Nyjer Morgan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nyjer Morgan |
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Morgan with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2013
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: July 2, 1980 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 1, 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| NPB: March 28, 2013, for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars | |||
| KBO: March 29, 2015, for the Hanwha Eagles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| NPB: 2013, for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars | |||
| MLB: May 14, 2014, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| KBO: April 10, 2015, for the Hanwha Eagles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .282 | ||
| Home runs | 12 | ||
| Runs batted in | 136 | ||
| Stolen bases | 120 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .294 | ||
| Home runs | 11 | ||
| Runs batted in | 50 | ||
| KBO statistics | |||
| Batting average | .273 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 5 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Nyjer Jamid Morgan (born July 2, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). These teams included the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cleveland Indians. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. Later, he played in the KBO League in South Korea for the Hanwha Eagles. Morgan was known for playing center field during most of his MLB career.
When he was younger, Morgan also played ice hockey. He even reached a high level of junior hockey with the Regina Pats. After the 1999–2000 season, Morgan decided to focus only on baseball. The Pirates then chose him in the 2002 MLB draft.
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Early Life and Hockey Dreams
Nyjer Morgan was born in San Francisco. When he was seven, he became very interested in ice hockey. He watched the hockey tournament at the 1988 Winter Olympics on TV. This made him want to play.
By age 16, Morgan had played in many hockey tournaments. These were held across the United States and Canada. He was then recruited by the Vernon Vipers, a team in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).
Morgan played two games with the Vipers in the 1996–97 season. He spent the rest of that season with the North Okanagan Knights. The next season, he played for the Nelson Leafs. In the 1998–99 season, Morgan joined the Delta Ice Hawks.
After playing for junior "B" teams, Morgan moved up to major junior hockey. He joined the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his first WHL game, he scored two goals. He was even named the "first star" of the game! After seven games with the Pats, Morgan played a few games for the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Baseball Career Highlights
Pittsburgh Pirates Years
The Pittsburgh Pirates picked Nyjer Morgan in the 33rd round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft.
Morgan made his major league debut on September 1, 2007. He played for the Pirates against the Milwaukee Brewers. On September 14, 2007, Morgan made an amazing catch in center field. This catch helped the Pirates win the game 4–3. The opposing manager said it was "probably the best catch I've seen this year." Sports shows even compared it to Willie Mays' famous "The Catch." Morgan also showed off his skills on September 20. He hit a triple, scored two runs, and stole two stolen bases. He also threw out a runner from the outfield. His first home run came on September 25.
In 2008, Morgan started the season in the minor leagues. He played for the Indianapolis Indians. He later joined the Pirates for some games. By 2009, he became the starting left fielder. Fans loved him, and he often called left field "Morgantown." In 2009, he stole 42 bases, which was second in the league.
Washington Nationals Time
On June 30, 2009, Morgan was traded to the Washington Nationals. He joined the team with pitcher Sean Burnett. In August, he broke his hand while sliding. This put him on the disabled list.
In a game on May 22, 2010, Morgan had a memorable moment. He tried to catch a fly ball, but it hit his glove and went over the fence. He thought it was a home run and reacted strongly. But the ball was still in play, and the batter scored an inside-the-park home run.
On July 22, 2010, Morgan made history for the Nationals. He became the first player to steal three bases in one game. For the 2010 season, he was third in the league with 34 stolen bases. He also led the league in being caught stealing.
Morgan faced some suspensions during the 2010 season. These were for incidents during games. He finished the 2010 season with a .253 batting average.
Milwaukee Brewers Success
On March 27, 2011, Morgan was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He broke his finger early in the season. After healing, he shared playing time in center field. He played against right-handed pitchers. On June 8, Morgan hit his first "walk-off" hit. This was a double that won the game for the Brewers 7–6. He later said he didn't realize it was a walk-off hit until his teammates ran onto the field! In 2011, he batted .304.
On October 7, Morgan had another big walk-off hit. This one came in the 10th inning of a playoff game. It was Game 5 of the 2011 National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Brewers won 3–2, which gave them their first playoff series win since 1982.
In 2012, Morgan batted .239 in 122 games. He stole 12 bases. The Brewers did not offer him a contract for the next season. While with the Brewers, Morgan sometimes called himself "Tony Plush." He said this was his "gentleman's name" or his "name on the field."
Playing in Japan and Korea
In January 2013, Morgan signed a contract to play in Japan. He joined the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Nippon Professional Baseball. He had a good season, batting .294 with 11 home runs.
On January 14, 2014, Morgan signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians. He made the team and started the season as their center fielder. He was released in August 2014.
In December 2014, he signed with the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO League in South Korea.
Personal Life and Other Interests
In 2011, Nyjer Morgan started his own Twitter account. He shared funny pictures, like one of himself dressed as a cowboy. He had many followers and often used his catchphrase "AAAAAHHHH GOTTA GO!" after games.
Morgan has a daughter named Niah. She was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, when he played hockey there. He also has a son, born in 2017. On October 4, 2018, Morgan threw the first pitch at a playoff game at Miller Park. This was on his son's first birthday. The Brewers won that game. He was invited back to throw the first pitch again on October 4, 2023, for another playoff game.
On February 1, 2012, Morgan got to practice with the San Jose Sharks. This is a team in the National Hockey League. He said it was a "dream come true." An All-Star player, Joe Thornton, even said Morgan was "actually a pretty good skater."
Images for kids
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Morgan with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2013
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Morgan batting for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009
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Morgan with the Washington Nationals in 2009
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Morgan batting for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Nyjer Morgan para niños
