This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2010)

Austin Kearns, an outfielder, catches a fly ball.

Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. An outfielder's duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. Outfielders normally play behind the six other members of the defense who play in or near the infield.

By convention, each of the nine defensive positions in baseball is numbered. The outfield positions are 7 (left field), 8 (center field) and 9 (right field). These numbers are shorthand designations useful in baseball scorekeeping and are not necessarily the same as the squad numbers worn on player uniforms.

Outfielders named to the MLB All-Century Team are Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Pete Rose, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Ken Griffey Jr..

Strategy[link]

Players can be characterized as either corner outfielders or a center fielder. Corner outfielders are often slower and have less defensive value than the center fielder. However, there are some important differences between right fielders and left fielders. Right fielders tend to have the best throwing arms of the outfield so they can make the long throw to third base, but often are not as fast as left fielders. Center fielders are generally the fastest and most athletic of the three, because they have to run the farthest in order to field balls in the gaps and back up the other outfielders when balls are hit to them.

Many of the best power hitters in baseball play in the outfield, where they do not have as constant involvement in fielding plays as other positions, especially before the institution of the designated hitter. For example, Babe Ruth was moved from pitcher to the outfield. Left fielders and right fielders are more often slow power hitters, and center fielders are usually fast base-runners and good defensive players. Center field is often considered the most difficult outfield position, requiring both a good throwing arm and speed. Center fielders on many teams often bat lead off.

Players who do not routinely start games, but often substitute as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement in the outfield are referred to as fourth outfielders or even fifth outfielders. These players can usually play any of the three outfield positions.

External links[link]

• Outfielders

v t e Baseball positions Pitchers by role Ace pitcher Starting pitcher Relief pitcher Middle relief pitcher Long reliever Setup pitcher Closer Left-handed specialist by style Fireballer Power pitcher Control pitcher Groundball pitcher Flyball pitcher Switch pitcher Defensive players by number Pitcher (1 / P) Catcher (2 / C) First baseman (3 / 1B) Second baseman (4 / 2B) Third baseman (5 / 3B) Shortstop (6 / SS) Left fielder (7 / LF) Center fielder (8 / CF) Right fielder (9 / RF) by type Infielder Outfielder Utility player Utility infielder Position player Battery Fourth outfielder Corner outfielder Offensive players by role Batter Runner Batting order (1–9) Designated hitter Pinch hitter Pinch runner Lead off Leadoff hitter Cleanup hitter by style Clutch hitter Contact hitter Switch hitter Non-players Official scorer Umpire Manager Coaches General manager Related Disabled list Phantom ballplayer

Jason Bay
Bay with the Mets on June 10, 2010
New York Mets – No. 44
Left fielder
Born: (1978-09-20) September 20, 1978 (age 33) Trail, British Columbia, Canada
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 23, 2003 for the San Diego Padres
Career statistics (through May 4, 2012)
Batting average	.274
Home runs	206
Hits	1,138
Runs batted in	719
Teams
San Diego Padres (2003) Pittsburgh Pirates (2003–2008) Boston Red Sox (2008–2009) New York Mets (2010–present)
Career highlights and awards
3× All-Star (2005, 2006, 2009) 3× Tip O'Neill Award winner (2004, 2005 and 2009) 3× NL Rookie of the Month (June, July, and September 2004) 2004 NL Rookie of the Year Silver Slugger Award winner (2009) Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award (May 2006)

Jason Raymond Bay (born September 20, 1978, in Trail, British Columbia) is a Canadian professional baseball outfielder who currently plays for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Bay has previously played for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Boston Red Sox.

Baseball career[link]

Amateur career[link]

Bay experienced success as a player very early, playing on a Trail team that reached the 1990 Little League World Series. In 1999, he played for the Chatham Athletics in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Bay attended Gonzaga University.

Professional career[link]

Minor league career (2000–2002)[link]

Bay was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 22nd round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft and was assigned to the Expos' Short-Season A team in Burlington, Vermont, the Vermont Expos. In 2001, Bay was assigned to the Expos’ High Single-A team in Jupiter. He began the year slowly, and in May he was moved to Clinton of the Midwest League. Bay reached base in his first 26 games, then went on to bat .362 and win the league batting title. In all, he batted .315 with 14 home runs and 75 runs batted in on the year.

The Expos traded Bay to the New York Mets on March 24, 2002 with Jim Serrano for Lou Collier. The Mets traded Bay to the San Diego Padres with Josh Reynolds and Bobby Jones for Jason Middlebrook at the 2002 trading deadline.

