Brian Stokes

{{Infobox baseball biography

|image=Brian Stokes April 21, 2009.jpg

|caption=Stokes with the New York Mets

|name=Brian Stokes

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1979|9|7}}

|birth_place=Montclair, California, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 3

|debutyear=2006

|debutteam=Tampa Bay Devil Rays

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 3

|finalyear=2010

|finalteam=Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=6–11

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=5.27

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=137

|teams=

Tampa Bay Devil Rays ({{Baseball year|2006}}–{{Baseball year|2007}})
New York Mets ({{Baseball year|2008}}–{{Baseball year|2009}})
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ({{Baseball year|2010}})

}}

Brian Alexander Stokes (born September 7, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball.

Early life

Stokes was born in Montclair, California, and graduated from Jurupa Valley High School. He played college baseball at Riverside Community College in California.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=stokebr01|title = Brian Stokes Stats

| publisher= Baseball Almanac|access-date= December 3, 2012}}

Career

On October 2, 1998, Stokes was signed as an amateur free agent by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.{{cite web|url= https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stokebr01.shtml

|title =Brian Stokes | publisher= Baseball-Reference.Com|access-date= December 3, 2012}} He spent his first professional season with the Princeton Devil Rays in {{Baseball year|1999}}. While with Princeton, he led the Appalachian League in games finished with 35. He pitched for Charleston (Single-A) in {{Baseball year|2000}}, allowing one home run in 70.1 innings pitched. Stokes pitched his first complete game at Mudville on June 23, 2001, but lost the game. He played for Bakersfield during the {{Baseball year|2002}} season, leading the team in wins (10) and strikeouts (154). He threw his first professional shutout on July 14 against San Jose. Stokes started ten games for Orlando (Double-A) before undergoing Tommy John surgery in {{Baseball year|2003}}, resulting in his missing the entire {{Baseball year|2004}} season. In {{Baseball year|2005}}, Stokes pitched for both Visalia (Single-A) and Montgomery (Double-A). A hamstring injury sidelined him for the month of July. He was recalled from Durham (Triple-A) on September 2, 2005.

Stokes made his major league debut on September 3, 2006. In 2007, Brian's 59 appearances were fourth among American League rookies.

=New York Mets=

On November 28, 2007, Stokes was sent from Tampa Bay to the New York Mets for cash considerations and was added to the Mets' 40-man roster.{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20071128&content_id=2313002&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Mets acquire RHP Brian Stokes|date=November 28, 2007|work=MLB.com|access-date=December 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615131946/http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20071128&content_id=2313002&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym#|archive-date=June 15, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} During spring training on the last day, he was designated for assignment. He started the season with the Mets Triple-A affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. He was called up to the Mets on August 9, 2008, to start in place of injured starting pitcher, John Maine.{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080808&content_id=3275035&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Stokes gets chance to fill in for Mets|date=August 9, 2008|last=Blau|first=Jon|work=MLB.com|access-date=December 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815131909/http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080808&content_id=3275035&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym#|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

=Los Angeles Angels=

On January 22, 2010, Stokes was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Gary Matthews, Jr.{{cite press release|url=http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100122&content_id=7954646&vkey=pr_ana&fext=.jsp&c_id=ana|title=Angels acquire RHP Brian Stokes from Mets in exchange for Gary Matthews Jr.|publisher=Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim|date=January 22, 2010|access-date=September 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927144940/http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100122&content_id=7954646&vkey=pr_ana&fext=.jsp&c_id=ana|archive-date=September 27, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} He was released by the Angels on September 7, 2010, after making 16 appearances with an 8.10 ERA.{{cite web|last=Drellich|first=Evan|title=Trumbo, Conger among Angels' callups|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100906&content_id=14377548|work=MLB.com|date=September 7, 2010|access-date=September 7, 2010}}

=Toronto Blue Jays=

On December 21, 2010, Stokes signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays.{{cite press release|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101221&content_id=16353168&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor|title=Blue Jays sign six|publisher=Toronto Blue Jays|date=December 21, 2010|access-date=December 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104062248/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101221&content_id=16353168&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor|archive-date=January 4, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

On February 14, 2011, Stokes' contract was voided by the Blue Jays "due to the results of his physical".{{Cite web|url=http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110215/110215_jays?hub=CP24Sports|title = John Farrell has same issues as Blue Jays' predecessors: Yankees and Red Sox|date = February 15, 2011}}http://gregorchisholm.mlblogs.com/archives/2011/02/updated-list-of-players-attending-camp.html{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

=Camden Riversharks=

On April 9, 2011, Stokes signed with the Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 31 games (1 start) he threw 36.1 innings going 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 11 saves.

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

On August 1, 2011, Stokes signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he was assigned to the Triple-A Reno Aces. He became a free agent following the season on November 2.