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Pat looks good back in a Jay uniform again!
Pat tips his cap at Skydome, hopefully NOT for the final time in a Jays uniform!
Unfortunately,
it was ...
at the time.
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June 30th, 2004
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Hentgen sent to the bullpen!
Just three days after Pat lasted only 1 1/3 innings against the Expos, during which Hentgen
walked three and allowed six runs, Jays manager Carlos Tosca finally decided that Pat should be taken
out of the rotation and placed in the bullpen. Pat has been 0-4 in June with an ERA approaching 8.00.
In his 15 starts this year Pat compiled just two wins (although it could be a bit better with a little
run support and stronger bullpen) but lately, instead of showing improvement, Pat seems to be getting worse.
I guess the Jays brass could no longer ignore his 2-8 season tally and 6.42 E.R.A.
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"My stuff is as good as it was last year in the second half, I just located the ball a lot
better last year for whatever reason. I've just got to keep trying to battle through it."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"My record and ERA, you can't hide that, Last year with the Orioles, I was 0-4 with a high ERA, and
Hargrove did the same thing. Baseball is a business, and you have to put the best players on the field."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"His location is not there and there's not enough velocity, In his past history, location has been
a big part of his game and right now he's having a tough time. When the ball comes out of his hand
it doesn't do a lot and that's not a good combination."
-- Jays manager Carlos Tosca
"It was a very tough decision to make on Pat, We were all hoping, based on what he did last year,
that he could get it back, but it hasn't happened so far."
-- Jays manager Carlos Tosca
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May 21st, 2004
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Hentgen turn to be skipped over!
With the Blue Jays having an off day on Thursday and another one Tuesday, the decision makers
have decided to skip over Pat's turn in the rotation this time around so Pat will miss taking on
the Red Sox this weekend.
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May 16th, 2004
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Hentgen's keeps battling but Jays can't knock off the Red Sox!
While Pat struggled on the mound, Boston starter Bronson Arroyo was dominant, keeping the Blue Jays
bats very silent, allowing just 3 hits over eight innings. Pat fell behind many batters.
Hentgen commented that he was underneath the ball from the very beginning of the game and that pushed
the ball a little bit so it ends up being in the strike zone where he can't afford to pitch.
In 5 innings Pat threw 108 pitches, 61 of them for strikes. Hentgen struck out three,
walked three, and gave up three long balls.
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"Three solo homers. I've always given up a lot of homers, I'm just disappointed with how the
pitch count got so high so quickly. I just didn't have a great day, and that's the bottom line.
I struggled, battled out there. It seemed like when I got ahead of guys, I wasn't making pitches
to put them away."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"One of the keys to his success is to keep his pitch count down and to locate his pitches. Those first
couple innings really ate his pitch count up, but he battled through it, The home runs obviously hurt,
but it was still four runs. We were still a grand slam away from tying the game."
-- Jays manager Carlos Tosca
"He didn't pitch as effectively as he would've liked to pitch, but he still gave us an opportunity
to be in the game, I think he was just missing location -- and missing up when he missed."
-- Jays manager Carlos Tosca
"He was definitely on top of his game and getting quick outs. He had good movement on his pitches, and
it's one of those situations where sometimes you have to tip your hat to the other guy. He pitched a
great game."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen on Arroyo
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April 7th, 2004
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Tigers spoil Hentgen's return to the Jays pitching staff!
It all started off great as Pat got the Tigers three up, three down in the first inning.
The Jays even managed to score Pat three runs, but Hentgen hit rough seas in the second.
Pat hit lead off batter Rondell White with a pitch and then an out later Guillen drove a liner
through Carlos Delgado's legs to put White at third and Guillen at second. White scored on
a sac fly by Bobby Higginson then Pat coughed up a free pass to Munroe to give the Tigers a pair of
baserunners. Then on a 2-1 pitch, Eric Munson took Pat deep to right for a three run homer,
putting the Jays down 4-3.
In 5 2/3 innings Pat threw 79 pitches, 51 of them for strikes. Hentgen struck out one,
walked one, gave up two long balls and one earned run. Pat starts the season off with a loss
and a 1.59 ERA.
