Jeremiah Lee Accardo (born December 8, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, and Oakland Athletics. He later was the assistant pitching coach for the New York Mets of MLB before joining the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league organization as a coach. Prior to playing professionally, Accardo attended Mesa High School and later Illinois State University.

Jeremy Accardo
Accardo with the Cleveland Indians
Pitcher
Born: (1981-12-08) December 8, 1981 (age 43)
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 4, 2005, for the San Francisco Giants
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 2012, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record10–20
Earned run average4.30
Strikeouts205
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Professional career

edit

San Francisco Giants

edit

Accardo signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco Giants of the National League in 2003 after attending Illinois State University.

He made his major league debut on May 4, 2005, pitching one perfect inning in relief against the Arizona Diamondbacks.[1] He finished the 2005 season with a 3.94 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, nine walks and 16 strikeouts in 29+23 innings of work.[2] In 2006, Accardo was briefly the team's closer when Armando Benítez suffered an ankle injury.

 
Accardo with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007

Toronto Blue Jays

edit

On July 21, 2006, Accardo was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for third baseman Shea Hillenbrand and relief pitcher Vinnie Chulk, where he finished the season. In 2006, he posted a combined 5.35 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 20 walks and 54 strikeouts in 69 innings of work.[2]

In 2007, Accardo took the role of closer from Jason Frasor, who had only become the closer due to an elbow injury sustained by B. J. Ryan.[3] He began the season posting 21 consecutive scoreless innings until allowing three runs on May 26, 2007, in a game against the Minnesota Twins.[4][5] On September 28, he recorded his 30th save of the year.[6]

Accardo missed much of the 2008 season because of injury. He had a good spring training in 2009 but did not make the Toronto Blue Jays 25-man roster out of camp. He started the season at Triple A with the Las Vegas 51s.[7] On June 18, his contract was purchased by Toronto to replace the injured Scott Downs. At the time, the Blue Jays' pitching staff continued to be hit by a string of injuries.[8] He made his first 2009 major league appearance that day against the Philadelphia Phillies in an 8–7 victory and earned the save. After making 31 appearances for the Jays over 2009–2010, Toronto did not tender a contract to Accardo prior to the 2010 non-tender deadline, thereby making him a free agent.[9]

Baltimore Orioles

edit
 
Accardo pitching for the Baltimore Orioles in 2011

On December 14, 2010, Accardo signed a one-year deal worth $1.08 million with the Baltimore Orioles.[10] On June 18, 2011, Accardo was designated for assignment.[11] He finished the season with a 5.73 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 31 appearances,[2] and elected free agency on October 11.

Cleveland Indians

edit

Accardo signed a minor-league contract with the Cleveland Indians on January 19, 2012.[12] He was invited to the Indians' spring training camp, but did not make the Opening Day roster. His contract was purchased by the Indians' on May 14, 2012.[13] Accardo was designated for assignment on August 5, 2012, to make room on the roster for Chris Seddon[14] and was released on August 9.[15]

Oakland Athletics

edit

On August 15, 2012, he signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics and was assigned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.[16] On September 23, the Athletics selected his contract from Sacramento, and he made his final major league appearance to date, allowing two runs in two innings against the Texas Rangers on September 27.

On October 18, 2012, the Athletics announced that Accardo had cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A.[17]

Later playing career

edit

On February 5, 2013, Accardo signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals.[18] He was released on June 26, 2013, after struggling at Triple-A Syracuse, where he posted a 5.16 ERA in 2223 innings.[19]

Accardo began the 2014 season pitching for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball before being released. He later signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish to finish out the season, posting a combined 4.40 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 60 appearances.[20]

On February 26, 2015, Accardo signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[21] He was released on March 30.[22]

Coaching career

edit

Accardo was the pitching coach for the Gulf Coast Mets in 2017.[23] He served as the bullpen coach for the Las Vegas 51s in 2018.[23] Accardo served as the Mets minor league pitching coordinator in 2019, and as a pitching strategist on the major league staff starting in June 2019.[23] From 2020 to 2021, he was the Mets' assistant pitching coach.[23][24] Accardo was hired by the Milwaukee Brewers to serve as the pitching coach for their Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds, in 2022.[24]

On June 27, 2024, it was announced that Accardo would join the Arizona State Sun Devils Baseball program as the team's pitching coach.