Major league career[link]

San Diego Padres (2003)[link]

Bay debuted with the Padres on May 23, 2003, getting his first major league hit, a home run, in the ninth inning. Two days later, he suffered a broken right wrist after being hit by a pitch.

Pittsburgh Pirates (2003–2008)[link]

Bay with the Pirates in 2007 spring training

2003–2004[link]

On August 26, 2003, Bay was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, along with Óliver Pérez and Cory Stewart in August in exchange for Brian Giles. He finished the season with a .287 batting average, four home runs, and 14 RBI in 30 games.

Bay began the 2004 season on the disabled list due to surgery during the offseason, and did not rejoin the team until May. Despite missing the beginning of the season, he still produced the best offensive numbers of any National League rookie. He batted .282 in 120 games, leading all major league rookies in home runs (26) and RBIs (82). He also led all NL rookies in slugging percentage (.550), extra base hits (54) and total bases (226). With his 26 home runs, Bay broke a Pirates rookies record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo in 1936 and matched by Ralph Kiner in 1946. Selected as the 2004 NL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News, Bay was the second Pittsburgh Pirates player honored with the award, after second baseman Johnny Ray in 1982. Bay was also the first Canadian player to win the award.

2005–2006[link]

In 2005, Bay was selected to his first All-Star Game as a reserve outfielder. He was the only player on either roster not to appear in the game. Bay also appeared in the 2005 Century 21 Home Run Derby, representing Canada in the nationality-themed contest; he was eliminated in the first round after hitting no home runs. Bay finished the season with a .306 average, 32 home runs, and 101 RBI, leading the Pirates in every major hitting category.

After the 2005 season, Bay signed a four-year contract extension worth a guaranteed $18.25 million.^[1]

Bay batted .321 with 12 home runs (a Pirate record for home runs in a month) and 35 RBIs in May 2006. From May 22 to May 28, he hit home runs in six consecutive games, two short of the major league record held by Dale Long, Don Mattingly, and Ken Griffey, Jr. He had actually hit 10 home runs in ten games, but he had failed to hit a home run in one of the games, and hit two the next day.

Following an aggressive public relations campaign by the Pirates in 2006, Bay led all National League outfielders in All-Star voting. Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder even urged fans to vote for Bay during a summer concert at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena.^[2] Bay became the first member of the Pittsburgh Pirates voted into the All-Star game as a starter since Andy Van Slyke. In the game, Bay went 1 for 3, with a single.

2007–2008[link]

After battling injuries, Bay's 2007 season was less productive. Despite having a strong first couple of months, he batted .247 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs.^[3]

Bay had a much more productive 2008 with Pittsburgh, batting .282 with 22 home runs and 64 runs batted in through the All-Star break. In a May series against the Chicago Cubs, Bay had extra-inning walk-off hits in back-to-back games; the first two walk-off hits of his career.^[4] A month later, he got his third walk-off hit of the season and his career with a 13th-inning solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays.^[5]

Boston Red Sox (2008–2009)[link]

2008[link]

Bay batting for the Red Sox on August 18, 2008

On July 31, 2008, Bay and a player to be named later (Josh Wilson)^[6] were traded to the Boston Red Sox in a three team deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Andy LaRoche with Bryan Morris to the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Dodgers and Brandon Moss with Craig Hansen to the Pirates from the Red Sox.^[7] In his Red Sox debut, Bay scored both runs, the second coming after he hit a triple in bottom of the 12th inning and scored the game winning run on a Jed Lowrie RBI infield single. Bay hit his first home run with Boston the next night against the Oakland Athletics. In one game, he hit multiple home runs against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park. He would end the 2008 season with Boston batting .293 with 9 home runs and 37 RBIs.

The Red Sox' 2008 American League Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was the first playoff series of Bay's career. Bay hit a home run in each of the first two games of the series. Bay finished the series batting 7 for 17 (.412), with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 5 RBIs. In the 2008 American League Championship Series, he scored the first run in game one. In game two, he opened the door for the Red Sox with a two-run double and a home run in the fifth inning. However, the Red Sox lost in seven games.

2009[link]

After a strong first half that included an All-Star selection, Bay went on to lead the Red Sox with a career-high 36 home runs and 119 RBIs during the regular season. Early in the season, he also had a streak of 11 home runs with men on base, tying the team record and falling one shy of the major league record.

