DeWayne Wise facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DeWayne Wise |
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Dewayne Wise with the Chicago White Sox
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: February 24, 1978 Chapin, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 6, 2000, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 29, 2013, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .228 | ||
| Home runs | 31 | ||
| Runs batted in | 115 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Larry DeWayne Wise, born on February 24, 1978, is a former professional baseball outfielder from the United States. He finished high school in 1997. The Cincinnati Reds picked him in the fifth round of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft.
DeWayne played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins, and New York Yankees. He is most famous for an amazing catch he made in 2009. This catch stopped Gabe Kapler from hitting a home run and helped Mark Buehrle complete a perfect game.
Contents
- DeWayne Wise's Baseball Journey
- Starting with the Toronto Blue Jays (2000–2002)
- Playing for the Atlanta Braves (2004)
- Time with the Detroit Tigers (2005)
- Back with the Cincinnati Reds (2006–2007)
- Joining the Chicago White Sox (2008–2009)
- Return to the Toronto Blue Jays (2010)
- Florida Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays (2011)
- Playing for the New York Yankees (2012)
- Final Stint with the Chicago White Sox (2012–2013)
- Images for kids
DeWayne Wise's Baseball Journey
Starting with the Toronto Blue Jays (2000–2002)
The Toronto Blue Jays picked up Wise in late 1999. He had not yet played a game for the Reds. He made his first big league appearance for the Blue Jays on April 6, 2000. He played as a defensive replacement against the Kansas City Royals.
Wise found it tough to make a big impact in 2000. He played in only 28 games and had a low batting average of .136. Because of this, he was sent back to the minor leagues.
After spending all of 2001 in the minor leagues, Wise was called back to the major leagues in 2002. He played in 42 games and hit his first career home run on July 24. However, his batting average was still low at .179. He was sent back to Triple-A again. After the 2003 season, he became a free agent.
Playing for the Atlanta Braves (2004)
In late 2003, Wise signed with the Atlanta Braves. He played very well in their minor league system. He hit a combined .309 across different levels. This strong performance earned him another chance in the big leagues.
In 2004, Wise played 77 games for the Braves. He hit .228 with six home runs and 17 RBI. After the season, the Braves let him go.
Time with the Detroit Tigers (2005)
In late 2004, the Detroit Tigers picked up Wise. He spent all of 2005 with their Triple-A team, the Toledo Mud Hens. He batted .234 with eight home runs and 34 RBI in 108 games.
Back with the Cincinnati Reds (2006–2007)
Next, Wise returned to the team that first drafted him, the Cincinnati Reds. He spent most of 2006 in Triple-A. But he did play in 31 MLB games, hitting .184 with one RBI.
The Reds signed him again for 2007. He mostly played in Triple-A that year, appearing in only five major league games. He became a free agent in October 2007.
Joining the Chicago White Sox (2008–2009)
After not getting many offers, Wise thought about playing in independent baseball leagues. But then the Chicago White Sox called. He signed a minor league deal with them in March 2008. He started with their Triple-A team.
Wise was called up to the major leagues in May when a teammate got injured. He didn't play much at first. Later, in July, he was called up again. This was because he was hitting very well in Triple-A, with a .319 batting average.
Wise mostly played as a reserve outfielder or a defensive replacement. But he also hit well, batting .288 with two home runs and seven RBI in 35 games. He got injured in August and was placed on the disabled list.
His big chance came when White Sox star Carlos Quentin broke his wrist in September. Wise took over Quentin's spot in left field. The White Sox were in a close race for their division title. Wise helped them win the division. He hit his first career grand slam on September 14, 2008. This hit helped the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers.
The White Sox made it to the postseason but lost to the Tampa Bay Rays. Wise batted .286 with a home run and 5 RBI in those playoff games.
The Famous Catch (2009)
In December 2008, Wise signed a new deal with the White Sox. He was named the team's starting center fielder for the 2009 season. But just seven games in, he separated his shoulder. This happened while he made a diving catch that saved runs. The injury kept him out until late May.
On July 23, 2009, Wise made history. He was put into the game in the ninth inning as a defensive substitute. He then made an amazing, juggling catch to rob the Rays' Gabe Kapler of a home run. This incredible play saved Mark Buehrle's perfect game. A perfect game is when a pitcher doesn't let any opposing player reach base during the entire game.
To thank Wise, Mark Buehrle gave him a special gift. A sign saying "The Catch" was put up on the left field wall at the stadium. This marked the spot where Wise made his famous catch.
Return to the Toronto Blue Jays (2010)
In October 2009, Wise became a free agent. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in November. He was assigned to their Triple-A team.
In June 2010, Wise became a free agent again. A few days later, the Toronto Blue Jays signed him to a minor league deal.
Florida Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays (2011)
In January 2011, the Florida Marlins signed Wise. He tried out with them during spring training. However, he didn't make their main team and became a free agent again.
In April, the Blue Jays signed him to a minor league contract. This was after their center fielder got injured. But he was released in June. He then signed another minor league contract with the Florida Marlins and was called up to their main team. In August, the Blue Jays claimed him again. Wise played for the Blue Jays in late 2011. He became a free agent in October.
Playing for the New York Yankees (2012)
In January 2012, Wise signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. He played well in Triple-A, hitting .333 with four home runs. He was called up to the Yankees in May 2012.
Wise had a great game against the Cleveland Indians on June 25. He hit a two-run home run and a triple, helping the Yankees win. On June 29, he even pitched for the Yankees! He was the first position player for the Yankees to pitch since 2009.
In July 2012, Wise was removed from the Yankees' main roster. He decided not to go back to the minor leagues and was released.
Final Stint with the Chicago White Sox (2012–2013)
In August 2012, Wise signed a minor league contract with the White Sox again. He was called up to the team later that month.
In November 2012, Wise signed a new deal to stay with the White Sox. He was released from the team in August 2013, ending his professional baseball career.
Images for kids
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Dewayne Wise with the Chicago White Sox
