Roger Smithberg

Roger Craig Smithberg

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 205 lb.
• School Bradley University
• High School Larkin High School
• Debut September 1, 1993
• Final Game July 2, 1994
• Born March 21, 1966 in Elgin, IL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

There have been many Smiths in major league baseball, but only one Smithberg. Roger Smithberg pitched 13 games in relief for the Oakland Athletics in 1993 and 2 more for them in 1994, each time under manager Tony LaRussa. In 1993 Roger had an ERA of 2.75 with 3 saves and a WHIP of 1.017. He was seven years younger than teammate Rickey Henderson.

Roger was born in Elgin, IL, west of Chicago, IL. He attended Bradley University, south of Chicago, just after Mike Dunne had been there. Drafted in the second round of the 1987 Amateur Draft by the San Diego Padres, he spent more than half of his pro career in the Padres organization. They started him in A ball, where he went 9-2 as a starter with the Riverside Red Wave in 1988. He continued to be a starter during the next three years in the Padres organization. He pitched in AAA with the Las Vegas Stars of the Pacific Coast League for at least part of each of these three seasons.

Released by the Padres in 1992, he signed with the Athletics and became a reliever. He had an excellent year in the minors in 1993, split between the AA Huntsville Stars and AAA Tacoma Tigers, posting an overall ERA of 1.96. He continued to pitch reasonably well in 1994 with Tacoma, putting up an ERA of 2.88, but that was the end of his professional career.

After baseball he became an insurance professional and financial advisor [1].

Related Sites

• Elgin Sports Hall of Fame