Scott Schoeneweis
A durable left-handed reliever who pitched for eight different MLB teams across a 12-year career defined by resilience and adaptability.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American baseball player·Birthday: October 2·Generation X
Biography
Scott Schoeneweis carved out a long major league career not as a headline-grabbing closer, but as a reliable, situational left-hander who answered the phone whenever a manager needed an out. Drafted as a starter, he found his true niche in the bullpen, where his sinking fastball and slider made him a specialist against tough left-handed batters. His journey took him across the American and National Leagues, wearing the uniforms of the Angels, White Sox, Blue Jays, Reds, Mets, Diamondbacks, and Red Sox. This itinerant career is a testament to his valued skill set; teams consistently sought his services to plug a specific hole in their pitching staff. His tenure included playoff appearances and the constant pressure of high-leverage moments. Schoeneweis's story is one of baseball's blue-collar realities: sustained success through specialization, a strong work ethic, and the ability to perform in a role that, while often unsung, is crucial to a team's success.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Scott was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Scott Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Scott's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pitched in 12 Major League seasons for eight different teams from 1999 to 2010.
- Appeared in the postseason with the Anaheim Angels in 2002 and the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and 2008.
- Made over 60 relief appearances in a season four times, demonstrating consistent durability as a bullpen arm.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the California Angels in the 3rd round of the 1996 MLB Draft.
He underwent Tommy John surgery early in his professional career in 1997.
He is one of a relatively small group of major leaguers who played for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets organizations (though he only played MLB games for the Mets).
“My job was simple: get the lefty out.”
