Dave Gassner

{{Infobox baseball biography

| image = |

| name = Dave Gassner

| team =

| number =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|12|14}}

| birth_place = Hortonville, Wisconsin

| bats = Right

| throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 16

| debutyear = 2005

| debutteam = Minnesota Twins

| finaldate = April 21

| finalyear = 2005

| finalteam = Minnesota Twins

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 1-0

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 5.87

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 2

| teams =

Minnesota Twins ({{Baseball year|2005}})

}}

David K. Gassner (born December 14, 1978) is a former professional baseball pitcher. Gassner is a 1997 graduate of Hortonville High School in Hortonville, Wisconsin and 2002 graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Education.{{cite web | url = http://mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=434559 | title =Dave Gassner |author= |work = MLB.com | date = | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }}

Career

Gassner played college baseball for the Purdue Boilermakers from 1998–2001.{{cite web|title=Purdue University Baseball Players Who Played in the Major Leagues|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/college/purdue_university_baseball_players.shtml|work=Baseball-Almanac.com|accessdate=20 July 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040612022507/http://baseball-almanac.com/college/purdue_university_baseball_players.shtml|url-status=live|archivedate=2004-06-12}}

He was selected by Toronto Blue Jays in the 2001 amateur entry draft, and played in their minor league organization from {{Baseball year|2001}} through {{Baseball year|2003}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/Dave-Gassner.shtml |title=Dave Gassner |work=The Baseball Cube |accessdate=2008-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705134308/http://thebaseballcube.com/players/G/Dave-Gassner.shtml |archivedate=2008-07-05 }}

On December 15, 2003, Gassner was sent to the Minnesota Twins to complete a trade made on July 16, 2003 where the Blue Jays sent Shannon Stewart and a player to be named later (Gassner) to the Twins for Bobby Kielty.{{cite web | url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gassnda01.shtml | title =Dave Gassner |author= |work = Baseball Reference| date = | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }}

Gassner spent the entire {{Baseball year|2004}} season with the Rochester Red Wings of the International League. On April 16, 2005 made his major league debut for the Twins against the Cleveland Indians getting the win by pitching 6 innings giving up only one earned run. Gassner was to have only one more start for the Twins, spending most of the season with the Rochester Red Wings.{{cite web | url = http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20050416&content_id=1017788&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=min | title =Home runs back Gassner's debut: Soft-tossing rookie largely befuddles Tribe |author=Mark Sheldon |work = MLB.com| date =2005-04-16 | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }}

Gassner missed the majority of the {{Baseball year|2006}} season with a left elbow strain{{cite web | url = http://www.soxprospects.com/players/gassner-dave.htm | title = #34 Dave Gassner |author= |work = SoxProspects| date = | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }} and spent the entire {{Baseball year|2007}} season with the Rochester Red Wings where he compiled a 6-12 record and a 4.95 ERA.

Gassner started the {{Baseball year|2008}} season playing for the York Revolution of the Atlantic League,{{cite web | url = http://www.yorkdailyrecord.com/ci_9483435?source=rss | title = York Revs win one, loss pitcher Dave Gassner |author=Jim Seip |work = York Daily Record| date =2008-06-05 | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }} but on June 6, 2008 he was signed to a minor league contract by the Boston Red Sox and assigned to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs.

On June 7 Gassner made his first start for the Sea Dogs against the Akron Aeros earning a no decision after pitching 5{{fraction|2|3}} innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs.{{cite web | url = http://www.portlandseadogs.com/2008scores/por6070.html | title = PORTLAND SQUANDERS A 10-0 LEAD, LOSE 11-10 TO AKRON |author= |work = Portland Sea Dogs| date =2008-06-07 | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }} He became a free agent at the end of the season. Gassner signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League for the 2009 season. He retired on August 26, 2009.

Awards and recognition

2001 – Big Ten Conference All-Star SP
2003 – Eastern League (AA) All-Star and League ERA Leader.
2004 – Triple-A All-Star SP
2007 – International League Pitcher of the Week{{cite web | url = http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Dave%20Gassner&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=434559 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110519144449/http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Dave%20Gassner&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=434559 | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 19, 2011 | title = Dave Gassner |author= |work = MiLB.com| date = | accessdate = 2008-07-10 }}

After baseball life

In 2010, Gassner was named head coach of the Appleton West varsity baseball team in Appleton, Wisconsin. He is also a substitute teacher in the fields of science and mathematics for the Appleton Area School District.