Philip Humber
Chicago White Sox – No. 41
Pitcher
Born: (1982-12-21) December 21, 1982 (age 43) Nacogdoches, Texas
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
September 24, 2006, for the New York Mets
Career statistics (through 2011)
Win-loss record	11-10
Earned run average	4.12
Strikeouts	151
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
New York Mets (2006–2007) Minnesota Twins (2008–2009) Kansas City Royals (2010) Chicago White Sox (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
Pitched a perfect game on April 21, 2012

Philip Gregory Humber (born December 21, 1982, in Nacogdoches, Texas) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. He has pitched for the New York Mets (2006–2007), Minnesota Twins (2008–2009), Kansas City Royals (2010), and White Sox (2011–present). The Mets selected him with the third overall selection in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft out of Rice University.

Humber struggled to establish himself in MLB, as he was traded to the Twins and spent a year with the Royals organization before being claimed on waivers by the White Sox. On April 21, 2012, Humber pitched the 21st perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Seattle Mariners.

Humber grew up in Buncombe, Texas. When Humber was 11 years old, he visited the Chicago White Sox during spring training in Florida as the guest of Robert Ellis, a family friend of the Humbers, who then was a minor league baseball pitcher for the White Sox.^[1]

Humber attended Carthage High School in Carthage, Texas. Humber was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 29th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign, choosing instead to attend Rice University.

Humber was a dominant pitcher during his three college seasons for the Rice Owls baseball team, stepping into the nationally-ranked Owls' starting rotation as a freshman. Humber finished his freshman season in 2002 with an 11-1 record, a 2.78 earned run average and a Western Athletic Conference leading 130 strikeouts, earning National Freshman Player of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball and All-America honors from several publications.^{[citation needed]}

His sophomore season in 2003 saw the development of Rice's "Big Three" rotation, featuring Humber and classmates Wade Townsend and Jeff Niemann. Humber put together another strong showing in 2003, posting an 11-3 record with a 3.30 ERA as Rice won its first national championship. He pitched a complete game in the decisive third game of the 2003 College World Series, a 14-2 win over Stanford University. He was honored with 'Philip Humber Day' in his hometown of Carthage, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

In his junior season of 2004, Humber compiled a 13-4 record and 2.27 ERA. He also set the Rice single-game record for strikeouts when he fanned 17 Hawaii hitters March 20, 2004. After being upset in the Houston Regional by Texas A&M, Humber looked forward to the Major League Baseball Draft. Humber, Niemann, and Townsend were all selected in the first eight picks of the 2004 draft — the first time three teammates had ever gone so early in the same draft.^{[citation needed]}

Humber was the New York Mets' first-round draft pick out of Rice University in 2004. The third overall pick in that draft, he received a $3.7 million signing bonus in January 2005 after a long holdout.^[2]

He entered spring training in 2005 with the Mets,^[3] and after a brief stint there, he was sent to Class-A Advanced St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League, where, in fourteen starts, he posted a 2-6 record and a 4.99 ERA. Humber was then promoted to the Class-AA Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League where Humber, in one start gave up three earned runs in four innings. Humber left the game early due to elbow pain, which required Tommy John Surgery. He resumed pitching with St. Lucie, posting a 2.37 ERA in 7 starts.

On July 31, 2006, 377 days after his surgery, Humber was once again promoted to Binghamton, where he was 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA. He made his Major League Baseball debut on September 24, 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Humber was optioned to the minor leagues during spring training in 2007.^[4] He made his first Major League start on September 26, 2007, against the Washington Nationals.^[5] The Mets, having lost eight of their previous 12 games and seen their lead over the Philadelphia Phillies decrease from seven games to two, removed Mike Pelfrey from the final rotation to give an extra day of rest to pitchers Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, and John Maine. Although the Mets raced out to a 6-2 lead, Humber allowed five runs in four-plus innings, receiving a no decision in a game the Mets eventually lost, 9-6. The decision to start Humber was seen as emblematic of the Mets' desperation. As George Vecsey wrote in The New York Times, "How did it come to this? How did the entire Mets' season come to depend so much on a young pitcher, Philip Humber, who had never started in the major leagues until last night?"^[6]

On February 2, 2008, Humber was included in a trade to the Minnesota Twins along with Kevin Mulvey, Deolis Guerra, and Carlos Gómez for Johan Santana. He spent most of the 2008 season assigned to the Twins' Class-AAA affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings of the International League. With Rochester, Humber pitched to a 10-8 record with a 5.28 ERA in 21 games. The Twins promoted Humber in August 2008,^[7] and he appeared in five games for the Twins, all in relief.^[8] Humber pitched 11+2⁄3 innings, and posted a 4.63 ERA and six strikeouts for the Twins.^{[citation needed]}

With Humber struggling at the start of the 2009 season, pitching to a 12.46 ERA over 4+1⁄3 innings, while giving up 11 hits and walking four batters, the Twins designated Humber for assignment on April 17, 2009 to make room on their roster for Juan Morillo, who the Twins had claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies.^[8]

On December 15, 2009, Humber signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals with an invitation to spring training.^{[citation needed]} He was assigned to start the year with the Omaha Royals of the Class-AAA Pacific Coast League.^{[citation needed]}

On June 10, 2010, while pitching in a game for Omaha, Humber was hit in the face on a line drive by Luis Cruz. After lying on the mound for a few minutes, he was able to get up and walk on his own to the dugout. He was then transported to a local hospital.^{[citation needed]}

Humber was called up by the Kansas City Royals on August 5, 2010, when Kansas City designated José Guillén for assignment. On August 25, Humber pitched three relief innings for the Royals against the Detroit Tigers and earned his first major league win.^{[citation needed]}

In December 2010, Humber was waived by the Royals and claimed by the Oakland Athletics.^[9] The Athletics waived him later that offseason, and the Chicago White Sox claimed him on January 18, 2011.^[10] White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper helped Humber replace his cut fastball with a slider and improve his pitching mechanics.^[1]

On April 9, 2011, Humber won his first start with the White Sox, pitching 6+2⁄3 innings and only allowing one run.^{[citation needed]} Humber surprised the White Sox with his strong performance.^[1] In his first full season as an MLB starting pitcher, Humber had a 9-9 record with a 3.75 ERA in 163 innings.^[11]

Humber pitched the 21st perfect game in MLB history against the Seattle Mariners on April 21, 2012.

• Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet  · Baseball Almanac
• Phillip Humber Baseball Card Encyclopedia Page

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