Kirk Saarloos
Born: 5/23/1979 in Long Beach, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 2002-06-18 | Final Game: 2008-09-20
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Kirk Craig Saarloos
Biography
Kirk Saarloos was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2002 to 2008. Born in 1979, Saarloos made his debut with the Oakland Athletics, where he showcased his talents on the mound during the early 2000s, a period characterized by the rise of advanced analytics in baseball. Over the course of his career, he accumulated a win-loss record of 29-30 and posted an earned run average (ERA) of 5.02. Saarloos struck out a total of 251 batters, further establishing his presence in the league, and recorded 2 saves throughout his time in the majors.
Saarloos was recognized for his performance early in his career, earning the accolade of Rookie of the Month during his debut season. His playing style emphasized control and adaptability, traits that allowed him to navigate the challenges of hitting during an era where offensive statistics were on the rise. Throughout his tenure, he played for several teams, including the Athletics, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Houston Astros, contributing to each organization with his pitching skills and experience. After retiring from professional baseball in 2008, Kirk Saarloos left behind a legacy as a reliable pitcher who embraced the evolving game of baseball.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 165 | 73 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 509.0 | 592 | 284 | 60 | 186 | 251 | 5.02 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 6 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 85.3 | 100 | 57 | 27 | 54 | 6.01 | -882.8 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | 2 | 1 | 36 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49.3 | 55 | 27 | 17 | 43 | 4.93 | 1048.0 |
| 2004 | OAK | AL | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.3 | 27 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4.44 | -993.9 |
| 2005 | OAK | AL | 10 | 9 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 159.7 | 170 | 74 | 54 | 53 | 4.17 | -750.8 |
| 2006 | OAK | AL | 7 | 7 | 35 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 121.3 | 149 | 64 | 53 | 52 | 4.75 | -3678.3 |
| 2007 | CIN | NL | 1 | 5 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42.7 | 54 | 34 | 19 | 27 | 7.17 | -1598.2 |
| 2008 | OAK | AL | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26.3 | 37 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 5.47 | 436.9 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 165 | 41 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0.073 | 0.095 | 0.122 | 0.217 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 17 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.067 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | 36 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | OAK | AL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2005 | OAK | AL | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | OAK | AL | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | CIN | NL | 34 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 2008 | OAK | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 165 | 73 | 46 | 104 | 6 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | HOU | P | 17 | 17 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 3 |
| 2003 | HOU | P | 36 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 | OAK | P | 6 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | OAK | P | 29 | 27 | 22 | 33 | 2 | 3 |
| 2006 | OAK | P | 35 | 16 | 9 | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 | CIN | P | 34 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | OAK | P | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 165 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Rookie of the Month | July |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | CIN | NL | $1,200,000 |
| 2006 | OAK | AL | $354,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,554,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University Fullerton | Fullerton | CA | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 |