Yury Zhirov

Yury Zhirov also listed as Iouri Jirov, Juri Girov

• Throws Right

• Born January 1, 1960 in Ryazanskaya Oblast Russia

Biographical Information

Yury Zhirov has pitched and coached for the Russian national team. He led Russia in ERA in three different tournaments and was second another time.

Zhirov was 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA In the 1993 European Championship despite striking out 18 batters in 12 1/3 IP. He still led Russia in ERA, .26 ahead of Leonid Korneev. His 13.14 K/9 IP were .01 behind tournament leader Massimiliano Masin and he was one K behind Masin for the tournament lead. He walked 5 and threw two wild pitches in 6 innings for Russia in the 1995 European Championship, allowing 3 runs. Only one run was earned and he wound up leading the Russian staff in ERA. In the 1997 European Championship, he was 1-0 with a team-leading 2.09 ERA.

Yury was 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, giving up 20 hits in 59 at-bats, but he was second on Russia in ERA behind Alexander Bogatyrev. In the 1999 European Championship, the veteran right-hander had a 3.52 ERA and no decisions.

Zhirov was 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in the 2001 European Championship; he led Russia with 12 strikeouts in 9 1/3 IP but gave up 15 hits and had the team's worst ERA. He was 41 years old at the time of the 2001 Baseball World Cup; the next oldest Russian player was Alexander Fedorov, who was 30. Yury was 0-1 with a 7.88 ERA, 12 walks and 12 hits in 8 innings while striking out two. He led Russia in walks but his ERA was close to the team total of 7.62.

At age 43, Zhirov was still pitching for Russia by the 2003 European Championship. In that event, the old-timer gave up 5 runs in six innings.

Retiring as a player, Zhirov coached for Russia in the 2007 European Championship.