Jerrod Riggan

2.1. Major League Baseball (MLB) Career

Riggan began his professional journey in the California Angels' farm system, where he spent two years as a starting pitcher with moderate success. However, during spring training in 1998, the Angels informed him of their decision to demote him and convert him into a relief pitcher. In response, Riggan requested his release from the team, leading to an indefinite suspension by the Angels. He was eventually granted his release in April 1998. Subsequently, Riggan secured a contract with the New York Mets after attending an open tryout in Yakima, Washington, which he learned about through an advertisement in The Wenatchee World.

Riggan received his first Major League call-up in August 2000, a move prompted by an injury to Mets reliever John Franco. The Mets had initially intended to add Eric Cammack to their roster, but Cammack was unable to travel due to adverse weather conditions in Norfolk, Virginia. Riggan, who was playing for the Binghamton Mets at the time, did not face the same travel issues. He made his MLB debut on August 29, pitching two scoreless relief innings against the Houston Astros. The very next day, he was demoted to Triple-A and replaced on the roster by Timo Perez, and he did not appear in any further Major League games that season.

In 2001, Riggan started the season in the minor leagues but had four separate stints on the Major League roster during the first half of the season: April 28-30, May 1-17, May 27 - June 6, and June 24-25. On July 22, he was recalled for a fifth time to replace pitcher Donne Wall on the roster. For the remainder of the season, he became a regular presence in the Mets' bullpen. He earned his first Major League win on August 18, 2001, pitching a perfect inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. According to Riggan, team officials informed him that he had been a subject of trade discussions multiple times throughout the 2001 season, but the team had vetoed those offers, unwilling to part with him.

Despite the Mets' reluctance to trade him, on December 11, 2001, Riggan was part of a significant trade, moving to the Cleveland Indians along with Alex Escobar, Matt Lawton, and players to be named later. In return, the Mets acquired future Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, Mike Bacsik, and a minor leaguer. Mark Shapiro, the Indians' general manager at the time, later stated that he would not have made the deal if it had not included Riggan. Upon hearing about the trade, Riggan initially expressed enthusiasm, saying he was "glad" to join a contending team and "excited about joining their staff." However, in retrospect, after his retirement, he admitted that his "heart sunk" when he learned of the trade, feeling as though his "balloon was deflated." He reflected that the trade negatively impacted his attitude going forward, and he felt he had "jinxed" himself from that point onward.

Riggan began the 2002 season on Cleveland's active roster. However, he was demoted on April 24, replaced by pitcher Chad Paronto, after, as described by Christina Kahrl, "giving up baserunners hand over fist." He was recalled on June 13 following an injury to pitcher Paul Shuey but was sent back down on July 6 to make room for pitcher Jason Phillips. On August 15, he returned to the roster once more, alongside pitcher David Riske, and made regular relief appearances for the remainder of the season.

In 2003, Riggan did not make Cleveland's roster out of spring training. He was called up to the majors on May 13 after Travis Hafner suffered a broken toe. However, he was designated for assignment by the Indians on May 18 after struggling in two relief appearances. Riggan subsequently refused a minor league assignment and was granted free agency. On May 25, the Mets re-signed him to a minor league contract.

2.2. Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Career

In June 2003, Jerrod Riggan was granted a release by the New York Mets to sign a seven-figure contract with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), covering the remainder of the 2003 season and the entirety of 2004. The Hanshin Tigers had urgently acquired Riggan mid-season in 2003 because their expected closer, Lou Port, was struggling. Riggan joined a formidable relief corps that included Yuya Ando, Kento Kanazawa, Jeff Williams, and Makoto Yoshino, significantly bolstering the team's bullpen. His contributions were instrumental in helping the Hanshin Tigers secure their first league championship in 18 years that season. He also pitched for the Tigers in the 2003 Japan Series.

In the 2004 season, Riggan continued to perform effectively as a reliever, showing no decline from his previous year's performance. He was even utilized as a closer, often in conjunction with Williams and Ando. However, his season was cut short when he suffered a severe right elbow ligament injury mid-season, undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 29, 2004, and necessitating his return to the United States. Due to the grim outlook for a full recovery, he subsequently retired from the team. His departure was a major setback for the Hanshin Tigers in 2004, contributing significantly to their failure to win the pennant, as the team was plagued by numerous injuries that year.

In 2005, Riggan returned to the Mets' minor league system. On June 27, 2005, nearly a year after his elbow surgery, he made an appearance in a game for the Gulf Coast Mets. He managed to reach as high as Double-A but progressed no further. This would mark his final season in professional baseball.

2.3. Player Characteristics

Jerrod Riggan was known for his distinctive pitching style, which involved utilizing his entire body in his throwing motion. Observers noted that despite batters taking powerful swings, they often struggled to make solid contact, resulting in balls that did not travel far. Rather than primarily relying on strikeouts, Riggan's effectiveness stemmed from his excellent control, which allowed him to induce numerous ground balls and fly balls for outs.

4.1. Yearly Pitching Statistics

4.2. NPB Records

• First appearance: June 27, 2003, against the Yokohama BayStars (15th game of the season) at Yokohama Stadium. He entered in the 8th inning as the 4th relief pitcher, pitching 1 scoreless inning.
• First strikeout: On the same date, in the 8th inning, he struck out Ryoji Aikawa swinging.
• First win: July 18, 2003, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (15th game of the season) at Hanshin Koshien Stadium. He entered in the 7th inning as the 3rd relief pitcher, pitching 2 scoreless innings.
• First save: April 20, 2004, against the Chunichi Dragons (4th game of the season) at Nagoya Dome. He entered in the 8th inning as the 4th relief pitcher, completing the game with 2 scoreless innings.

4.3. Uniform Numbers

• 34 (2000)
• 38 (2001)
• 51 (2002-2003)
• 65 (2003-2004)