Marlon Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marlon Anderson |
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Anderson with the Hagerstown Suns in 2011
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: January 6, 1974 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 8, 1998, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 10, 2009, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 63 | ||
| Runs batted in | 371 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Marlon Ordell Anderson (born January 6, 1974) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a second baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Marlon played for six different teams over 12 seasons. He was known for getting important hits when his team needed them most. Many people thought he was one of the best pinch hitters in the game. After his playing career, Anderson became a hitting coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2018.
Early Life and College
Growing Up and High School
Marlon Anderson went to Prattville High School from 1988 to 1992. He was a talented student and played both football and baseball. His baseball coach, Roger Lambert, also coached Marlon's younger brothers, Keto and Randy.
College Baseball Career
After high school, Anderson attended the University of South Alabama. In his final year, he had a great batting average of .357. He also hit thirteen home runs. Because of his excellent performance, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. He was also chosen as a first-team All-American by Baseball America. In 1994, he played summer baseball for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting in the Pros
The Philadelphia Phillies picked Marlon Anderson in the second round of the 1995 amateur draft. In 1998, while playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, he was named the International League Rookie of the Year. On September 8, 1998, he made his first appearance in Major League Baseball. He came in as a pinch hitter and hit a home run off Mel Rojas of the New York Mets. What a way to start!
Time with the Phillies
Anderson was the main second baseman for the Phillies in 1999, 2001, and 2002. In 2003, the Phillies decided not to offer him a new contract. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In 2004, Anderson joined the St. Louis Cardinals. He became a useful player who could play different positions in the infield. He also became known for his skill as a pinch hitter, getting 17 pinch hits that year. This tied him for the most in the National League.
Playing for the New York Mets
In 2005, Anderson signed with the New York Mets. He often came into games as a pinch hitter and was very good at it, batting over .300 in those situations. A memorable moment for Anderson with the Mets happened on June 11, 2005. In a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he hit an inside-the-park home run in the ninth inning. This tied the score! He ran around the bases and slid into home plate, colliding with the catcher.
With the Washington Nationals
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On November 18, 2005, Anderson signed a two-year contract with the Washington Nationals. This meant that the only two players named Marlon in the big leagues, Marlon Anderson and Marlon Byrd, would be teammates again in 2006. They had also played together on the Phillies in 2002.
Joining the Los Angeles Dodgers
On August 31, 2006, the Nationals traded Anderson to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers were hoping to make it to the playoffs. Anderson was brought in to be a pinch hitter. However, he ended up becoming the starting player in left field when another player struggled.
On September 18, 2006, Anderson had an amazing game against the San Diego Padres. He got five hits in five tries, including two home runs! His second home run that night was part of a record-tying moment. The Dodgers hit four home runs in a row in the bottom of the ninth inning. Anderson's home run tied the game at 9-9. The Dodgers then won the game with a walk-off home run by Nomar Garciaparra. The Dodgers made the playoffs that year.
In 2007, Anderson's playing time with the Dodgers decreased. He left the team on June 29, 2007, and became a free agent.
Back with the New York Mets
Just a day later, on July 12, 2007, the Mets signed Anderson to a minor league contract. A week after that, on July 19, he was called up to play for the Mets again. He started his first game back with the Mets against the Dodgers, the team that had just released him. He got a 2-RBI single in that game.
On August 29, 2007, Anderson was involved in a controversial play during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He slid into the second baseman while trying to break up a double play. The umpire called him out for interference, which resulted in a double play. The Mets lost that game.
Anderson signed a new two-year contract to stay with the Mets in 2008. On May 23, 2008, he seriously injured his hamstring during a game. On April 11, 2009, the Mets released him.
Playing for the Newark Bears
On June 14, 2009, Anderson signed with the Newark Bears. This team is part of an independent league called the Atlantic League. He played 7 games for them before ending his playing career.
After Playing Baseball
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Anderson became a hitting coach. He coached for the Hagerstown Suns in 2011 and 2012. In 2018, he was hired to be the hitting coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones.
Broadcasting Career
Marlon Anderson also worked in broadcasting. He was a part-time analyst for Philadelphia Phillies broadcasts in 2014. In 2015, he joined Comcast SportsNet as a television studio analyst. He would talk about the games before and after they happened, alongside Ricky Bottalico.
