QUALLS, CHAD  
 
Image of    Nickname:   N/A Position:   P
Home: Southern California Team:   RAYS
Height: 6' 5" Bats:   R
Weight: 220 Throws:   R
DOB: 8/17/1978 Agent: Alan and Randy Hendricks
Birth City: Lomita, California Draft: Astros #2 - 2000 - Out of Univ. of Nevada
Uniform #: 55  
 
YR LEA TEAM SAL(K) G IP H SO BB GS CG SHO SV W L OBA ERA
2001 MWL MICHIGAN   26 162 149 125 31 26 3 2 0 15 6   3.72
2002 TL ROUND ROCK   29 163 174 142 67 29 0 0 0 6 13   4.36
2003 TL ROUND ROCK   28 175 174 132 61 28 3 2 0 8 11   3.85
2004 PCL NEW ORLEANS   32 107 134 72 30 14 1 0 1 3 6   5.57
2004 NL ASTROS $300.00 25 33 34 24 8 0 0 0 1 4 0   3.55
2005 NL ASTROS $316.00 77 80 73 70 23 0 0 0 0 6 4   3.28
2006 NL ASTROS $376.00 81 88.2 76 56 28 0 0 0 0 7 3 0.242 3.76
2007 NL ASTROS $441.00 79 82.2 84 78 25 0 0 0 5 6 5 0.272 3.05
2008 NL DIAMONDBACKS $1,312.00 77 73.2 61 71 18 0 0 0 9 4 8 0.224 2.81
2009 NL DIAMONDBACKS $2,535.00 51 52 53 45 7 0 0 0 24 2 2 0.256 3.63
2010 AL DIAMONDBACKS $4,185.00 43 38 61 34 15 0 0 0 12 1 4 0.363 8.29
2010 AL RAYS   14 11.2 10 7 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 4.63
PERSONAL:

  • Qualls is a native of Lomita, California. He was a Dodgers fan when he was growing up. And his father would take he and the rest of the famliy to games every season.

    Asked if he had a favorite player, Chad said, "Growing up as a Dodgers fan, you're not supposed to like the San Francisco Giants. But I fell in love with Will Clark. He was my favorite player growing up, and I'm not sure if it was because of the way I swing the bat or his stance, but I knew I had to swing Wiffle ball left-handed because I always had to be him."

  • In 1997, Chad was drafted #52 by the Blue Jays as a draft-and-follow, but never signed with Toronto. He went ot Los Angeles Harbor JUCO, then transferred to the Univ. of Nevada.

    In 2000, after his senior year, he got drafted again—this time by the Astros—and signed for a bonus of $410,000. The scout who signed him was Gene Wellman.

  • Before 2004 spring training, Chad was rated the 7th-best prospect in the Astros' organization by Baseball America. They dropped him to #11 in the spring of 2005.

  • June 18, 2007: Qualls threw a baseball into the stand at Anaheim Stadium in frustration. He was suspended for three games and fined $3,000 by Major League Baseball. He had allowed 5 runs in the 7th innings, his Astros blowing a 9-4 lead to the Angels, who rallied for a 10-9 victory.

    "I was just mad about the way the inning went, the way the runs had scored, and I fired the ball into the third deck," Qualls said. "It was frustrating. We've been playing so well, we had scored nine runs, I didn't get the job done. The way they scored their runs made me angry."

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  • Qualls was asked what his job would be if he weren't playing baseball: "I probably would do something for my dad. He's a computer graphic artist. He does stuff for trade shows. All the car shows and stuff, he does exhibits for them. He used to do exhibits for baseball cards, like Upper Deck, and Disney stuff. I always found that intriguing," Chad said.

  • Chad is a good guy in the clubhouse, getting along real well with all of his teammates.

  • Chad and his wife, Tara, were married in 2007. She is a Houston native, and her family still lives there.

  • On April 7, 2009, Tara gave birth to their first child, a son, Caiden.

    TRANSACTION REPORT

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  • June 2000: The Astros chose him in the second round, out of the University of Nevada.

  • December 14, 2007: The Diamondbacks sent P Jose Valverde to the Astros, acquiring Qualls, INF Chris Burke, and P Juan Gutierrez.

  • January 18, 2008: Chad and the D'Backs avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one year, $1,312,500 contract.

  • January 20, 2009: Qualls and the Diamondbacks again avoided salary arbitration, agreeing on a one-year, $2.54 million contract.

