John Hollis Patterson...single...as a senior at West Orange-Stark High School, was named to *USA Today*'s prep All-America squad with a 7-2 record and a 0.77 ERA in 72.1 innings, fanning 142.
2007
Washington's Opening Day starter and MLBPA player rep was limited to just 7 starts because of lingering right arm injuries...went 1-5 with a 7.47 ERA in those 7 starts...exited May 5 start at CHI after just 2.0 innings due to right elbow-bicep soreness and was placed on the 15-Day DL on May 6...made a pair of rehab starts with Single-A Potomac, June 15 at Frederick and June 21 vs. Winston-Salem, before being shut down due to ongoing soreness...on September 14,underwent successful one-hour surgery performed by Dr. David Ruch at Duke Medical Center to decompress the right-arm's radial nerve...recorded 237th strikeout since beginning of 2005 season to become the Nationals' all-time strikeouts leader...surpassed Livan Hernandez (236) by fanning Wes Helms in the 2nd inning on April 25 at PHI...capped '07 with 242 career punchouts in 3 seasons as a National. Game-By-Game Highlights: Opening Day vs. FLA, suffered the loss after allowing 6 runs on 7 hits in 3.2 innings...Out-dueled Jake Peavy to grab the win, April 30 at SDP...allowed just one run on 4 hits in 6.0 innings to pocket first big-league win since April 15, 2006 at FLA. In minor leagues: Allowed a combined 4 runs in 5.1 innings in his 2 rehab starts with Potomac...walked 5, struck out 2 and allowed a pair of home runs.
2006
Made just 8 starts while again struggling with injuries, specifically a right forearm strain, for a majority of the season...
missed 130 games during a pair of DL stints in 2006...finished 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA (20 ER/40.2 IP) before pitching for
a final time on July 9 vs. SDP...lasted only 1.0 inning that afternoon and was placed on the DL on July 14 (retroactive
to July 10)...on July 20, had successful surgery performed by Nationals Orthopedist Dr. Ben Shaffer and Nationals
hand consultant Dr. Richard Barth at Sibley Hospital in Washington, DC...during the 75-minute procedure, the lacertus
fibrosis was released and the median nerve was explored and decompressed...several areas of constriction within
the nerve were released, thus leaving the nerve healthy and free of compression...earlier in the season, missed 58
games while on the DL, April 22-June 23, with right forearm tightness...posted 4 consecutive quality starts, April 10-June 23, going 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA (8 ER/27.2 IP)...posted a stellar strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.7/1 (42 SO, 9 BB)...fanned 9.3 batters per 9.0 innings (42 SO in 40.2 IP)...went 0-0 with a 3.95 ERA (6 ER/13.2 IP) in 3 starts at RFK...was 1-0 with a 3.15 ERA (7 ER/20.0 IP) in 4 starts on normal (4 days') rest, but 0-2 with a 5.66 ERA (13 ER/20.2 IP)
in 8 starts on more than 4 days' rest...posted a batting average against of .167 (3-for-18) with RISP and 2 outs...3
of 4 homers allowed were solo shots...when toeing the rubber, Washington went 4-4...in early February, politely and
respectfully declined overtures from Team USA to participate in the inaugural World Baseball Classic...dominated in
Spring Training, going 2-1 with a 2.01 ERA (5 ER/22.1 IP) in 5 Grapefruit League starts.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Earned lone win and matched career high with 13 strikeouts in a 2-1 victory at FLA,
April 15...the win also snapped the Nationals' 6-game losing streak...the 13 punch outs tied for 8th all-time on the
franchise's single-game list, and also tied a Washington Nationals record previously set August 4, 2005 vs. LAD by
Patterson himself...a list of the 7 Nationals/Expos pitchers to record more than 13 strikeouts in a single game: Bill
Gullickson (franchise record 18 K, September 10, 1980 vs. CHI), Floyd Youmans (15 K, Sept. 27, 1986 vs. PHI), Jeff
Fassero (14 K, Aug. 11, 1996 vs. CHI), Jeff Juden (14 K, July 1, 1997 at TOR), Pedro Martinez (14 K, June 14, 1997
vs. DET), Bob Sebra (14 K, July 1, 1987 vs. CHI) and Javier Vazquez (14 K, April 9, 2003 at CHI)...left June 29 start
at TOR 2 pitches into the 4th inning with fatigue in right arm.
