John Odom (baseball): Difference between revisions

'''John C. Odom''' (January 6, 1982 – November 5, 2008) was a [[minor league baseball]] right-handed [[pitcher]] notable for being traded for ten [[baseball bat]]s. Becausewhile ofplaying thisin eventthe heindependent was[[Golden knownBaseball toLeague]] fansin asMay "Bat2008. Man",Before "Bathis Guy"stint andin "Batthe Boy."<refGolden name="salon">{{citeBaseball webLeague, |last=Walker|first=Ben|date=2009-03-03|Odom url=http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/03/03/D96MPF700_bbo_death_of_a_bat_man/index.htmlplayed |baseball title=Aat tragic[[Tallahassee endCommunity forCollege]] and in the minor-league leaguersystem tradedof forthe batsSan |Francisco accessdate=2009-03-04}}</ref>Giants.

Odom, 6-foot-2, described himself as a "lost youth." He was kicked off of his high school baseball team in [[Roswell, Georgia]].<ref name="salon"/> He then played two seasons for the [[Tallahassee Community College]] baseball team, going 6-1 with a 2.75 ERA in {{baseball year|2004}}.<ref name="volcanoes">{{cite web| url=http://www.volcanoesbaseball.com/Rosters%20&%20Players/2006_volcanoes_roster_and_bio.htm | title=2005 Volcanoes Roster and Bio | accessdate=2009-03-04}}</ref> In {{baseball year|2003}}, he was drafted in the 44th round by the [[San Francisco Giants]].<ref name="salon"/>

Odom played for the Giants' affiliates [[Salem Keizer Volcanoes]] in {{baseball year|2004}} and {{baseball year|2006}}, and the [[Augusta Greenjackets]] in {{baseball year|2005}}.<ref name="espn">{{cite web| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/minorlbb/news/story?id=3409864 | title=Independent team deals pitcher for 10 maple bats |agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=2008-05-26| accessdate=2009-03-04|publisher=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref><ref name="bbr">{{cite web | url=http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=25585 | title=John Odom Statistics (Minor Leagues) | accessdate=2009-03-04 | publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He missed most of the 2005 season because of a right elbow injury, having [[Tommy John surgery]] in June 2005.<ref name="volcanoes"/> He did not play in {{baseball year|2007}} due to a dislocated left shoulder.<ref name="salon"/> In three seasons and 140.1 career innings in the Giants' farm system, Odom compiled a 3.98 ERA and averaged 7.35 strikeouts per nine innings.<ref name="bbr"/> He was minor league teammates with [[Tim Lincecum]] and [[Kevin Frandsen]].<ref name="salon"/>

On November 5, 2008 Odom died of an accidental overdose from [[heroin]], [[methamphetamine]], [[benzylpiperazine]] and [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]].<ref name=salon/> It was election night, and Odom's family said that he had gone out partying that night.<ref name="Tribune">{{cite news|last1=Walker|first1=Ben|title=Family rep: Odom died after election night party|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-bbo-death-bat-man-family-030409-2009mar04-story.html|accessdate=January 14, 2017|work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=March 4, 2009}}</ref> Dan Shwam, Odom's former Broncos manager, suggests the media and fan response to the trade "drove him back to the bottle, that it put him on the road to drugs again."<ref name="salon"/>

{{Baseballstats|cube=John-Odom|brm=odom--001joh}}

[[Category:JuniorTallahassee collegeEagles baseball players in the United States]]

[[Category:PeopleBaseball players from Roswell, Georgia]]