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Shawn Green

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Shawn Green
New York Mets
Right fielder
Bats: LeftThrows: Left
debut
September 28, 1993, for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics
(through August 15th, 2006)
AVG.283
OBP.356
HR313
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Former teams
Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks

Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972, in Des Plaines, Illinois) is a left-handed power hitter in Major League Baseball, who plays for the New York Mets. He is noted for his swing, and for the strength and accuracy of his arm in the outfield. He is also one of the most notable Jewish ball players. Usually, Green misses games on days of Yom Kippur, as he did in 2004 when the Dodgers were in the playoff hunt.

Early career

Shawn Green was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (16th pick) of the 1991 amateur draft, and made his Major League debut on September 28, 1993. He spent most of 1993 and 1994 playing in the minors, where he compiled impressive numbers. In 1994, he hit .344 with 13 home runs and 81 RBI for Toronto's AAA affiliate, the Syracuse Sky Chiefs.

In 1995, his rookie season, Green started slowly but picked up the pace later on as he became more comfortable with Major League pitching. He started in 97 games that season, hitting 15 home runs and batting .288. The 1996 and 1997 seasons were very similar, in that Green had limited at-bats, wasn't trusted to hit left-handed pitching, and continued to produce only in sporadic intervals. He was, however, developing in other ways. He proved to be more aggressive on the base paths in 1997 than in any previous year, and stole 14 bases. He was also developing his upper body strength in hopes of shedding the skinny kid persona that had followed him from the minors.

Best years

Toronto Blue Jays (1998-99)

In 1998, for the first time Green was granted an everyday spot in the line-up — right-handed pitcher or left — and he delivered by becoming the first Blue Jay to hit 30 or more home runs and steal 30 or more bases in the same season. The season was beyond what even his strongest apologists over the previous seasons had predicted. Shawn had never hit more than 18 home runs in a season (major or minor leagues), but was now showing signs of becoming a true power hitter. He finished the season batting .278 with 35 home runs, 100 RBI, and 35 stolen bases.

In 1999, Green proved his new-found power swing was no fluke. On April 22 he hit a 449-foot home run into SkyDome's 5th deck, putting him in prestigious company with José Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Joe Carter. By the All-Star break he had hit 25 home runs and knocked in 70 runs, earning him not only his first All-Star appearance, but also a chance to compete in the Home Run Derby at Fenway Park. Green hit two home runs, and was eliminated in the first round. He finished the season batting .309 (a career best), with 42 home runs and 123 RBI. He also led the league in doubles with 45, extra-base hits with 87, and in total bases with 361. After the season, he was awarded a gold glove for his defense and a silver slugger award for his offense, and came in 5th in the voiting for MVP.

In the off-season, Green expressed a desire to sign with a team closer to his California roots as a free agent after the 2000 season. The Blue Jays, strapped with the rising contract demands of Green and slugger teammate Carlos Delgado, decided it was best not to leave the decision of which player to pursue until mid-way through the season. On November 8, 1999, Green was traded with Jorge Nuñez to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Pedro Borbón, Jr. and Raúl Mondesí. Green was quick to sign an extension with Los Angeles, agreeing to a $84 million/6-year deal that included a $4 million signing bonus.

Los Angeles Dodgers (2000-05)

With a lot of pressure riding on his now well-paid shoulders, he struggled in 2000, his first season with Los Angeles. Still, he lead the league in games played., with 162.

But Green had a career year in 2001, batting .297 with 49 home runs, 125 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. His 49 home runs were a Dodgers single-season record, but only tied for fourth in the league, behind Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Luis González. Green came in 6th in the voting for league MVP.

Green started off slowly in 2002, but turned things around with a record-setting power display. On May 23, the turning point of his season, he hit a Major League record-tying four home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers and had 19 total bases, breaking Joe Adcock's Major League record by one. He hit a fifth home run during the following game to tie the Major League two-game home run record, and then hit two more the game after to break the Major League three-game record. Green also broke the National League record with nine home runs in that calendar week. He was voted to the All-Star team, and finished the season with a .285 average, 42 home runs, 114 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. His home run total was good for 3rd in the league, he had the 4th most RBIs in the league, and he was 5th in the league with 22 intentional walks.

In 2003, Green struggled throughout the whole season. He had problems with his shoulder, which limited him to a batting average of .280, with 19 home runs and 85 RBI.

Green improved slightly in 2004 as he batted .266, hit 28 home runs, and collected 86 RBI, leading the Dodgers into the 2004 playoffs. But Green moved to first base for much of 2004 season.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-06)

In 2005 Green was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. At first, the trade was in serious jeopardy because Green had a no-trade clause, which he said he would waive only if he received an extension from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Finally, on June 10, 2005, Green received an extension for 3/$32 million. The next day the trade went through. It was a part of a three-team trade which sent Green and cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Dioner Navarro and three minor leaguers.

On August 22, 2006, Green was dealt, along with $6.5 million in cash by the Arizona Diamondbacks to the New York Mets for minor league pitcher Evan MacLane.

New York Mets (2006- )

The Mets expect Green to bolster their outfield as they head towards the major league postseason.

Preceded byMike Cameron Batters with 4 home runs in one game
May 23, 2002 		Succeeded byCarlos Delgado

Accomplishments

  • American League Gold Glove Award (1999)
  • Finished 5th in National League MVP voting (2002)
  • Finished 6th in National League MVP voting (2001)
  • Finished 9th in American League MVP voting (1999)
  • Member of the 30-30 club (1998)
  • Holds Dodgers record for most home runs in a season (2001, 49 home runs)
  • Hit four home runs in a game (May 23, 2002)
  • Holds record for total bases in a game (May 23, 2002, with 19)
  • Hit a home run into the upper deck of SkyDome (April 22, 1999)

Salaries

  • 1993 Toronto Blue Jays $109,000
  • 1994 Toronto Blue Jays $109,000
  • 1995 Toronto Blue Jays $130,000
  • 1996 Toronto Blue Jays $287,500
  • 1997 Toronto Blue Jays $500,000
  • 1998 Toronto Blue Jays $1,475,000
  • 1999 Toronto Blue Jays $3,125,000
  • 2000 Los Angeles Dodgers $9,416,667
  • 2001 Los Angeles Dodgers $12,166,667
  • 2002 Los Angeles Dodgers $13,416,667
  • 2003 Los Angeles Dodgers $15,666,667
  • 2004 Los Angeles Dodgers $16,666,667
  • 2005 Arizona Diamondbacks $8,500,000

Teams

Non-Baseball Career

External links

  1. http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2001/0905/1248286.html
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