Jason Childers

SGC alumni makes appearance in Triple A All-Star game

Former South Georgia College standout Jason Childers made an appearance in the Triple A All-Star Game earlier this season, pitching the eighth inning for the International League squad.

Childers spent two years with South Georgia College, pitching for Scott Sims’ Tigers from 1993-1994. He transferred to Kennesaw State University where he continued his playing career. Childers was named First Team All American in 1996 – the same year he helped Kennesaw State win a national championship.

In 1997, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Childers as an undrafted free agent that June. He has worked his way up the minor league ladder, eventually earning a shot in the big leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2006. Childers spent the first month of the season with Tampa, where he went 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA in five games before going to Triple A Durham.

He landed with the Charlotte Knights in 2007, where he went 3-2 with a 3.91 ERA. A great first half of the 2008 season (3-1, 1.40 ERA, 31 strikeouts) earned him a spot on the International League’s AllStar team. The day after the Major League Baseball All Star Game, the Triple A all stars took the field in Louisville, Ky. Childers has thrown out of the bullpen all season in a variety of roles, but has been particularly adept as a set-up man or closer.

In the eighth inning, Childers was called upon to preserve a 2-0 lead over the Pacific Coast League. Childers, who hadn’t walked anyone since June, replaced Jeremy Cummings and immediately walked Matthew Brown. He induced Mark Saccamanno to fly out before walking Oswaldo Navarro.

With runners on first and second with one out, A.J. Ellis hit a grounder up the middle that Childers deflected. The ball spun toward first base. Second baseman Joe Thurston fielded the ball and flipped it to first for the out.

That put Navarro on second and Brown on third with one out. Though the inning had lasted longer than it should have, Childers kept his cool and calmly got Chris Barnwell to fly out to center for the third out.

Unfortunately, the International League would give up six runs in the top of the ninth to fall behind 6-2. In the bottom of the frame, the International League got three of those runs back, but lost the game by a run.

This season, Childers is 4-2 with a 1.15 ERA in 47 games (55 innings). He has recorded 15 saves, 57 strikeouts and 13 walks. Opponents are batting just .160 against him.