James McDonald
Born: 10/19/1984 in Long Beach, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 2008-09-17 | Final Game: 2013-05-01
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'5" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: James Zell McDonald
Biography
James McDonald was a professional baseball pitcher born in 1984, who played in Major League Baseball from 2008 until his retirement in 2013. He made his mark primarily as a starting pitcher and was known for his powerful arm and ability to generate strikeouts. Over the course of his career, McDonald compiled a record of 32 wins and 30 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.2. He struck out a total of 442 batters, showcasing his effectiveness on the mound during his tenure in a highly competitive era of baseball.
McDonald’s career spanned a period marked by a transition in pitching styles and strategies, where power pitchers began to dominate the game. While he did not record any saves, his contributions to his teams were significant, especially in the starting rotation. His performances were characterized by a mix of fastballs and breaking pitches that made him a challenging opponent for hitters. McDonald's journey through the majors reflects the challenges and triumphs faced by many pitchers of his time, and he remains a notable figure in the discussion of pitchers from the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 30 | 131 | 82 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 512.3 | 487 | 239 | 56 | 231 | 442 | 4.20 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | LAD | NL | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.00 | - |
| 2009 | LAD | NL | 5 | 5 | 45 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63.0 | 60 | 28 | 34 | 54 | 4.00 | - |
| 2010 | LAD | NL | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8.22 | - |
| 2010 | PIT | NL | 4 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64.0 | 59 | 25 | 24 | 61 | 3.52 | 1900.9 |
| 2011 | PIT | NL | 9 | 9 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 171.0 | 176 | 80 | 78 | 142 | 4.21 | -3265.7 |
| 2012 | PIT | NL | 12 | 8 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 171.0 | 147 | 80 | 69 | 151 | 4.21 | -846.1 |
| 2013 | PIT | NL | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.7 | 29 | 19 | 20 | 25 | 5.76 | -194.8 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 136 | 145 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 75 | 0.110 | 0.184 | 0.124 | 0.308 | -940.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | LAD | NL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | LAD | NL | 45 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | LAD | NL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | PIT | NL | 11 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.050 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | PIT | NL | 31 | 55 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 0.091 | -604.1 |
| 2012 | PIT | NL | 33 | 49 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 23 | 0.143 | -336.6 |
| 2013 | PIT | NL | 8 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.273 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | NLCS | LAN | 2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | NLCS | LAN | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 131 | 82 | 34 | 47 | 4 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | LAN | P | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | LAN | P | 45 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 | LAN | P | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | PIT | P | 11 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | PIT | P | 31 | 31 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | PIT | P | 30 | 29 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | PIT | P | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 131 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | PIT | NL | $3,025,000 |
| 2012 | PIT | NL | $502,500 |
| 2011 | PIT | NL | $443,000 |
| 2009 | LAN | NL | $400,750 |
| Total Career Earnings | $4,371,250 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden West College | Huntington Beach | CA | 2003 |