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"I'm just disappointed with that second inning. We go out and score three runs, get the lead for
the first time this series. To go right back out and give them a four-spot, you just can't win in
this league doing that. You have to shut the opposing team down after your team scores. Those are
critical innings in a game."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"We didn't help him much, or I didn't help. If I field that ground ball, we turn two and he's out
of the inning."
-- Jays 1st baseman Carlos Delgado
"Put (Hentgen) in 10 situations like that where he has to pick up his team and he probably
does it eight times."
-- Jays pitching coach Gil Patterson
"I never thought I'd have the chance to be back, I love this city, the SkyDome. I love playing
with this young exciting team. We're a hungry group.
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
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Toronto Star - 04/08/2004: Hentgen still gives it his all
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April 5th, 2004
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Hentgen excited about his return to Toronto!
Pat received a warm round of applause and cheers when he was introduced on opening day at the
Skydome. The 40,000 plus crowd at the dome was happy to see fourth-winningest pitcher in franchise
history back in a Jays uniform.
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"It was awesome, a great feeling. I was so excited, I'm glad I didn't have to pitch, to be honest
with you. I had a lot of emotions and some adrenaline. It's going to be exciting on Wednesday."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen on opening day at Skydome
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April 3rd, 2004
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Hentgen pitches 2 innings of relief in his last spring training appearance!
A lead off homer to Eduardo Perez was the only blemish on Pat's performance as he came on in
relief, in the 6th inning versus the Devil Rays. Hentgen left a fastball over the plate and
Perez sent it over the opposite field fence. Hentgen then settled down and proceeded to
strike out two looking, walk one and give up two hits in his two innings of work.
Pat should make his first start of the 2004 season at Skydome on Wednesday.
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"It was supposed to be down and away, and it got up."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen on Eduardo Perez's 6th inning lead off homer
"He got the one ball up to Perez, The home run was half pitch, half wind blown. He got the ball
down in the strike zone better and punched two guys out looking."
-- Jays manager Carlos Tosca
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March 19th, 2004
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The long ball haunts Hentgen as the Minnesota Twins win 9-3!
Pat went 3 2/3's innings, tossing 61 pitches in his forth start of the spring, giving up four runs
on six hits as he continued to have problems locating his fastball. Torii Hunter, Nick Punto
and Michael Cuddyer all knocked solo shots over the fence. In typical Hentgen fashion,
he offered no post game excuses, refusing to blame the wind, rather he explained the points in his
mechanics that required more focus.
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"However you want to word it, the bottom line is I'm rushing just a hair with my mechanics and with
the tempo of my delivery. That's what I need to focus on: slowing the pace, letting the arm
catch up so I can whip it."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"I got ahead good but I wasn't making those good pitcher's pitches when it's 1-2, 0-2, 2-2.
Those are counts where you really have to bear down and hit your spots."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"I'm glad he got to pitch four innings. He's having a little tough time right now
getting his fastball down in the strike zone, but I am not concerned about it."
-- Jays manager Carlos Tosca
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March 15th, 2004
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Hentgen struggles, gives up 5 runs in the 1st inning!
The Jays dropped a 7-4 decision to the Cleveland Indians at Chain of Lakes Park after Pat got off to
one of his least memoriable starts. Hentgen went only 2/3's of an inning as the Indians lineup
knocked him around, ending with Pat giving up a walk, five hits and five runs.
Pat just wasn't able to make that two-strike pitch to put the batter away.
While Hentgen doesn't let games like this "eat him up" like he did in the past he was quite
disappointed with his performance. In fact, in the clubhouse afterwards Hentgen decided
the mustache had to go and shaved it off. (Perhaps looking or a clean start next outing?)
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"I was struggling to locate all my pitches. For me, that's a big part of my game. It just
started out with a knock, and then a double down the line and I just couldn't stop it. It comes
down to location. You leave the ball thigh-high out over the plate your going to get whacked
and that's what I did today."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"You pitch in the middle of the plate, up and you're not going to be able to play in this
league. That was a classic example of how important location is. I'd get two strikes on a guy
and just couldn't throw that good pitcher's pitch to put him away."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"I just made a lot of bad pitches. I started the game, never did get into a rhythm and
they put it to me. There is no physical problems at all, I just had a bad day and they really
socked it to me."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
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March 10th, 2004
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Jays win 8-2 over the Yankees!
Pitching back at Knology Park, although Pat most likely remembers it as Grant Field, Hentgen
tossed two scoreless innings picking up his first win of spring training.