Rehab Assignment: From June 7-17, made 3 rehab starts, 2 with Single-A Potomac and one with Triple-A New
Orleans...went 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA (6 ER/13.1 IP)...walked 4, fanned 13 during the 3 minor-league assignments.
2005
Produced long-awaited break-out season, going 9-7 with a 3.13 ERA in 31 starts...as Nationals most dominant starter,
more than doubled career win total (7) entering '05...established career highs in every major category, including innings...
had never thrown as many as 198.1 innings during any season as a pro...posted sub-3.00 ERA for majority of season...
registered 19 quality starts, including 10 in an 11-start span from July 4-August 24...tied for 10th in the NL with a team-leading
185 strikeouts...also ranked among NL leaders in ERA (9th), batting average against (8th at .233), strikeouts per 9.0 innings
pitched (tied for 7th with a team-leading 8.4) and night ERA (8th at 2.85)...posted the 9 wins despite suffering from the 7thworst
run support in the NL (12th in MLB) at 3.86 (runs only count while in the game)...allowed 2 runs or less 20 times in
31 starts...on 8 occasions, was touched for one earned run or less, but relegated to a loss or no-decision...despite posting
10 quality starts in 15 assignments, went just 1-5 with a 3.39 ERA (34 ER/90.1 IP) against NL East foes...lone NL East win
came April 26 vs. PHI (W3-1)...thus, went 8-2 with a 2.92 ERA (35 ER/108.0 IP) against non-NL East competition...was 6-3
with a 3.08 ERA in 19 starts at RFK, but took the loss in final 3 September decisions in DC...3 road wins trumped career total
(2) entering the season...endured DL stint, May 24 (retro to May 16)-May 30 with back spasms...missed approximately 2
starts...led Washington with 27 K's in June...finished stellar month of July with just a 1-1 record, despite posting a 1.54 ERA (7
ER/41.0 IP) in 6 starts...however, Washington scored only 9 runs in the 6 starts...one more July nugget: fanned 10.5 batters
per 9.0 innings pitched (48 SO/41.0 IP)...4 August wins established a single-month career high...in fact, had never won more
than 2 games in a single month...paced Washington with 4 wins, 34 strikeouts and a 2.21 starters' ERA in August...threw 16.0
pitches per inning, or 2.4 fewer than 2004...went 0-0 with a 3.29 ERA (5 ER/13.2 IP) in a pair of starts on 3 days' rest...posted
more than one win against only one club (COL, 2)...limited opponents to .203 mark with RISP and 2 outs...opponents hit just
.166 when the count reached 2 strikes...fanned career-high 13 and did not walk a batter in first career shutout, April 4 vs. LAD
(W7-0)...was opposed by, among others, Greg Maddux, Jason Schmidt, John Smoltz, Mike Hampton (twice), Russ Ortiz, Jon
Lieber, Jamie Moyer, Kenny Rogers and A.J. Burnett...when toeing the rubber, Washington went 17-14.
2004
Emerged in first extended opportunity at the big league level...went 4-7 with a 5.03 ERA in 19 starts sandwiched
around a 10-plus week stay on the DL with a right groin strain...otherwise, took the ball every 5th day as needed...flashed
talent that made him one of MLB's top prospects...fanned 99 in 98.1 innings (9.06 K's per 9 innings)...set career highs
in virtually every major category...in many instances, topped career totals entering the season...after being acquired,
pitched in one Grapefruit League contest before making his Expos debut on April 10 vs. NYM...the start was perhaps
his best of the season...earned the win for the Expos nearly 8 years after Montreal took Patterson as the 5th overall
pick in the '96 Draft...scattered 2 hits and just one walk in 7.0 shut-out innings...struck out 6 and needed just 86 pitches
as Montreal won, 1-0...went 1-2 with a 3.57 ERA in April before sustaining a severely strained right groin in the 5th
inning on April 27 at SD...ranked among NL league leaders in batting average against (.200) at the time of the injury...was
barely able to walk after the game...was placed on the DL the next day and returned home for a period before resuming
rehab at the club's minor-league complex in Viera, FL...made a pair of rehab starts for Single-A Brevard County and
Double-A Harrisburg before slowing down with tightness in the same groin...after a period of rest and rehab, made one
last rehab start for Brevard County on July 4 at Daytona (scattered one hit and one walk in 4.0 innings, fanning
3)...missed 66 big league games in all before returning to the mound on July 16 at ATL...13 of 19 starts came against
NL East foes...went 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA (39 ER/67.2 IP) against ATL, FLA, NYM and PHI...against non-NL East clubs,
went 2-2 with a 4.70 ERA (16 ER/30.2 IP) in 6 starts...Expos went 7-12 when Patterson toed the rubber (1-6 in
Patterson's final 7 starts)...16 of 18 home runs allowed were hit by right-handed batters...allowed 5 first-inning home
runs (allowed 2 first-inning long balls on April 17 at PHI)...26 of 46 walks came with runners on base...walked 2.4
batters per game before groin injury...walked 4.8 per 9 innings after the injury...limited opponents to a .202 mark (17-
for-84) with RISP...opponents batted .316 (37-for-117) during Patterson's first 30 pitches, just .235 (63-for-268)
therafter...posted 7 quality starts...went 4-for-33 (.121) with one RBI at the plate...tallied 5 sacrifice bunts.
