Damion Easley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Damion Easley |
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Easley with the New York Mets
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| Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 75 | |||
| Second baseman / Coach | |||
| Born: November 11, 1969 New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 13, 1992, for the California Angels | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2008, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .253 | ||
| Home runs | 163 | ||
| Runs batted in | 684 | ||
| Teams | |||
As Player
As Coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Damion Easley, born on November 11, 1969, is a former professional baseball player from America. He is currently an assistant hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball (MLB). During his playing career, he mostly played as a second baseman. However, he was a versatile player who could play almost every position on the field, except for pitcher and catcher. Easley played for several MLB teams, including the California Angels, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and New York Mets.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Damion Easley was born in New York City on November 11, 1969. His family moved to Mount Vernon, New York, when he was five years old. At age 11, he moved to California with his father after his parents divorced. He went to Lakewood High School in Lakewood, California. After high school, he attended Long Beach City College. In 1988, the California Angels drafted him in the 30th round of the amateur draft, which marked the beginning of his professional baseball journey.
Damion Easley's Playing Career
Damion Easley played for many teams during his time in Major League Baseball. These teams included the California Angels, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the New York Mets.
Time with the California Angels
Easley started his MLB career with the California Angels. He was a utility infielder, meaning he could play different positions in the infield. He played at third base, shortstop, and second base for the Angels. During his time with the team, he often faced injuries, which sometimes kept him from playing. On July 31, 1996, the Angels traded Easley to the Detroit Tigers.
Success with the Detroit Tigers
Joining the Detroit Tigers was a big turning point for Easley's career. In 1997, he became only the fourth player in Tigers history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in one season. He also led the team with 37 doubles that year. Because of his great performance, he signed a three-year contract worth $8.7 million.
By 1998, Easley was recognized as an American League All-Star. That year was one of his best. He hit for a .271 batting average and set new personal records with 27 home runs and 100 RBI (runs batted in). He also took part in the 1998 Home Run Derby, a fun competition where players try to hit as many home runs as possible. He was named the AL Player of the Week on May 24 and won the Silver Slugger Award for second basemen, which is given to the best offensive player at each position.
Easley was also an excellent defensive player in 1998. He led all AL second basemen in important defensive stats like fielding percentage, range factor, assists, and putouts. Even though he played great defense, the Gold Glove award for best defensive player went to Roberto Alomar, who often won the award. With his mix of power, speed, and strong defense, Easley was considered one of the best second basemen in baseball.
In 2001, Easley achieved another special milestone. He became the ninth Detroit Tiger to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. Also in 2001, he had a game where he got five hits and even hit an inside-the-park home run. On August 8, 2001, he tied a Tigers team record by getting 6 hits in a single game against the Texas Rangers. He finished that game with 6 hits in 6 tries, matching records set by baseball legends Ty Cobb and Kid Nance.
In 2000, Easley signed a large five-year contract extension with the Tigers, worth $28.9 million. This made him one of the highest-paid second basemen in baseball at the time. However, before the 2003 season, the Tigers decided to go in a different direction. Easley was released from the team, even though they still owed him $14.3 million on his contract. This made him the most expensive player ever released in baseball history at that time.
Later Career Teams
After being released by the Tigers, Easley quickly signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He later played for the Florida Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On November 16, 2006, Easley signed with the New York Mets. His first year with the Mets was successful. He was a valuable utility player, filling in at different positions, and a good pinch hitter (a player who bats in place of another player). On August 2, 2007, Easley hit an inside-the-park home run against the Milwaukee Brewers. This was the 24th inside-the-park home run in Mets history.
On August 18, 2007, Easley got a serious ankle injury while running to second base. This injury ended his 2007 season. However, he returned to play for the Mets in 2008. Easley retired after the 2008 season. At that time, he had played the most regular season games (1706) of any player in his era who had never played in the postseason.
Personal Life
Damion Easley is married and has four children. His son, Jayce, was chosen by the Texas Rangers in the 5th Round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. He was the 149th player picked overall.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
