Shawn Estes: Short Time Mets Pitcher & His Big Start in a Mid-Season Subway Series Classic (2002)
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was born February 18, 1973, in San Bernardino, California. While pitching in high school in Nevada, the six-foot two-inch, left-hander was a highly sought after prospect. Shawn was offered a scholarship to Stanford University but turned it down when he was selected as a first-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners (the 11th pick overall).
Estes would walk 100 or more batters in three of four seasons from 1997 to 2000. He would lead
the league in wild pitches with 15. He was in the leagues top ten four times in that category.
In 1999 he came back to improve to 11-11 with a 4.92 ERA. That year he led the league with 15 wild pitches.
In 2000 for the NL Western Champion Giants, he was in the league’s top ten in wins once again, going 15-6, second most wins on his staff to Livan Hernandez. Estes struck out 136 batters & walked 108 in 190 innings pitched, with a rather high 4.26 ERA.
2000 Post Season- NLDS: In the NLDS loss to the New York Mets, Estes started Game #2 in San Francisco. In the top of the 3rd inning, he allowed a two-run single to Timo Perez. Estes left the game with a 2-1 lead getting pulled in the bottom of 3rd inning for a pinch hitter. He got no decision in the Mets 5-4 extra inning win.
In 2001 Estes put up a 9-8 record posting a 4.02 ERA. That December he was traded to the New
York Mets in exchange for Desi Relaford and Tsuyoshi Shinjo.
Estes got the start in the third game of the season taking a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing three runs on seven hits giving up a HR to Kevin Young. In his next start, he got a no decisions in a one run loss to the Cubs in Wrigley Field.
Six Runs or More Allowed: On April 15th, he gave up six runs to the Braves in a 7-6 Mets loss. Estes would allow six runs in six different starts that season with the Mets, going 0-3 in those games.
Overall Estes struck out eight & allowed just one walk in a classic 1-0 shutout. The only run came
on Jay Patton's HR off former Met Glendon Rusch.
Subway Series Matchup with Roger Clemens Batting: By mid-June Estes was 2-5 with a 4.83 ERA when on a rainy Saturday June 5th afternoon game, he was to set to pitch in a media hyped game at Shea Stadium.
Background: The dramas began on June 6th, 1999, when the Mets roughed up Clemens for seven runs on eight hits. Piazza doubled then hit a two run HR off Clemens in the 7-2 win. When the series moved to Queens in July, Piazza hit a three run HR off Clemens breaking a 2-2 tie in the 6th inning leading to a 5-3 Mets win & another loss for Clemens.
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Trivia: In his career Mike Piazza batted .421 (8-19) against Clemens hitting 4 HRs with 10 RBIs over eight games.
The pitch went behind Clemens back, it did not knock him down nor did it hit him. Admittingly, most Mets fans wanted to see him lying in the dirt & were furious that Estes did not retaliate for Piazza. It was not to be.
In the home 5th with the Mets up 1-0, Roger Cedeno led off with a double to left field. Shawn Estes then gained some respect from the Mets fans when he took a Roger Clemens pitch over the fence for a HR to make it 3-0.
Estes returned to the mound later that week, facing the Kansas City Royals in a rare visit to Shea. He pitched into the 7th inning, allowing three runs, earning no decision in the 4-3 Mets win.
In 23 starts with the Mets, Estes was 4-9 with a 4.55 ERA. He struck out 92 batters & walked 66 pitching in 132 innings.
In 2005 he moved on to the Arizona Diamondbacks going 7-8 in 21 starts. In 2006 he went to the San Diego Padres but was limited to just one game before needing Tommy John surgery. He missed the entire 2007 season but returned for nine games with San Diego in 2008.
Estes retired at the end of the year.
Career Stats: In his 13-year career he was 101-93 with a 4.71 ERA. In 283 games pitched he struck out 1210 batters, walking 858 over 1617 innings pitched. He threw 14 complete games with eight shut outs for seven teams.
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was born February 18, 1973, in San Bernardino, California. While pitching in high school in Nevada, the six-foot two-inch, left-hander was a highly sought after prospect. Shawn was offered a scholarship to Stanford University but turned it down when he was selected as a first-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners (the 11th pick overall). In 1995 after four seasons in the minor leagues, Estes was traded to the San Francisco Giants organization, along with Wilson Delgado in exchange for Salomon Torres.
MLB Career: In September of 1995, Estes made his MLB debut taking losses in all three games he pitched. In 1996 he was 3-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 starts at the big-league level.
MLB Career: In September of 1995, Estes made his MLB debut taking losses in all three games he pitched. In 1996 he was 3-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 starts at the big-league level.
In 1997 he had a career year for the first place Giants, going 19-5 (second most wins in the NL) with A 3.18 ERA, 181 strikeouts, pitching 201 innings & making the NL All Star team. Estes was the ace of his Giants' staff that season leading the team in most pitching categories. He was never known as a good control pitcher & that year was no exception. He led the league in walks (100) and hit eight batters with pitches & threw ten wild pitches.
the league in wild pitches with 15. He was in the leagues top ten four times in that category.
1997 Post Season- NLDS: In the NLDS loss to the Florida Marlins, he opened up the series in Florida taking the Game #1 loss. He gave up five runs including a two run HR to Bobby Bonilla in three innings of work.
After his fine 1997 season he had a rough start to 1998 starting the year at 0-4. He improved to get to .500 by July but then an injury set him down until September. When he returned, he lost seven of eight decisions, dropping to 7-12 for the year.
In 2000 for the NL Western Champion Giants, he was in the league’s top ten in wins once again, going 15-6, second most wins on his staff to Livan Hernandez. Estes struck out 136 batters & walked 108 in 190 innings pitched, with a rather high 4.26 ERA.
