Shannon Stewart (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shannon Stewart |
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Stewart with the Oakland Athletics in 2007
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: February 25, 1974 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 2, 1995, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 7, 2008, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .297 | ||
| Home runs | 115 | ||
| Runs batted in | 580 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Shannon Harold Stewart, born on February 25, 1974, is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as an outfielder for teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball (MLB).
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Early Life and Sports
Stewart was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He went to Miami Southridge High School in Florida. There, he was a talented athlete, playing baseball and football. He also ran track.
He was so good at football that Bobby Bowden wanted him to play as a defensive back for Florida State University. In 1992, he was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings High School All-America Second Team for baseball. Later, his jersey number was retired by his high school baseball team.
Baseball Career Highlights
Starting with the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays picked Shannon Stewart in the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on September 2, 1995. For a few years, he played sometimes in the major leagues and sometimes in the minor leagues. By the end of 1997, he became a regular player for the Blue Jays.
In 1998, his first full season, he hit for a .279 average. He also hit 12 home runs and had 55 runs batted in (RBI). That year, he was very fast and stole 51 bases, which was his best ever. He played with famous players like Jose Canseco and Carlos Delgado. Stewart was important at the top of the batting order, bringing speed and good hitting. From 1999 to 2002, he hit .300 or higher every season. He also scored over 100 runs each year. In 2000, he even hit 21 home runs, showing unexpected power.
Stewart played for the Blue Jays for parts of eight seasons. He played in 855 games for them. During that time, he hit .301, had 218 doubles, 73 home runs, and 163 stolen bases.
Playing for the Minnesota Twins
In the middle of the 2003 season, Stewart was traded to the Minnesota Twins. He played very well for the Twins, helping them in their race to win their division. He hit .322 with six home runs and 38 RBI in 65 games. He also had a good on-base percentage of .384.
The Twins won the American League Central Division title that year. They played against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. Even though the Twins lost, Stewart played great, hitting .400 in that series. That year, Stewart finished fourth in the voting for the American League MVP.
Time with the Oakland Athletics
On February 7, 2007, Stewart signed a one-year deal with the Oakland Athletics. On June 7, 2007, he made a big play against Curt Schilling. Schilling was trying to pitch a no-hitter, but Stewart hit a single with two outs in the ninth inning, stopping the no-hitter.
Stewart played one season with the Athletics. He finished with a .290 batting average, 12 home runs, and 48 RBI in 146 games.
Return to the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays signed Stewart again on February 24, 2008. They invited him to spring training. Stewart earned a spot on the team to play left field with Matt Stairs. On March 30, the Blue Jays officially added him to their main roster. He was released by the Blue Jays later that year on August 11.
Injuries and Challenges
After his excellent 2003 season, Stewart had problems with his feet, called plantar fasciitis. This injury limited him to playing only 92 games in 2004 and 44 games in 2006. When he played football in high school, he hurt his shoulder. This made his throwing arm weaker. Because his arm was not as strong, sometimes other teams would try to take extra bases when he was playing in the outfield.
Career Achievements
- Finished 4th in the American League MVP voting (2003).
- Was 3rd in the American League for stolen bases (1998, with 51 steals).
- Was 4th in the American League for stolen bases (1999, with 37 steals).
Career Statistics
In his 14 seasons, Shannon Stewart played in 1,386 games. He had a .297 batting average with 1,653 hits. He scored 853 runs, hit 315 doubles, 41 triples, and 115 home runs. He also had 580 RBI and 196 stolen bases. His on-base percentage was .360 and his slugging percentage was .430. He was a good fielder, with a .984 fielding percentage playing in all three outfield spots. In eight postseason games, he hit .286.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
