Kyle Farnsworth Career Tracker

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Kyle Farnsworth

Kyle Lynn Farnsworth (born April 14, 1976 in Wichita, Kansas) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.

Farnsworth graduated from Milton High School in Milton, Georgia in 1994. During high school, he played baseball, basketball, and football. He continued to play baseball in college at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia.

Major League career

Farnsworth was drafted in the 47th round by the Chicago Cubs.[citation needed] He played for the Cubs from 1999 to 2004.

In 2005, Farnsworth played for the Detroit Tigers until he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for pitchers Zach Miner and Roman Colon on July 31, 2005.

Following the 2005 season, Farnsworth signed with the New York Yankees, replacing Tom Gordon as the team's primary set-up man. The deal, worth $17 million over three years, was the second highest offer Farnsworth received. The Texas Rangers reportedly offered $25 million over four years and the closer job. However, he first learned of the Rangers' interest when he was taking his physical for the Yankees. Farnsworth also decided against re-signing with the Braves, for whom he grew up rooting[citation needed], where he also would have been a closer rather than a setup man. He felt the Yankees would give him the best chance to win a championship and decided to sign with them.

He struggled in the 2006 season, accumulating a 4.36 ERA.

On July 30, 2008, Farnsworth returned to the Tigers in a trade for Iván Rodríguez.

Incidents

Farnsworth was involved in a brawl that occurred in the 2003 season when his former team, the Chicago Cubs, were playing the Cincinnati Reds. Reds pitcher Paul Wilson stepped out of the batter's box after an inside pitch, and started to yell at Farnsworth. Farnsworth then met Wilson a short distance from home plate and speared him to the ground. He was suspended three games for his actions.

Farnsworth also was involved in a bench-clearing fight in the 2005 season while playing for the Detroit Tigers, against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. After order appeared to have been restored, Farnsworth charged Royals pitcher Jeremy Affeldt and tackled him to the ground in a similar fashion as he did with Paul Wilson. He was ejected from the game.

On April 17, 2008, Farnsworth threw behind Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez. While Farnsworth claimed that the ball slipped out of his hand as a result of trying to throw the ball as hard as possible, Ramirez was skeptical and surmised that the pitch was retaliation for Alex Rodriguez being plunked the prior night after hitting a home run in the game. Following Farnsworth's pitch, the umpire issued warnings to both dugouts that any ill-intentions from that point forward would result in ejections.

Farnsworth is a right-handed reliever who throws in the high-90s. He is
1-2 this season with a 3.65 earned-run average. He has been used
strictly in relief by the Yankees, and has 11 holds in 45 appearances.
He has 43 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings.

Remember, Farnsworth was traded for and is great.

I don't really have much of an opinion on this trade. I was not all that big of a fan of a certain former Tiger whose name I won't mention. I didn't hate him but I didn't adore him like quite a few do on here. I'm not sole on Inge or Farnsworth though either.

im gonna miss farnsworth

great, a bench-clearer

a what?

you know what I mean.

he is good at fights lol.. nobody would want to mess with your team now.

except the management~

Thursday, July 31, 2008
Farnsworth should bring sweet relief
Reliever's performance over the past month is what Tigers need if they hope to contend for title.
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

Kyle Farnsworth loved to read hunting magazines almost as much as he loved to pump fastballs during his three-month stint with the Tigers in 2005.

Kibbitzing with teammates or with others who might approach him in the Tigers clubhouse? It was high on the list of hobbies for a tall (6-foot-6), powerful, and decidedly private right-handed reliever. He left the Tigers soon after he joined them, heading to Atlanta at the 2005 July trade deadline in a deal that brought right-handers Roman Colon and Zach Miner to Detroit.

Farnsworth is back in a Detroit uniform after Wednesday's deal with the Yankees that sent catcher Pudge Rodriguez to New York.

Based on his performance in the past month, the Tigers got the bullpen help they desperately need as they fight to remain contenders in the American League Central Division race.

Farnsworth has a 3.65 ERA to go with a 1-2 record in 45 games for the Yankees. But it has been his previous 30 days that help explain why the Tigers were interested in landing Farnsworth.

From June 27-July 22, Farnsworth made 10 appearances for the Yankees, a total of nine innings. He did not allow a run or a hit while walking five and striking out 10. His July ERA is 2.12.

Although he does not often reach the 100-mph range he regularly hit when he threw for the Tigers in 2005, Farnsworth has 43 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings this season. He has walked 17 batters.

The Tigers hoped to make Farnsworth part of their long-term plans when they traded for him in February 2005, grabbing him from the Chicago Cubs for right-hander Roberto Novoa, outfield prospect Bo Flowers, and an infielder who had been the Tigers' first-round draft pick in 2002, Scott Moore.

With Farnsworth headed for free agency, the Tigers offered him big money -- more than $15 million -- on a three-year contract extension. Detroit's offer likely would have been boosted for a then-29-year-old pitcher who was 1-1 with a 2.32 ERA in 46 games for the Tigers, and who had struck out 55 batters in 42 innings.

But Farnsworth had other plans. The Tigers could bag their counter-offers. He gambled on free agency. And the risk paid off when he signed a three-year, $17 million deal with the Yankees.

Tigers fans were not pleased with the last-minute trade engineered by Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers' president and general manager, and not only because Farnsworth had pitched so reliably.

Farnsworth had become something of a hero to Comerica Park's crowd because of a beanball incident involving the Kansas City Royals on July 17 of that year, during a Sunday afternoon game.

