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 left fielder and played for 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Most of his career was spent with the California / Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Garret Anderson holds many records for the Angels team. He played the most games (2,013) and had the most hits (2,368) in the team's history. He also holds records for runs batted in (RBI) with 1,292 and doubles with 489. He was chosen for the All-Star team three times. In 2002, he helped the Angels win their first World Series championship. He was also 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. He was a talented athlete who played three different sports: baseball, football, and basketball.
In baseball, he was honored twice as an All-Los Angeles City player. He also helped his team win the Los Angeles City Championship when he was a junior. In basketball, he earned All-Los Angeles City honors during his senior year.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting with the Angels
The California Angels picked Garret Anderson in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB Draft. He made his first appearance in a major league game on July 27, 1994. In that game, he got his first hit, a single, against the Oakland Athletics.
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 with 16 home runs and 69 RBIs. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year award voting. After this, Anderson became a key player for the Angels.
For the next eight years, he played in many games each season. He often hit more than 20 home runs and had over 90 RBIs. His batting average was usually close to .300. In 2000, he hit a career-high 35 home runs.
World Series Champion
In 2002, Garret Anderson was a big part of the Angels team that won their first World Series title. He had a strong season, hitting .306 with 29 home runs and 123 RBIs. In Game 7 of the World Series, he hit a crucial 3-run double that helped the Angels win the championship.
Anderson continued his strong play in 2003. He was selected as an American League All-Star. During the All-Star weekend, he won the Home Run Derby competition. He was also named the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game. He was the first player since 1991 to win both awards in the same year.
In both 2002 and 2003, Anderson led the American League in doubles. He signed a new contract in 2004 that kept him with the Angels until 2008.
Later in his career, Anderson started to deal with injuries, especially in his feet. Because of this, he sometimes played as a designated hitter. This helped him stay in the game without as much running and fielding.
On August 21, 2007, Anderson had an amazing game against the New York Yankees. He drove in a team-record 10 runs, including a grand slam and a three-run home run. He also set a team record by driving in a run in 12 straight games. The Angels decided not to offer him a new contract after the 2008 season.
Moving to Other Teams
In 2009, Garret Anderson signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves. On April 5, 2009, he got his first hit with a team other than the Angels. On October 1, 2009, he reached a major milestone by getting his 2,500th career hit.
In 2010, Anderson joined the Los Angeles Dodgers on a minor league deal. He made the team and played as a reserve outfielder. He hit his first home run with the Dodgers on April 22. 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 pregame and postgame reporter for the Angels' home games. He appeared on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016. In 2016, he was inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame, a special honor for players who have made a big impact on the team.
Career Highlights and Achievements
- Three-time All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005)
- All-Star Game MVP (2003)
- The Sporting News Rookie of the Year (1995)
- Two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2002, 2003)
- Member of the 2002 World Series championship team
- Won the Home Run Derby in 2003
- Led the American League in doubles in 2002 and 2003
- Holds the Angels team record for most RBIs in a single game (10)
- Holds the Angels team record for most consecutive games with an RBI (12)
- Collected his 2,000th career hit on July 1, 2006.
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
