1.
Chicago White Sox
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The Chicago White Sox is an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. The White Sox play their games at Guaranteed Rate Field. They are one of two league clubs in Chicago, the other is the Chicago Cubs, who are a member of the National League Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf. One of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the Chicago team was established as a major baseball club in 1900. The club was called the Chicago White Stockings, but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. The team played games at South Side Park before, in 1910. The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a team dubbed the Hitless Wonders, and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte, Eddie Collins. The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal, in response, Major League Baseballs new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life. In 1959, led by Early Wynn, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez and they won the AL pennant in 2005, and went on to win the World Series. The White Sox originated as the Sioux City Cornhuskers of the Western League, in 1894, Charles Comiskey bought the Cornhuskers and moved them to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they became the St. Paul Saints. In 1901, the Western League broke the National Agreement and became the new major league American League, the very first season in the American League ended with a White Stockings championship. However, that would be the end of the season as the World Series did not begin until 1903, the franchise, now known as the Chicago White Sox, made its first World Series appearance in 1906, beating the crosstown Cubs in six games. The White Sox would win a pennant and second World Series in 1917, beating the New York Giants in six games with help from stars Eddie Cicotte. The Sox were heavily favored in the 1919 World Series, huge bets on the Reds fueled speculation that the series had been fixed. This set the franchise back, as they did not win another pennant for 40 years. The White Sox did not finish in the half of the American League again until after club founder Charles Comiskey died and passed ownership of the club to his son
2.
Baseball
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Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each, who take turns batting and fielding. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases, Players on the batting team take turns hitting against the pitcher of the fielding team, which tries to prevent runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways. A player on the team who reaches a base safely can later attempt to advance to subsequent bases during teammates turns batting. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the team records three outs. One turn batting for both teams, beginning with the team, constitutes an inning. A game is composed of nine innings, and the team with the number of runs at the end of the game wins. Baseball has no clock, although almost all games end in the ninth inning. Baseball evolved from older bat-and-ball games already being played in England by the mid-18th century and this game was brought by immigrants to North America, where the modern version developed. By the late 19th century, baseball was widely recognized as the sport of the United States. Baseball is now popular in North America and parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, in the United States and Canada, professional Major League Baseball teams are divided into the National League and American League, each with three divisions, East, West, and Central. The major league champion is determined by playoffs that culminate in the World Series, the top level of play is similarly split in Japan between the Central and Pacific Leagues and in Cuba between the West League and East League. The evolution of baseball from older bat-and-ball games is difficult to trace with precision, a French manuscript from 1344 contains an illustration of clerics playing a game, possibly la soule, with similarities to baseball. Other old French games such as thèque, la balle au bâton, consensus once held that todays baseball is a North American development from the older game rounders, popular in Great Britain and Ireland. Baseball Before We Knew It, A Search for the Roots of the Game, by David Block, suggests that the game originated in England, recently uncovered historical evidence supports this position. Block argues that rounders and early baseball were actually regional variants of other. It has long believed that cricket also descended from such games. The earliest known reference to baseball is in a 1744 British publication, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, David Block discovered that the first recorded game of Bass-Ball took place in 1749 in Surrey, and featured the Prince of Wales as a player. William Bray, an English lawyer, recorded a game of baseball on Easter Monday 1755 in Guildford and this early form of the game was apparently brought to Canada by English immigrants
3.
