1. Overview
James J. Baldwin, Jr., born on July 15, 1971, in Southern Pines, North Carolina, is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams, including the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and Baltimore Orioles. After retiring as a player, Baldwin transitioned into a coaching career, working at both the high school and professional levels, notably within the Cincinnati Reds organization. He batted and threw right-handed.
2. Early Life and Background
James J. Baldwin, Jr. was born on July 15, 1971, in Southern Pines, North Carolina, located in Moore County, United States. Throughout his baseball career, he was known for his right-handed throwing and batting style.
3. Playing Career
James Baldwin's professional baseball career as a pitcher spanned over a decade in Major League Baseball, marked by consistent performance and notable moments.
3.1. Draft and Debut
Baldwin was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB draft, as the 103rd overall pick. He made his Major League debut for the White Sox on April 30, 1995.
3.2. Major League Seasons
After his debut, Baldwin joined the White Sox's starting rotation in 1996, achieving 11 wins that season. He went on to record double-digit wins for six consecutive years, from 1996 through 2001. Following his tenure with the White Sox, Baldwin played for several other MLB teams. In 2001, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers mid-season. Subsequently, he played for the Seattle Mariners in 2002, the Minnesota Twins in 2003, and the New York Mets in 2004. His final Major League season was in 2005, during which he played for both the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers. On January 24, 2006, Baldwin signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, but was released on April 22 of that year.
3.3. Notable Moments
During spring training in 1995, James Baldwin became the first pitcher to face Michael Jordan in an intrasquad game. In 2000, as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Baldwin was selected for the 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He pitched the third inning of the game, allowing a second hit to Chipper Jones, which was the only home run of the night and sparked a brief comeback for the National League. Despite this, Baldwin was credited as the winning pitcher in the All-Star Game.
3.4. Career Statistics
The following table details James Baldwin's pitching statistics throughout his Major League Baseball career:
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | W | L | SV | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | CWS | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 81 | 14.2 | 32 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 21 | 12.89 | 2.80 |
| 1996 | CWS | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 719 | 169.0 | 168 | 24 | 57 | 3 | 127 | 12 | 1 | 88 | 83 | 4.42 | 1.33 |
| 1997 | CWS | 32 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 0 | .444 | 879 | 200.0 | 205 | 19 | 83 | 3 | 140 | 14 | 3 | 128 | 117 | 5.27 | 1.44 |
| 1998 | CWS | 37 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 0 | .684 | 712 | 159.0 | 176 | 18 | 60 | 2 | 108 | 5 | 1 | 103 | 94 | 5.32 | 1.48 |
| 1999 | CWS | 35 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 13 | 0 | .480 | 886 | 199.1 | 219 | 34 | 81 | 1 | 123 | 11 | 1 | 119 | 113 | 5.10 | 1.51 |
| 2000 | CWS | 29 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 0 | .667 | 758 | 178.0 | 185 | 34 | 59 | 3 | 116 | 4 | 1 | 96 | 92 | 4.65 | 1.37 |
| 2001 | CWS | 17 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 431 | 95.2 | 109 | 15 | 38 | 0 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 49 | 4.61 | 1.54 |
| 2001 | LAD | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 333 | 79.1 | 82 | 10 | 25 | 1 | 53 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 37 | 4.20 | 1.35 |
| 2001 Total | 29 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0 | .476 | 764 | 175.0 | 191 | 25 | 63 | 1 | 95 | 7 | 0 | 95 | 86 | 4.42 | 1.45 | |
| 2002 | SEA | 30 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 662 | 150.0 | 179 | 26 | 49 | 2 | 88 | 1 | 0 | 95 | 88 | 5.28 | 1.52 |
| 2003 | MIN | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | 69 | 15.0 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 5.40 | 1.67 |
| 2004 | NYM | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 36 | 6.0 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 15.00 | 3.00 |
| 2005 | BAL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 22.1 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1.61 | 0.90 | |
| 2005 | TEX | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .000 | 76 | 17.1 | 18 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 5.19 | 1.44 |
| 2005 | BAL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 17.0 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 5.29 | 1.47 | |
| 2005 Total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .000 | 238 | 56.2 | 54 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 28 | 24 | 3.81 | 1.24 | |
| MLB Totals (11 years) | 266 | 202 | 7 | 2 | 79 | 74 | 2 | .516 | 5804 | 1322.2 | 1443 | 203 | 486 | 19 | 844 | 57 | 8 | 794 | 737 | 5.01 | 1.46 | |
3.5. Uniform Numbers
Throughout his professional playing career, James Baldwin wore several uniform numbers for different teams:
- 37 (1995 - 2001, part of the season)
- 30 (2001, part of the season - end of season; 2003)
- 38 (2004)
- 23 (2005, part of the season)
- 39 (2005, part of the season)
- 19 (2005, part of the season - end of season)
3.6. Records and Awards
James Baldwin was selected for the MLB All-Star Game once in his career, in 2000.
4. Coaching Career
After concluding his playing career, James Baldwin transitioned into coaching, contributing to both high school and professional baseball programs.
4.1. High School Coaching
Baldwin served as the pitching coach for the baseball team at his alma mater, Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, North Carolina.
4.2. Professional Coaching
In 2016, Baldwin joined the Cincinnati Reds organization. From 2016 through 2019, he served as a rehabilitation coach at the Reds' Arizona complex. Prior to the 2020 season, he was named the pitching coach for the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
5. Family
James Baldwin has a son, James Baldwin III, who is also a professional baseball player. James Baldwin III, a center fielder from Pinecrest High School, was drafted in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010 and subsequently signed with the team.