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Shawn Green

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Shawn Green
New York Mets – No. 20
Right fielder
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
debut
September 28, 1993, for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics
(through August 22nd, 2006)
AVG.283
OBP.356
SP.500
HR314
Former teams
Toronto Blue Jays (1993-99)

Los Angeles Dodgers (2000-04)

Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-06)


Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972, in Des Plaines, Illinois) is a left-handed power hitter in Major League Baseball, who plays right field for the New York Mets.

Green was a 1st round draft pick, and in the major leagues has been a 2-time All-Star. He has driven in 100 runs 4 times, and has led the league in doubles, extra base hits, and total bases, set the Dodgers single-season record in home runs, and has won both a Gold Glove Award and a Silver Slugger Award. Green has also been in the top 5 in the league in home runs, RBIs, intentional walks, and MVP voting.

Green holds or is tied for the following major league records: most home runs in a game (4), most total bases in a game (19), most extra base hits in a game (5), most runs scored in a game (6), most home runs in 2 consecutive games (5), most home runs in 3 consecutive games ((7), and most consecutive home runs (4).

He is one of only 5 active players with at least 300 home runs, 1,000 runs and RBIs, 400 doubles, a .280 batting average, and 150 stolen bases (the others being Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey, Gary Sheffield, and Jeff Bagwell, all of whom are at least 3 years older than Green, with at least 1,200 more at bats). Green is noted for his smooth swing, and for the strength and accuracy of his arm in the outfield.

Green is also one of the best Jewish major league ballplayers, and the most prominent one with the Mets since Art Shamsky who played right field for the 1969 World Champion Mets.[1] Green has missed games on Yom Kippur, as he did in 2004 when the Dodgers were in the playoff hunt.[1]

Personal Life

Shawn is currently married to and has a daughter, Presley Taylor, born on December 22, 2002.[2] Green has been very good friends with fellow teammate Carlos Delgado since they were in the minor leagues together. They both attended each others weddings and, at Delgado's, Green did salsa dancing.[3]

High School

Green attended Tustin High School in Tustin, California, where he tied the California Interscholastic Federation record with 147 hits during his senior year, and was a first team selection to the 1991 USA Today All-USA high school team, while ranking third in his class academically.

College, and the Baseball Draft

In 1991 Green won a baseball scholarship to Stanford University, and started there in the Fall of that year.

But he was also drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays as their 1st round pick (16th overall) in the 1991 amateur draft. He ultimately struck a deal with the Blue Jays. They agreed that he would play ball in the summer in the minor leagues, but go back to university in the off-season.

Green received one of the highest signing bonuses at that time ($725,000), a portion of which he donated to the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority Breakfast Club (which provides breakfast for kids who normally go to school hungry).

Minor league career

In 1992 Green played for the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League, and was selected to the league's all-star team.

He spent most of 1993 and 1994 in the minors, where he compiled impressive numbers.

In 1994, he hit .344 with 13 home runs and 81 RBIs for Toronto's AAA affiliate, the Syracuse Sky Chiefs. He was an International League all-star, was voted the International League Rookie of the Year, and was also voted the International League's Best Batting Prospect, Best Outfield Arm, and Most Exciting Player in Baseball America’s Tools of the Trade poll. In addition, he won the R. Howard Webster Award as the Chief’s MVP, and was the Blue Jays' Minor League Player of the Year.

Early major league career; Toronto Blue Jays (1993-97)

Green made his Major League debut on September 28, 1993, as the 2nd-youngest player in the major leagues. Though he did not get an at-bat in the World Series, he was awarded a World Series ring as the Blue Jays won the World Series. That year and the next Green only had a handful of at-bats with the Blue Jays, in 17 games.

In 1995, his full rookie season, Green started in 97 games, hitting 15 home runs and batting .288. Green set Blue Jays rookie records in doubles (31), hit streak (14), extra base hits (50), and slugging percentage (.509). He came in 5th in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year.

His 1996 and 1997 seasons were similar, in that Green was given limited at-bats, wasn't trusted to hit left-handed pitching, and produced only sporadically. He was, however, developing in other ways. He was more aggressive on the basepaths in 1997 than in any previous year, stealing 14 bases while being caught only 3 times. He also developed 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 both hit 30 or more home runs and steal 30 or more bases in the same season. Green had never hit more than 18 home runs in a season (major or minor leagues), but now showed signs of becoming a bona fide power hitter. He finished the season batting .278 with 35 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases (a career best).

In 1999, Green proved his new-found power 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 only two home runs, however, and was eliminated in the first round. He finished the season batting .309 (a career best), with 42 home runs (5th in the league), 134 runs (2nd in the league, and a career best), and 123 RBI, and a .588 slugging percentage (5th best in the league). Green also led the league in doubles (45), extra-base hits (87), and total bases (361). After the season, he was awarded a Gold Glove Award for his defense, and a Silver Slugger Award for his offense, and came in 5th in the voting for MVP.

