Denard Span facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Denard Span |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Span with the Seattle Mariners in 2018
|
|||
| Center fielder | |||
| Born: February 27, 1984 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 6, 2008, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 2018, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .281 | ||
| Home runs | 71 | ||
| Runs batted in | 490 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Denard Span, born on February 27, 1984, is a former American professional baseball player. He was a great center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five different teams: the Minnesota Twins, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, and Seattle Mariners.
Denard batted and threw with his left hand. During his best years, he was known as one of the top 'leadoff hitters' in baseball. This means he was great at getting on base, which helped his team score runs.
Contents
Growing Up and High School Baseball
Denard grew up in Tampa, Florida, raised by his mother, Wanda Wilson. His mother, Wanda, worked hard as a claims adjuster and ran a day care to support Denard and his brother, Ray.
As a teenager, Denard loved going to Tampa Bay Devil Rays games. He went to Tampa Catholic High School where he played both football and baseball. In 2001, when he was a junior, Denard helped his high school team win a state baseball championship.
In his senior year, he was an amazing hitter. He hit for a .490 average, had 17 doubles, and stole 24 bases. He was so good at baseball that he decided to play college baseball for the Florida Gators. Some people even thought he could have played college football!
Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
Denard Span was picked by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 20th player chosen overall. He signed with the Twins in August 2002 and received a $1.7 million bonus.
Denard started his minor league career in 2003 with the Elizabethton Twins. He played well, hitting .271 and stealing 14 bases. Over the next few years, he moved up through different minor league teams. He played for the Quad Cities River Bandits, the Fort Myers Miracle, and the New Britain Rock Cats. By 2007, he was playing for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He kept improving his skills, hitting .267 and stealing 25 bases that year.
Playing for the Minnesota Twins
In 2008, Denard was trying to earn a spot as the Twins' starting center fielder. He didn't make the team at first and was sent to Triple-A. But he played really well there and was soon called up to the Major Leagues. He made his MLB debut on April 6, 2008, against the Kansas City Royals.
Denard played 93 games in 2008, hitting .294 with six home runs. He was even chosen to play in the 2008 Summer Olympics but couldn't go because he was busy playing in the MLB!
In 2009, Denard became a regular player for the Twins. He played in left field, center field, and right field. He improved his hitting, batting .311 with eight home runs and 68 RBI. He also stole 23 bases. Denard made history by getting the first regular season and first postseason hits at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.
In 2010, Denard signed a five-year contract extension with the Twins. On April 2, he got the first hit and the first home run in the Twins' new ballpark, Target Field. On June 29, he tied a Major League Baseball record by hitting three triples in one game! This was a huge achievement.
Overall, Denard had a great career with the Twins. He was known for his strong defense and his ability to get on base.
Time with the Washington Nationals
In November 2012, the Twins traded Denard to the Washington Nationals. He became the Nationals' starting center fielder. In 2013, Denard had an amazing 29-game hitting streak! This means he got at least one hit in 29 games in a row. During this streak, his batting average went up a lot. For the season, he hit .279 and led the league with 11 triples.
On September 5, 2014, Denard got his 1,000th career hit. He finished the 2014 season hitting .302 with a career-high 31 stolen bases. He also led the National League with 184 hits, which was a new record for the Nationals team.
In 2015, Denard had some injuries that limited his playing time. He still played well when he was on the field, hitting .301.
Playing for the San Francisco Giants
On January 7, 2016, Denard signed a three-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. On June 13, he became the first Giants player to hit a 'leadoff splash hit' home run into McCovey Cove at AT&T Park. This is a special type of home run that lands in the water beyond the right field wall. He played two seasons for the Giants, hitting .268.
Short Stays with the Rays and Mariners
In December 2017, the Giants traded Denard to the Tampa Bay Rays. On Opening Day 2018, he hit a three-run triple in his first game with the Rays, helping them win. He played 43 games for the Rays.
In May 2018, the Rays traded Denard to the Seattle Mariners. He played 94 games for the Mariners, hitting .272 with seven home runs. After the 2018 season, the Mariners decided not to keep him.
On June 8, 2020, Denard confirmed that he had played his last game in Major League Baseball.
Denard Span's Baseball Stats
Over his 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, Denard Span played in 1,359 games. He had a career batting average of .281. He collected 1,498 hits, including 265 doubles, 72 triples, and 71 home runs. He also had 490 RBI and stole 185 bases. Denard was a very good fielder, with a .991 fielding percentage playing in all three outfield positions.
After Baseball
After retiring from playing, Denard Span stayed involved in baseball. In January 2021, he was hired by the Tampa Bay Rays as a special assistant. This means he helps with baseball operations for the team. In February 2023, he also joined Bally Sports Sun as a TV analyst for the Rays, sharing his knowledge of the game.
Personal Life
Denard Span is a Christian. On December 31, 2016, he proposed to Anne Schleper. Anne is an amazing ice hockey player who won a silver medal with the U.S. women's national ice hockey team at the 2014 Winter Olympics. They got married in January 2017 and had their first child, a son, in October 2017.
Denard also started a non-profit organization called The Denard Span Foundation. This foundation helps families led by a single parent.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