In 2009, he was named #41 on the Sporting News' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball.^[8]

He filed for free agency after the season, turning down the Red Sox's offer of salary arbitration.^[9]

New York Mets (2010-present)[link]

On December 29, 2009, Bay agreed to a four-year, $66 million contract with the New York Mets, which also includes a vesting option for a fifth year.^[10][11] General manager Omar Minaya, who engineered the deal, originally traded Bay to the Mets in 2002 when he was GM for the Montreal Expos. On January 5, 2010, Minaya and Jeff Wilpon held a press conference at Citi Field in which Jason Bay was presented with his uniform, number 44 for the Mets.

2010[link]

Bay with the Mets

On April 27, in the first game of a double header against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bay hit his first home run as a member of the New York Mets in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Mets a 2–0 lead. The Mets went on to win the first game 4–0 and win the second game 10–5.

In his first season with the Mets, Bay played in only 95 games. He suffered a concussion in a game against the Dodgers, when he ran into a fenced wall and his head jerked back. He finished his season with a .259 batting average, only six home runs (he hit 36 the year before), 47 RBIs, and scored 48 runs.

2011[link]

Bay began 2011 on the disabled list with a rib injury^[12] and returned to the Mets on April 21 in a game against the Houston Astros. On June 28, 2011, Bay hit a grand slam off of Detroit Tigers pitcher Daniel Schlereth. It was the first grand slam by the Mets since Angel Pagan hit one on August 1, 2009.^[13] On August 8, Bay hit his 200th career home run against the San Diego Padres, becoming the third Canadian MLB player after Larry Walker and Matt Stairs to reach this milestone.^[14]

Qualities as a player[link]

Bay with the Red Sox on August 1, 2009

In his major league career, Bay has demonstrated well-above-average power to all fields. He has also shown good discipline at the plate; in 2005, he ranked in the top ten in the National League in walks, though he also does strike out more often than the average hitter. On the bases, though he is not exceptionally fast, Bay is a very effective base stealer; in 2005, until he was picked off in the last week of the season, he tied the major league record for most steals in a season without getting caught, with 21 consecutive stolen bases. The record has since been broken by Chase Utley, with 23 consecutive steals in 2009.

Personal[link]

Bay and his wife, Kristen, have two daughters, Addison, who was born on November 19, 2006, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Evelyn, who was born on September 16, 2008, in Boston, Massachusetts. Their son, Garrett David Bay, was born on May 3, 2011 in New York City.^[15]

Bay's sister, Lauren Bay Regula, is a professional softball player who pitched for Canada in the 2004 Olympics, and was on the 2008 Olympic team as well.

Bay remains friends with Edmonton Oilers center Shawn Horcoff, who was also born in Trail. He is close friends with Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore, who was also a groomsman at Bay's wedding.

In Bay's opening interview with the Boston media, he stated that his father was a die-hard Red Sox fan who had bought him a Red Sox onesie to wear when he was young. Bay believed it was still in his parents' basement along with his two childhood TV room posters of Red Sox greats Jim Rice and Carl Yastrzemski.^[16]

On Thursday, July 2, 2009, Bay became a U.S. citizen after a ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston.^[17] During the offseason, Bay resides in his wife's hometown of Seattle, Washington, and recently had a house in Larchmont, New York.

Awards and honors[link]

• Three-time NL Rookie of the Month (June, July and September, 2004)
• National League Rookie of the Year (2004)
• The Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year (2004)
• Tip O'Neill Award winner (2004, 2005 and 2009) – given to the top Canadian baseball player each season.
• National League All-Star (2005, 2006)
• Represented Canada at the World Baseball Classic
• Represented Canada in the 1990 Little League World Series
• May 2006 Player of the Month
• Represented Canada at the 2005 Home Run Derby
• The 2008 Chuck Tanner Award for "professionalism, cooperation and availability to and with Major League writers to best assist them in carrying out daily responsibilities."^[18]
• American League All-Star (2009)
• American League Outfield Silver Slugger (2009)

Records[link]

• Holds the record for most home runs at PNC Park with 61.
• Second most Home Runs (14) by a visiting player (behind Lance Berkman- 18) and the highest batting average of any player with more than 100 at bats (.363, 58 for 160) at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.^[19]
• 3rd all-time in Home Runs hit by a Canadian born player behind Larry Walker (383)& Matt Stairs (260).Jeff Heath had (194).