Pat gave up one hit while striking out one.
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March 6th, 2004
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Hentgen takes the mound for his first spring start!
Pat was back on the mound, pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays! With a slightly different
looking Jays uniform on, Hentgen made his first spring training start.
Even though a little nervous, Pat allowed one hit to Alex Rodriguez while keeping the powerful
Yankee lineup scoreless in his only inning of work.
Hentgen obtained 3 fly ball outs, throwing 15 pitches, 10 of them for strikes.
Always hardest on himself, Hentgen was not exactly
overjoyed with his performance, figuring all his pitches could use a little work.
But then again that's what spring training is for.
Pat is scheduled to toss two innings on Wednesday, lining him up for an opening day start at Skydome.
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"I don't feel like I'm where I want to be with all my pitches. I've had days where my fastball
is there, then I go out today and it's not, I'm just going to keep trying to work on the four pitches
I throw, just trying to get as consistent with those as I can. That's pretty much the goal."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen
"He's a veteran guy, and he knows what he's trying to get accomplished, He's got a plan of where
he should be and where he wants to be at the end of spring."
-- Jays Manager Carlos Tosca
"It's going to be exciting for me. I always loved playing here, I'm glad they wanted me back,
and it's great to be back."
-- Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen on pitching for the Jays in Toronto
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The Strike Zone Archives
Click on the team logo for older news tid-bits in the archives.
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June 27th, 2004 vs. Montreal Expos
Opposing Pitcher - Livan Hernandez
Final: Expos 9 - Blue Jays 4
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| The Line: |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
NP |
ERA |
| Hentgen: |
1 2/3 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
40-18 |
6.42 |
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| Game Summary: |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| Expos |
3 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
8 |
0 |
| Blue Jays |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
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Patrick George Hentgen
...Name pronounced "HENT-gen"
BORN:
Nov. 13, 1968 in Detroit, MI
RESIDES:
Palm Harbor, FL
THROWS:
Right
BATS:
Right
HEIGHT:
6' 2"
ACQUIRED:
Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 1986 free-agent draft.
November 11th, 1999 traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. December 19th, 2000 signs a two year deal with an option with the Orioles.
October 30th, 2002 signs a one year deal with an option with the Orioles
His wife's name is Darlene and they have three children; Taylor Renee (5/5/95), Hannah (4/20/97) and Madison (10/6/2000)
Pat is a 1986 graduate of Fraser High School, where he played varsity baseball for 3 years and varsity football
for 2 years. Pat was captain of the baseball team. His original baseball position was SS (shortstop).
Pat had been offered a baseball scholarship at Western Michigan University.
When Pat's not pitching, you might find him fishing or waterskiing.
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Pat's 2004 season record is ... 2 - 8
| 2004 Season: |
Wins |
Loses |
IP |
ER |
ERA |
| Hentgen |
2 |
8 |
75 2/3 |
59 |
6.42 |
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2000:
Pat started the year as a bird of a different feather after having been obtained by the St. Louis Cardinals
in a November 11th, 1999 trade. In his first season not wearing a Blue Jays uniform, Pat compiled
a 15-12 record with a 4.72 ERA. Hentgen was great out of the gate, winning his first three
games of the season. However Pat struggled with his location over the next few games resulting in Pat
winning only 2 of his next 10 games. While Pat was 8-6 at the all star break, Hentgen didn't have the
best of first halves, often battling for his control in the later innings. The second half was much better
for Pat. On September 14th, Pat pitched a complete game shutout against the Cubs. Pat struggled in his
last three games with less than a superb performance leading to suspicions as to Pat's post season
effectiveness. The 31-year-old righthander reached the 15-win plateau for the fourth time in his career
and finished second on the Cardinals' staff in starts and third in innings pitched (194.1).
Pat started game five of the NLCS, with the Cardinals in a must win situation. Pat hadn't
pitched in several days and combining that with some sloppy defense, the right hander soon found himself
on the wrong end of the lead, eventually taking the loss and the blame for the early end to the Cardinals
season.
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Hentgen fans have visited ... so far ...
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Pat and the Baltimore Orioles through the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation raise money for a
variety of charities in the community. During the year many events and promotions are held in support
of the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation. For more information check out the
Orioles's official homepage.
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