John Axford
John Berton Axford (born April 1, 1983), nicknamed "Ax Man", is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher.He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, and Los Angeles Dodgers.His combined four-year totals with the three clubs were a 37–12 record, a 1.88 earned run average (ERA), 278 innings pitched, 432 strikeouts and 173 walks.[1] The Seattle Mariners selected Axford in the seventh round (219th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft,[2] but he accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame instead.[8] He spent the spring of 2006, his one remaining year of collegiate athletic eligibility, at Canisius College where he went 3–8, with a 5.01 earned run average in fourteen starts.[9] After spending the winter working as a cell phone salesman for Telus in the Toronto area,[3] he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers on March 4, 2008.[9] A 5–10 campaign with a 4.55 ERA for the Brevard County Manatees was followed by an offseason employment as a bartender at an East Side Mario's location in Hamilton, Ontario.[12] With Trevor Hoffman struggling in save situations, Axford, despite having never been a closer in his career, was given the job, where he became a big success in the role and gained popularity with Brewers fans as he sported a handlebar mustache in many of his early appearances, evoking memories of legendary reliever Rollie Fingers.In a game against the Chicago Cubs on July 27, Axford converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity, breaking Doug Jones's Brewers franchise record.He continued his success in the 2011 postseason, appearing in 6 playoff games and racking up 3 saves and a 1.29 ERA while striking out 9 batters in 7 innings pitched.He was nominated for and won several awards recognizing his success, including the NL Rolaids Relief Man (given to the league's best closer), and the Canadian Tip O'Neill Award (presented annually by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame to the Canadian-born player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution).[22] Despite 9 saves in April, Axford struggled in the closer role and lost the job to a closer-by-committee composed of Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Scott Atchison and Marc Rzepczynski in May.[38] On July 28, Axford made his first career start against the Chicago White Sox, becoming the sixth Canadian-born starter in franchise history.[40] On July 31, 2018, Axford was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for minor league pitcher Corey Copping.On June 6, 2022, Axford announced on his personal Twitter account that he had resumed throwing for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2021.
PitcherSimcoe, OntarioCanadaWin–loss recordEarned run averageStrikeoutsBaseball ReferenceMilwaukee BrewersSt. Louis CardinalsCleveland IndiansPittsburgh PiratesColorado RockiesOakland AthleticsToronto Blue JaysLos Angeles DodgersNL Rolaids Relief Man AwardNL saves leaderprofessional baseballMajor League BaseballNational LeagueRolaids Relief Man AwardPort Dover, OntarioAssumption College SchoolBrantfordinnings pitchedSeattle Mariners2001 Major League Baseball (MLB) draftathletic scholarshipUniversity of Notre Damecollegiate summer baseballHyannis MetsCape Cod Baseball LeagueCotuit KettleersjuniorTommy John surgerystarting pitcherredshirtseniorbachelor's degreeCincinnati Reds2005 MLB draftCanisius CollegeMelvilleWestern Major Baseball LeagueNew York Yankeesminor-leaguefarm teamsStaten Island YankeesCharleston RiverDogsTampa YankeesScranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankeescell phoneTorontoBrevard County ManateesbartenderEast Side Mario'sHamilton, OntariobullpenHuntsville StarsNashville SoundsChicago CubsWrigley FieldinningMilwaukee Brewers in 2012Trevor HoffmanRollie FingersDoug JonesDelivery Man of the Month AwardFlorida MarlinsAmerican Mustache InstituteJoey VottoCanadian national baseball team2013 World Baseball ClassicJim Hendersonplayer to be named laterMichael BlazekYadier Molina2013 World SeriesCleveland Indians in 2014Cody AllenBryan ShawScott AtchisonMarc RzepczynskiTyler ChatwoodLaTroy HawkinsAdam Ottavinoexit velocitydesignated for assignmentChicago White SoxGCL Blue JaysFCL Blue JaysTeam Canada2023 World Baseball Classicfastballcurveballslider2013 Oscar awardsTwitter2016 Oscars88th Academy AwardsMilwaukee Film FestivalList of Major League Baseball annual saves leadersBaseball-Reference.comUSA TodaySportsnetMLB.comBaseball AmericaSports IllustratedInstagramNational League Rolaids Relief Man AwardEastwickFingersSutterHollandReardonWorrellBedrosianFrancoBrantleyHoffmanWagnerAlfonsecaBenítezSmoltzGagnéCordero