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Sidney Ponson Triumphs and trials

1976: Born Nov. 2 in Noord, Aruba.

Last update: April 24, 2007 - 5:23 PM

1976: Born Nov. 2 in Noord, Aruba.

1987: Goes to work on a cruise ship at age 11.

1993: Signs with the Orioles at age 16.

1998: Reaches the big leagues at age 21, going 8-9 for the Orioles.

1999: Throws 210 innings and goes 12-12 for the Orioles.

2003: Goes 14-6 before getting moved to San Francisco at the trade deadline. Then goes 3-6 with the Giants and fails to hold a lead in a playoff loss to Marlins.

2003-04 offseason: After becoming a free agent, he re-signs with Baltimore for three years, $22.5 million. Also earns the nickname "Sir Sidney" after being knighted in his native Aruba by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Aruba is part of the kingdom of the Netherlands.

2004: Arrives at spring training 15 pounds overweight, at 269 pounds. Begins season 3-12 before finishing 11-15 with a 5.30 ERA.

2004-05 offseason: Spends 11 days in an Aruban jail after punching a judge during a Christmas Day fight on the beach. ... Arrested for drunken driving in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 21.

2005: With his record at 7-11 and his ERA at 6.22, he's arrested for drunken driving in Baltimore on Aug. 25. The Orioles release him Sept. 1 and eventually void his contract. He files a grievance, which is still pending.

2005-06 offseason: Ponson checks himself into an alcohol treatment center in Malibu, Calif.

2006: He goes 4-4 with a 5.24 ERA for the St. Louis Cardinals before getting released July 11. Then he posts a 10.47 ERA in five appearances for the New York Yankees before getting released again.

2006-07 offseason: In October, he undergoes surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow. He gets engaged to his girlfriend, and on Jan. 3 he signs a minor league contract with the Twins.

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