 2009 after spending the final two months of the season on the disabled list.
Though the end of his career was beset with injury, Schmidt emerged as a dominant starting pitcher in his prime. The three-time All-Star finished his 14-year career with a 130-96 overall record and a 3.96 ERA.
