Vinnie Chulk is a former professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. He was born on December 19, 1978, in Miami, Florida, and attended the University of Miami, where he played college baseball for the Miami Hurricanes.
Chulk was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round of the 2000 MLB draft and made his professional debut in 2003. He spent his first three seasons in the Blue Jays organization, pitching in the minor leagues and making occasional appearances in the majors.
In 2006, Chulk was traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he had his most successful season. He appeared in 73 games for the Giants, posting a 4-3 record with a 3.57 earned run average (ERA) and 54 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched. He also recorded his first and only save of his career that season.
Chulk spent the next two seasons with the Giants, but his performance declined, and he was released in 2009. He then signed with the Cleveland Indians, where he spent one season before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010.
Chulk's time with the Pirates was short-lived, as he was released after just six appearances. He then signed with the Colorado Rockies, where he spent the remainder of the 2010 season and part of the 2011 season.
Chulk's final MLB appearance came on June 28, 2011, as a member of the Rockies. He finished his career with a 9-7 record, a 4.33 ERA, and 191 strikeouts in 236 innings pitched over 289 games.
After his MLB career, Chulk played in the Mexican League and the independent Atlantic League before retiring from professional baseball in 2014.
Overall, Vinnie Chulk had a respectable career as a relief pitcher in MLB, with his best season coming in 2006 with the San Francisco Giants. While he never became a star player, he was a reliable arm out of the bullpen for several teams over the course of his career.
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