Pittsburgh Pirates[link]

• 4th all-time with .515 slugging percentage
• 8th all-time with .890 on-base plus slugging (min 100 AB)
• 8th all-time with 139 Home Runs
• 10th all-time with 682 Strikeouts
• 12th all-time with .375 on-base percentage
• 15th all-time with 34 sacrifice flies
• 15th all-time with 35 hit by pitches

See also[link]

• List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jason Bay

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

• Jason Bay Video on FoxSports Video Archive
• Jason Bay Video on ESPN.com
• The Jason Bay file: (More than) 30 things to know about the newest Sox slugger

Rocco Baldelli
Center fielder
Born: (1981-09-25) September 25, 1981 (age 30) Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
March 31, 2003 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Last MLB appearance
October 3, 2010 for the Tampa Bay Rays
Career statistics
Batting average	.278
Home runs	60
Runs batted in	262
Teams
Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays (2003–2008) Boston Red Sox (2009) Tampa Bay Rays (2010)
Career highlights and awards
2008 Tony Conigliaro Award

Rocco Dan Baldelli (/ˈrɒkoʊ bɔːlˈdɛli/; born September 25, 1981 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. Because of his excellent size and speed, and in reference to his hometown, he was nicknamed, "The Woonsocket Rocket," early in his professional career. After a promising beginning to his baseball career, a mysterious metabolic/muscular disorder would lead to numerous injuries and force Baldelli to retire as a player at age 29.

Early life[link]

Rocco Baldelli attended the PEGASUS Gifted and Talented middle-school program at La Salle Academy in Providence. He played baseball for the Rhode Island Tides, an AAU ball club. Then he switched to Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island, for high school^[1] There he posted a 4.25 grade point average. He was also a four sport star, earning all-state honors in baseball, indoor track, basketball, and volleyball and was selected in the first round of the 2000 amateur draft. Had he not signed with Tampa Bay, he would have attended Wake Forest University on a baseball scholarship. He also seriously considered attending Princeton University.^[2]

Major league career[link]

Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays[link]

According to professional baseball scouts, Baldelli shared many similarities to Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio ever since his days as a prep star. This can be attributed to Baldelli's athletic ability, their shared position (center field), wearing the same uniform number (5), and their Italian-American heritage.^[3] Al LaMacchia, a professional scout for over 50 years, went so far as to call Rocco "Joe's twin".^[4][5]

2003-2004: Early success[link]

Baldelli made his major league debut on Opening Day 2003, starting in center field. He and fellow rookie outfielder Carl Crawford would be two of the few bright spots on a Devil Rays team that lost 91 games. Baldelli finished the 2003 season batting .289 with 11 home runs, 78 RBI, 89 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. He also led the AL in outfield assists and ranked 2nd in range factor, indicating that he was one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. Baldelli came in third in the voting for 2003 AL Rookie of the Year behind New York Yankees' outfielder Hideki Matsui and winner Angel Berroa of the Kansas City Royals.^[6]

Baldelli had a similar sophomore campaign in 2004, batting .280 with 16 home runs, 74 runs batted in, 79 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. His defensive statistics were again among the league's best, as he led the AL in range factor and finished 4th in outfield assists.^[7]

2005-2006: Injuries and renewed success[link]

Baldelli started the 2005 season on the disabled list after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament over the offseason while playing baseball with his brother.^[8] He had surgery and was expected to be back by the All-Star break. However, he seriously injured his elbow while working out and needed Tommy John surgery to fix the damage, which led to months more rehabilitation.

After missing almost a full season and a half, Baldelli returned to the D-Rays' lineup against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on June 7, 2006. Baldelli was a regular starter in the outfield for the rest of the 2006 campaign and had his best statistical season, hitting .302 with 16 home runs, 57 runs batted in, 57 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in only 364 at bats and again appearing among the league leaders in multiple defensive categories.

2007-2008: Medical issues[link]

In spring training before the 2007 season, Rocco pulled his hamstring. The injury lingered, but Baldelli attempted to play, appearing in 35 games (15 as a designated hitter) and posting only a .204 batting average. He aggravated his hamstring in May and was placed on the DL on May 17.^[9] Doctors recommended a period of rest, after which Baldelli reported to the minor leagues for a rehab assignment. After several games, he injured his hamstring yet again and was shut down for the remainder of the 2007 season.

After these setbacks, Baldelli underwent extensive medical testing to determine the reasons for his muscle problems and worsening fatigue after even brief workouts. Doctors discovered some "metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormalities" and began trying to design a medical plan to improve the condition.^[10]

Baldelli during spring training in 2008

Baldelli attempted to return to game action during spring training in 2008, but his continuing physical problems made it impossible. On March 12, he held an emotional press conference in which he announced that he would be once again placed on the disabled list as he tried to find an effective treatment for his mysterious ailment. Though he did not retire, the future of his baseball career was in doubt.^[11] Accordingly, on April 1, 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays declined Baldelli's contract option for the following season (2009), potentially making him a free agent after the season.^[12]

