Michael Bourn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michael Bourn |
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Bourn with the Cleveland Indians in 2015
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: December 27, 1982 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 30, 2006, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 2016, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .266 | ||
| Home runs | 36 | ||
| Runs batted in | 361 | ||
| Stolen bases | 341 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Michael Ray Bourn (born December 27, 1982) is a former American Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He was a center fielder, known for his amazing speed and defense. Michael played for several teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Baltimore Orioles. His career in MLB lasted from 2006 to 2016. He also played for the United States national baseball team.
Michael grew up in Houston, Texas. He played baseball in high school and college. He was chosen for the National League All-Star team twice, in 2010 and 2012. He also won two Gold Glove Awards in a row for his excellent fielding in 2009 and 2010. Michael was a top base stealer, leading MLB in stolen bases in 2011. He also led the National League in stolen bases from 2009 to 2011. He finished his career with 341 stolen bases.
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Early Life and College Baseball
Michael Ray Bourn was born in Houston, Texas, on December 27, 1982. He was the first of two sons for his parents, Carrie and Raymond. As a child, Michael loved playing three sports: baseball, basketball, and football. His dad coached his Little League baseball team.
When he was 10, his father had him practice hitting pitches that were very fast. Michael went to Nimitz High School in Houston. After high school, the Houston Astros drafted him in 2000. However, he decided not to sign with them.
Instead, Michael chose to play college baseball at the University of Houston. He played for the Houston Cougars for three seasons. Even though he didn't hit many home runs, he was great at getting on base. He also stole 90 bases during his college career. In 2002, he played summer baseball for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
Joining the Philadelphia Phillies
In June 2003, the Philadelphia Phillies drafted Michael Bourn. He was picked in the fourth round of the baseball draft. Soon after, Michael signed with the Phillies. He started playing for the Batavia Muckdogs in a short-season league.
In 2004, Michael became the starting center fielder for the Lakewood BlueClaws. He was very good at getting on base and stole 57 bases that year. This was a success rate of over 90 percent! Because of his great play, he was named one of the Phillies' top prospects.
Michael started the 2006 season with the Reading Phillies. Later that year, he moved up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. In September 2006, Michael took a short break to play for the USA Olympic qualifying team. He hit two home runs to help Team USA beat Cuba in the gold-medal game.
After this, Michael was called up to the major league team, the Philadelphia Phillies. He was often used as a pinch runner because of his speed. The Phillies were trying to get into the playoffs that year.
In 2007, Michael earned a spot on the Phillies' main roster. He mostly played as a defensive replacement in left field. On July 15, 2007, Michael hit his first career home run. Later that month, he had his first game with four hits. Michael finished his rookie year with 18 stolen bases. He was only caught stealing once, which showed how fast he was. He also had a batting average of .277.
Playing for the Houston Astros
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On November 7, 2007, Michael Bourn was traded to the Houston Astros. The Astros' General Manager said Michael would be their main leadoff hitter and starting center fielder. In 2008, Michael stole 41 bases.
In 2009, Michael had a fantastic year. He stole 61 bases, which was the most in the National League. He also improved his batting average to .285. His great play led to him being named the Astros' team MVP.
Michael continued his success in 2010. He was chosen for the National League All-Star team. He also won his second Gold Glove award for his excellent defense in center field.
Time with the Atlanta Braves
In July 2011, Michael was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He finished 2011 with his best batting average of .294. He also stole 61 bases that year, combining his time with the Astros and Braves.
In 2012, Michael was again named an All-Star. He hit .274 and stole 42 bases. He also hit a career-high nine home runs. After the 2012 season, Michael became a free agent.
Joining the Cleveland Indians
On February 11, 2013, Michael Bourn signed a four-year contract with the Cleveland Indians. He played in 130 games in 2013, even though he had some injuries. He stole 23 bases that year.
On May 27, 2014, Michael made an amazing play. He robbed a two-run home run from an opposing player. On May 30, he got his 1,000th career hit. Two days later, on June 1, Michael hit a walk-off two-run home run. This helped the Indians win the game.
Michael had a tough start to the 2015 season. Because of his struggles, he was moved lower in the batting lineup.
Return to the Atlanta Braves
On August 7, 2015, the Indians traded Michael Bourn back to the Atlanta Braves. He was later released by the Braves in April 2016.
Later Career Teams
Michael signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in April 2016. He played a few games before being released in May.
On May 10, 2016, Michael signed another minor league contract, this time with the Arizona Diamondbacks. After playing a few games in the minor leagues, the Diamondbacks called him up to the major leagues. In 89 games with the Diamondbacks, he hit .262 and stole 13 bases.
The Diamondbacks traded Michael to the Baltimore Orioles on August 31, 2016. He quickly made a positive impact with the Orioles. He hit .283 with 2 home runs in 24 games. Michael re-signed with the Orioles in February 2017 but was released later that year.
On June 2, 2017, Michael signed a minor league deal with the Angels. He was released by the Angels on July 2, 2017.
Life After Baseball
Broadcasting Career
In 2022, Michael Bourn worked as a baseball commentator for the Philadelphia Phillies Radio Network. He was praised for his excitement and passion while talking about the games. In 2023, it was announced that Michael would not return to the broadcasting booth.
Personal Life
Michael Bourn has three children. His first son, Bryson, was born in 2009. He also has two daughters, Blair and Bailey. Bailey was born in 2018. His wife, Nikita, owns a babysitting business. Michael also owns three apartment buildings in Houston. He is a member of the Churches of Christ.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Bourn para niños
- Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
- List of Houston Astros team records
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a center fielder leaders
- List of people from Houston
- List of University of Houston people
