Charlie Zink's Major League Baseball Page
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Charlie Zink will become the first Savannah College of Art and Design baseball player to pitch in a major league baseball game.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-handed pitcher from El Dorado Hills, Calif., will toe the rubber as the starter for the Boston Red Sox as they entertain the Texas Rangers at venerable Fenway Park Tuesday (Aug. 12). The knuckleball pitcher is replacing starter Tim Wakefield, who went on the 15-day disabled list Monday (Aug. 11).
Zink, who was 13-4 overall with a 2.89 earned run average in 25 starts for the Class AAA Pawtucket (R.I.) Red Sox. Zink, who was selected to the International League All-Star team, registered two complete games and one shutout for Pawtucket. He has limited the opposition to a .228 batting average in 152.1 innings in 2008 with 94 strikeouts and 43 walks. Zink was chosen to play in the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game.
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Red Sox in 2002, Zink played three seasons for the Bees from 1999-2001. He went 9-17 in 35 games for the Bees with a 3.76 earned run average in 210 1/3 innings of work. He allowed 184 hits, while striking out 263 batters and walking 110. He holds the college mark for strikeouts in a game (14 against Savannah State University, 2000).
Zink is one of three SCAD baseball players - all pitchers - currently playing professionally. Ryan Pope, who was selected in the third round of the 2007 draft by the New York Yankees, is currently playing for the Class A Tampa (Fla.) Yankees. Pope was named to the Florida State League's All-Star team in June. Richard Sullivan, who was taken in the 11th round of this year's draft by the Atlanta Braves, is pitching for Rome (Ga.), which is the Braves' Class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.