Joe Crede

Joe Crede
Crede with the Twins in 2009.
Free Agent
Third baseman
Born: April 26, 1978 (1978-04-26) Jefferson City, Missouri
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 12, 2000 for the Chicago White Sox
Last MLB appearance
September 13, 2009 for the Minnesota Twins
Career statistics
Batting average	.258
Home runs	140
Runs batted in	470
Teams
Chicago White Sox (2000-2008) Minnesota Twins (2009)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (2008) World Series champion (2005) Silver Slugger Award winner (2006)

Crede with the Chicago White Sox on April 17, 2008.

Joseph Taylor Crede (pronounced CREE-DEE, born April 26, 1978 in Jefferson City, Missouri) is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent. Crede attended high school at Fatima High School in Westphalia, Missouri which he led to 3 district championships (1991, 1992, 1996) and two final four berths ('95, '96) as a pitcher. Crede was drafted by the White Sox in the 5th round of the 1996 amateur draft and made his debut with the team in 2000.

Crede was a member of the White Sox when they won the World Series in 2005, their first championship in eighty-eight years. The highlight of his postseason came in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series when he hit a game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Chicago White Sox

Crede's lifetime batting average is .258. In 2005 he hit 22 home runs with 88 RBIs. In 2006 he broke out with a career-high 30 home runs, 92 RBIs and a .283 average, winning the Silver Slugger Award for third base. In 2007 he only hit 4 home runs and drove in 17 due to surgery. In 2008 Crede hit a grand slam on opening day. He made the 2008 MLB All-Star Game. He hit .277 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs. 2008 also ended with surgery. Crede became a free agent by filing for free agency.

Minnesota Twins

Crede signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins prior to the 2009 season.

Colorado Rockies

Crede signed a contract with the Colorado Rockies after a 1 year absence from baseball.

Failure to show up to Spring Training and possible retirement

He became a free agent on February 17, 2011, when he decided not to show up for spring training. Crede has stated that he would consider retiring.

Unofficial Retirement

Although Crede never officially retired, it is much assumed around the league that Crede will not play again. He has stated his everyday back pain that he lives with and his inability to do common tasks easily. Crede has suffered with back problems since his stint with the Chicago White Sox.

Personal life

On October 22, 2005, the due date of his second daughter, Lucy, Joe Crede hit his first World Series home run. On November 6, 2005, Crede was honored by his hometown of Westphalia, Missouri, with "Joe Crede Day," where he was presented the key to the city. In February 2006, Crede's high school, Fatima High School in Westphalia, Missouri, retired his jersey. Joe's older brother Brad won a high school baseball state championship with Fatima High School in '92, and an NCAA Division II National Championship with CMSU in '94.^{[citation needed]} He was drafted by the Orioles after high school but chose to play in college first.^{[citation needed]} He was drafted again after college by the Phillies on the same day Joe was drafted.^{[citation needed]} Crede and his wife Lisa have two daughters, Anna and Lucy and one son, Jace. He lives in mid-Missouri, and is a season-ticket holder for Missouri Tigers basketball.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• [1] - salary information
• [2] - high school bio

Preceded by Alex Rodriguez

American League Silver Slugger (3B) 2006

Succeeded by Alex Rodriguez