The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed Chris Jakubauskas to a minor league contract. Jakubauskas, a 32-year-old right-handed pitcher, spent last season with the Baltimore Orioles.
Jakubauskas played for the Seattle Mariners in 2009 before spending the 2010 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He appeared in a total of 36 games with those two teams before playing 33 games with the Orioles last season.
During his time with the Pirates, Jakubauskas took a shot to the head on a line drive, shown here, but didn't suffer a concussion or any other serious injury as a result.
In 72 1/3 innings last year, Jakubauskas posted a 5.72 ERA- just a shade under his 5.58 ERA career average- with 52 strikeouts. He struck out 6.47 batters per nine innings last season, the best mark of his three-year major league career and a significant notch above his career 5.37 strikouts-per-nine-innings average.
Jakubauskas appears ready and willing to join the Diamondbacks franchise after a few years on the East Coast, judging by his comment on Twitter about the signing:
@CJakubauskas36
Chris Jakubauskas Have new home for 2012. Heading back west to the Valley of the Sun. Looking forward to meeting new teammates and improving on 2011.
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