Pitcher
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In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important defensive player, there are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and closer. The National League in Major League Baseball and the Japanese Central League are among the leagues that have not adopted the designated hitter position. In most cases, the objective of the pitcher is to deliver the pitch to the catcher without allowing the batter to hit the ball with the bat. A successful pitch is delivered in such a way that the batter either allows the pitch to pass through the zone, swings the bat at the ball and misses it. If the batter elects not to swing at the pitch, it is called a strike if any part of the passes through the strike zone. A check swing is when the batter begins to swing, If the batter successfully checks the swing and the pitch is out of the strike zone, it is called a ball. There are two legal pitching positions, the windup and the set position or stretch, either position may be used at any time, typically, the windup is used when the bases are empty, while the set position is used when at least one runner is on base. Each position has certain procedures that must be followed, a balk can be called on a pitcher from either position. A power pitcher is one who relies on the velocity of his pitches to succeed, generally, power pitchers record a high percentage of strikeouts. A control pitcher succeeds by throwing accurate pitches and thus records few walks, nearly all action during a game is centered on the pitcher for the defensive team. A pitchers particular style, time taken between pitches, and skill heavily influence the dynamics of the game and can determine the victor. Meanwhile, a batter stands in the box at one side of the plate. The type and sequence of pitches chosen depend upon the situation in a game. The relationship between pitcher and catcher is so important that some teams select the starting catcher for a game based on the starting pitcher. Together, the pitcher and catcher are known as the battery, although the object and mechanics of pitching remain the same, pitchers may be classified according to their roles and effectiveness. The starting pitcher begins the game, and he may be followed by relief pitchers, such as the long reliever, the left-handed specialist, the middle reliever. In Major League Baseball, every team uses Baseball Rubbing Mud to rub game balls in before their pitchers use them in games, a skilled pitcher often throws a variety of different pitches to prevent the batter from hitting the ball well
4.
Baseball field
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A baseball field, also called a ball field or a baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term is used as a metonym for baseball park.5 inches. Adjacent to each of the two parallel 8. 5-inch sides is a batters box, the point of home plate where the two 12-inch sides meet at right angles is at one corner of a ninety-foot square. The other three corners of the square, in order from home plate, are called first base, second base. Three canvas bags fifteen inches square mark the three bases and these three bags along with home plate form the four points at the corners of the infield. All the bases, including home plate, lie entirely within fair territory, thus, any batted ball that touches those bases must necessarily be in fair territory. Thus, although the points of the bases are 90 feet apart, the lines from home plate to first and third bases extend to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction and are called the foul lines. The portion of the field between the foul lines is fair territory, the rest is foul territory. The area in the vicinity of the square formed by the bases is called the infield, most baseball fields are enclosed with a fence that marks the outer edge of the outfield. The fence is set at a distance ranging from 300 to 420 feet from home plate. Most professional and college baseball fields have a right and left foul pole and these poles are at the intersection of the foul lines and the respective ends of the outfield fence and, unless otherwise specified within the ground rules, lie in fair territory. Thus, a ball that passes over the outfield wall in flight and touches the foul pole is a fair ball. First base is the first of four bases that must be touched by a player on the team in order to score a run. Unlike when a player reaches second or third base, it is permissible for a batter-runner to overrun first base without being in jeopardy of being put out. After contact is made with the base, the batter-runner may slow down and return to first base at his leisure, the runner cannot be tagged out if he is touching the base with any part of his body. The first baseman is the player responsible for the area near first base. A professional first baseman is often a slow runner and tall, a tall first baseman presents a large target to which other fielders can throw, and his height gives him a larger range in reaching and catching errant throws. Also, a right-handed first baseman must, when setting himself up to receive a throw from an infielder, execute a half-pivot near the base, there are three infield positions that can only effectively be occupied by right-handed players, 2nd base, 3rd base, and shortstop
5.
Umpire (baseball)
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The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump. They are also addressed as blue at lower levels due to the common color of the uniform worn by umpires. In professional baseball, the blue is seldom used by players or managers. In a game officiated by two or more umpires, the umpire in chief is the umpire who is in charge of the entire game. This umpire calls balls and strikes, calls fair balls, foul balls short of first/third base, to avoid injury, the home plate umpire wears the same mask the catcher wears. If another umpire leaves the infield to cover a potential play in foul ground or in the outfield, in the event that an umpire is injured and only three remain, the second base position will generally be left vacant. In nearly all levels of organized baseball, including the majors, an umpiring crew rotates so that each umpire in the works each position, including plate umpire. In the earliest days of baseball, however, many senior umpires always worked the plate, Klem did so for the first 16 years of his career. On the Major League level, an umpiring crew generally rotates positions clockwise each game, for example, the plate umpire in one game would umpire third base in the next. Other umpires are called base umpires and are stationed near the bases. When two umpires are used, the umpire is simply the base umpire. This umpire will make most calls concerning runners on the bases and nearby plays, to indicate a full swing, he will clench his fist. When four umpires are used, each umpire is named for the base at which he is stationed, sometimes a league will provide six umpires, the extra two are stationed along the outfield foul lines are called the left-field and right-field umpires. Outfield umpires are used in events, such as the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. For Major League Baseball, all levels use six umpires, while at lower levels. Rulings on catches of batted balls are made by the umpire closest to the play. The term umpire-in-chief is not to be confused with the crew chief, at the major-league and high minor-league levels, the crew chief acts as a liaison between the league office and the crew and has a supervisory role over other members of the crew. For example, on the Major League level, The Crew Chief shall coordinate, an umpires judgment call used to be final, unless the umpire making the call chose to ask his partner for help and then decided to reverse it after the discussion
6.
