Fred Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fred Lewis |
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Lewis with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: December 9, 1980 Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 1, 2006, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| NPB: March 29, 2013, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 2, 2012, for the New York Mets | |||
| NPB: August 16, 2013, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .266 | ||
| Home runs | 27 | ||
| Runs batted in | 136 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .268 | ||
| Home runs | 4 | ||
| Runs batted in | 20 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Frederick Deshaun Lewis (born December 9, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for teams like the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan.
Contents
Early Life and College Sports
Lewis grew up in Wiggins, Mississippi. He graduated from Stone High School in 1999. There, he was a talented athlete in three sports: basketball, football, and baseball.
After high school, he went to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He continued to play both football and baseball there. In 2001, the Montreal Expos baseball team drafted him. However, Lewis decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to attend Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to play baseball. While at Southern University, Lewis was involved in a serious car accident.
Professional Baseball Career
Playing for the San Francisco Giants
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The San Francisco Giants picked Lewis in the second round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He started his professional journey with the Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He quickly became an All-Star in the Northwest League. Lewis led the league with a .322 batting average. He also had many hits and a good on-base percentage.
In 2003, Lewis played for the Hagerstown Suns. He was second in the Giants organization with 30 stolen bases. He also led his team in runs scored. Lewis had a .250 batting average that season. But because he walked a lot, his on-base percentage was much higher at .361.
Lewis also played for the Norwich Navigators. Fans there would often cheer his name loudly. He even invited some of the loudest fans to special "Fred Lewis' Pancake Breakfasts."
Making it to the Major Leagues
Lewis joined the Major League team in September 2006. He made his first game appearance on September 1 against the Chicago Cubs. In his very first three times at bat, he got a base hit each time! He finished that year with 5 hits and 2 RBI.
Lewis officially joined the Major League 25-man roster on May 6, 2007. Just a week later, on Mother's Day, he achieved something amazing. He hit for the cycle in only his 16th Major League game. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game! This was the 22nd time a Giants player had hit for the cycle.
On June 1, Lewis hit his first MLB grand slam. This happened against the Philadelphia Phillies. About a month later, on July 4, he hit another grand slam. This made him the first player in San Francisco Giants history to hit two grand slams in his first season.
On April 26, 2008, Lewis hit a "Splash Hit" at AT&T Park. This is when a home run ball lands in McCovey Cove beyond the right field wall. Later that year, on July 27, he became the first left-handed batter to get four hits in one game against famous pitcher Randy Johnson.
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays
On April 16, 2010, Lewis was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He played well for Toronto, often batting first in the lineup. He had a .276 batting average during his time there. In December 2010, the Blue Jays decided not to offer him a new contract. This made him a free agent.
Playing for the Cincinnati Reds
On January 10, 2011, Lewis signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds. He played in 81 games for the Reds. He hit three home runs and had 19 RBI. In September, he was moved off the main roster. He then chose to become a free agent in October.
Playing for the New York Mets
Lewis signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians in January 2012. However, he was released by the Indians in April before the season started.
On April 25, 2012, Lewis signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. In September, the Mets added him to their main roster. He played in 18 games for them. After the season, he became a free agent again.
Playing in Japan
On November 9, 2012, Lewis signed a one-year deal with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan. This team plays in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Playing in the Atlantic League
After playing in Japan, Lewis joined the Lancaster Barnstormers in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2014 season. He was later traded to the Bridgeport Bluefish. In 2015, Lewis signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. He played for them again in 2016.
Personal Life and Family
Fred Lewis was named after Hurricane Frederic, a big storm that hit his home state the year before he was born. He is also a second cousin to another baseball player, Matt Lawton.
Lewis has a son named Kaleb, who was born around 2002 or 2003. In 2019, Lewis opened a refreshment shop in Gulfport, Mississippi.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