Royals starter Runelvys Hernandez hit Carlos Guillen in the helmet with a fastball and a brawl broke out on Comerica Park's infield. Farnsworth made the night's video highlights when he pile-drived Royals pitcher Jeremy Affeldt (6-4, 240 pounds) to the turf.

Two weeks later, he was on his way to Atlanta.

Three years later, almost to the day, Farnsworth returns to Detroit.

"I'm going someplace they want me," he said. "That's how I look at it."

It has not been the most pleasant of rides for a reliever, 32, who had mediocre 2006 and '07 seasons for the Yankees and for Bronx fans who let him know in their scathing ways more dominating efforts would be appreciated.

He should receive a more gentle welcome back to Comerica Park. And, based upon the way he has pitched of late, Farnsworth figures to earn equal applause when he leaves the mound.

Tony Paul contributed to this story.

Those goofy-ass glasses have GOT to go.....

farns rocks

tigersaint wrote:

Those goofy-ass glasses have GOT to go.....

Seriously!

he needs those to see..

I'm not stupid, but I think he could do something different.

Oh well; I think he probably might only be able to wear those.

he looks cool lol.. like a nerd about to kick some ***
y'all very lucky he is having a good year.

Nowhere Man wrote:

he looks cool lol.. like a nerd about to kick some ***
y'all very lucky he is having a good year.

Glasses rule!

i wish i had those glasses lol

anyways im suppose to wear glasses/contacts.. but i don't :/

Well I hope he wears his glasses in the game.. unlike a certain other reliever I know of who doesn't and can't see the plate!!

lol ohhhhh souly

08/01/2008 8:35 PM ET
Farnsworth adjusting to being a Tiger
With trade shock worn off, reliever ready to fill any role in 'pen
By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG -- There is no getting around how badly the Tigers' bullpen needed an arm like Kyle Farnsworth's.

Still, the warm handshakes and welcome hugs Farnsworth was greeted with by his new team on Friday afternoon, was a much-appreciated sentiment.

Particularly, given the hurler's previous 48 hours.

Farnsworth was acquired on Wednesday in a straight-up trade with the Yankees, in which Detroit forked over future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

Following the deal, Farnsworth packed up what he could fit from his New Jersey apartment into his truck and headed down the East Coast. He estimated he drove until around 1 a.m. on Thursday before stopping to get a few hours rest and finally arriving at his Orlando, Fla., home at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Thursday night.

Farnsworth joined the Tigers on Friday afternoon to open a three-game series against Tampa Bay, and although admittedly tired, he said some of the initial trade shock had finally begun to "set in" during his long drive.

It helps that Detroit isn't completely unfamiliar terrain, as Farnsworth was a key component for the 2005 Tigers squad and much of that team still remains.

"You never know what's going to happen, that's for sure," he said of his initial surprise in Wednesday's trade. "I'm glad to see a lot of the guys and hopefully they are glad to see me."

If nothing else, the Tigers should be thrilled by his numbers.

Farnsworth was 1-2 with a 3.65 ERA with New York this year, and has allowed 43 hits -- with 43 strikeouts -- in 44 1/3 innings of work. July was his strongest month this season, as Farnsworth held opponents to two runs on four hits over 8 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts.

His key to success on the highly-pressurized stage of Yankee Stadium?

"Just trusting my stuff," he said. "Go out there and try to have fun."

It is the same mantra Farnsworth brings to a beleaguered Tigers bullpen.

With Todd Jones placed on the 15-day disabled list (right shoulder tendinitis) on Thursday, and Joel Zumaya (right triceps tightness), and Fernando Rodney (right shoulder tendinitis) being used cautiously after previous stints on the DL, Detroit's 'pen has worn thin and will look for Farnsworth to help shore up the late innings.

While the right-hander said he spoke with Jim Leyland upon his arrival on Friday, for now the Tigers don't have a specific role in mind for Farnsworth.

As a jack-of-all-trades in the bullpen, Farnsworth said he would "do whatever he needs me to," even joking that he would start if the Tigers' skipper dictated it.

Given his recent lack of sleep that probably wouldn't be a safe bet.

Neither was discussing Farnsworth's role with the Tigers beyond 2008.

"I'm not worried about that," Farnsworth said. "My main focus is helping this team win and getting to the playoffs."

Farnsworth added that he would be made available out of the 'pen for Friday night's opener vs. the American League East-leading Rays.

Brittany Ghiroli is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Maybe things will work out ok with Kyle! After the shock has worn off, he seems to have a very positive outlook now!

Go Kyle... strike the Rays out!!! As well as all the other teams.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Maybe things will work out ok with Kyle! After the shock has worn off, he seems to have a very positive outlook now!

Go Kyle... strike the Rays out!!! As well as all the other teams.

"Leyland hadn't heard about the time Farnsworth, his new relief pitcher, pile-drove Kansas City's Jeremy Affeldt . It happened in 2005, Farnsworth's first stint as a Tiger, during a fracas stemming from a beaning incident involving Carlos Guillen and Runelvys Hernandez .

When Affeldt starting yapping, Farnsworth simply picked him up and threw him down near the visitor's dugout at Comerica Park.

Leyland had one thing to say:

"I hope he likes managers.""

They showed the brawl on the pregame show yesteryday! And Magglio was in the thick of it as well! only with very short hair! He had just started as a Tiger!

Reliever Kyle Farnsworth gets acquainted with Tigers pitching coach Chuck Hernandez

don't let him get to ya, Kyle!