April 26, 2000
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Former Washington State Cougar pitcher Robert Ramsay will make his first start of the 2000 season Wednesday vs. the Cleveland Indians at SAFECO Field in Seattle.
Ramsay, who starred as a pitcher and a hitter at Washington State from 1993-96, began the season at Triple-A Tacoma before being called up to the Mariners Tuesday. Injuries to starting pitchers Jamie Moyer and Freddy Garcia made the transaction possible. Ramsay was 0-1 for the Rainiers this year with a 4.50 ERA. In 16.0 innings he allowed 16 hits and struck out six. Opposing hitters were batting just .258 off him.
The left-handed pitcher from Camas, Wash., was originally drafted out of WSU after the 1996 season in the 8th round by the Boston Red Sox. After two seasons in the Red Sox farm system, Ramsay had a breakthrough year at Double-A Trenton in 1998 when he was named the organizations top minor league pitcher. Ramsay was 12-6 with the Thunder of the Eastern League while leading the entire organization with 166 strikeouts.
Ramsay was traded to the Mariners from the Boston Red Sox on July 26, 1999 in exchange for Butch Huskey. He was assigned to Tacoma where he quickly dominated with a 4-1 record and a 1.08 ERA. He made his Major League debut at Yankee Stadium August 27 and gave up one run in 2.2 innings to the eventual World Champion Yankees. He finished the year with the Mariners and posted a 6.38 ERA and a 0-2 record in six games.
In four years with the Cougar baseball program, Ramsay was 18-17 with a career ERA of 4.97. He, along with current Arizona Diamondback prospect Rob Ryan, helped guide the Cougs to their last Pac-10 championship in 1995. Ramsay is still ranked first in innings pitched (326.0) and is second with 273 strikeouts.
The Mariners are 12-7 going into Ramsay's first appearance of the 2000 season. With Ramsay joining the Mariners, there is now three former Cougar players on the 2000 roster. John Olerud (1987-89) and Aaron Sele (1989-91) joined the Mariners in the offseason and have been an integral part of the Mariners early-season success.
Copy by Jeff R. Evans
WSU Sports Information