After further medical consultations, Baldelli's doctors found a combination of medications and nutritional supplements that seemed to improve his condition. On May 29, 2008, he began playing in extended spring training games, and in mid-June was sent to play in the Rays' minor league system for further rehabilitation and conditioning in the hope that he might return to the majors during the 2008 season.^[13][14]

Return to the field[link]

Finally, on August 10, 2008, Rocco was activated and started in right field for the Rays in a game against the Seattle Mariners. Baldelli had been growing a beard for months as a "symbol of his rehabilitation" and shaved it off before playing. In the contest, he had an RBI single as well as a diving catch before coming out of the game after the 5th inning.^[15]

Baldelli ended up appearing in 28 games for the Rays in 2008, mainly as a DH and pinch hitter but occasionally playing in right or left field.^[16] He hit .263 with 4 home runs and 13 RBI, and was deemed valuable enough to be included in the Rays' postseason roster as they made the playoffs for the first time.^[17]

Baldelli made an impact in his limited post-season playing time. In Game 3 of the 2008 American League Championship Series, Baldelli hit a three-run home run off Boston's Paul Byrd in the eighth inning to help the Rays take a 2-1 series lead. In the decisive Game 7 of the ALCS, his RBI single in the fifth inning gave the Rays their first lead of the game en route to winning their first American League pennant.^[18] And in Game 2 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Baldelli made a double play by catching a fly ball and throwing back to first baseman Carlos Pena in time to beat Jayson Werth.^[19]

Overall, Baldelli hit .200 in 20 postseason at-bats with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs.^[16] While improved, his medical condition prevented him from playing in back-to-back games, and he sometimes sat down to rest on the field during breaks in the action.^[20]

After the season, Baldelli was the recipient of the 2008 Tony Conigliaro Award, which is annually presented to a major league player who has "overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of Tony Conigliaro.^[21] "

During the 2008-09 offseason, further medical testing indicated that Baldelli suffers from a form of channelopathy, which makes his condition less serious and more treatable than the previous diagnosis of a mitochondrial disorder.^[22]

Boston Red Sox[link]

2009: Limited playing time[link]

On January 8, 2009 Baldelli signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox,^[23] reported to be worth a base of $500,000 plus up to $6.75 million in incentives.^[24] As Baldelli grew up in New England, much of his family were Red Sox fans and he considered it a "childhood dream" to play for the team.^[3] He continued to wear number 5, becoming the first Red Sox player to wear that number since the departure of fan favorite Nomar Garciaparra in 2004.

Baldelli hit his first home run for the Red Sox on May 9, 2009 at Fenway Park against his old team, the Rays. For much of the season, however, he continued to struggle through physical ailments, landing on the 15-day DL twice and sitting out numerous contests with hamstring pulls and other issues.

For the year, Baldelli appeared in 62 games for the Red Sox, hitting .253 with 7 HRs, 23 RBIs, and 1 SB. Boston made the playoffs as the AL wildcard team, but a shoulder injury kept Baldelli off the team's postseason roster^[25]

After the season, he became a free agent.

Return to the Rays[link]

2010: One more comeback[link]

During spring training 2010, Baldelli returned to the Tampa Bay Rays as a special assistant to observe and coach players in the organization's minor league system on baserunning and outfield defense.^[26] While his continuing fatigue problems and a lingering shoulder issue made it impossible for him to play baseball, he expressed the desire to eventually return to the field with the Rays if his physical condition improved.^[25][27]

Second return to the field[link]

On July 19, 2010, Baldelli signed a minor league deal with the Rays and joined the Charlotte Stone Crabs, the team's Class-A affiliate. He gradually increased his playing time and was promoted to AAA with the Durham Bulls on August 16.^[28] The club stated that his health and success on the field would determine if he would be called up to the majors later on in the season.^[29]

On September 1, Baldelli was called up to the major league squad to serve as a designated hitter, pinch hitter, and reserve outfielder.^[30] On September 5, in his first at-bat since returning to the Rays' roster, Baldelli hit an 8th inning pinch hit 2-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards and finished the game in right field.^[31]

Baldelli played occasionally throughout September, was included on the Rays' postseason roster, and started at DH for the first game of the 2010 playoffs against the Texas Rangers. However, he suffered muscle cramping during the game due to his mitochondrial disorder and had to be removed from the Rays' playoff roster, again putting his future playing career in doubt^[32]

Retirement[link]

Baldelli decided to retire soon after his medical condition forced him off the Rays' roster during the 2010 ALDS. However, Rays' executive Andrew Friedman advised him to take some time to be sure he really wanted to end his playing career. After three months of consideration, Baldelli officially announced his retirement on January 26, 2011 at 29 years old, stating that due to his illness, "I physically don't feel like I should be playing anymore."^[33] He remained in the Rays organization as a "special adviser" working in scouting and player development.^[34][35]

