Jimmy Gobble

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**Jimmy Gobble**

Kansas City Royals — No. 41
Relief Pitcher
Born: July 19, 1981 (1981-07-19) (age 26)
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
Major League Baseball debut
August 3, 2003 for the Kansas City Royals
Selected MLB statistics (through 2007)
Win-Loss	22-21
Earned Run Average	4.94
Strikeouts	248
Teams
Kansas City Royals (2003-present)

Billy James Gobble (born July 19, 1981 in Bristol, Tennessee) is an American professional baseball pitcher currently playing with the Kansas City Royals. He currently wears the number 41.

[edit] High School Career

Gobble attended John S. Battle High School in Bristol, Virginia and started four years on the varsity team. He led the team to three state tournament appearances and compiled a 32-8 record and 512 strikeouts.

As a senior, he was 10-1 with a 0.49 ERA, striking out 151 and allowing just 23 hits in 71 innings of work. His only loss came at the hands of Sullivan East High School, which is located in nearby Bluff City, Tennessee. He was also a strong hitter, compiling a .493 average with nine home runs and 30 RBIs. He also drew 24 walks.

He signed a baseball scholarship with the University of Kentucky before being drafted by the Royals with the 43rd pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Gobble was the fourth Royal chosen, following Kyle Snyder, Mike MacDougal and Jay Gehrke.

Gobble made his major league debut with the Royals in 2005. He steadily improved through his first three seasons; in 2007, he appeared in 74 games, the most on Kansas City's staff and tied for fifth-most in the American League. (Leaders Jamie Walker of Baltimore and Scott Downs of Toronto each had 81 appearances.) Gobble was 4-1 with a 3.02 earned-run average.