Hughie Jennings
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Hugh Ambrose Jennings was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager from 1891 to 1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894,1895, during those three seasons, Jennings had 355 runs batted in and hit.335.386, and.401. Jennings was a fiery, hard-nosed player who was not afraid to be hit by a pitch to get on base, in 1896, he was hit by pitches 51 times – a major league record that has never been broken. Jennings also holds the record for being hit by pitches with 287. Jennings also played on the Brooklyn Superbas teams that won National League pennants in 1899 and 1900. From 1907 to 1920, Jennings was the manager of the Detroit Tigers, where he was known for his antics, hoots, whistles. Jennings suffered a breakdown in 1925 that forced him to leave Major League Baseball. He died in 1928 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945. Jennings worked as a boy in the local anthracite coal mines. He drew attention playing shortstop for a baseball team in Lehighton. He was signed by the Louisville Colonels of the American Association in 1891 and he stayed with the Colonels when they joined the National League in 1892 and was traded on June 7,1893 to the Baltimore Orioles. Jennings played with the Orioles for parts of seven seasons and became a star during his years in Baltimore, the Baltimore Orioles teams of 1894,1895, and 1896 are regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time. Amidst all those players, Jennings was appointed captain in 1894. During the Orioles championship years, Jennings had some of the best seasons ever by a major league shortstop, in 1895, he hit.386, scored 159 runs, collected 204 hits, knocked in 125 runs, and stole 53 bases. In 1896, his performance was better, as he hit.401 with 209 hits,121 RBIs. The fiery Jennings was also known as one of the most fearless players of his time, in one game, he was hit by a pitch three times. In 1896, he was hit by pitches 51 times—a Major League record that still stands, in just five seasons with the Orioles from 1894 to 1898, Jennings was hit by pitches an unprecedented 202 times. During one game, Jennings was hit in the head by a pitch from Amos Rusie in the 3rd inning, as soon as the game ended, Jennings collapsed and was unconscious for three days
7.
Craig Biggio
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Craig Alan Biggio is an American former second baseman and catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career from 1988 through 2007 for the Houston Astros. A seven-time National League All-Star often regarded as the greatest all-around player in Astros history, at the end of his career he ranked sixth in NL history in games played, fifth in at bats, eighth in hits and seventh in runs scored. His 668 career doubles ranked fifth in league history, and are the most ever by a right-handed hitter. He also holds the NL record for most times leading off a game with a home run and he was the ninth player in the 3,000 hit club to collect all his hits with one team. Biggio also led the NL in times hit by five times. One of the most admired players of his generation, Biggio received the 2005 Hutch Award for perseverance through adversity, the Astros retired the number 7 in his honor the year following his retirement. Since 2008, Biggio has served as assistant to the general manager of the Astros. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, Craig Biggio graduated from Kings Park High School in Kings Park, New York, where he excelled as a multi-sport varsity athlete. Most notably, after the 1983 season Biggio was awarded the Hansen Award, however, Biggios passion lay with baseball, such that he turned down football scholarships for the opportunity to play baseball for Seton Hall University. Although Biggio was an infielder, Seton Hall coach Mike Sheppard switched him to catcher because the team was in need of one, Biggio was an All-American baseball player at Seton Hall, where he played with other future Major League Baseball stars Mo Vaughn and John Valentin. Biggio was selected by the Houston Astros in the first round of the 1987 draft, Biggio remains Seton Halls leader in triples, second in runs scored, and is in the top ten in eighteen other single-season and career categories. In 1996, Biggio was inducted into the Seton Hall Hall of Fame and had his number 44 retired in 2012, Biggio was called up as a catcher midway through the 1988 season, having batted.344 in his minor league career. In 1989, his first full season, Biggio became the Astros starting catcher and he won the Silver Slugger Award in 1989. He was a speedy runner, and an adept base stealer. Astros management, in an attempt to keep the rigors of catching from sapping Biggios speed, tried him in the outfield part-time in 1990, as he had played 18 games there in the minors. Yogi Berra mentioned Biggios height in his book You Can Observe A Lot By Watching, saying, the Astros acquired first baseman Jeff Bagwell prior to the start of the 1991 season, who, like Biggio, spent his entire major league career in a Houston uniform. A power hitter with higher-than-normal on-base skills, Bagwell played 15 seasons, thus completely overlapping his career with Biggios, the pair came to be known as the Killer Bs, synonymous with the Astros throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s. They totaled 689 home runs,2,485 RBI and 3,083 runs scored while the Astros advanced to the six times
8.