Personal[link]

In 2004, Baldelli was inducted into the Rhode Island Italian-American Hall of Fame. Baldelli has listed his other interests as traveling, fishing and playing the bass guitar. He is the son of Dan and Michelle Baldelli and has two brothers, Nicholas and Dante. He resides both in St. Pete Beach, FL and Cumberland, RI, where his parents still live^[3]

Baldelli is of pre-dominantly Italian and French ancestry but has a distant Syrian lineage through his paternal grandmother.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Andre Ethier
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 16
Right Fielder
Born: (1982-04-10) April 10, 1982 (age 30) Phoenix, Arizona
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 2, 2006 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Career statistics (through May 21, 2012)
Batting average	.292
Hits	911
Home runs	117
Runs batted in	483
Runs	445
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–present)
Career highlights and awards
Silver Slugger Award (2009) 2× All-Star (2010, 2011) Gold Glove Award winner (2011)

Andre Everett Ethier ( /ˈiːθiər/; born April 10, 1982 in Phoenix, Arizona), is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits (including four walk off home runs), which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974.^[1] His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season.^[2] He earned the nickname Captain Clutch by Dodgers fans, due to his late inning heroics.

Early life[link]

Junior College career[link]

Ethier transferred to Chandler-Gilbert Community College after playing with Arizona State University in the fall of 2000. The coaching staff at ASU told him that they thought he did not have Division I talent, and that he would do better to play junior college ball. At CGCC, Ethier recorded 94 hits as one of the top junior college players in Arizona, batting .468 with 32 doubles. He was named team MVP. During the summer of 2001, he played with the Keene Swamp Bats in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In 2010, Ethier was inducted into the NECBL Hall of Fame.

Arizona State[link]

Ethier re-enrolled at ASU in the fall of 2001 and played there until the end of his junior year in 2003 with an ASU career batting average of .371, 113 runs, 27 doubles, 7 triples, 14 home runs and 118 runs batted in. His collegiate career ended in the midst of a 23-game hitting streak. He was a two-time Pacific-10 Conference All-Star in 2002–03.

During the summer of 2002, Ethier played with the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League, one of the country's premier summer collegiate baseball leagues. Ethier tied for the team lead in home runs(4), batted .264, led the team with 34 RBIs and won a Northwoods League Silver Glove for his defensive play in right field.

While at ASU, he was teammates and good friends with current Boston Red Sox second basemen, Dustin Pedroia and current Texas Rangers second basemen Ian Kinsler.

Professional career[link]

MLB Draft and minor leagues[link]

Ethier was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 37th round of the 2001 amateur draft. Opting to attend ASU instead, he was drafted in the second round of the 2003 amateur draft, again by the Oakland Athletics. He signed with the Athletics on July 1, 2003.

Oakland assigned him to the Single-A Vancouver Canadians and later to the Kane County Cougars for the 2003 season. His minor-league career continued in 2004 with the Modesto Athletics, where he hit .313, and in 2005 with the Midland RockHounds Double-A team, where he hit .319 with 18 homers and was selected as the Texas League Most Valuable Player, Oakland Athletics Minor League Player of the Year, Texas League All-Star Outfielder and Texas League All-Star Game MVP. He also played four games in 2005 with the Sacramento Rivercats Triple-A team. [1]

On December 13, 2005, Ethier was traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez.

Major league career[link]

2006 season[link]

Ethier hit a double and drew a walk in his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 2, 2006, against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his home state of Arizona and hit his first home run the next night against Dewon Brazelton of the San Diego Padres.

Ethier in 2008

On May 19, 2006, Ethier had a breakout game, going 5 for 5 with four runs scored as he raised his batting average from .222 to .317. He remained hot throughout the summer and was named National League Player of the Week for the week ending July 9, 2006. Ethier batted very well for much of the season with his average peaking at .354 before a late slump dropped it to .308 at season's end.^[3] An early front-runner for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, he finished fifth in voting.^[4] He used the song Alive by P.O.D. as his batting song his rookie year.

2007 season[link]

Ethier entered the 2007 Season expecting to split time with Matt Kemp, and Luis Gonzalez in the outfield, but Ethier got a lot of playing time early due to an injury to Kemp. Ethier enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign, playing in 153 games while batting .284, with 13 home runs, and 64 RBIs.

