T. J. Mathews
Born: 1/9/1970 in Belleville, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1995-07-28 | Final Game: 2002-07-24
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Timothy Jay Mathews
Biography
T. J. Mathews, born in 1970, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1995 until 2002. Known for his versatility on the mound, Mathews contributed significantly to his teams with a career record of 32-26 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.82. His striking ability was notable, as he recorded 357 strikeouts over his career, alongside achieving 16 saves. Mathews' career unfolded during a period characterized by the offensive explosion of the late 1990s and early 2000s, where pitchers faced the challenge of high-scoring games and evolving batting techniques.
Mathews' playing style combined a competitive spirit with a solid pitching arsenal, allowing him to adapt to various roles within a bullpen or rotation. His contributions to his teams were marked by a reliable presence on the mound, making him a valuable asset during his tenure. Although he may not have reached the heights of some of his contemporaries, his consistent performance and work ethic earned him respect within the baseball community. Mathews' legacy is a reflection of the era's dynamic nature, as he navigated the complexities of pitching in a league that was increasingly defined by offensive prowess.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 26 | 362 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 435.3 | 406 | 185 | 49 | 164 | 357 | 3.82 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | STL | NL | 1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29.7 | 21 | 5 | 11 | 28 | 1.52 | - |
| 1996 | STL | NL | 2 | 6 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 83.7 | 62 | 28 | 32 | 80 | 3.01 | - |
| 1997 | OAK | AL | 6 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 28.7 | 34 | 14 | 12 | 24 | 4.40 | -485.3 |
| 1997 | STL | NL | 4 | 4 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46.0 | 41 | 11 | 18 | 46 | 2.15 | - |
| 1998 | OAK | AL | 7 | 4 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 72.7 | 71 | 37 | 29 | 53 | 4.58 | 581.6 |
| 1999 | OAK | AL | 9 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 59.0 | 46 | 25 | 20 | 42 | 3.81 | -154.5 |
| 2000 | OAK | AL | 2 | 3 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59.7 | 73 | 40 | 25 | 42 | 6.03 | -744.6 |
| 2001 | OAK | AL | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23.0 | 28 | 13 | 11 | 19 | 5.09 | 263.1 |
| 2001 | STL | NL | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.7 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 3.07 | - |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.3 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 3.44 | 229.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 362 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.000 | 0.083 | 0.000 | 0.083 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | STL | NL | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1996 | STL | NL | 67 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1997 | OAK | AL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1997 | STL | NL | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1998 | OAK | AL | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1999 | OAK | AL | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2000 | OAK | AL | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2001 | OAK | AL | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2001 | STL | NL | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | NLCS | SLN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1996 | NLDS2 | SLN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | NLCS | SLN | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.00 |
| 1996 | NLDS2 | SLN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 362 | 0 | 23 | 54 | 6 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | SLN | P | 23 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 | SLN | P | 67 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1997 | OAK | P | 24 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | SLN | P | 40 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 | OAK | P | 66 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 | OAK | P | 50 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | OAK | P | 50 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 | OAK | P | 20 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | SLN | P | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | HOU | P | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 362 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | HOU | NL | $1,000,000 |
| 2001 | OAK | AL | $1,900,000 |
| 2000 | OAK | AL | $1,225,000 |
| 1999 | OAK | AL | $750,000 |
| 1998 | OAK | AL | $315,000 |
| 1997 | SLN | NL | $240,000 |
| 1996 | SLN | NL | $130,000 |
| 1995 | SLN | NL | $109,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $5,669,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Community College - Meramec Campus | Kirkwood | MO | 1989, 1990 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas | NV | 1991, 1992 |