Chris Mowday

Christopher Ross Mowday

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 210 lb.

• Born August 24, 1981 in Brisbane, Queensland Australia

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Chris Mowday has pitched in the minor leagues, independent leagues, Australia, Taiwan and Europe.

Mowday was a member of the Australian junior national team. He gained 5 1/2 inches of height in a 18-month period, making him even more attractive to MLB scouts. In 1998, he debuted in Australia for the Brisbane Bandits, walking 3 and allowing two runs in one inning in the Australian Baseball League. The Toronto Blue Jays then signed him for $700,000.

Chris made his US debut in 1998 with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays, going 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA; he walked 15 and plunked 4 batters in 10 2/3 innings, still needing lots of help with his control. In 1999, he was 2-6 with a save and a 5.97 ERA for Medicine Hat but cut his walks (12 in 28 2/3 IP) while increasing his strikeout rate (fanning 28).

Mowday walked 23 in 18 2/3 IP for the Queensland Rams in the 1999-2000 International Baseball League of Australia, going 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA. In 2000, he made significant progress. With the Queens Kings, Mowday posted a 5-2, 3.39 record, allowing a .232 average and striking out 65 in 71 2/3 IP. In the 2000-2001 IBLA, he had a 7.50 ERA and one save for the Australian team.

Chris split 2001 between the Auburn Doubledays (4-3, 3.89, 50 K, .218 average in 37 IP) and the Charleston Alley Cats (0-1, 5.64, 27 K in 22 1/3 IP). Still just 20 years old for most of the 2002 season, the right-hander was with Charleston (2-1, Sv, 2.67, .200 average, 88 K, 25 BB in 70 2/3 IP) and the Dunedin Blue Jays (1-1, 4.32 in 10 games). Toronto traded him that winter with Mike Rouse to the Oakland Athletics for Cory Lidle.

He allowed 2 unearned runs in 5 1/3 IP for Queensland in the 2003 Claxton Shield, losing his decision. In the summer of 2003, Mowday pitched for the Kane County Cougars (4-3, 6.49, 42 BB in 51 1/3 IP) and the Modesto A's (2-1, 8.00, 18 K in 9 IP), suffering the first major setback of his career. He walked 5 and allowed 3 runs in 2 2/3 innings for the Rams in the 2004 Claxton Shield.

Mowday went to the Chicago Cubs in the 2003-2004 off-season. He was very good, going 3-1 with 3 saves and a 1.98 ERA for the 2004 Daytona Cubs, striking out over a batter per inning and allowing a .190 average. Despite his success, it would be the end of the line for him in Organized Baseball. Chris began 2005 with the independent Calgary Vipers, but allowed 3 runs in two innings and lost his only game, earning a release. He did not pitch in 2006.

In 2007, Mowday returned to the diamond with Queensland, going 1-0 with one unearned run in 7 1/3 IP. He then starred in the 2008 Claxton Shield, with a 2-0 record and a 1.17 ERA; he was second to Tim Cox in ERA and one win shy of the lead. He was named the MVP. That earned him a spot on Australia's senior national team.

Mowday made a couple of appearances in the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament. Against the South Korean national team, he was toasted, with 5 hits, 4 walks and 6 runs in 1 1/3 IP; pretty similar to Greg Wiltshire and Mark Kelly, the pitchers he replaced and was replaced by, respectively. He then tossed two perfect innings versus Spain to get the win. Australia missed out on a spot in the 2008 Olympics. He finished with a 16.21 ERA for the tournament. He had a 9.82 ERA in three appearances that year for the Edmonton Cracker-Cats as well.

In the 2009 Claxton Shield, Chris had a 5.23 ERA. For 2009, Mowday signed with RCH in the Netherlands. He debuted on April 12th, allowing 6 hits and 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings in a loss to HCAW.

Sources

• Assorted Baseball Almanacs
• SABR database
• IBAF
• Flintoff & Dunn Australian Baseball Almanac
• Australian Baseball Federation
• Mister Baseball
• Marco Stoovelaar's Dutch baseball site