Kent Bottenfield was a professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams during his career. He was born on November 14, 1968, in Portland, Oregon, and attended Madison High School in Portland. After high school, he attended Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, where he played baseball for two years before transferring to Oklahoma State University.
Bottenfield was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the fourth round of the 1986 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Expos in 1992 and played for them until 1995. During his time with the Expos, he was primarily used as a relief pitcher and had a record of 8-10 with a 4.54 earned run average (ERA).
In 1996, Bottenfield was traded to the Colorado Rockies, where he had his breakout season. He was used as a starting pitcher and had a record of 7-9 with a 3.97 ERA. He also had his first complete game shutout that season. His success with the Rockies earned him a spot on the National League All-Star team.
After one season with the Rockies, Bottenfield was traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he played for one season before being traded again to the Anaheim Angels. It was with the Angels that Bottenfield had his best season in 1999. He had a record of 18-7 with a 3.97 ERA and finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting. He also made his second All-Star team that year.
Bottenfield's success with the Angels earned him a big contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000. However, he struggled with injuries and had a disappointing season with a record of 2-9 and a 5.71 ERA. He retired from baseball after the 2001 season.
Overall, Bottenfield had a career record of 46-49 with a 4.54 ERA. He had 10 complete games and three shutouts in his career. He was known for his sinkerball, which induced many ground balls and double plays.
After retiring from baseball, Bottenfield became a Christian minister and motivational speaker. He also wrote a book called "The Scorekeeper: Reflections on Faith, Family, and Forgiveness" in 2003.
In conclusion, Kent Bottenfield was a successful pitcher in the MLB for several teams during his career. He had his breakout season with the Colorado Rockies in 1996 and had his best season with the Anaheim Angels in 1999. He retired from baseball after the 2001 season and became a Christian minister and motivational speaker.
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