2000 Post Season- NLDS: In the NLDS loss to the New York Mets, Estes started Game #2 in San Francisco. In the top of the 3rd inning, he allowed a two-run single to Timo Perez. Estes left the game with a 2-1 lead getting pulled in the bottom of 3rd inning for a pinch hitter. He got no decision in the Mets 5-4 extra inning win.
York Mets in exchange for Desi Relaford and Tsuyoshi Shinjo.
Mets Career: In 2002 Estes was placed into a Mets starting rotation that featured veterans Al Leiter, Steve Trachsel, Pedro Astacio & Jeff D’Amico.
Estes got the start in the third game of the season taking a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing three runs on seven hits giving up a HR to Kevin Young. In his next start, he got a no decisions in a one run loss to the Cubs in Wrigley Field.
One Hitter: On April 26th, Estes threw the best game of his Mets career, tossing the 23rd one hitter in Mets history. It came against the Milwaukee Brewers at Shea Stadium. Estes had a no hitter going through six innings, then Eric Young Sr. led off with a base hit to left field.
on Jay Patton's HR off former Met Glendon Rusch.
As May began, he lost two more games, first giving up five runs to the Diamondbacks in Arizona. Next on May 8th at Shea Stadium, he gave up four runs to his old Giants teammates. Estes was 1-4 with a 4.71 ERA.
On May 18th, he got his second Mets victory, coming in San Diego where he gave up just two runs in six innings of work.
It was a huge game, not because of what it meant in the standings or for what the score outcome was to be. This was all about drama & the New York media hype. This would be the first time Roger Clemens would have to come to bat against the New York Mets after all the dramas & his battles with Mets Hall of Famer Mike Piazza.
On June 9th, 2000, in the regular season Subway Series match up in the Bronx, Piazza had hit a 3rd inning grand slam HR off Clemens giving the Mets a 4-0 lead. It was Piazza's 16th HR of the year & his third HR off Clemens in as many games played. Piazza collected three hits that day, as the Mets scored another nine runs off Clemens in a 12-2 win.
On July 8th, 2000, in the Bronx, in the top of the 2nd inning, Clemens hit Piazza in the head with a pitch, laying him out at home plate. Piazza had to be removed from the game & missed some time due to the injury.
In the subway World Series, in another highly anticipated at bat Piazza broke a bat on a foul ball that flew in the direction of Clemens. Clemens picked up the broken bat & threw it in the direction of Piazza. Benches cleared; the umpires got between the two as Piazza approached the mound in a very confusing moment.
In this game, things were quiet in the first two innings with no scoring or drama just a lot of tension & anticipation.
In the top of the 3rd inning, it all came to a head, the fans were on their feet & held their breaths as Roger Clemens stepped in to bat to a chorus of boos. Strangely he appeared a bit shy & meek. All of a sudden You could hear a pin drop in the big ballpark as Shawn Estes wound up & threw the pitch.
The pitch went behind Clemens back, it did not knock him down nor did it hit him. Admittingly, most Mets fans wanted to see him lying in the dirt & were furious that Estes did not retaliate for Piazza. It was not to be. Estes made the moment pass uneventful, some praised his effort to keep the peace, even Clemens touched his helmet in a tip of the hat gesture to Estes. It is unknown what his teammates thought at the time, but Estes would get traded away two months later.
Estes would hit four HRs in his career. In the 6th Mike Piazza who was 0-2 at this point stepped in
& in story book fashion, blasted a Clemens pitch over the left field fence for another HR. The Mets fans went wild as if they had won a championship. Clemens just dropped his head.
Shawn Estes pitched seven innings, shutting out the AL team on five hits, striking out a season high eleven batters, earning the victory.
On June 26th, although he allowed just two runs to the Braves, he took another no decision as Tom Glavine, Chris Hammond & John Smoltz beat the Mets 6-3.
From July 1st thru July 24th, he made five starts & lost three straight decisions giving up 19 earned runs in 26.1 innings totaling a 6.49 ERA.
On July 31st, he won his first game since the subway series game, pitching seven shutout innings in 1 10-0 win over the Astros at Shea.
On August 5th he took a 2-0 loss to Randy Johnson & the Diamondbacks, giving up a HR to Matt Williams. On August 10th he made his final Mets start giving up four runs & a HR to Albert Pujols taking a no decision.
In mid-August, Estes was traded to the Cincinnati Reds (along with cash) for players to be named later. The Reds would send pitcher Pedro Feliciano & a minor leaguer to New York to complete the deal.
In 23 starts with the Mets, Estes was 4-9 with a 4.55 ERA. He struck out 92 batters & walked 66 pitching in 132 innings.
Estes would pitch six games with the Reds the rest of the year going 1-3.
Post Mets Career: In 2003 Estes would move on to the Chicago Cubs going 8-11. In 2004 he went to the Colorado Rockies & rebounded for another fine season, winning 15 games (going 15-8) pitching 202 innings, striking out 117 batters while posting a 5.84 ERA & leading the league in earned runs (131).
Career Stats: In his 13-year career he was 101-93 with a 4.71 ERA. In 283 games pitched he struck out 1210 batters, walking 858 over 1617 innings pitched. He threw 14 complete games with eight shut outs for seven teams.
Retirement: Estes & former teammate Rich Aurilla do pre & post-game shows for Giants broadcasts. He also does occasional fill in work as an analyst.
Honors: In 2010 he received a plaque on the Giants wall of fame at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco.
Honors: In 2010 he received a plaque on the Giants wall of fame at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco.
Family: Shawn & his wife Nathalie have four children & live in Arizona.