Mike Fontenot

Mike Fontenot
Chicago Cubs – No. 17
Second baseman
Bats: Left Throws: Right
debut
April 13, 2005, for the Chicago Cubs
Career statistics (through 2010 season)
Batting average	.269
Home runs	21
Runs batted in	117
Teams
Chicago Cubs (2005, 2007-present)

Michael Eugene "Mike" Fontenot (born June 9, 1980 in Template:City-state) is a Major League Baseball infielder for the Chicago Cubs.

High school career

Mike Fontenot was a standout for Salmen High School in Slidell, Louisiana. After his Senior year, he was drafted in the 21st round (625th overall) of the 1999 MLB Amateur Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but chose to attend Louisiana State University on a baseball scholarship instead of going professional.

College career

Mike Fontenot attended Louisiana State University. Fontenot received National Freshman of the Year recognition as LSU's starting second baseman, batting .353 (103-for-292) with 13 doubles, three triples, 17 home runs, 64 RBI, 93 runs, and eight steals. He became the third LSU player to win National Freshman of the Year award, following second baseman Todd Walker (1992) and pitcher Brett Laxton (1993). Fontenot's 17 home runs set an LSU freshman record, surpassing the previous mark of 15 established by Blair Barbier in 1997.

In 2000, he was named to the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional all-tournament team, hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two doubles, one home run, five RBI, and five runs scored. He was named to the College World Series all-tournament team as he hit a team-best .462 (6-for-13) with two doubles, one home run, two RBI, and six runs scored. He, along with Chicago Cubs teammate Ryan Theriot, was a member of the LSU Tigers baseball team that won the 2000 College World Series. The second baseman was LSU's leading hitter in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, batting .432 (16-for-37) in nine games with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.

College awards and honors

2000

• Summer League First-Team All-American 2B
• Freshman First Team All-America 2B
• NCAA Baton Rouge Regional All-Tournament Team
• College World Series All-Tournament Team 2B
• The Sporting News National Freshman of the Year
• Collegiate Baseball National Co-Freshman of the Year
• Baseball America First-Team Freshman All-American
• Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year

2001

• Pre-Season Southeastern Conference All-Star 2B

Professional career

Fontenot during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008.

After his time at LSU, Fontenot was chosen in the first round (19th overall) of the 2001 MLB Amateur Entry Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Fontenot signed with the Orioles, garnering a $1,300,000.00 signing bonus as part of the deal. As part of the Orioles' farm system, Fontenot played for the Frederick Keys of the High-A Carolina League (2002), the Bowie Baysox of the AA Eastern League (2003), and the Ottawa Lynx of the AAA International League (2004).

On February 3, 2005, Fontenot was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with 2B/OF Jerry Hairston, Jr. and RHP Dave Crouthers for slugger Sammy Sosa. Fontenot is the only remaining player from that trade that is still with the Cubs. As part of the Cubs' farm system, Fontenot played for the Iowa Cubs of the AAA Pacific Coast League (2005-2007).

Fontenot made his Major League debut with the Cubs on April 13, 2005. In seven games with the team, he went 0-for-2 with 2 walks and 4 runs scored. Fontenot did not return to the Cubs until May 15, 2007, when he was promoted from AAA to replace relief pitcher Rocky Cherry. He wears Mark Grace's old number, 17. After a fast start, including finishing second in the National League Rookie of the Month voting for June 2007, he became the Cubs' starting second baseman in 2009. After batting .231 into mid-August, Fontenot lost his position as the Cubs everyday second baseman. He now splits time with Jeff Baker.

Nicknames

• "Fonte-yes" and "The Cajun Cliffhanger" - given by Cubs fans when he has a good play or at-bat
• Along with Ryan Theriot, the "Bayou Boys", "The Cajun Connection", or "Bayou Bashers" - given by Len Kasper and Bob Brenly, as they played college baseball together at LSU
• "Swamp Thing" - given by fans, due to his Louisianan background
• "Little Babe Ruth" and "The Pocket Rocket" - given by Ron Santo, color commentator on WGN-AM, due to his power to hit home runs despite his small stature.

Professional awards and honors

2003

• Baltimore Orioles Minor League Player of the Year
• Eastern League All-Star 2B

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Minor League Splits and Situational Stats
• Iowa Cubs Official Website - Mike Fontenot