Steve Trachsel

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**Steve Trachsel**

Free Agent — No. 29
Pitcher
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
September 19, 1993 for the Chicago Cubs
Selected MLB statistics (through 2006)
Wins-Losses	134-143
ERA	4.28
Strikeouts	1519
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1993-1999) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000) Toronto Blue Jays (2000) New York Mets (2001-2006)

Stephen Christopher Trachsel (born October 31, 1970 in Oxnard, California) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher with the New York Mets.

Trachsel graduated from Troy High School in Fullerton, California in 1988. He attended Fullerton College and Long Beach State University. In 1991, he led Long Beach to a spot in the College World Series. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1991 and made his major league debut in 1993.

In 1996, he was named to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and posted a career-best 3.03 ERA. In 1999, his ERA rose to a career-worst 5.56, his 18 losses were two worse than any pitcher that season and the Cubs let him go. Spending 2000 in the American League, he posted another 15 losses and his start with the Mets in 2001 was so poor (including becoming the only pitcher in Mets history to allow four home runs in one inning), he was sent to the minor leagues. Upon returning to the Mets, his career was reborn. He finished 2001 well and continued to shine in 2002 when he had a 3.37 ERA. His success continued with 16 wins (including his 100th career win) in 2003. However, after starting well in 2004, he suffered a herniated disc in his back, the first major injury of his career, which also cost him much of the 2005 season. He underwent a discectomy in March 2005 and returned for the final six starts of the season, posting a league-average 4.14 ERA and going 1-4.

In 2006, Trachsel recovered to start 30 games and tied Tom Glavine for the team lead with 15 wins, despite an earned run average near five. On September 18, 2006, he had one of his best performances of the season as the Mets clinched the National League Eastern Division Championship. He also started the clincher of the NLDS but was shaky and removed in the 4th inning. In Game 3 of the NLCS, he gave up five runs in just one inning before being hit by a hard ground ball. The Mets lost the game 5-0.

[edit] Trivia

Trachsel has a well-earned reputation, aided by more than one SportsCenter highlights package, for being one of the slowest-working pitchers in baseball, earning the nickname "The Human Rain Delay" (previously given to Mike Hargrove for his deliberately slow at-bats).^{[citation needed]}
Trachsel gave up Mark McGwire's record-breaking 62nd home run in the famous 1998 home run chase.
Trachsel has also given up both of Cardinals pitcher Jeff Suppan's career homers.
Trachsel led all Chicago Cubs pitchers in wins in the 1990s.
Trachsel led all New York Mets pitchers in wins in the 2000s.
Chris Berman's nickname for him is Steve "Blood on the" Trachsel, a reference to the Blood on the Tracks album by Bob Dylan