John Patterson Baseball player
John Hollis Patterson (born January 30, 1978) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals franchise.A USA Today prep All-American in his senior year at West Orange-Stark (TX) High School, Patterson was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the first round (5th overall pick) of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft. Montreal lost the draft rights to Patterson on a legal technicality: they sent him a contract offer that was not printed on official team letterhead, and he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $6.075 million. After a solid 2002 rookie season where he had a 3.22 ERA, he had a disappointing 2003 season with the Diamondbacks. Patterson was traded back to the Expos prior to the 2004 season in exchange for Randy Choate, a left-handed reliever.Always filled with immense potential, Patterson started to realize it in 2004, when he had a 3.57 ERA in April. He got hurt soon after, though, and never regained his form for the rest of the year.Patterson had a breakout season in 2005, posting a 9-7 record while setting career bests in ERA (3.13), innings pitched (198.3) and strikeouts (185) in 31 starts. On August 4 of that year, he pitched his first career complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Washington winning that game 7-0. In 2009, Patterson's four hit shutout was named the greatest pitching performance in Nationals history by Washington Post baseball writer Dave Sheinin.Early in 2006, Patterson suffered an injury to his right forearm which had to be surgically repaired on July 20, and he did not return for the 2006 campaign.In 2007, he started the year dismally, going 1-5 in seven starts with an ERA of 7.47. He went back on the DL on May 7, with elbow inflammation. He did not pitch the rest of the season, eventually opting for surgery in September.On March 20, 2008, the Nationals released Patterson after four years with the franchise. Patterson had struggled the last couple of seasons with right forearm problems and nerve problems which forced him to miss most of the 2007 season. On March 24, 2008, Patterson signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He was released on May 24.Unable to overcome the pain in his right forearm, Patterson announced his retirement from baseball on January 7, 2009.He featured a mid 90's fastball along with a big curveball and a sharp slider.Patterson lives in his hometown of Orange, Texas. On November 10, 2007, he married 2005 Miss District of Columbia Shannon Schambeau, who was 4th runner-up in the 2006 Miss America pageant.
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Baseball player
| Career start | July 20, 2002 |
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| Career end | May 05, 2007 |
| batting side | Right |
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| throwing side | Right |