Bucknell University Athletics
Former Bison Hurler Eric Junge Signs With New York Mets Organization
1/31/2005 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 31, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Former Bison pitcher Eric Junge has recently signed with the New York Mets organization after spending several years in the Philadelphia Phillies system. Junge, a 1999 graduate of Bucknell, will likely begin the 2005 season with the Norfolk Tides, the Mets' Triple-A affiliate.
In 1999, Eric Junge was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th round of the free agent draft. After a highly successful 2001 season for the Jacksonville (Fla.) Suns, the Dodgers' AA affiliate, Junge was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Starting 27 games for Jacksonville, Junge finished the year with a 10-11 record to go with a 3.46 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 164.0 innings pitched.
Once in the Phillies organization in 2002, Junge began playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Red Barons, a Phillies AAA affiliate. He recorded a 12-6 record and appeared in 29 games, throwing 180.2 innings and 126 strikeouts, allowing 170 hits.
On Sept. 10, 2002, Junge was called up by the Philadelphia Phillies and made his debut against the Florida Marlins a day later, becoming the first Bucknellian to appear in a major league baseball game since Bob Keegan's six-year pitching career ended with the Chicago White Sox in 1958. In four appearances, covering 12 2/3 innings, Junge had an impressive 1.42 earned run average, allowing two earned runs on 14 hits and five walks, striking out 11. He finished the 2002 season with a 2-0 record.
In 2003, Junge threw 7 2/3 innings for the big club with a 3.52 ERA over six games, with five strikeouts, five hits, three runs and a walk. For the Red Barons, Junge had a 1-0 record in 10 games over 47 innings. He had 42 strikeouts and surrendered 38 hits with 16 walks and 20 runs, 16 earned. Junge was injured for much of the 2004 season but spent time with the Red Barons and the Clearwater Threshers throwing in 45.1 innings with 33 strikeouts.