Houston Astros
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The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros are members of the American League West division in Major League Baseball, the Astros have played their home games at Minute Maid Park since 2000. The Astros were established as the Houston Colt. 45s and entered the National League in 1962 with the expansion New York Mets. The current name—reflecting Houstons role as the center of the U. S. space program—was adopted three years later, when they moved into the Astrodome, the worlds first domed sports stadium. The Astros played in the NL from 1962 to 2012 and they played in the West division from 1969 to 1993, and the Central division from 1994 to 2012. The Astros have played in one World Series in 2005 against the Chicago White Sox, from 1888 until 1961, Houstons professional baseball club was the minor league Houston Buffaloes. Although expansion from the National League eventually brought an MLB team to Texas in 1962, Houston officials had been making efforts to do so for years prior. There were four men responsible for bringing Major League Baseball to Houston, George Kirksey and Craig Cullinan. They formed the Houston Sports Association as their vehicle for attaining a big league franchise for the city of Houston and they called the new league the Continental League. Wanting to protect potential new markets, both existing leagues chose to expand from eight teams to ten, however, plans eventually fell through for the Houston franchise after the Houston Buffaloes owner, Marty Marion, could not come to an agreement with the HSA to sell the team. To make matters worse, the Continental League as a whole folded in August 1960, however, on October 17,1960, the National League granted an expansion franchise to the Houston Sports Association in which their team could begin play in the 1962 season. Eventually, the Houston Sports Association succeeded in purchasing the Houston Buffaloes, at this point majority-owned by William Hopkins, the Buffs played one last minor league season as the top farm team of the Chicago Cubs in 1961 before being succeeded by the citys NL club. The new Houston team was named the Colt. 45s after a Name The Team contest was won by William Irving Neder, the Colt.45 was well known as the gun that won the west. The colors selected were blue and orange. The first team was formed mostly through a draft after the 1961 season. The Colt. 45s and their cousins, the New York Mets. Many of those associated with the Houston Buffaloes organization were allowed by the ownership to continue in the major league, Manager Harry Craft, who had joined Houston in 1961, remained in the same position for the team until the end of the 1964 season. General manager Spec Richardson also continued with the organization as business manager, similarly, the radio broadcasting team remained with the new Houston major league franchise
9.
