2008-08-29 A's Game (9) RP Kirk Saarloos

Kirk Craig Saarloos (born May 23, 1979, in Long Beach, California) is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher in the Oakland Athletics organization. He has been used both in starting and relief situations.

He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft in the third round as the 86th overall pick.
In 2003 he again pitched very well in the minors but posted a 4.93 ERA in 36 games for the big club. He also contributed to the Astros' six-pitcher no-hitter of the New York Yankees on June 11, throwing the last out of the third inning and all of the fourth. It was around this time he caught the eye of Oakland Athletics assistant general manager Paul DePodesta. A few weeks into the 2004 season, after appearing in only two games for New Orleans, he was traded to the A's for Chad Harville. They sent him to Triple-A Sacramento, where he pitched well enough to receive a call-up and start 5 games for Oakland.

In 2005, with Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson traded away, the Athletics had openings in their rotation. Saarloos beat out Keiichi Yabu and Juan Cruz to win the last starter spot in the rotation. Saarloos succeeded, going 10-9 with a 4.17 ERA in 27 starts. He was widely considered to be among the best #5 starters in the American League, sporting one of the lowest home run rates.[1]

With the signing of veteran starter Esteban Loaiza before the 2006 season, the A's bumped Saarloos to the bullpen. Soon after, Rich Harden got injured and Saarloos was put in as a fifth starter for a few games. He has also been be used in many varying relief roles, much like Justin Duchscherer was in 2005, but also as a spot starter. On January 19, 2007, Saarloos signed a one year $1.2 million deal with the Athletics.

On January 23, 2007 Saarloos was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for minor league reliever David Shafer. Both teams also received a player to be named later. On May 28, 2007, Saarloos was sent to the minors after failing to retire any of the seven batters he faced in a 14-10 loss to Pittsburgh the night before. On October 12, 2007 the Saarloos was outrighted to the minor leagues. He refused the assignment and became a free agent.

On January 15, 2008, Saarloos signed a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training with the Oakland Athletics. On April 14, he was added to the major league roster, but was designated for assignment on April 23. He was sent outright to AAA on April 25. On August 18, Saarloos was recalled.

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