Julian Tavarez

From SoSH

Hide your children, it's Julian Tavarez!

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Moment in the Sun 3 Awards 4 Trivia 5 SOSH Amateur Scouting Report 6 Transactions 7 External Links

Overall Career

Moment in the Sun

• As a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, he gave up the tie-breaking HR to Mark Bellhorn in Game 1 of the 2004 World Series.

• Somehow went 4 scoreless innings during a 19-inning marathon on July 9, 2006 vs the Chicago White Sox, defying the laws of suckitude.

• On September 4, 2006, in his second start of the season, pitched 6 scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox until giving up two runs in the seventh. Earns no-decision in eventual Red Sox walk-off win.

• Not influencing Matsuzaka when it comes to pitching.

Awards

• 1993 Carolina League All-Star (A)
• 1994 Triple-A All-Star Team (Baseball America)

Trivia

• Is in the discussion, along with Randy Johnson, for the title of "Ugliest Man in Baseball."

• Owns two horses, John Henry and Mike. Tavarez claims that they look like him because they have "sexy lips."

• Punches like a girl.

• Aspired to be adult movie star if he couldn't be a ballplayer.

• Has been suspended no less than 5 times in his career.

• Once broke 2 fingers, a la Mordecai, after punching a bullpen phone.

• In summer 2003, while a Pirate, he was accused of doctoring the baseball in a number of ways; the most prominent accusation was that he was applying pine tar from his cap. He had the following to say to the media: "I used to let things like that bother me. That's why they used to call me Yo-Yo Head earlier in my career. Now, I don't care what people say or write in the newspapers. I'm not putting anything on the ball. I could see if I had 20 wins that people might say something. I have two wins. Would I only have two wins if I were cheating?" He continued. "Everyone has their own preferences. Some people like skinny women, I like fat women. Some people like young women, I like old women. Some people like poor women, I like rich women. Some people like clean caps, I like dirty caps." He ended his soliloquy by accusing Mike Timlin and Steve Kline of doctoring their baseballs. "Have you ever looked at their caps? Steve Kline's cap is so filthy that it makes you want to throw up, and Timlin's cap is always very shiny. No one ever questions them."

• His Name is Pronounced: JOOL-ee-an tah-VAR-rez

• Tavarez and Manny Ramirez once asked a couple Cleveland Indians beat writers to lend them $60,000 so they could buy motorcycles after GM John Hart turned them down.

• Inaugural member of the Professional Baseball Video Game League

• Will not be vacationing in San Francisco anytime soon.

• 6/10/2007 announced that he had been suffering from a blister. He said that he had it for a couple of starts but successfully treated it in his own unique manner: 1). Pop it, 2). Repeatedly swab it with rubbing alcohol, 3). Crush aspirins, mix it with Red Bull energy drink and rub it on the popped blister.

• Is an awesome dude

SOSH Amateur Scouting Report

Julian Tavarez, RHP. Born 5/73. Used mostly as middle inning man for past few years, had 6 fill-in starts at end of 2006 season. Likely to start 2007 as middle-inning man.

Tavarez throws mostly the sinking fastball (85-88 MPH) and a straight fastball (88 to 92 MPH), and mixes in sliders, and a changeup once in a while. Uses more sliders to righties and more changeups to lefties.

Lifetime, allows righties a .267 average, and a 1.28 WHIP. Lefties, .304 average and a 1.76 WHIP.

His best overall pitch is probably his slider, when he keeps it down and makes it sink. His changeup is effective when he gets hitters to chase it.

Is best when he gets hitters to chase pitches out of the zone. Needs to keep the ball low to be effective. Is best when forcing ground balls and keeping the ball in the park.

Originally written by: Gray Eagle

Transactions

• March 16, 1990: Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent.
• November 13, 1996: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Jeff Kent, Jose Vizcaino, and Joe Roa to the San Francisco Giants for Trenidad Hubbard and Matt Williams.
• November 21, 1999: Selected off waivers by the Colorado Rockies from the San Francisco Giants.
• October 31, 2000: Granted Free Agency.
• November 16, 2000: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.
• March 27, 2002: Traded by the Chicago Cubs with Jose Cueto, Ryan Jorgensen, and Dontrelle Willis to the Florida Marlins for Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement.
• October 28, 2002: Granted Free Agency.
• January 28, 2003: Signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• November 2, 2003: Granted Free Agency.
• January 9, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
• October 28, 2005: Granted Free Agency.
• January 18, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• May 12, 2008: Designated for Assignment

External Links

• TheBaseballCube.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Julian Tavarez at ESPN.com