Random random Astro - Jeriome Robertson

In this installment of RRA, let's look at pitcher Jeriome Robertson. Jeriome was a left handed starting pitcher with Houston in 2002 and 2003.

Jeriome was drafted by the Astros in the 24th round in 1995. He steadily worked his way up the ranks until his first major league start in September of 2002. His first outing was a rough one as he lasted just 2.2 innings against Texas, giving up six hits and two runs to start his career 0-1. Jeriome spent the rest of 2002 in the bullpen, and finished the season with a 6.52 ERA over 9.2 innings.

Jeriome spent almost all of 2003 as a member of the Astros' major league rotation. In 32 games, 31 starts, he compiled 160.2 innings with 99 strikeouts, 64 walks, and a 5.10 ERA.  Despite that 86+ ERA, he managed a 15-7 record and finished 7th in rookie of the year voting. Two games stand out when looking for his Astros highlights, both from 2003. On April 10th at home against the Reds, Jeriome gave seven innings of two hit ball, including eight strikeouts, three walks, and one run to earn the victory as the Astros won 4-2. Later in the season, on July 22nd, Robertson pitched another strong game against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. In that outing he threw 7.1 innings of shutout ball with two strikeouts and two walks while giving up just three hits. He also had an RBI single off Salomon Torres, scoring Lance Berkman as the Astros went on to win 2-0.

Just before the start of the 2004 season, he was traded to Cleveland for Luke Scott. Jeriome would throw just 14 innings in the majors for Cleveland and never appeared in the big leagues again.

Jeriome Robertson was killed in a motorcycle accident May 29, 2010.

* As reader AstroBrit has pointed out in the comments, Houston also retained the rights to that offseason's Rule 5 draft pick Willy Taveras in order to keep him in AAA for most of the 2004 season.

R.I.P. Jeriome Robertson

Sad news from over the weekend as we found out former Astro Jeriome Robertson died in a motorcycle crash. He was 33.

In December 2008 we ran a Wherefore Art Thou piece on the former pitcher. In 2003 he was 15-9 with a 5.10 ERA - the highest number of wins by a rookie in franchise history.

Robertson was a 24th round draft choice in 1995, and joined the rotation full time as SP3 in 2003. His season did not start so great: 4.1IP, 10H/8ER on April 3 vs. Colorado. Bouncing back with a 7IP, 2H/1ER, 8K:3BB performance againt the Reds, it took him until May 22 to get his second win, having been skipped in the rotation between his 6th and 7th starts.

From May 22-July 22, Robertson was 9-0 with a 3.04 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP, and the Astros were 11-1 in his starts.

Robertson's 15 wins were good for 9th in the NL, and his .625 winning percentage was 7th in the League.

Astros starting pitcher debuts

Bud Norris took a no-hitter into the 6th and threw 7IP, 2H/0ER, 5K:4BB in his rotation debut. How does that compare to some other notable debuts in the last 20 years (we're talking about first career starts, not first starts for the Astros after being traded or signed as a free agent):

Darryl Kile: April 24, 1991 vs Cincinnati: 6IP, 0H/0ER, 5K:2BB in a 1-0, 13-inning win

Butch Henry: April 9, 1992 vs Cincinnati: 4.1IP, 8H/4ER, 2K:2BB in a 6-5 win

Shane Reynolds: July 20, 1992 vs Pittsburgh: 3.2IP, 8H/6ER, 2K:2BB in an 11-8 win

Chris Holt: April 4, 1997 vs St. Louis: 6.1IP, 6H/2ER, 4K:2BB in a 3-2 win

Scott Elarton: June 20, 1998 vs Cincinnati: 6.1IP, 5H/4ER, 9K:1BB in a 9-8 win

Wade Miller: July 7, 1999 at Arizona: 3IP, 8H/7ER, 3K:1BB in a 13-7 loss

Roy Oswalt: June 2, 2001 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: 6IP, 2H/1ER, 4K:0BB in a 2-1 win

Carlos Hernandez: August 18, 2001 vs Pittsburgh: 7IP, 2H/0ER, 7K:1BB in a 3-2 win

Jeriome Robertson: September 2, 2002 at Texas: 2.2IP, 6H/2ER, 1K:1BB in a 7-2 loss

Ezequiel Astacio: May 3, 2005 vs Pittsburgh: 6IP, 7H/4ER, 6K:1BB in a 7-4 loss

Wandy Rodriguez: May 23, 2005 @ Chicago Cubs: 5.2IP, 6H/4ER, 6K:1BB in a 4-1 loss

So Bud's start ranks up there with the best, but the #1 spot has to go to Darryl Kile who threw 6 no-hit innings in his first career start. Agree, or disagree?

Wherefore Art Thou?: Jeriome Robertson

So here's a new feature we'll do every so often. Some player from Astros history and what they're up to now. Today we have Jeriome Robertson!

Jeriome Robertson was drafted in the 24th round of the 1995 draft by the Astros and stayed in the organization until 2004. Robertson went 0-2 in 2002 as a September call-up and took a place in the starting rotation in 2003 - you may remember his 15-9 season, with a 5.10 ERA. And maybe you even remember his start on September 26, 2003. The Astros were a game back of the Cubs going into a crucial series against the Brewers. Tim Redding won his 10th game of the year while the Reds beat the Cubs to even up the NL Central. Robertson took the ball in the Friday game...and then committed an error, got an out, then a single, walk, walk, single, and that was Robertson's day. The Astros lost 12-5 (no other pitcher lasted more than 2 innings). Then Ron Villone lost the next day while the Cubs won both games of a double-header, and that was 2003. Of course the Cubs lost on Sunday and the Astros won, so the final margin was one game.

But man, that ERA. Robertson won 15 games with a 5.10 ERA. Tim Redding had a 3.68 ERA, and went 10-14. And they traded him. Do you know who they got in the trade with the Indians? Luke Scott and Willy Taveras. That's Gerry Hunsicker, folks...

Robertson didn't do much as a reliever for the Indians in 2004, kicked around the Reds, Expos, Mets and spent 2007 with the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League, no news on 2008...