Pitching style

edit

Accardo has four pitches. He leads with a four-seam fastball at 90–92 mph and his main off-speed pitch is a splitter from 84 to 86 mph. He also features a two-seam fastball (90–92) and a cutter (89–91). Right-handed hitters see his full repertoire, but he does not throw the cutter to left-handed hitters. Accardo relies heavily on the splitter with two strikes.[25]

Personal life

edit

Accardo's daughter, Leighton, was diagnosed with germ cell cancer in 2019.[26] She died on November 24, 2020, at the age of nine.[27]

References

edit
  1. ^ Schulman, Henry (May 5, 2005). "Good trip ends badly for Giants". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Jeremy Accardo". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (May 17, 2007). "Accardo acclimating nicely". Toronto Blue Jays. MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
  4. ^ "Blue Jays report: Notes, quotes". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  5. ^ "Twins rally to tie Blue Jays, but fall in extra innings". ESPN. May 26, 2007. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  6. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (September 29, 2007). "Lind, Stairs go deep to lead Jays to win". Toronto Blue Jays. MLB.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  7. ^ Fidlin, Ken (April 1, 2009). "Accardo sent packing". Edmonton Sun. Archived from the original on April 5, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  8. ^ MacLeod, Robert (June 18, 2009). "Halladay leads parade to Blue Jays infirmary". The Globe and Mail.
  9. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (December 3, 2010). "Blue Jays decline contracts for Lewis, Accardo". Toronto Blue Jays. MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  10. ^ Kubatko, Roch (December 14, 2010). "Accardo reaches agreement; Gregg rumor". MASN. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  11. ^ Schmuck, Peter (June 17, 2011). "Accardo's last stand; Bergesen and Davis officially promoted". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
  12. ^ "Indians add Accardo, Lewis for spring training". ESPN. January 19, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  13. ^ Hoynes, Paul (May 14, 2012). "Cleveland Indians add RHP Jeremy Accardo to replace Dan Wheeler in bullpen". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  14. ^ "Indians promote LHP Chris Seddon from Triple-A Columbus". Cleveland Indians. August 5, 2012. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  15. ^ Bastian, Jordan; Meisel, Zack (August 9, 2012). "Damon's tenure with Tribe officially over". Cleveland Indians. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  16. ^ Links, Zachary (August 15, 2012). "Athletics Sign Jeremy Accardo". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  17. ^ "RHP Jeremy Accardo Elects Free Agency". Oakland Athletics. MLB.com. October 18, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  18. ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (February 5, 2013). "Nationals Sign Jeremy Accardo". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  19. ^ "Nationals release Jeremy Accardo". CBS Sports. June 26, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "Jeremy Accardo Minor, Fall, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  21. ^ Jacquez, Joseph (February 26, 2015). "Diamondbacks Sign RHP Jeremy Accardo to a Minor League Deal". Venom Strikes. FanSided. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  22. ^ Todd, Jeff (March 31, 2015). "Released: Bello, Herndon, Accardo, Rodriguez, Rogers". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  23. ^ a b c d "Mets Announce 2020 Coaching Staff". MLB.com. New York Mets. December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  24. ^ a b "Milwaukee Brewers Announce Sounds 2022 Coaching Staff". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  25. ^ "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Jeremy Accardo". Brooks Baseball. Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  26. ^ Avallone, Michael (August 9, 2019). "O'Rourke makes pitch with 'Fight like a girl'". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  27. ^ Smith, Alex (November 25, 2020). "Leighton Accardo, 9-year-old daughter of Mets assistant pitching coach Jeremy Accardo, dies after cancer battle". Yahoo! Sports. SNY. Retrieved November 25, 2020.[permanent dead link]
edit