Jerry Carl Spradlin (born June 14, 1967) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2000.
In the two years after he graduated high school in 1985, he worked menial, odd jobs. In the fall of 1987, he enrolled at Fullerton College and, at the suggestion of a classmate, tried out for the baseball team. Spradlin made the team but struggled in the little playing time he got while also juggling a full academic schedule and a full-time job at The Home Depot to make ends meet. After missing two team trips, Spradlin was cut from the team with less than twelve innings pitched in his college baseball career. Spradlin went on to play in an amateur baseball league while taking pitching lessons from former MLB pitcher Clyde Wright. Wright recommended Spradlin to Cincinnati Reds scout Ed Roebuck.[2]
In 1994, Spradlin pitched in only six games for the Reds, all in May. He was demoted to Indianapolis to make room on the roster for John Roper.[11] In August of that season, he was claimed off waivers by the Florida Marlins and spent the remainder of 1994 and all of 1995 in their farm system.[4][12] Spradlin returned to the Reds for the 1996 season but faced only one batter at the Major League level.[12]
He was released by the Reds in October 1996 and signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in December.[1][13][14] Spradlin made the Opening Day roster with the Phillies in 1997.[15] He appeared in 76 games in 1997, the fifth-most of any National League pitcher that year and the most of any Phillies pitcher since 1993.[1] Spradlin recorded the first and only hit of his Major League career on August 20, 1998; he struck a double off of Clint Sodowsky to lead off the tenth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.[12][16]
Although Spradlin enjoyed what was described in the San Francisco Examiner as "his best season" in 1998,[17] the Phillies traded him on November 13, 1998 to the Cleveland Indians for Chad Ogea.[18] A month later, the Indians signed Spradlin to a two-year contract for $1.7 million. Indians general manager John Hart told reporters Spradlin was "going to be a big part of our success [in 1999] and in the future."[19] In spite of that, the Indians traded Spradlin to the San Francisco Giants less than a month into the 1999 season.[17] He was a regular in the San Francisco bullpen for the remainder of the year.[20] On July 22, 1999, he struck out four San Diego Padres batters in an inning due to an uncaught third strike. He was the first pitcher in San Francisco Giants history to do so.[21]
On December 13, 1999, the Giants traded Spradlin to the Kansas City Royals.[22] Spradlin was released by the Royals on August 30, 2000 after, according to manager Tony Muser, his performance declined in the second half of the season.[23] Spradlin was signed by the Chicago Cubs on September 8, 2000.[24] He finished the season on Chicago's roster and pitched in what would be his final Major League game on September 29, 2000.[12]
Spradlin signed with the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2001 season.[12] He began the season in the minors until June of that year when he was called up from Triple-A Memphis to replace an injured J. D. Drew on the roster.[25] However, prior to being activated, he underwent a routine MRI which revealed a partially torn rotator cuff and labrum. Spradlin told reporters that the day he was called up "felt like one of the best days of my life" but, following the MRI, it was "all taken away."[26]
Spradlin married his wife, Paulette, during his playing career. In October 2003, while attempting to work his way back to the majors, the couple had to sell their house to remain solvent.[27]
During his playing career, Spradlin played the drums.[31]
