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Brett Gardner

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Brett Gardner
Gardner with the Yankees
New York Yankees – No. 11
Outfielder
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
debut
June 30, 2008, for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
(through October 4, 2010)
Batting average.268
Home runs8
Runs batted in86
Stolen bases86
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Brett M. Gardner (born August 24, 1983, Holly Hill, South Carolina) is an American Major League Baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees. Gardner, who is 5' 10", bats and throws left-handed.

College baseball career

In 2001, Gardner attended walk-on tryouts for the baseball team at the College of Charleston. After the tryouts, Coach John Pawlowski told the players that he would contact them if they made the team. Without hearing a word from the coach, Gardner came to the field the next day for the first official practice, wearing his high school uniform. When Pawlowski asked Gardner why he was there, Gardner told him that he knew he was capable of playing at the Division I level. Pawlowski told Gardner that he could practice with the team, but if at any time if Pawlowski saw that Gardner wasn't capable then he would be let go.[1]

Gardner was a three-year starter at the College of Charleston. In 2004, he was chosen to the All-Southern Conference Team. His .447 batting average was third in the nation in 2005, and his 122 hits tied for most in the country. His 85 runs in 2005 is the all-time record at College of Charleston, and his 38 stolen bases led the Southern Conference. He wrapped up his Cougar career as a third-team All-American and a second-time All-Southern Conference player, sporting a .382/.456/.508 career line, mostly from the lead-off spot.

Professional baseball career

After his junior year in college he was drafted by the Yankees in the third round in 2005, and received a $210,000 signing bonus.

Minor leagues (2005-08)

Gardner finished the 2005 season in the New York-Penn League season ranking 5th in at bats (with 282), 2nd in runs (62), and 5th in stolen bases (19). He was a Florida State League all star in 2006, batting .323 in 63 games with 22 RBIs with the Tampa Yankees. He was 3rd in the Florida State League in batting average, and led the league in stolen bases with 30. Gardner also was second in the league in walks with 47.[2]

In 2007, he played 54 games for the Double-A Trenton Thunder, though he missed time with a broken bone in his hand. In 203 at bats, he stole 18 bases (tied for 5th in the league; while being caught 4 times), hit 5 triples, and batted .300 with a .392 OBP, before being promoted to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.[3][4] There, in 45 games he batted .260 with a .343 OBP, and stole 21 bases while being caught only 3 times.[5]

In the fall of 2007, he played in 26 games in the Arizona Fall League, leading it in runs (27) and stolen bases (16), while being caught stealing only once. He batted .343 (5th in the league) with a .433 obp (3rd), and was 3rd in the league in walks (17).[6] In 2007, he was the 12th-best prospect in the Yankees minor league system according to Baseball America.[7]

Gardner headed into 2008, according to Baseball America, as the Yankee's fastest minor league runner and the one with the best plate discipline.[8] Playing for Scranton/Wilkes Barre in 2008, in 94 games Gardner was 2nd in the International League with a .414 on base percentage, 70 walks, and 11 triples, and 6th in the IL with 37 stolen bases, while being caught only 9 times.

Through 2008 in the minor leagues, he had a .291 batting average and a .389 OBP. He had stolen 153 bases, and been caught 31 times, an 83% success rate.[9]

Major leagues (2008-present)

Brett Gardner makes a sliding catch against the Chicago Cubs on April 3, 2009.

On June 30, 2008, Gardner was called up and made his major league debut,[10] batting lead-off and going 0 for 3 with a stolen base. On July 2, he got both his first hit and first RBI off fellow rookie, Texas Rangers relief pitcher Warner Madrigal, in the seventh inning. Gardner went on to steal second and eventually score in that inning.

On July 26, 2008, Gardner was optioned back to AAA after the acquisition of Xavier Nady in order to continue to receive playing time. On August 15 Gardner was called back up to the big leagues.

On September 21, 2008, Gardner scored the final run of Major League Baseball in Yankee Stadium history as a pinch runner for Jason Giambi, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Cano in the seventh inning of an eventual 7–3 win for the Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles.

He was named the Yankees' starting center fielder for the 2009 season on March 29, 2009, beating out Melky Cabrera for the position.[11]

Gardner won the 2010 Fielding Bible Award as the best left fielder in MLB.[12]

On December 7, 2010, Gardner underwent surgery to get rid of inflamed tissue in his wrist, with Cashman supporting that he will be back in time for Spring Training [13]

Player profile

Gardner is considered one of the fastest players in Major League Baseball, joining the ranks of Ichiro Suzuki, Carl Crawford, Austin Jackson and Juan Pierre.[14] Gardner is best known for stealing bases and being very disciplined at the plate. He makes contact with 93% of his swings, third best in the American League.[15] As of August 9, 2010, Gardner sees more pitches per at-bat than any other player in the American League.[16]

Personal life

Brett and his wife Jessica had their first son, Hunter, on November 19, 2008.[17] Gardner has one older brother. His father, Jerry Gardner, played in the minors for the Phillies.[18]

References

  1. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/sports/baseball/12walkon.html
  2. ^ "BRETT GARDNER PLACED ON DISABLED LIST Retroactive to August 3…" (Press release). "Trenton Thunder". 2006-08-06. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  3. ^ "Gardner Promoted To AAA Scranton-Wilkes/Barre". Oursportscentral.com. 2007-07-12. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  4. ^ Lindert, Brian (2007-07-21). "Gardner one step away from a dream". Thetandd.com. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  5. ^ "2007 Player Statistics: Brett Gardner". BaseballAmerica.com. 1983-08-24. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  6. ^ "Arizona Fall League: Stats". Minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  7. ^ "Our Sports Central.com webpage". Oursportscentral.com. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  8. ^ Hale, Mark (2008-07-08). "Yankees' Scrappy Rookie Brett Gardner Impresses". NYPOST.com. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  9. ^ Bill Chuck (April 2, 2009). "100 random things about the Red Sox, Rays, and Yankees". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  10. ^ By BRIAN LINDER, T&D Sports Editor (2008-06-29). "Holly Hill's Brett Gardner called up to New York Yankees". Thetandd.com. Retrieved 2010-08-18. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ Speedy Gardner Wins Yanks Job SI.com, March 29, 2009
  12. ^ "Fielding Bible". Billjamesonline.net. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  13. ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101208&content_id=16281750&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
  14. ^ Duggan, Lord. "Brett Gardner Profile, Blog Posts, Stats, Photos - New York Yankees - MLB". SB Nation. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  15. ^ "The New York Yankees Are Lucky To Have Brett Gardner". Ladylovespinstripes.com. 2010-07-05. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  16. ^ "Leaders - AL Pitches Seen per PA | YESNetwork.com: MLB Leaders". Yesnetwork.stats.com. 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  17. ^ Abraham, Peter (2008-11-20). "Fastest dad in baseball". Yankees.lhblogs.com. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  18. ^ Jack Curry (March 24, 2008). "DiMaggio to Mantle to Williams to ... Gardner?". New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2009.

External links

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