In the off-season, Green expressed a desire to sign as a free agent with a team closer to his California roots after the 2000 season. The Blue Jays, facing the rising contract demands of Green and slugger teammate Carlos Delgado, decided 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 quickly signed 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, Green struggled at times in 2000, his first season with Los Angeles. Still, he led the league in games played (with 162), and was 5th in the league in doubles (with 44).

But Green had a career year in 2001, batting .297 with a .598 slugging percentage (a career best), 49 home runs (a career best), 121 runs, 125 RBI (a career best), 370 total bases (5th in the league), and 20 stolen bases. His 49 home runs were a Dodgers single-season record, but only tied for 4th in the league, behind Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Luis González. It was the 4th straight year that he stole 20 or more bases. Green came in 6th in voting for league MVP.

Green made headlines for two decisions that he made during the 2001 season. On September 26th he stood by his word and sat out a game for the first time in 415 games, to honor the most significant holiday on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. Green said: "I felt like it was the right thing to do .... I didn't do this to gain approval. I thought it was the right example to set for Jewish kids, a lot of whom don't like to go to synagogue." He also made a second notable decision on September 26th as well, donating his day's pay of $75,000 to a charity for survivors of the New York 9/11 terrorist attacks.

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 4 home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers, and had 19 total bases, breaking Joe Adcock's 1954 Major League record by one. He hit a 5th home run during the following game to tie the Major League 2-game home run record, and then hit 2 more the game after to break the Major League 3-game record. Green also broke the National League record with 9 home runs in that calendar week. He was voted to the All-Star team, and finished the season with a .285 average, .385 OBP (a career best), 42 home runs (3rd in the league), 114 RBI (4th in the league), 114 runs (4th in the league), 93 walks (a career best), 22 intentional walks (5th in the league), and 20 stolen bases.

In 2003, Green struggled with his power and RBI production. He had problems with tendinitis in his left shoulder, which limited him to a 19 home runs and 85 RBIs as he batted .280. Still, he was 2nd in the league in doubles (with 49).

Green's power improved slightly in 2004 as he hit 28 home runs and collected 86 RBIs, while batting .266, leading the Dodgers to the 2004 playoffs. But Green moved to first base for much of the season.

In 2005 Green was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. At first, the trade was in 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 3-team trade which sent Green and cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks, in exchange for Dioner Navarro and three minor leaguers.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-06)

While Green's batting average in 2005 (.286) was his best in 4 years, he walked fewer times (62) than he had in the prior 6 years, and hit fewer home runs (22) and runs (87) than he had in all but 7 of his prior seasons.

Green came to bat 398 times in 2006, and while his batting average and OBP were near his career averages, his slugging percentage (.425) was the lowest it had been since he broke into the majors.

On August 22, 2006, Green was dealt, along with $6.5 million in cash, by the Arizona Diamondbacks to the New York Mets for Triple-A 23-year-old left-handed pitcher Evan MacLane.

New York Mets (2006- )

The Mets hope Green will bolster their outfield, as they head towards the major league postseason. Green's second at bat as a Met was an RBI single off Jason Marquis.

Preceded by Batters with 4 home runs in one game
May 23, 2002 		Succeeded by

Fielding

Most of Green's innings in the field have been in right field, where he was awarded a Gold Glove Award in 1999. Green has also played over 100 games at first base, however, mostly in 2004 and 2006, and over 50 games each in center field and left field. Green, lifetime, has a better fielding percentage at each position than the league average. In 1998 Green had 14 assists and 5 double plays from the outfield.

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 4 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 L.A. Dodgers $9,416,667 (10th highest in the NL)
  • 2001 L.A. Dodgers $12,166,667 (7th highest in the NL)
  • 2002 L.A. Dodgers $13,416,667 (4th highest in the NL)
  • 2003 L.A. Dodgers $15,666,667 (4th highest in the NL)
  • 2004 L.A. Dodgers $16,666,667 (3rd highest in the NL)
  • 2005 Arizona Diamondbacks $8,500,000

Teams

Non-Baseball Career

  • Appeared as an actor in "Mulva 2: Kill Teen Ape!" (2005)

Miscellaneous

  • While Green is often likened to the former Jewish slugger, Hank Greenberg, it is noteworthy that Green's grandfather in fact shortened the family name from Greenberg to Green, for "business reasons."
  • Throws his batting gloves to children each time he hits a home run in his home ballpark.
  • Donated $250,000 of his salary each year to the Dodgers' Dream Foundation ($1.5 million over 6 years), supporting the development of 4 Dodger Dream Fields throughout LA and the purchase of books for local elementary schools and youth community programs.
  • Honored at the Baseball Assistance Team's annual Going to Bat for BAT fundraising dinner as the recipient of the Bart Giamatti Award for his off-the-field involvement in the community in 2000.
  • Mark Grace also played baseball for Tustin High School.

References

  1. ^ "Green to sit out on Yom Kippur". ESPN/Alan Schwarz. September 5, 2001.
  2. ^ "Biography". New York Mets.
  3. ^ David Picker (August 25, 2006). "Green and Delgado Dance to the Same Music". New York Times.
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