2008 season[link]

Ethier beat out Juan Pierre to become the Dodgers starting left fielder for the start of the 2008 season. When the Dodgers acquired outfielder Manny Ramirez, he moved to his more natural position of right field, with Kemp playing center field. In the regular season, Ethier played in 141 games, had 525 at bats, scored 90 runs, had 160 hits, hit an average .305 batting avg. with 20 Homers and 77 RBIs.

2009 season[link]

In 2009, Ethier hit .272 with a career best 31 home runs and 106 RBIs. He was a key contributor for the Dodgers that season, with six walk off hits (including four walk off home runs), the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974.^[5] His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season.^[6] On June 26, 2009, Ethier hit three home runs in a game against the Seattle Mariners, driving in a career-high six runs. He won the Silver Slugger Award and finished 6th in MVP voting at the conclusion of the season.

2010 season[link]

Ethier got off to a strong start to the 2010 season, leading the National League in home runs, RBI and batting average, but he broke his pinky finger on his right hand during batting practice on May 15, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list three days later.^[7] On July 4, Ethier was selected to start on the National League All Star team with more than 2.7 million votes. He slumped down the stretch, finishing with a .292 batting average, 23 home runs and 82 RBI in 139 games.

2011 season[link]

Ethier set a new MLB record for April with a 23-game hitting streak on April 26 against the Florida Marlins, breaking the old record set by Joe Torre.^[8] On April 30 Ethier extended this same streak to 27 games, moving past two former Dodgers to stand alone in second place in the franchise's history of hitting streaks and tie the Dodgers record for the most hits in April.^[9] The streak eventually reached 30 games, second most in Dodger franchise history, before it ended on May 7 against the New York Mets. Ethier was a Final Vote candidate for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game but finished second to Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies. However, Victorino was injured and unable to participate so Ethier was selected to replace him on the All-Star roster.^[10]

Ethier became the subject of some controversy in the second half of the season. Los Angeles Times columinst TJ Simers wrote an article that quoted Ethier as saying his production was down in 2011 because of a knee injury that he had been battling all season, and implying that the Dodgers were forcing him to play despite his injury.^[11] Manager Don Mattingly called himself "blindsided" by the story and responded that he would never make a player play hurt.^[12] After a meeting with Mattingly and GM Ned Colletti, Ethier backed off on his comments and said it was his choice to play hurt.^[13]

After the September 7 game, Ethier decided to shut down for the season in order to consult doctors on the problems with his knee, with the hope of getting healthy in time for spring training.^[14] Ethier appeared in 135 games with the Dodgers in 2011, hitting .291 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI.

Despite his injury, Andre Ethier won his first Gold Glove Award on November 1, 2011.

2012 season[link]

Andre Ethier began the 2012 season solid batting .326 with 9 home runs as of June 1st. His 44 RBI ranks among top in the national league.

Personal life[link]

Ethier's father is of French Canadian and Cherokee descent. His mother is Mexican American. Ethier is the older brother of Adam and Devon Ethier.^[15] Andre is married to Maggie Germaine Ethier, whom he met at Arizona State University. The couple have two children together named Dreson and Retton .

His brother, Devon Ethier, played baseball at Gateway Community College and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 32nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft.^[16]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Andre Ethier

Baseball portal

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Andre Ethier's ASU Bio
• "Ethier Learns to Deal With Name Recognition"
• Minor League Splits and Situational Stats
• Dining with 'Dre

Eric Byrnes
Outfielder
Born: (1976-02-16) February 16, 1976 (age 36) Redwood City, California
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 22, 2000 for the Oakland Athletics
Last MLB appearance
May 2, 2010 for the Seattle Mariners
Career statistics
Batting average	.258
Home runs	109
Runs batted in	396
Stolen bases	129
Teams
Oakland Athletics (2000–2005) Colorado Rockies (2005) Baltimore Orioles (2005) Arizona Diamondbacks (2006–2009) Seattle Mariners (2010)
Career highlights and awards
Fielding Bible Award winner (2007)

Eric James Byrnes (born February 16, 1976 in Redwood City, California), is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners. He retired after his stint with the Mariners, and he now is an analyst for MLB Network and radio host on KNBR .

Byrnes is considered a player who relies on his speed and hustle.^[1] He can hit for power, but tends to be a "free-swinger" and goes through hitting droughts.^[1] He was ranked in the top-three for best defensive left fielders in John Dewan's publication, Fielding Bible.^[2]

Amateur career[link]

High school[link]

Byrnes' high school career was spent in the Western Catholic Athletic League, where he played for St. Francis High School in Mountain View, California. After graduating in 1994, he was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers but elected to go to college at the University of California at Los Angeles.