Game-By-Game Highlights: Faced ARI, his former club, for the first time on August 11 at The Big O...earned the
win...allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits in 6.2 innings...walked one, struck out 6 in the Expos' 7-3 win...stellar 8.0-inning
effort in opener of Sept. 15 twinbill at FLA was the longest career start...gave up 2 runs on 6 hits as Montreal bested Carl
Pavano and the Fish, 6-2...started and took the loss in the last game in Montreal Expos history, October 3 at NYM...went
4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits...walked 3, struck out 3 in a game eventually won by NYM, 8-1...fanned a careerhigh
8 on 3 occasions: April 27 at SDP, July 31 at FLA and September 10 at ATL.
2003
The 25-year-old rookie right-hander opened Spring Training penciled in as a member of the big league starting rotation, but a tough exhibition season and the emergence of Byung-Hyun Kim and Oscar Villarreal saw Patterson's year begin with Triple-A Tucson ... he made a pair of starts for the Sidewinders, winning each time with 5-inning performances, then was recalled to the big league club on April 11 in preparation for a starting assignment 4 days later vs. Colorado ... he took the 12-1 loss in that start allowing 5 runs over 4.0 frames, including a pair of home runs, one by opposing pitcher Shawn Chacon ... John was sent back to the Sidewinders following the game with the goal of working on a change-up and it proved successful ... he went 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA over his next 6 starts in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, limiting the opposition to a .221 average over that span ... his final outing over that stretch was an abbreviated 3.0-inning stint on May 23 in Tacoma, allowing a hit and a walk with 4 K's, departing the contest early because he was going to be summoned back to the Major League club ... John returned to the D-Backs on May 28, taking a spot in the rotation as Brandon Webb went the disabled list ... Patterson saw his big league mark dip to 0-3 with losses at San Francisco and at San Diego ... he was not involved in the decision at home on June 7 vs. Cleveland allowing 3 runs over 4.0 innings of an eventual 5-3 Arizona win ... John appeared poised to secure his first win of the season on June 12 start at Kansas City, but Mother Nature intervened ... he held a 4-1 advantage in the home half of the third before the skies opened up and dumped better than 2 hours of rain on Kauffman Stadium, necessitating the cancellation of the game, a rain that stopped as the team bus was loading for the airport ... he finally broke into the win column with a strong outing on June 21 vs. Cincinnati, tossing a career-high 7.2 innings in a 5-3 triumph, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits with a season-high 7 K's ... he also notched his second career base hit with a single to center field in the second inning ... after 2 more starts, going 0-1, he was optioned back to Tucson on July 8 ... he made 10 more starts for the Sidewinders, going 5-3 with a 2.92 ERA, including a 4-game winning streak from July 29-August 23 (6 starts) ... he finished the minor league portion of his season going 10-5 with a 2.63 ERA, coming up 5 innings shy of qualifying as the lowest earned run average in the P.C.L ... .John returned to the big league club when rosters expanded in September and worked out of the pen 8 times, posting a 3.38 ERA, yielding 7 runs (5 earned) on 13 hits in 13.1 innings ... he notched his first career save, at any professional level, on September 7 in San Francisco working the final 2.0 innings to preserve a 9-6 win ... he allowed only 2 home runs over his last 74.2 innings on the year, including Triple-A work.
How obtained:
Signed as a free agent on November 7, 1996 ... originally selected by Montreal Expos in first round (fifth overall) of June, 1996, draft, but was declared a free agent.
