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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Jacinto Damion Easley (born November 11, 1969) is a former professional baseball player from America. He is now an assistant hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. This team is part of Major League Baseball (MLB). Damion mostly played as a second baseman. But he also played almost every other position on the field. He played for many MLB teams during his career. These include the California Angels, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Damion Easley was born on November 11, 1969, in New York City. His dad was half-Puerto Rican and half-Jamaican. His mom was Cuban. When he was five, his family moved to Mount Vernon, New York. At age 11, his parents divorced. Damion then moved to California with his father. He went to Lakewood High School. After high school, he attended Long Beach City College. In 1988, the California Angels picked him in the baseball draft. This was the start of his professional baseball journey.
Damion Easley's Baseball Career
Damion Easley played for several teams in his career. These teams were the California Angels, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and New York Mets.
Playing for the Angels and Tigers
With the Angels, Easley often played as a utility infielder. This means he could play different positions in the infield. He played at third base, shortstop, and second base. Sometimes, he had to miss games because of injuries. In 1996, the Angels traded him to the Detroit Tigers. This trade was great for the Tigers. Easley's career really took off with them.
In 1997, he became one of only four Tigers players ever to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in one season. He also led the team with 37 doubles. Because of his great play, he signed a big contract. By 1998, he was chosen to be an American League All-Star. That year was amazing for him. He hit 27 home runs and had 100 RBI. RBI means he helped his teammates score 100 runs. He also won the Silver Slugger Award for second basemen. This award goes to the best offensive player at each position. Easley was also a great defender. He led all American League second basemen in many defensive stats. These included fielding percentage (how often he made plays without errors), range factor (how much ground he covered), assists (throws to get outs), and putouts (catching balls for outs). People thought he was one of the best second basemen in baseball.
Big Moments and Challenges
In 2001, Easley made history for the Tigers. He became the ninth player for the team to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. It's a very rare achievement! Also in 2001, he had a game where he got six hits. This tied a Tigers team record set by famous players like Ty Cobb.
In 2000, Easley signed another big contract with the Tigers. But in 2003, the team decided to release him. This meant they let him go from the team. Even though they still owed him a lot of money, he was free to sign with another team. Soon after, he joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Later Career with the Mets
On November 16, 2006, Easley signed with the New York Mets. His first year with them was very good. He was a valuable utility player and a great pinch hitter. A pinch hitter is a player who bats in place of another player. On August 2, 2007, Easley hit an inside-the-park home run. This is when a player hits the ball and runs all the way around the bases to score a home run without the ball leaving the field. It was a thrilling moment! Later that month, he got injured. This injury ended his 2007 season. But he came back to play for the Mets in 2008.
Damion Easley retired after the 2008 season. He had played in many regular season games. He holds a record for playing the most games without ever playing in the postseason. The postseason is when the best teams play extra games to try and win the championship.
Personal Life
Damion Easley is married and has four children. His son, Jayce, was also drafted to play professional baseball. In 2018, the Texas Rangers picked Jayce in the draft.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
