Former MLB hurler Odrisamer Despaigne has inked a contract to pitch with the KT Wiz of the KBO, relays Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net (link). The Cuban native will receive a $750K guarantee with up to $150K in incentives.
Despaigne’s name last surfaced here when he was outrighted off of the roster of the White Sox in mid-June after a rough sampling of three starts with Chicago. After his outright, the 32-year-old enjoyed a nice showing with Triple-A Charlotte, recording a 3.47 ERA and 9.0 K/9 in 124.1 innings at the highest level of the minors.
As it stands, his 2014 rookie season with the Padres stands as the highlight of a six-season major league career spent with five separate major league teams. That incipient season saw the 6’0 Despaigne log a 3.36 ERA and 3.74 FIP across 96.1 big league innings, although ensuing years exposed the hurler’s general lack of strikeout stuff as something of a liability (career 5.55 K/9 mark). Still, Despaigne will be fondly remembered by some fans for being a true everything-and-the-kitchen-sink pitcher, with Statcast recording as many as seven pitches in his toolbox (including an all-too-rare eephus offering).
The former Padre, Oriole, Marlin, Angel, and White Sox will head to his next adventure with a career 5.11 ERA through 353 innings and 50 starts at the MLB level. MLBTR wishes him all the best in his international endeavor.
Like the man retired.
The opportunity to experience a new country and culture while playing the game of baseball.
I’m surprised more guys don’t take advantage of it. I think I would.
A heartfelt tale.
I wish I could suck as much as he does at my job amd still make over 2 mill.
By “suck as much as he does,” I assume you meant the ability to make it to a major league roster; in other words, to be considered one of the 750 best practitioners of his craft in the entire world, even if just for a short while.
In the world of major leaguers, HE STILL SUCKS.
So who is Odrisamer Despaigne replacing? Raul Alcantara or William Cuevas?
One of my greatest memories of Vin Scully is him pronouncing this player’s name.
What a name!
Despaigne is slang for tomato can.
My family and I were there for his first career game with the Padres. He threw six shut out innings.