Montreal Expos
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The Montreal Expos were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball franchise located outside the United States and they played in the National League East Division from 1969 until 2004. Following the 2004 season, the relocated to Washington, D. C. Named after the Expo 67 Worlds Fair, the Expos originally played at Jarry Park Stadium before moving to Olympic Stadium in 1977, the Expos failed to post a winning record in any of their first ten seasons. The team won its division title in the strike-shortened 1981 season. The team was sold in 1991 by its majority, founding owner, Charles Bronfman, felipe Alou was promoted to the teams field manager in 1992, becoming MLBs first Dominican-born manager. He led the team to four winning seasons, including 1994, Alou became the Expos leader in games managed. The aftermath of the 1994 strike initiated a downward spiral as the Expos chose to sell off their best players, Major League Baseball purchased the team prior to the 2002 season after the club failed to secure funding for a new ballpark. In their final two seasons, the team played 22 home games each year at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On September 29,2004, MLB announced the franchise would relocate to Washington, D. C. for the 2005 season, the Expos posted an all-time record of 2,753 wins,2,943 losses and 4 ties during their 36 years in Montreal. Vladimir Guerrero led the franchise in both runs and batting average, and Steve Rogers in wins and strikeouts. Three pitchers threw four no-hitters, Bill Stoneman, Charlie Lea, and Dennis Martínez, professional baseball in Montreal dates back to 1890 when teams briefly played in the International Association. A second attempt at hosting a pro team failed in 1895, the Montreal Royals of the Eastern League were subsequently founded in 1897 and played 20 seasons. The Royals were revived in 1928 and were purchased by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939 to serve as one of their Triple-A affiliates, under Dodgers management, the Royals won seven International League championships and three Junior World Series titles between 1941 and 1958. In 1946, Jackie Robinson joined the Royals and led the team to a Junior World Series title in advance of his breaking baseballs colour barrier one year later. Almost immediately upon the Royals demise, Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau, on May 27,1968, National League president Warren Giles announced the league would add expansion teams in San Diego and Montreal at a cost of US$10 million each. With the franchise secured, Snyder built a group of six partners led by financier Jean-Louis Lévesque. Lévesque was originally tapped as chairman and the face of the ownership group since he was a francophone
10.
Walter Johnson
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Walter Perry Johnson, nicknamed Barney and The Big Train, was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators and he later served as manager of the Senators from 1929 through 1932 and for the Cleveland Indians from 1933 through 1935. One of the most celebrated and dominating players in history, Johnson established several pitching records. He remains by far the all-time career leader in shutouts with 110, second in wins with 417, and fourth in complete games with 531. He held the record in strikeouts for nearly 56 years, with 3,508, from the 1927 end of his career until the 1983 season. Johnson was the player in the 3,000 strikeout club for 51 years when Bob Gibson recorded his 3. Johnson led the league in strikeouts a Major League record 12 times—one more than current strikeout leader Nolan Ryan—including a record eight consecutive seasons, in 1936, Johnson was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its first five inaugural members. His gentle nature was legendary, and to day he is held up as an example of good sportsmanship. Walter Johnson was the second of six born to Frank Edwin Johnson and Minnie Olive Perry on a rural farm four miles west of Humboldt. Although he was said to be of Swedish ancestry and referred to by sportwriters as the The Big Swede. Soon after he reached his fourteenth birthday, his family moved to Californias Orange County in 1902, the Johnsons settled in the town of Olinda, a small oil boomtown located just east of Brea. In his youth, the young Johnson split his time playing baseball, working in the nearby oil fields, and going horseback riding. Johnson later attended Fullerton Union High School where he struck out 27 batters during a 15-inning game against Santa Ana High School and he later moved to Idaho, where he doubled as a telephone company employee and a pitcher for a Weiser-based team in the Idaho State League. Johnson was spotted by a talent scout and signed a contract with the Washington Senators in July 1907 at the age of nineteen, Johnson won renown as the premier power pitcher of his era. Ty Cobb recalled his first encounter with the rookie fastballer, On August 2,1907 and he was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington. Evidently, manager Pongo Joe Cantillon of the Nats had picked a rube out of the cornfields of the deepest bushes to pitch against us. He was a tall, shambling galoot of about twenty, with arms so long they hung far out of his sleeves, and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first glance. One of the Tigers imitated a cow mooing, and we hollered at Cantillon, Get the pitchfork ready, the first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup
11.
