Gary Matthews Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gary Matthews Jr. |
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Matthews with the New York Mets
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: August 25, 1974 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 4, 1999, for the San Diego Padres | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 2, 2010, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .257 | ||
| Home runs | 108 | ||
| Runs batted in | 484 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Gary Nathaniel Matthews Jr. (born August 25, 1974) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1999 to 2010. Gary is the son of Gary Matthews, who was also a famous baseball player. His father was the Rookie of the Year in 1973 and an All-Star in 1979.
Contents
Baseball Career Highlights
Early Baseball Days
Gary Matthews Jr. played baseball in high school and college. The San Diego Padres picked him in the 1993 baseball draft. He started his professional career with the Padres in 1999. Over the years, he played for several teams. These included the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, and Baltimore Orioles. He also played for the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Before 2006, Gary was not one of the most well-known players.
Amazing 2006 Season
The 2006 season was a great year for Gary Matthews Jr. He played so well that he was chosen for the 2006 All-Star Game. This was special because his father also played in an All-Star Game in 1979. They became one of only 14 father-son pairs to both be All-Stars.
Gary was known for his amazing catches in the outfield. He could jump high and often caught balls that looked like home runs. One famous catch was against Mike Lamb on July 1, 2006. It was so incredible that even Mike Lamb applauded him! A radio announcer for the Rangers said it was the best catch he had seen in 26 years.
On September 13, 2006, Gary achieved something rare in baseball. He hit for a natural cycle against the Detroit Tigers. This means he hit a single, then a double, then a triple, and finally a home run, all in that exact order in the same game.
After his fantastic 2006 season, the Angels signed him to a big contract. Some baseball experts thought the contract was very large for his past performance.
Important Report and Response
In 2007, a newspaper reported on an investigation about certain substances. Gary Matthews Jr. was mentioned in this report. He was linked to information about performance-enhancing substances.
Gary Matthews Jr. denied using any of these substances. He stated that he had not used them. At the time, some of these substances were not yet on Major League Baseball's "banned substances list." If a player used a substance before it was banned, they would not be punished. They would only receive a warning not to use it again.
Later Career Years
In 2008, Gary hit 8 home runs and had a batting average of .242. On July 10, 2009, he got his 1,000th career hit. This happened in a game against the New York Yankees. Gary played his last game for the Angels in the 2009 playoffs.
After the 2009 season, Gary wanted to play for a new team. He was traded to the New York Mets in January 2010. The Angels paid most of the money left on his contract. Some people in baseball were surprised by this trade. They wondered why the Mets wanted him.
Gary started as the Mets' center fielder because their regular player was injured. However, he did not play well and was released by the Mets in June 2010. He then signed a minor-league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. He played well in the minor leagues but was not called up to the major leagues. He became a free agent in July 2010.
Coaching Career
In 2024, Gary Matthews Jr. worked as a coach. He was the first base coach for the National League team in the All-Star Futures Game. This game features young, rising stars in baseball.
Awards and Achievements
- 2006 American League All-Star
See also
- List of second-generation Major League Baseball players
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