  • January 18, 2010: Chad signed with the Diamondbacks, avoiding arbitration one more time, receiving $4.185 million.

  • July 31, 2010: The Rays sent a player to be named to the Diamondbacks, acquiring Qualls.

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    PITCHING:

    • Qualls has a two-seam, sinking FASTBALL in the 88-93 mph range as his best pitch. He also has a 92-95 mph 4-seam fastball with explosive late life, a tight 85-87 mph SLIDER with late, tight tilt and a decent CHANGEUP and an 80-81 mph SPLIT-FINGER FASTBALL (for use against lefthanded batters). He uses the splitter as a changeup, too.

      Chad has really good command of his fine slider.

    • He needed to improve his changeup if he was to be a Major League starter. Otherwise he will always pitch in relief. Righthanders have little chance when he throws his slider from a three-quarters angle.

    • In 2001, his first year of pro ball, Qualls led the Midwest League in wins with 15, and was named the loop's best pitching prospect.

      UNIQUE DELIVERY
  • Chad's delivery is still distinctive, explosive, and violent. He sometimes punctuates his move to the plate by rotating his glove hand like a windmill. It intimidates righthanded hitters, but scouts see physical problems down the road. So the Astros had him work on that delivery after the 2002 season in the Arizona Fall League.

    Qualls' three-quarters arm angle is different, and it is death to righthanded hitters. It is a nice delivery, but he can rush it sometimes. Mechanically, he is very sound, now, having smoothed them out. But he has difficulty maintaining his mechanics. When he drops down too low, he loses his heavy sink and hitters sit on flat fastballs. His inconsistent delivery also hampers his control.

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  • He keeps his team in games because he can get big outs when he needs them. He has learned that he can't just go out there and blow it past guys like he did before turning pro.

  • Qualls was a starter most of the time through his minor league career. But in 2004 the Astros worked him out of the bullpen a little at New Orleans, then called him up for some time as a reliever in Houston.

  • On September 14, 2008, the Diamondbacks had Qualls replace Brandon Lyons as closer for the team. Lyons had posted an 11.57 ERA since the All-Star break, allowing 21 runs in 16 1/3 innings.

    But on June 15, 2010, Qualls was out as the D'Backs' closer after struggling to a 1-3 record and an 8.46 ERA in 28 games. He blew four saves in 16 opportunities. Aaron Heilman replaced Chad as closer.

    BREAKDOWN VS. RIGHTIES AND LEFTIES

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  • In 2005, working exclusively in relief, the righty throwing Chad held lefthanded batters to a .218 average with 2 home runs in 133 at-bats. And a .275 average with 5 home runs in 160 at-bats vs. righthanded hitters.

  • In 2006, Qualls held lefthanded hitters to a .229 average with 4 home runs in 131 at-bats, while righthanded batters hit .251 with 6 home runs in 183 at-bats.

  • In 2007, Chad held lefthanded batters to a .248 average with just one home run in 129 at-bats. But righthanded hitters had a .289 average with 9 home runs in 180 at-bats.

  • In 2008, Qualls held lefthanded batters to a .220 average with one home run in 132 a-bats. Righthanded batters only had a .229 average with 3 homes in 140 at-bats.

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  • In 2009, lefthanded hitters had a .298 average with one home run in 104 at-bats against Chad. But he held righthanded hitters to a .214 average with 4 homers in 103 at-bats.

  • As of the start of the 2010 season, Qualls had a career record of 29-22 with a 3.32 ERA, having allowed 381 hits and 39 home runs in 390 innings.
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    CAREER INJURY REPORT:

    • August 30, 2009: Qualls dislocated his left kneecap while reacting to a comebacker hit by the Astros' Jason Michaels with two outs in the ninth and the tying run on base. Qualls deflected the soft liner with his glove to shortstop Stephen Drew—who threw out Michaels at first for the game-ending out—but in so doing twisted his body awkwardly.

      • He collapsed atop the mound and was signaling to the dugout for help even before the ricocheted ball reached Drew. His kneecap was dislocated and on the side of his leg.

      With all of his teammates, as well as former teammate Lance Berkman of the Astros, surrounding him on the mound, Qualls was treated by the team's training staff for several minutes before being helped off the field. His season was over.

    		 Surgery on September 3, 2009, by team physician Dr. Michael Lee was required to repair a tear of patellofemoral ligament—the ligament that holds your kneecap in place. Recovery time is three months.
     
     
     
    Last Updated 9/4/2010. All contents © 2000 by Player Profiles. All rights reserved.