Mike Sirotka

Michael Robert Sirotka

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
• School Louisiana State University
• High School Westfield High School (Houston)
• Debut July 19, 1995
• Final Game September 28, 2000
• Born May 13, 1971 in Houston, TX USA

BR page

Biography

Mike Sirotka was a member of the Chicago White Sox for five seasons and spent three seasons as a fixture in the starting rotation. He posted a 45-42 record and a 4.31 ERA in 125 appearances. The White Sox traded Sirotka to the Toronto Blue Jays in January of 2001. The lefty was found to have a damaged shoulder shortly after the trade, sparking a controversy known as "shouldergate". Toronto unsuccessfully sought additional compensation from the Sox. Sirotka, meanwhile, never pitched in another major league game.

The White Sox gave Sirotka brief major league trials from 1995 to 1997 with mixed success. Sirotka was 5-4 with a 4.39 ERA over the three-year span. He showed the most improvement in 1997, as he cut his walk rate significantly and also increased his strikeout rate.

Sirotka led the White Sox with 14 wins in 1998. He lost 15 games and his ERA was 5.06, but his 211 2/3 innings and 5 complete games made him one of the most reliable starters on the team. He led all White Sox starters with a 4.00 ERA in 1999 to go along with an 11-13 record.

His final year with the club, 2000, was his finest. Sirotka won 15 games and posted the fourth best ERA in the American League: 3.79. Sirotka was a key factor in the White Sox's run to the division crown, and he started the second game of the Division Series against the Seattle Mariners. He pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up 3 earned runs in a 5-2 loss.

Sirotka's most recent contract was with the Chicago Cubs, but he never returned from the shoulder injury that kept him out of action starting in 2001.

Notable Achievements

• 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (2000)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1998 & 1999)