Tim Byrdak is a former American professional baseball player who played as a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on October 31, 1973, in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and attended Rice University in Houston, Texas, where he played college baseball for the Rice Owls.
Byrdak began his professional baseball career in 1994 when he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round of the MLB draft. He spent several years in the minor leagues, playing for various teams in the Royals' farm system, before making his MLB debut with the Royals in 1998. Byrdak played for the Royals for two seasons before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2000.
Byrdak played for the Orioles for two seasons before being traded to the New York Mets in 2002. He spent the next several years bouncing between the Mets and their minor league affiliates, as well as playing for other teams such as the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent Northern League.
In 2008, Byrdak signed with the Houston Astros and had one of the best seasons of his career. He appeared in a career-high 76 games and posted a 3.23 earned run average (ERA) with 47 strikeouts in 47.1 innings pitched. Byrdak continued to pitch for the Astros for the next few seasons before signing with the New York Mets in 2011.
Byrdak had another strong season with the Mets in 2012, appearing in 56 games and posting a 3.82 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in August of that year that required surgery and caused him to miss the entire 2013 season.
After being released by the Mets in 2014, Byrdak announced his retirement from professional baseball. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 518 games and posted a 4.35 ERA with 432 strikeouts in 433.2 innings pitched. Byrdak was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out, as he held them to a .222 batting average over the course of his career.
In addition to his playing career, Byrdak has also been involved in coaching and player development. He has worked as a pitching coach for various minor league teams, including the Gulf Coast League Mets and the St. Lucie Mets. Byrdak has also served as a guest instructor at various baseball camps and clinics, sharing his knowledge and experience with young players.
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