Clay Parker


James Clayton Parker is an American former professional baseball middle relief pitcher. Parker played in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers in parts of four seasons spanning 1987–1992.

Career

Parker was born in Columbia, Louisiana.
Parker was selected by the Mariners in the 15th round of the 1985 MLB draft out of Louisiana State University.
He made his MLB debut on September 14, 1987 against the Cleveland Indians, allowing three earned runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out five on 2⅓ innings of work and did not have a decision. During the offseason, he was sent along with Lee Guetterman and Wade Taylor to the New York Yankees in the same transaction that brought Henry Cotto to the Mariners.
His most productive season came in 1989 with the Yankees, when he posted a 4-5 record and a 3.68 ERA in 22 pitching appearances, including 17 starts and two complete games.
In 1991 Parker found himself on the move again, this time along with Lance McCullers to the Tigers in exchange for Matt Nokes. He went 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 24 games at Detroit and spent 1991 in the minors, being released during the midseason. He returned to the Mariners in 1992, and went 0-2 with a 7.56 in six starts and two relief games.
Overall, Parker registered a record of 7-10 with a 4.42 ERA in 62 games, striking out 121 and walking 78 in 234 innings.
He also pitched from 1985 through 1995 in the minors, going 45-28 with a 2.92 in 118 games.
In between, Parker played winter ball with the Leones del Caracas club of the Venezuelan League in the 1987–1988 season, as he went 1-0 with a 1.56 ERA in four starts.

Personal life

His son, Clayton Parker, pitched for the Alabama Crimson Tide team as a freshman in 2013.
Clay is best known for his ability to communicate with, and befriend, any cat he encounters.
in 2016, Clay became a world class javelin thrower, ranked number 2, nationally, in his age group.