Brandon Moss
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Brandon Douglas Moss is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. He previously played for the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Moss was a prospect for the Red Sox organization, where he made his MLB debut in 2007. During the 2008 season, he was sent to the Pirates as part of a trade to acquire Jason Bay, Moss struggled in Pittsburgh, and he played for the Phillies in 2011. Moss joined the Athletics in 2012, where he became a strong contributor and he was named to appear in the 2014 MLB All-Star Game. After the 2014 season, the Athletics traded him to the Indians, Moss was then traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015. Moss was drafted in the 8th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft by the Boston Red Sox, out of Loganville High School in Loganville and he was an 18-year-old infielder and pitcher when drafted, but transitioned into an outfield role. Moss climbed up the ladder of minor league ball, starting with the Gulf Coast Red Sox and he then played for the Lowell Spinners, Augusta GreenJackets, and Sarasota Red Sox. He spent two years with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2005 and 2006, and played for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, on August 6,2007, he was called up to Boston to replace Eric Hinske when Hinske was placed on bereavement leave. He recorded his first major league hit against Scot Shields of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and he was optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket on August 10 to make room for Hinske, who was returning from bereavement leave. On September 1, Moss was recalled to Boston when major league rosters expanded to 40 players, on March 25,2008, in a game at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, Moss hit his first major league home run. After playing the first two games of the season, Moss was optioned back to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox on March 26. He was recalled on April 29, and was batting.286 on May 3 when he was diagnosed with appendicitis and brought to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. On July 31, Moss was traded along with pitcher Craig Hansen to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Moss immediately became the starting left fielder, replacing the departed Bay. He was later shifted to right field and he batted.222 with a.288 on-base percentage for the Pirates, in 158 at-bats. He was the opening day right fielder for the Pirates in 2009 and he did see time pinch hitting and some starts. He finished 2009 with 20 doubles,4 triples,7 home runs,41 runs batted in,1 stolen base, and a.236 average.304 on-base percentage, and.364 slugging percentage in 385 at-bats. After hitting 3-for-37 in spring training in 2010, and batting.154 in 26 at-bats during the beginning of the season and he later cleared waivers and was outrighted to AAA
12.
Max Scherzer
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Maxwell M. Max Scherzer is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He has also played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer became just the sixth pitcher in Major League history to throw two no-hitters in a single season in 2015. On May 11,2016, Scherzer tied the major league nine-inning strikeout record with 20, against his former team, Scherzer was born and raised in Chesterfield, Missouri, the son of Jan and Brad Scherzer. He was then drafted again in 2006 by the Arizona Diamondbacks and he was Mizzous first-ever 1st round MLB pick. On January 9,2012 it was announced that Scherzer would be one of six new inductees to the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, while at Mizzou, he won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2005. Following his freshman year at the University of Missouri, Scherzer made his debut with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League and he went 2-1 that summer with a 1.91 ERA with 6 saves. He also struck out 50 hitters in only 33 innings pitched and he was named a mid-season All-Star. Scherzer was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 11th overall pick of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, however, he and his agent, Scott Boras, failed to reach an agreement with the club. Scherzer thus began his career with the Fort Worth Cats of the independent American Association. After appearing in three games, Scherzer signed a $4.3 million contract with the Diamondbacks and he began playing in the Diamondbacks organization in 2007 with the Single-A Visalia Oaks. He was promoted to Double-A Mobile BayBears after three starts for the Oaks. During the 2008 offseason, he was named the fourth-best prospect in the Diamondbacks organization, after a good start to the 2008 season in Triple-A Tucson he was called up to the Diamondbacks on April 27,2008. On April 29,2008, Scherzer made his MLB debut against the Houston Astros when he came on in relief, while doing so he also set the record for the number of consecutive batters retired for a pitcher making his MLB debut as a reliever. The previous record was 12 set in 1962 by the Dodgers Pete Richert, the seven strikeouts were one short of the major-league record for most in a debut relief appearance. The Pirates Barry Jones had eight on April 20,1986, on April 30,2008, the Diamondbacks announced he would be placed into the starting rotation, due to his impressive debut. In his first appearance as a starter for the D-Backs, Scherzer allowed five runs in four innings, while striking out five and he returned to the bullpen for much of the 2008 season. Scherzer participated in the 2008 Arizona Fall League season as member of the Phoenix Desert Dogs, Scherzer became a full-time starter in 2009, filling the fifth starter role in the D-Backs rotation. He recorded his first major victory in a 12–0 win over the Atlanta Braves on May 16,2009
