Garret Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Garret Anderson |
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Anderson with the Angels in 2007
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: June 30, 1972 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 27, 1994, for the California Angels | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 6, 2010, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .293 | ||
| Hits | 2,529 | ||
| Home runs | 287 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,365 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Garret Joseph Anderson (born June 30, 1972) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a talented left fielder who played for 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Most of his career was spent with the Los Angeles Angels.
Anderson holds many Angels team records. These include the most games played (2,013) and most hits (2,368). He also has records for runs batted in (RBI) and doubles. He was chosen as an All-Star three times. In 2002, he helped the Angels win their first-ever 2002 World Series title. He was even named the Most Valuable Player of the 2003 All-Star Game.
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Early Life and Sports
Garret Anderson grew up in Granada Hills, California. He went to Kennedy High School. Garret was a star athlete in three different sports: baseball, football, and basketball.
In baseball, he was recognized as one of the best players in Los Angeles. He helped his team win the Los Angeles City Championship when he was a junior. He also earned honors in basketball during his senior year.
Becoming a Professional Player
Joining the Angels
The California Angels picked Garret Anderson in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB Draft. He made his first big league appearance on July 27, 1994. In that game, he got two hits, including his very first career hit.
In 1995, Anderson joined the Angels full-time. He hit his first home run on June 13. He had a great season, hitting for a .321 average. He also hit 16 home runs and had 69 RBIs. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting. After this, Anderson became a key player for the Angels.
For the next eight years, he played in almost every game. He often had more than 90 RBIs and 20 home runs each season. His batting average usually stayed close to .300.
World Series Champion
The year 2002 was very special for Anderson and the Angels. They won their first-ever World Series championship! Anderson played a huge part in this victory. He had a .306 batting average, 29 home runs, and 123 RBIs. In Game 7 of the World Series, he hit a crucial 3-run double. This hit ended up being the one that secured the championship.
In 2003, Anderson continued to play very well. He was chosen as an American League All-Star again. During the All-Star weekend, he won the Home Run Derby contest. He was also voted the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game. He was the first player since 1991 to win both awards in the same year.
Later Career and Retirement
Moving Teams
After many successful years with the Angels, Anderson faced some health issues. These problems affected his playing time. In 2005, he started playing more often as a designated hitter. This helped reduce the physical stress on his body.
On August 21, 2007, Anderson had an amazing game. He drove in a team-record 10 runs against the New York Yankees. This included a grand slam and a three-run homer. He also set a new team record for most consecutive games with an RBI, with a streak of 12 games.
In 2009, Anderson joined the Atlanta Braves. He got his 2,369th career hit in his first game with the Braves. On October 1, 2009, he reached a big milestone. He became the 89th player in MLB history to get 2,500 career hits.
In 2010, Anderson signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a pinch-hit single in his first at-bat with the team. He also hit a pinch-hit home run on April 22. However, he was released by the Dodgers in August 2010.
Life After Baseball
On March 1, 2011, Garret Anderson officially announced his retirement from baseball.
After retiring, Anderson worked as a reporter for Angels pregame and postgame shows. He appeared on Fox Sports West alongside his former teammate Tim Salmon.
In 2016, Garret Anderson was honored for his great career. He was inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame.
Highlights and Achievements
Garret Anderson had a remarkable career filled with many achievements:
- He was a three-time All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005).
- He was named the All-Star Game MVP in 2003.
- He won the Silver Slugger Award twice (2002, 2003).
- He was a key player on the 2002 World Series championship team.
- He won the Home Run Derby in 2003.
- He led the American League in doubles in both 2002 and 2003.
- He holds the Angels team record for most RBIs in a single game (10).
- He holds the Angels team record for most consecutive games with an RBI (12).
- He collected his 2,000th career hit on July 1, 2006.
Images for kids
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Anderson with the Braves in 2009
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See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball doubles records
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
