Rocky Cherry

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Rocky Cherry

| image = AAAA9530 Rocky Cherry.jpg

| caption = Cherry pitching for the Baltimore Orioles on September 22, {{By|2008}}.

| position = Relief pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|8|19}}

| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 23

| debutyear = 2007

| debutteam = Chicago Cubs

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 24

| finalyear = 2008

| finalteam = Baltimore Orioles

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 1–4

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 5.77

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 38

| teams =

Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2007}})
Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2007}}–{{mlby|2008}})

}}

Rocky Ty Cherry (born August 19, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.

Career

=Amateur=

Cherry pitched for the University of Oklahoma from 2000–2002. He was used mostly in relief his first season, but was a full-time starter by the time he finished at school. He had an overall record of 18–16 in 208 innings pitched. In 2000, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web |author= |date= |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |access-date=January 9, 2020 |website=Cape Cod Baseball League |publisher=}}{{cite web |title=2000 Brewster Whitecaps |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2000&T=Brewster_Whitecaps |access-date=September 23, 2021 |website=The Baseball Cube}}

=Chicago Cubs=

The Philadelphia Phillies chose Cherry in the 10th round (290th overall) of the 2001 MLB draft, but he did not sign at the time.{{Cite web |title=10th Round of the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=2001&draft_round=10&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} The next year, the Chicago Cubs selected him in the 14th round (423rd overall) of the 2002 MLB draft, and he signed with them.{{Cite web |title=14th Round of the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=2002&draft_round=14&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He was a starter for his first three minor league seasons (2003–2005). Cherry's 2005 season ended after only three appearances for the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Double-A Southern League, after which he had Tommy John surgery. When he returned to West Tenn in 2006, Cherry became a full-time reliever. He had a middle finger injury to his pitching hand in mid-July which also required surgery.{{cite news |last=Holley |first=Steve |date=September 8, 2006 |title=Cherry Recovering from Surgery |work=Scout.com |publisher=Inside The Ivy |url=http://cubs.scout.com/2/566128.html |url-status=dead |access-date=December 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716022310/http://cubs.scout.com/2/566128.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011}}

Cherry made his major league debut with the Cubs on April 23, 2007, against the Milwaukee Brewers, He allowed a game-winning home run in the 12th inning to Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, and suffered the loss.{{Cite web |last=Muskat |first=Carrie |date=April 24, 2007 |title=Cubs let one get away in extras loss |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070423&content_id=1926387&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827210731/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070423&content_id=1926387&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |archive-date=August 27, 2007 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Chicago Cubs |publisher=MLB.com}} Cherry earned his first big league win on May 1 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{Cite web |last=Adamski |first=Chris |date=May 2, 2007 |title=Cubs muscle up to douse Pirates |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070501&content_id=1940379&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518010946/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070501&content_id=1940379&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |archive-date=May 18, 2007 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Chicago Cubs |publisher=MLB.com}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

In August 2007, the Cubs traded Cherry and third baseman Scott Moore to the Orioles for starting pitcher Steve Trachsel.{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2007 |title=Cubs get Trachsel from O's |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2999417 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |language=en}} Cherry began 2008 on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder strain.{{Cite web |last=Seidel |first=Jeff |date=March 29, 2008 |title=O's mulling options for final spot |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080329&content_id=2465728&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404183220/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080329&content_id=2465728&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=April 4, 2008 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} As of May 20, he was on rehab assignment to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. He was the last visiting pitcher ever at the original Yankee Stadium while a member of the Orioles on September 21, 2008.{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2008 |title=Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees Box Score, September 21, 2008 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200809210.shtml |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

=New York Mets=

In December 2008, Cherry was selected by the New York Mets in the 2008 Rule 5 draft. He was released by the Mets on March 17, 2009, after the Orioles declined to take him back.{{cite web |last=Costa |first=Brian |date=March 17, 2009 |title=New York Mets release pitcher Rocky Cherry |url=http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2009/03/new_york_mets_release_pitcher_1.html |access-date=March 17, 2009 |website=NJ.com |publisher=The Star-Ledger}}

=Boston Red Sox=

On March 24, {{By|2009}}, Cherry signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox.{{Cite news |date=March 25, 2009 |title=Red Sox sign RHP Rocky Cherry |work=Boston.com |publisher=Associated Press |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/03/25/red_sox_sign_rhp_rocky_cherry_1238034025/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Red+Sox+news |access-date=March 10, 2022}} He was released on August 18, 2009.

=San Diego Padres=

On August 21, 2009, Cherry signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.{{Cite web |last=Shephard |first=Brian |date=August 20, 2009 |title=Padres Send Patterson to Athletics |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/padres-send-patterson-to-athletics.html |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} He was granted free agency on November 9, 2009.