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Ex-GBLer LHP Bobby Cramer Called Up by Oakland

September 11, 2010 - Golden Baseball League (GBL) News Release


(San Ramon, CA) The Golden Baseball League announced today that

the Oakland Athletics have added LHP Bobby Cramer to the big league roster and he is set to start for the A's on Monday.

Cramer, 30, is a left handed pitcher who played in college at Fulleton College and Long Beach State. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 38th round of the 2001 draft, but arm problems led to elbow surgery in 2002. He signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2003 and played two seasons in their organization putting up very good numbers through High-A. Released after the 2004 season, he was out of basball in 2005 and 2006 and was a high school teacher in southern California. Itching to return, he got his arm in shape and contacted Fullerton Flyers manager Garry Templeton of the Golden Baseball League. Templeton was impressed and ready to sign him, but a former Devil Rays and now Oakland A's scout, Craig Weissman, remembered Cramer from his Tampa Bay time and had a hole to fill for a lefthanded pitcher in the High-A California League. The A's signed Cramer and sent him right to Stockton where he was dominant going 4-1 in his first 8 starts and striking out 41 while only walking 10 and earning a mid-season promotion to Double A. They moved him to Midland in the Texas League where he continued to baffle hitters as he went 5-1 in seven starts with a 1.89 E.R.A. to finish the regular season and to earn a promotion to Triple A Sacramento for the playoffs. He started Game 5 of the PCL Championship Series and was earmarked to be a key part of the starting rotation for the AAA River Cats in 2008. However, after pitching in Mexico in the winter he developed some shoulder soreness and the A's released him out of spring training. Joining the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League under new skipper Gary Carter, he proved that his arm was as durable as ever as he pitched 92 innings, posted a record of 7-4, was fourth in the league in E.R.A., and struck out 98 while only walking an astonishingly low total of 16. He also threw 5 complete games, something he had never done at the professional level before. He then went 2-0 in the playoffs as the Flyers won the 2008 GBL Championship. This was more than enough to convince Oakland to reacquire the southpaw where he split time in High-A, AA, and AAA in 2009 and then was loaned by Oakland to the Mexican League this season before being brought to AAA Sacramento where he was 2-2 witha 1.94 E.R.A. before being called up.

Cramer is the 7th Golden Baseball League player to make it to a major league roster this year, and the second member of the Orange County Flyers (RHP Chris Jakubauskas being the other) to advance to the major leagues. He may not be the last this season as 10 other former GBL players are currently playing for AAA teams.

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Golden Baseball League Stories from September 11, 2010


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