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Ryan Roberts (baseball)

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Ryan Roberts
Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 14
Third baseman/Second baseman
Born: (1980-09-19) September 19, 1980 (age 44)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
July 30, 2006, for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics
(through 2011)
Batting average.250
Home runs29
Runs batted in100
Teams

Ryan Alan Roberts (born September 19, 1980, in Fort Worth, Texas) is a Major League Baseball infielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks. A right-handed batter, Roberts is 5' 11" tall and weighs 190 pounds. He is married to actress Kim Camille. Roberts has over 30 tattoos.[1]

College career

After graduating from L. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas), Roberts' team won an NJCAA Division III World Series his sophomore year at Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite, Texas. Roberts was an All-American with a .475 batting average, 17 home runs, and 73 RBIs, and was named a MAC All-Conference and All-American Selection at shortstop. Roberts transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. After his senior year in 2003, he was named Southland Conference Player of the Year and Hitter of the Year.[2] He was among the conference leaders in eight different offensive categories, was first-team all-SLC as a third baseman, and was also named to several All-America teams. In 2003, Baseball America analyst John Manuel described Roberts as the best player on UTA's squad which also included Hunter Pence now with the Philadelphia Phillies.[3]

Professional career

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Roberts with the 530th overall pick of the 2003 draft, in the 18th round. Roberts signed with the Blue Jays and made his professional debut in the New York-Penn League. In 2003, after Roberts had been drafted, Manuel described him in an online chat as an "interesting sleeper", and said that "his best tool is his bat".[4]

He was named to the 2005 Eastern League All-Star team.[5] The Blue Jays allocated Roberts to the Arizona Fall League that off-season,[6] and on November 18 of that year, they purchased his contract from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and added him to their 40-man roster.[7]

Roberts began the 2006 season in Triple-A Syracuse before being called up to the 25-man Toronto Blue Jays roster. On August 3, 2006, Roberts connected on a solo home run in Yankee Stadium for his first major league hit in his second ever major league game.

In 2007 Roberts batted .249 in AAA, and then went 1–13 in the major leagues. After the 2007 season, Roberts' was released by the Blue Jays. Roberts signed on November 21, 2007, with the Texas Rangers with a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

In November 2008, Roberts signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He made the opening day roster for the first time in his career. He has played mostly as a utility player during the 2009 season with the Diamondbacks.

Through June 13, 2009, Roberts had a .274 batting average in the minor leagues, and a .243 batting average in the major leagues in 111 at bats.

When the Diamondbacks traded second baseman Felipe López on July 20, 2009, Ryan Roberts was named the DBacks everyday second baseman. At first, it was believed he would split time with veteran Augie Ojeda, but due to his performance he has earned the everyday role. Since becoming the everyday second baseman, Roberts has hit 5 home runs with 10 RBIs and has compiled a .368 batting average, the third best in that span. In the 2009 Season, Roberts hit .279 with 8 home runs and 25 RBI, while playing at second base for 57 games, third base for 19 games, and left field for 16 games.[8]

In game 4 of the NLDS against the Brewers, Roberts blasted a two-out grand slam in the first inning to help keep the Diamondbacks alive in the postseason. This home run came only a week after Roberts' first career grand slam, a game-winning "ultimate grand slam" capping a dramatic 10th inning rally to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Scouting Jays Prospect #10: Ryan Roberts", scout.com, posted March 3, accessed July 30, 2006.
  2. ^ "UTA's Roberts Named SLC Player, Hitter of the Year", University of Texas at Arlington: Official Athletic Site, posted May 19, accessed April 12, 2006.
  3. ^ "Wolfpack faces Tar Heels at remodeled Doak", by John Manuel, Baseball America online, April 25, 2003, accessed April 12, 2005.
  4. ^ "Baseball America – Chat", by John Manuel, Baseball America online, posted 2003, accessed April 12, 2005.
  5. ^ "2005 Eastern League All-Star Team", the official site of Minor League Baseball, accessed April 12, 2006.
  6. ^ "2005 Arizona Fall League", Baseball America online, posted 2005, accessed April 12, 2006.
  7. ^ "Blue Jays Add Pair to the 40-Man Roster", New Hampshire Fisher Cats, posted November 18, 2005, accessed April 12, 2006.
  8. ^ [1]

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