Josh Zeid

Josh Zeid

Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1987-03-24) March 24, 1987
New Haven, Connecticut
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 30, 2013, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2014 season)
Win–loss record 0–1
Earned run average 5.21
Strikeouts 42
Teams

Joshua Alexander Zeid (pronounced "Zide"; born March 24, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB) and for the New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

Zeid played for the gold-medal-winning Team USA Youth National Team in 2003. In his senior year in high school he was named Gatorade Connecticut High School Player of the Year, and Baseball America ranked him the nation's 27th-best prospect. He was drafted in the 10th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, and in 2010 he was named a South Atlantic League midseason All-Star, and won the MiLB Best Reliever (Class A – Full Season) Award.

Personal

Zeid was born to Ira (a dentist) and Karen Zeid (who works at a senior center) in New Haven, Connecticut, and is Jewish.[1][2][3][4] He always wears a Star of David around his neck and a chai, and as to being Jewish, he said: “If you become a successful athlete, you should let people know where you’re from.”[5][6]

In January 2013 he married the former Stephanie Tiedemann, a doctor of neuropsychology at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and a former Vanderbilt (2007) and Florida Institute of Technology (Masters/Doctor of Psychology) student.[7][8][9]

High school and college

Zeid was a pitcher for the Hornets at Hamden Hall Country Day School (2005), where he had 400 strikeouts, a school record.[5][9] In addition to pitching, he played first base, shortstop, and center field.[10] He played for the gold-medal-winning Team USA Youth National Team in 2003, and was an AFLAC All American in 2004.[4]

In his junior and senior years he led his high school team to two straight New England Championships, and a record of 54–15.[10][5] In his junior year in 2004, he struck out 68 batters in 42 innings and had a 1.66 ERA, while batting .412.[11] In his senior year, he struck out 130 batters in 65.0 innings and batted .450, and was team captain.[10][4][5] That year, he was the Gatorade Connecticut High School Player of the Year, Baseball America ranked him the country's 27th-best prospect, and he was a Louisville Slugger, National High School Baseball Coaches Association, Collegiate Baseball, and Street & Smith All American.[10][4][5] He played for the Long Island Titans in the summer of his senior year. They finished 43–5.[4] He earned two varsity letters in basketball.[4]

He played college baseball, pitching for the Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team for two years, and then for Tulane University, where he pitched for the Green Wave baseball team and was an English major.[5][12] He also pitched for the Torrington Twisters of the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2006, and for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League in 2007.[10][4]

Minor leagues

He was drafted out of Tulane by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.[5] Zeid received a $10,000 signing bonus.[13] He pitched as a starter for the Class A Williamsport Crosscutters, and had an 8–5 record with a 2.94 ERA, holding batters to a .217 average.[12]

In 2010, he was named a South Atlantic League midseason All-Star, and won the MiLB Best Reliever (Class A – Full Season) award, after pitching for the Lakewood BlueClaws and splitting his season between starting and relieving, and finishing the season 8–4 with 8 saves, a 2.93 ERA, 111 strikeouts in 107.3 innings, and 27 walks.[12][14][15] In the off-season he played for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League where he was named an AFL Rising Star, blogging about his experience for MLB.com.[12][14]

He played for Double-A Reading in 2011, starting the season in its starting rotation before moving to the bullpen. He was traded on July 29, 2011, along with Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, and Domingo Santana to the Houston Astros for Hunter Pence.[5][12][16][17] After the season, he pitched for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League, where he was named an AFL Rising Star.[12]

Going into 2012, he was ranked #19 in the Astros system by baseball writer Jonathan Mayo, for his "plus fastball" and "nasty slider."[18] In 2012, he pitched as a reliever for an entire season for the first time, pitching in 47 games for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, and striking out 66 batters in 56.1 innings.[12]

In March 2013, Zeid was looking to add a third pitch to his fastball and slider.[3] In 2013, he threw a 95–97 mph fastball, and a hard slider.[8] Only the top 15 percent of major league pitchers throw a 95 mph fastball.[1]

He pitched as the closer for the AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks in 2013, with a 4–1 record, 13 saves in 15 save opportunities (tied for the club lead), and 3.50 ERA over 43 games, as he struck out 53 batters in 43.2 innings.[8][19][20]

Major leagues

Houston Astros

Zeid was called up to the majors for the first time on July 29, 2013.[21] In 25 relief appearances he stranded 15 of 17 inherited runners, and held lefties to a .178 batting average.[20] He ended 2013 with a 0–1 record and a 3.90 ERA in  27 2⁄3 innings pitched.