College[link]

At UCLA (1995–98), Byrnes hit second in the batting order and played right field in a lineup that featured future major-league stars Troy Glaus (1995–97) and Garrett Atkins (1998). He was again selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, this time by the Houston Astros after his junior season, but again elected to stay in school. He finished his career at UCLA as one of the most successful hitters in Pac-10 history with a .331 career average and 75 doubles, a conference record.

Professional career[link]

Oakland Athletics[link]

Byrnes was selected in the 8th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft by the Oakland Athletics. In the 1998 season, Byrnes played for the short-season Southern Oregon Timberjacks, and the Class-A Advanced Visalia Oaks in the A's organization where he batted a combined .357 with 19 doubles, 4 triples, 11 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. In 1999, Byrnes continued to play in the A's minor leagues. That season, he played for the Class-A Advanced Modesto A's, and the Double-A Midland RockHounds and in 139 combined games, Byrnes batted .306 with 42 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 88 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases. Byrnes made his major league debut on August 22, 2000, against the Cleveland Indians.^[3] He went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in his first games, playing designated hitter and batting seventh in the batting order.^[4] Brynes batted .300 his first season, with three hits in ten at-bats.^[3] The next season, 2001, Byrnes played 19 games with the A's. He hit his first home run of his major league career on June 9, 2001, against the San Francisco Giants.^[5] He batted .237 with one double, three home runs, five RBIs, and one stolen base with the A's in 2001.^[3] Brynes played two games in the 2001 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees going hitless in two at-bats.^[3]

Byrnes was also involved in a 2003 baseball game that included two significant base running gaffes in a single inning. With a chance to close out the Boston Red Sox, the Athletics had a potential rally stifled by two controversial plays. Byrnes was tagged out after failing to touch home plate after a collision with catcher Jason Varitek, who had blocked the plate before attempting to catch the ball. After the collision, a hobbling Byrnes shoved Varitek and began walking back to the dugout. Varitek picked up the ball and tagged Byrnes out. This play was then followed up by Red Sox third baseman Bill Mueller running into Miguel Tejada as he was rounding third (later in the same inning). Tejada then stopped running home and was eventually tagged out. The umpires called Tejada out because he was tagged as a result of not attempting to advance home, not because of the obstruction by the third baseman. In 2004, Byrnes had his best year with the A's, batting .283 with 20 home runs, and 73 RBI.

Colorado Rockies[link]

On July 13, 2005, Byrnes, along with prospect Omar Quintanilla, was traded to the Colorado Rockies for pitchers Joe Kennedy and Jay Witasick.^[6] In 15 games with the Rockies, Byrnes batted .189 with 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases.

Baltimore Orioles[link]

A little over two weeks later, and a day before the trading deadline, on July 30, 2005, Byrnes was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for outfielder Larry Bigbie. On August 15, 2005, Byrnes and the Orioles traveled to Oakland, marking the first time Byrnes played against his former team.^[7] After struggling against right-handed pitchers, the Orioles benched Byrnes and questioned his ability to be an every-day player.^[8] In 52 games with the Orioles that season, Byrnes batted .192 with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 11 RBIs, and 3 stolen bases. In his combined totals that season between the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, and the Orioles, Byrnes batted .231 with 22 doubles, 3 triples, 10 home runs, 35 RBIs, and 5 stolen bases in 111 games.

Arizona Diamondbacks[link]

After the 2005 season, Byrnes was granted free agency. On December 30, 2005, Byrnes signed a one-year, $2.25 million dollar contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.^[9][10] Byrnes stated that he was excited for the opportunity to play center field regularly.^[11] In 2006, Byrnes batted .267 with 37 doubles, 3 triples, 26 home runs, 79 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases. His 26 home runs led the Diamondbacks, as did his stolen bases, and his slugging percentage of .482.^[12]

Byrnes played with the Arizona Diamondbacks for four seasons, from 2006–2009.

Midway through the 2007 season, Byrnes was rewarded with a three-year, $30 million dollar contract extension with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Byrnes is one of a few players to have 50 stolen bases and hit 20 home runs in one season, having accomplished the feat in 2007. At the end on the 2007 season, Byrnes batted .286 with 30 doubles, 8 triples, 21 home runs, 83 RBIs and 50 stolen bases in 160 games. He led the Diamondbacks in doubles, RBIs, stolen bases, caught stealing (7), and total bases (288).^[13] Byrnes was also 11^th in National League Most Valuable Player Award voting with 43 voting points.^[14] He was honored with a Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding left fielder in MLB.^[15]