Mark McLemore (mclemma02)

Mark Steven McLemore

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 220 lb.
• School Oregon State University
• High School Del Oro High School
• Debut May 24, 2007
• Final Game September 30, 2007
• Born October 9, 1980 in Sacramento, CA USA

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Biographical Information

The second Mark McLemore in Major League Baseball history made his debut in 2007.

In his freshman year at Oregon State University, McLemore allowed 5 runs in 5 innings. The next season, he was 0-4 with a 9.25 ERA. He also was with the Bourne Braves that year. Back at Oregon State for his junior season, Mark improved to 3-5, 5.17. The Houston Astros took him in the 4th round of the 2002 amateur draft; he was the fourth of six straight pitchers they took to start the draft, one round ahead of Patrick Misch. McLemore was signed by scout Dan Houston and made his pro debut that summer.

McLemore debuted professionally with the Martinsville Astros (0-1, 1.80 in 4 games) and Tri-City Valley Cats (1-5, 14.09, .392 opponent average, 17 BB in 23 IP). Mark's struggles continued in 2003, when he was 2-11 with a 4.58 ERA for the Lexington Legends despite whiffing 101 in 92 1/3 IP. It wasn't due to the club being a poor one - Lexington was 73-52 when other hurlers got the decision.

Moving up to the Salem Avalanche, the left-hander showed signs of improvement with a 7-7 record and 3.66 ERA while registering 6 saves and holding opponents to a .228 average. Had he qualified, he would have finished in the top 10 in the Carolina League in ERA.

McLemore started 2005 with a 5-6, 2.81 record for the Corpus Christi Hooks while opponents hit .220 against him in 15 starts. He made the mid-season Texas League All-Star team before elbow tendonitis sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Had he qualified, he would have led the Texas League in ERA by .05 over Bobby Livingston. That would have made it five Corpus Christi pitchers in the top 7 - Jason Hirsh, Phil Barzilla, Chris Sampson and Tim McClaskey were the others.

McLemore pitched in 21 games for the Round Rock Express in 2006, going 2-3 with a 2.81 ERA. Opponents hit .226 and he fanned 8.12 per 9 innings but walked 5.93 per 9.

He returned to Round Rock for 2007 and was 0-1 with a 1.91 ERA in 14 games when he got called up to replace the struggling Matt Albers. He had allowed only 20 hits in 33 IP (a .169 average) and struck out 37 while walking 19.

He made his major league debut on May 24, 2007, relieving in the 8th inning. He struck out Stephen Drew, got Chris Snyder to ground out and fanned opposing hurler Micah Owings.

Sources: 2002-2007 Baseball Almanacs, MLB.com, The Baseball Cube