Troy Glaus

Troy Glaus
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 25
Third base
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
July 31, 1998, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Career statistics (through October 15, 2006)
Batting average	.253
Home runs	257
Runs batted in	716
Former teams
Anaheim Angels (1998-2004) Arizona Diamondbacks (2005)

Troy Edward Glaus (born August 3, 1976 in Tarzana, California) is a Major League Baseball player who plays third base for the Toronto Blue Jays. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim Angels (1998-2004) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005). Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA. He bats and throws right-handed.

Career

Glaus began his career with the Angels in 1998 and was installed as the team's starting third baseman in 1999. He had a breakout season in 2000, becoming the all time single season home run leader for a third baseman in Angels history with 47 and led the entire American League in homers. He started in the 2001 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle until Alex Rodriguez decided to take himself out of the game so that Cal Ripken Jr. can play shortstop for the final time because Ripken was going to retire from the game after the season concluded. The move allowed Glaus to play his everyday position when Rodriguez pushed Ripken to his old position that made him a star. Troy posted his second consecutive 40 home run season in 2001 with 41 on the year. In 2002, Glaus failed to reach the 40 home run club since the 1999 season, but he managed to hit 30 home runs helping Anaheim make the playoffs in 16 years. Troy clobbered the bat around the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins before facing the San Francisco Giants in the fall classic. The Angels were able to beat San Francisco in 7 games to clinch their first World Series title in team history.

Glaus was a key member of the Angels' 2002 World Series championship team and was named the Most Valuable Player of that series.

Glaus followed that up with an another All-Star year in 2003, but he would miss much of the 2004 season with a shoulder injury. 2004 was the last year of his contract with the Angels. As an established veteran, he was in demand on the free agent market and able to field lucrative offers for long term contracts. Although Glaus had spent his entire career an Angel, and was a fan favorite, the team decided not to pursue Glaus' return. Amid concerns about Glaus' future health after his injury, the team decided to go with the much lower-priced alternative of turning the third base position over to young prospect Dallas McPherson, whom they felt had a good chance to soon become as productive as Glaus had been.

Glaus ultimately signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $45 million USD over four years. Glaus' 2005 season with Arizona, while by no means terrible, was still a slight disappointment and he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in the off-season along with minor-league shortstop Sergio Santos. The trade sent pitcher Miguel Batista and second baseman Orlando Hudson to the Diamondbacks.

Through nine-plus seasons, Glaus has hit .254 with 264 home runs and 734 RBI in 1152 games. In 19 postseason games, he hit .47 with no home runs and 3 RBI. Glaus has been selected to four All-Star Games.

Although Glaus is a third baseman, he played a game for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Chicago White Sox on May 27, 2006 as a shortstop, due the demotion of Toronto shortstop Russ Adams. As Blue Jays manager John Gibbons pointed out, this change in position was only for one game. Glaus was not expected to do much fielding due to the fact the pitcher was known to induce many fly balls, instead of ground balls. This defensive alignment did not affect his hitting, going 2-4 with 1 HR. Since then, Glaus has made several starts at shortstop, usually when the Blue Jays are facing National League opponents at their home ballpark, where there is no DH. The DH, Shea Hillenbrand would play third base in this case.

As a batter, Glaus is known for his natural, easy swing that produces many home runs, through an upper-cut motion. However, like many sluggers in MLB, Glaus is very prone to striking out. Troy Glaus once said in a post-game interview that "I'm not paid to walk" when asked why he swung on a 3-0 count.

On August 25, 2006, Glaus registered his 1000th career hit on a single versus the Kansas City Royals. After hitting 38 home runs and 104 RBI in the 2006 season, Glaus earned a single 10th place vote for the 2006 American League MVP Award.

Highlights

• 4-time All-Star (2000, 2001, 2003, 2006)
• World Series MVP Award (2002)
• Twice won Silver Slugger Award (2000-01)
• AL Home Run Champion in 2000, slugging 47.

Interesting Facts

• When Glaus enters a Toronto home game, "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne plays loudly over the Rogers Centre speakers.
• Glaus' wife is a competitive equestrian. Within Glaus' contract there is a specific bonus he is paid which dedicates up to $325,000 on his wife's equestrian expenses.
• Glaus has participated in two MLB Home Run Derbies and has one home run combined in the two appearances.
• Glaus was a member of the USA Men's Baseball Team competing in the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, GA, USA and won a bronze medal.
• Glaus is a 1994 graduate of Carlsbad High School.
• Glaus was once drafted by the San Diego Padres as their second round pick in 1994, but turned down the contract before heading to UCLA.

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in baseball
• USA Baseball
• Top 500 home run hitters of all time

External links

• MLB Profile
• Template:Espn mlb
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
• Troy Glaus: Behind the Dugout

((Category: sam Farmer is co0l))