Bob Wickman was a professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher for several teams during his career. He was born on February 6, 1969, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Wickman began his professional baseball career in 1990 when he was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the second round of the MLB draft. He made his major league debut with the White Sox in 1992 and played for them until 1996. During his time with the White Sox, Wickman was primarily used as a relief pitcher and had a record of 17-14 with an ERA of 4.68.
In 1996, Wickman was traded to the New York Yankees, where he played until 1999. During his time with the Yankees, Wickman was part of the team that won the World Series in 1998. He was primarily used as a setup man for closer Mariano Rivera and had a record of 14-4 with an ERA of 3.63.
In 1999, Wickman was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, where he played until 2000. He was then traded to the Cleveland Indians, where he played until 2006. During his time with the Indians, Wickman was the team's closer and had a record of 32-27 with an ERA of 3.45. He was also named to the American League All-Star team in 2005.
In 2006, Wickman was traded to the Atlanta Braves, where he played until 2007. He was primarily used as the team's closer and had a record of 3-3 with an ERA of 3.92.
Wickman retired from baseball in 2008 with a career record of 63-61 and an ERA of 3.57. He also had 267 saves, which ranks him 29th on the all-time saves list. Wickman was known for his sinkerball, which he used to induce ground balls and get out of jams.
Overall, Wickman had a successful career as a relief pitcher in the major leagues. He was a reliable closer for several teams and was known for his ability to get out of tough situations. Wickman's contributions to the teams he played for helped them win games and compete for championships.
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