2002
The Diamondbacks got a tantalizing glimpse of their future during the second half of the season as John made 5 starts for the big league club in the heat of a pennant race ... with the home field in the Division Series hanging in the balance, the 24-year old righthander took the ball in the final regular season game on September 29 against Colorado and posted an 11-8 win, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits over 5.0 innings ... he prefaced that appearance 5 days earlier in St. Louis, blanking the Central Division titleholders on 1 hit over 6.0 frames, fanning 8 ... unfortunately he left the game in a scoreless tie and the Redbirds wound up 3-2 winners ... Patterson, who was subbing for the injured Rick Helling, made his big league debut on July 20 in San Diego, working 6.0 innings allowing a run and 3 hits in front of a gathering of 54,980 in Qualcomm Stadium ... he left that contest trailing by a 1-0 count, but Arizona rallied for a 7-1 victory ... the game was a significant step for Patterson, who finally made it to the big leagues after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow on May 25, 2000 ... he took the hill again on July 25 in Bank One Ballpark with 7.1 shutout innings against the Padres, allowing only 5 hits in posting his first big league win, a 10-0 decision ... the only reason he had a big league ERA of any substance was by virtue of his third start, a rough 3.1-inning stint in Shea Stadium on August 4, allowing 7 runs via 4 homers, but the Arizona offense erupted to post a 12-7 triumph ... he was optioned back to Tucson on August 7 as Helling returned from the D.L ... eliminating that outing in New York from his big league work, John combined his other 6 appearances (4 starts) surrendering only 4 earned runs in 27.1 innings for a sparkling 1.32 ERA ... he picked up his first major league hit on July 25 off of San Diego's Tom Davey ... he had what appeared to be his second big league hit in the season finale on September 29 off the Rockies' Denny Stark, but Gabe Kapler charged the ball in rightfield and threw Patterson out at first base ... John began the year in extended spring training to continue strengthening his elbow, and made his season debut with AAA Tucson on May 5 vs. Colorado Springs (Rockies) ... he opened his AAA season losing 4 of his first 5 decisions, but wound up going 9-1 in his last 14 outings (13 starts).
2001
Started the season on the AAA Tucson disabled list (right elbow strain)...was activated and did not get a decision pitching 5.0 innings of relief (4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, WP) in a 5-4 win over Tacoma...took the loss allowing 6 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits and 2 walks in 5.1 innings (HR, 2 K) in first start...suffered second defeat again allowing 6 runs (all earned) on 9 hits and 3 walks over 4.2 innings (3 K, WP)...placed on the DL May 6 through remainder of season (right elbow inflammation).
2000
John missed the majority of the season with elbow surgery ... he opened the year on the disabled list due to a right elbow strain, not making his debut until April 25 with 5.0 innings of relief in a no decision vs. Tacoma ... he followed with a pair of losses as a starter, then was shelved on May 6 for the remainder of the year ... he was operated on by Dr. James Andrews on May 25 in Birmingham, AL.
1999
MINOR LEAGUE: John opened the year with El Paso (AA), making 18 starts for the Diablos before his season was interrupted with the excitement of pitching for the U.S. in the Pan American Games...upon returning from international action, he finished the year with Tucson for his first look at AAA hitters...it took John the better part of a month to post his first AA win, going 0-3 through 5 starts before allowing just a run and 5 hits over 8.0 innings vs. Wichita on May 7...that triumph started a stretch in which Patterson went 8-3 over his final 13 El Paso starts...included were consecutive performances on June 23 and June 28, totaling 16.0 innings allowing just 10 hits and 4 runs, while fanning 24...he was the Texas League Pitcher-of-the-Week for June 7-13, then was tabbed organizational Pitcher-of-the-Month for June...he finished at AA with 117 K's in 100.0 innings, leading T.L. starters with a 10.53 strikeouts per 9-inning ratio...after a 3-week stint with the Pan Am team, John returned to the organization and made his debut in AAA on August 5...he was 0-4 through 5 starts for the Sidewinders before knocking off Colorado Springs in his next-to-last start on August 31.
1998
His second year as a professional, John led the California League in ERA and ranked fourth in strikeouts...he also had the lowest opponents' batting average (.217) of any starting pitcher in the league...had 80 K's and 15 walks after June 2...his efforts were rewarded by a Baseball America poll of managers, naming Patterson the second best prospect in the California League. 1997-Spent his first pro season at South Bend(Class A Midwest League) where he was much better than his 1-9 record indicated...produced a solid 3.23 ERA and fanned 95 batters in 78.0 innings (10.96 per nine innings).
