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Garret Anderson

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Garret Anderson
Anderson during his tenure with the Braves
Retired
Outfielder
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
debut
July 27, 1994, for the California Angels
Career statistics
(through 2010 season)
Batting average.293
Home runs287
Runs batted in1,365
OPS.785
Hits2,529
Runs1,084
Teams
*California Angels (1994-1996), Anaheim Angels (1997-2004)
Career highlights and awards
Anderson in 2008.

Garret Joseph Anderson (born June 30, 1972, in Los Angeles, California) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played most of his career with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels (appearing with the team under all three of its recent names). He is the Angels' franchise leader in games played, at bats, hits, total bases, singles, doubles, grand slams, extra-base hits, career RBIs, single-game RBIs, and consecutive games (12) with an RBI.

High school career

Garret Anderson attended Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, California. While there, he was a three-sport star in baseball, football, and basketball. In baseball, he won two All-Los Angeles City honors and two All-League Honors, and as a junior, helped his team win the Los Angeles City Championship. In basketball, as a senior, he won All-Los Angeles City honors and All-League honors.

Los Angeles Angels

Anderson was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB Draft and made his Major League debut on July 27, 1994. He had two hits in four at-bats in that game, recording his first career hit on a single to right field off of Oakland Athletics pitcher Ron Darling in the bottom of the third. He appeared in only five games with the Angels in 1994, getting five hits in 13 at-bats.

In 1995, he was called up to the team on April 26 and spent the rest of the year in the Majors. He hit his first career home run on June 13 against Kevin Tapani of the Minnesota Twins. He hit .321 in 106 games with 16 home runs and 69 RBIS and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting in to Marty Cordova of the Twins. From that point forward, Anderson became a mainstay in the Angels' lineup.

Over the next eight seasons, he accumulated at least 600 at bats every year, breaking 90 RBIs and 20 home runs five times while compiling a batting average near .300.

While he was hitting home runs in 2000, he wasn't taking many walks. He is one of only seven players who have concluded a 30-homer season with more homers than walks (35 HR, 24 BB), the others being Alfonso Soriano (39-23 in 2002), Ryan Braun (34-29 in 2007), Pudge Rodriguez (35-24 in 1999), Joe Crede (30-28 in 2006), Javy Lopez (43-33 in 2003), and Jose Guillen (31-24 in 2003).[1]

In 2002, when the Angels won their first World Series championship, Garret finished fourth in the MVP voting after compiling a .306 average with 29 home runs and 123 runs batted in. Anderson also scored a career-high 93 runs, however the fact he has never scored 100 or more in a season is a result of his main weakness as a player: an inability to take walks and thus a low on-base percentage. Anderson had a similarly strong performance in 2003, he became an American League all star. That all star weekend, he stole the show by becoming the Home Run Derby Champion and voted the most valuable player in the All Star Game. the first player to win both the Derby and All-Star MVP since Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1991.[1]

On April 13, 2004, Anderson agreed a $48 million, four-year contract extension through 2008. The deal includes a team option for 2009 with a $3 million buyout.[2]

Anderson began experiencing chronic ailments in 2004 that limited his playing time and production, including an arthritic condition and plantar fasciitis in his feet. In 2005, he began to see more regular time as a designated hitter to ease the wear and tear off of his body. Anderson's production in 2006 was roughly on par with his 2005 production, with both seasons seeing him hit 17 home runs and drive in at least 85 runs.

On August 21, 2007, he drove in a team-record 10 runs, including a grand slam and a three-run homer, in the Los Angeles Angels' 18-9 win over the New York Yankees. Anderson became the 13th player in Major League history to have 10 RBIs in a game. Anderson now holds the team record for grand slams with eight and RBIs in a game with ten. This performance has been part of a general resurgence in the second half of the 2007 season, a relief to Angels fans who may have wondered if Anderson's career was near its end after a mediocre, injury-plagued first half. Instead, Anderson has led the Majors in RBIs in the latter part of '07. On September 7, 2007, Anderson drove in a run on an RBI single, to set a franchise record for most consecutive games with an RBI with 11. The streak lasted for 12 games, during which time he drove in 22 runs.

On October 28, 2008, the Angels announced they would decline their $14 million option on Anderson's contract and exercised a $3 million buyout.[3]

Atlanta Braves

On February 24, 2009, Anderson agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves for $2.5 million.[4] On April 5, 2009, in the Braves first game of the season, Anderson collected the 2,369th hit of his career, and the first he had with any franchise besides the Angels.

On July 2, 2009, Anderson hit his first career pinch-hit home run of his till-then 14 season career.

On October 1, 2009, Anderson became the 89th player to reach 2,500 base hits, getting a single off of Washington Nationals pitcher Garrett Mock.[5]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On March 3, 2010, Anderson agreed to a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[6] He made the 25 man opening day roster as a reserve outfielder. In his first at bat with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he hit a pinch-hit single off Brendan Donnelly, who was a teammate of his with the Los Angeles Angels. His first home run with the Dodgers came on April 22, when he hit a pinch-hit 2-run homer against the Cincinnati Reds.

Anderson was designated for assignment August 8, 2010 after hitting only .181 in 155 at-bats and granted his release on August 10.

Retirement

On March 1, 2011, Anderson announced his retirement in a statement issued by the Angels.[7]

Highlights

Awards

Championships and accomplishments

  • From 1997-2003, was second only to Derek Jeter in hits among all Major League players
  • On the 2002 World Series championship team
  • Won the Home Run Derby and All Star Game MVP known as the Ted Williams Award in 2003
  • Led the American League in doubles in 2002 and 2003
  • Holds the club record for RBIs (broke the old mark held by Tim Salmon in 2005)
  • Holds the club-record for most RBI in a single game, 10 (August 21, 2007)
  • Holds the club-record for most consecutive games with an RBI, 12 (September 7, 2007)
  • Collected his 2,000th career hit on July 1, 2006.

See also

References

  1. ^ Spencer, Lyle (July 7, 2007). "Notes: Wisdom of a Derby champ". MLB.com. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
  2. ^ Associated Press (April 15, 2004). "All-time hits leader gets four-year extension". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
  3. ^ Spencer, Lyle (October 28, 2008). "Angels exercise buyout on Anderson". MLB.com. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
  4. ^ Anderson, Braves complete deal
  5. ^ "Nationals Beat Braves 2-1 on Orr's Single in 9th". AP. October 1, 2009. [dead link]
  6. ^ Doug Miller and Ken Gurnick (March 3, 2010). "Ex-Angel Anderson lands with Dodgers". MLB.com. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
  7. ^ Lyle Spencer (March 1, 2011). "Angels icon Anderson retires after 17 years". MLB.com. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
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Preceded by American League Player of the Month
July, 1995 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Major League Baseball All-Star Game
Most Valuable Player
2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Home Run Derby Champion
2003 		Succeeded by

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