He made 23 appearances in 2014, recording a 6.97 ERA before suffering from sesamoiditis and being shut down in July for foot surgery known as sesamoidectomy. He underwent the procedure to both feet, with the second foot surgery, to his left foot, taking place in October 2014.[22][23][24][25] He was expected to recover three months following his surgery.[24]

Pitching for Houston, according to Fangraphs, Zeid threw about 60% fastballs with an average velocity of 94.3 mph, in addition to sliders and an occasional changeup.[26]

Detroit Tigers

Zeid was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers on November 20, 2014.[27] Zeid pitched for Tiger manager Brad Ausmus on Team Israel in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.[28] On March 24, 2015, he was optioned to the Toledo Mud Hens.[29]

New Britain Bees

On April 7, 2016, Zeid signed with the New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

New York Mets

Zeid during his tenure with the Binghamton Mets, double-A affiliates of the New York Mets, in 2016

On June 10, 2016, Zeid signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets. He made his debut for their Double-A team the Binghamton Mets. Zeid pitched  6 2⁄3 innings while striking out six batters.

Team Israel

Zeid played for the Israeli national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifier in September 2012, under manager Brad Ausmus.[30][31][32] He pitched in all 3 games, earning a save in Israel’s victory over Spain.[33] His mother said: "As we watched the games ... we loved ... the nachas and kvelling that goes deep into our hearts."[33]

Zeid pitched for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier.[34] In the first game of the series Zeid through 48 pitches over 3.2 innings, giving up 2 hits and an earned run while striking out 2.[35] Under World Baseball Classic rules any pitcher who throws over 50 pitches cannot pitch again for four days, therefore by pulling Zeid before reaching this limit, it enabled Israel to utilize Zeid again in the tournament. During the third and final game of the tournament, Zeid was the winning pitcher, after throwing 37 pitches over 3 innings of no hit ball, while giving up a walk and recording 3 strikeouts.[36]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "How a Jewish Kid Makes It to the Major Leagues". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ Ron Kaplan (July 31, 2013). "JML update, July 31 » Kaplan's Korner on Jews and Sports". New Jersey Jewish News. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  3. 1 2 David Borges (March 22, 2013). "Former Hamden Hall star Josh Zeid looking to make most of first big-league camp with Houston Astros". Connecticut Post-Chronicle. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Josh Zeid Bio – Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site". Vucommodores.com. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ken Mandel (October 28, 2011). "Making it to the majors". The Jewish Standard. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  6. ↑ "How a Jewish Kid Makes It to the Major Leagues". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  7. ↑ Greis (July 30, 2013). "Zeid: 'My dream is about to come true.'". Brianmctaggart.mlblogs.com. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 Williams, Darrell (July 9, 2013). "Former Tulane pitcher Zeid flourishing as OKC's closer". The Advocate. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Stephanie and Josh from Houston, Texas". Tiedemannandzeid.ourwedding.com. January 26, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Josh Zeid Bio – Tulane Green Wave Official Athletic Site". Tulanegreenwave.com. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  11. ↑ ".". Courant.com. June 6, 2004. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Josh Zeid Stats, Video Highlights, Photos, Bio". Houston.astros.mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Josh Zeid". Baseball Prospectus. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Zeid's zenith: retires Bryce Harper, wins 'Best Reliever' award". Jewish Baseball News. October 25, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  15. ↑ Jackson, Josh (October 17, 2010). "Vote now for MiLB's Best Relievers | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Phillies acquire Hunter Pence". ESPN. July 31, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  17. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (July 30, 2011). "Astros land two top prospects, intriguing arm". Houston.astros.mlb.com. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  18. ↑ "What the Heck, Bobby?: An Interview with Josh Zeid". Whattheheckbobby.blogspot.com. March 23, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Josh Zeid Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  20. 1 2 "Josh Zeid Stats, Video Highlights, Photos, Bio". Houston Astros. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Astros option Ambriz, call up Lo, Zeid". Houston Astros Media Office. July 29, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Josh Zeid Stats, Video Highlights, Photos, Bio". Detroit Tigers.
  23. ↑ "Astros P Zeid needs season-ending foot surgery". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 30, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  24. 1 2 "Astros reliever Josh Zeid to have foot surgery, miss rest of season". Ultimate Astros. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Carlos Correa switches agents; surgery for Josh Zeid". Ultimate Astros. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Detroit Tigers claim RHP Josh Zeid off waivers, designate Ezequiel Carrera for assignment". MLive.com.
  27. ↑ Beck, Jason (November 20, 2014). "Tigers claim Zeid from Astros, designate Carrera". MLB. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  28. ↑ Drellich, Evan (November 20, 2014). "Astros protect Velasquez, Torreyes, Feliz from Rule 5 draft". Houston Chronicle. (subscription required)
  29. ↑ http://m.mlb.com/player/473646/josh-zeid
  30. ↑ "Josh Zeid". Jewish Baseball News. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  31. ↑ Fine, Jeremy (July 31, 2013). "Welcome to the Show Josh Zeid". The Great Rabbino. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  32. ↑ Adam Berry (September 19, 2012). "World Baseball Classic: Israel victorious in Classic debut over South Africa". worldbaseballclassic.com. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  33. 1 2 Blas, Howard (October 10, 2012). "Field of Dreams". Jewish Ledger. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  34. ↑ ROSTERS FOR WBC QUALIFIER IN BROOKLYN
  35. ↑ Great Britain vs Israel 9/22/16
  36. ↑ Great Britain vs Israel 9/25/16
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