Dirk Fries

From BR Bullpen

Dirk Fries

  • Bats Both, Throws Right
  • Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.

Dirk Fries is a pitcher who made history with the first win by a German in the annals of the Baseball World Cup. He has repeatedly finished in the Bundesliga's top 5 in ERA and wins.

Fries spent 1995-1997 on the German junior national team. He was 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA for Germany in the 1999 European Championship. He had a 9.82 ERA for four appearances in the 2001 European Championship. In 2002, he came to the Cologne Cardinals. Fries was 8-4 with a 3.94 ERA that year. He was 7-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 2003, finishing third in the league in ERA and second in wins. In the 2003 European Championship, he was raked across the coals for 14 hits and 9 runs in four innings in his only start, taking the loss. In 2004, he improved to 6-2, 1.75 and was third in both wins and ERA. In 2005, Dirk was 7-1 with a 2.37 ERA; he ranked 4th in ERA and third in wins. He had a 6.00 ERA in the 2005 European Championship. He was just 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in Bundesliga in 2006. The next year, Fries was 9-4 with a 2.08 ERA and was third in wins and ERA. He led the Bundesliga with 86 1/3 IP. In the 2007 European Championship, he pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing no runs and one hit as Germany finished a strong fourth. He was with the German national team in the 2007 Baseball World Cup and threw 2 2/3 scoreless relief innings against the Thai national team in a 2-0 victory. It was the first win ever by a German hurler in a Baseball World Cup and Germany's lone win of the tournament.

Through 2007, Fries had the lowest BB/IP ratio in German history national team history at 0.29 (7 BB in 24 IP).

Fries was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA in the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament but showed uncharacteristic control problems with 4 walks in 4 2/3 IP. He threw 3 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings for the win against the South African national team. He was called on in the 9th inning against Team Canada, the tourney winner, with a 1-1 game; André Hughes had left the bases loaded with one out. Fries got two outs to escape the jam. In the 10th, he walked Stubby Clapp. Emmanuel Garcia reached on an error and Fries balked. An intentional walk was issued to Adam Stern. Fries retired Taylor Green and Ryan Radmanovich but then gave up a bases-loaded walk to Emerson Frostad. Fries chronicled the tournament in a daily diary at the Mister Baseball website.

Fries signed with the Haar Disciples in 2008, were he finished the regular season with a 5-5 record, 1 Save and a ERA of 3.70.

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