Andre Ethier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andre Ethier |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Ethier with the Dodgers in 2013
|
|||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: April 10, 1982 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| May 2, 2006, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2017, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .285 | ||
| Home runs | 162 | ||
| Runs batted in | 687 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Andre Everett Ethier (born April 10, 1982) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder who played his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played for the Dodgers from 2006 to 2017. Andre Ethier is known for being second all-time in post-season games played for the Dodgers, with 51 appearances.
He was first chosen in the 2003 MLB draft by the Oakland Athletics. Ethier played in the major leagues from 2006 to 2017, always for the Dodgers. Some of his biggest achievements include being picked for the All-Star team in 2010 and 2011. He also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2009 and a Gold Glove Award in 2011. Andre mostly played right field, but he also played left field and center field for the Dodgers. Towards the end of his career, injuries to his leg and back limited his playing time.
Contents
- Andre Ethier's Early Life
- College Baseball Career
- Professional Baseball Journey
- Drafted and Minor Leagues
- Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2017)
- 2006: His First Year
- 2007: More Playing Time
- 2008: Moving to Right Field
- 2009: A Career Best Year
- 2010: All-Star Selection
- 2011: Long Hitting Streak and Gold Glove
- 2012: Big Contract and Milestones
- 2013: Playing Center Field
- 2014: A Reserve Role
- 2015: Back to Everyday Player
- 2016 & 2017: Injury Challenges
- Career Stats
- Andre Ethier's Personal Life
- See Also
Andre Ethier's Early Life
Andre Everett Ethier was born on April 10, 1982, in Phoenix, Arizona. He went to St. Mary's High School in Phoenix.
Baseball runs in his family! His grandfather, Pierre "Pete" Ethier, played professional minor league baseball. Andre's father, Byron Ethier, also played baseball and even won a national title in junior college. One of Andre's three brothers, Devon, also played baseball and was drafted by the Dodgers in 2010.
College Baseball Career
Ethier first went to Arizona State University in 2000. However, the coaches there thought he might do better at a junior college. So, he transferred to Chandler-Gilbert Community College. At CGCC, Ethier was a fantastic hitter, with a batting average of .468. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
He later returned to Arizona State University in 2001 and played there until 2003. During his time at ASU, he had a great batting average of .371. He was also a two-time All-Star in the Pacific-10 Conference. While at ASU, he was teammates and good friends with future MLB stars Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler.
Professional Baseball Journey
Drafted and Minor Leagues
Andre Ethier was first drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2001, but he chose to go to college instead. He was drafted again by the Oakland Athletics in 2003 and signed with them.
He started his professional career in the minor leagues. In 2005, he played for the Midland RockHounds (a Double-A team). He hit .319 with 18 home runs and was named the Texas League Most Valuable Player. He was also chosen as the Oakland Athletics Minor League Player of the Year.
On December 13, 2005, Ethier was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This trade was a big moment, as it meant he would soon play for the Dodgers.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2017)
2006: His First Year
Andre Ethier made his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 2, 2006. This was against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his home state of Arizona. He got a double and a walk in his first game. The very next night, he hit his first home run!
On May 19, he had an amazing game, getting 5 hits out of 5 tries and scoring four runs. He played very well throughout the summer. He was even named the National League Player of the Week in July. He was considered a strong candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, finishing fifth in the voting.
2007: More Playing Time
In 2007, Ethier got a lot of playing time because another player, Matt Kemp, was injured. He played in 153 games, hitting .284 with 13 home runs and 64 RBIs.
2008: Moving to Right Field
Ethier became the Dodgers' starting left fielder in 2008. When the Dodgers got famous outfielder Manny Ramirez, Ethier moved to his more natural position of right field. He played in 141 games, hitting .305 with 20 home runs and 77 RBIs.
2009: A Career Best Year
The year 2009 was one of Ethier's best. He hit a career-high 31 home runs and had 106 RBIs. For this great performance, he won a Silver Slugger Award. He was a very important player for the Dodgers that season, hitting six "walk-off" hits (meaning he got a hit that won the game in the final inning). Four of these were walk-off home runs, which tied a Major League record! On June 26, 2009, he hit three home runs in one game against the Seattle Mariners.
2010: All-Star Selection
Ethier started the 2010 season very strong, leading the National League in home runs, RBIs, and batting average. However, he broke his pinky finger in May, which put him on the disabled list. Despite the injury, he was chosen to start for the National League All-Star team in July. He finished the season with a .292 batting average, 23 home runs, and 82 RBIs.
2011: Long Hitting Streak and Gold Glove
.jpg)
In April 2011, Ethier set a new MLB record for the month with a 23-game hitting streak. He extended this streak to 30 games, which was the second-longest in Dodger history! He was also chosen to be an All-Star again in 2011.
Later that year, Ethier won a Gold Glove Award for his excellent fielding. This was a special achievement because two other Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp, also won Gold Gloves that year. It was the first time in Dodger history that three players won Gold Gloves in the same year.
2012: Big Contract and Milestones
On June 12, Ethier signed a big five-year contract extension with the Dodgers. On August 25, he got his tenth straight hit, breaking a Los Angeles Dodger record. On September 4, he got his 1,000th career hit, which was a solo home run. He played in 149 games in 2012, hitting .284 with 20 home runs and 89 RBIs.
2013: Playing Center Field
In 2013, Ethier moved to center field for the first time in the Major Leagues because of injuries to other players. On September 2, he became the first Dodger player to have seven seasons with 30 or more doubles. He played 142 games, hitting .272 with 12 home runs.
2014: A Reserve Role
In 2014, Ethier became a reserve player for much of the second half of the season. This meant he didn't start as often. His teammates and coaches praised him for being professional and accepting his new role, even though he had a big contract. He continued to be popular with fans. He played in 130 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter, hitting .249.
2015: Back to Everyday Player
Due to injuries to other outfielders, Ethier became a regular player again in the first half of 2015. On August 2, he hit two home runs that won the game against the Angels, including a "walk-off" home run in the 10th inning. This was his seventh walk-off home run and 14th walk-off hit in his career, placing him second in Dodgers history. He played in 142 games, hitting .294 with 14 home runs.
2016 & 2017: Injury Challenges
In 2016, Ethier broke his shin during spring training. This injury kept him out for most of the season, and he only played in 16 games, mostly as a pinch hitter. In the playoffs, he hit a home run as a pinch hitter.
In 2017, he was injured again during spring training, this time with a back problem. He didn't return to the team until September 1. He was mostly used as a pinch hitter in the playoffs. In Game 6 of the 2017 World Series, he played in his 50th career post-season game, setting a new Dodgers record. After the season, the Dodgers decided not to keep him for 2018, making him a free agent.
On July 25, 2018, Andre Ethier officially announced his retirement from baseball. The Dodgers held a special ceremony for him on August 3.
Career Stats
In his 12 seasons and 1455 games, Andre Ethier had a career batting average of .285. He hit 162 home runs and had 687 RBIs. He was also a great fielder, with a .986 fielding percentage playing in all three outfield spots. In 51 post-season games, he hit 5 home runs.
Andre Ethier's Personal Life
While attending Arizona State University (ASU), Andre met Maggie Germaine, who was a gymnast at ASU. She set school records with many perfect scores. Andre and Maggie got married in 2006. They have three sons and one daughter. In 2014, Andre and Maggie were honored as the first husband-wife team to be inducted into the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame.
Andre Ethier and his family live in Phoenix, Arizona. He is Catholic and attends church regularly.
See Also
In Spanish: Andre Ethier para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
