Tim Salmon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tim Salmon |
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Salmon at the Bagram Air Base in May 2008
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| Right fielder | |||
| Born: August 24, 1968 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 21, 1992, for the California Angels | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2006, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .282 | ||
| Home runs | 299 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,016 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Timothy James Salmon (born August 24, 1968), known as "King Fish", is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1992 to 2006. He was an outfielder and designated hitter for the California / Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels. Tim Salmon was a very important player when the Angels won the 2002 World Series. Today, he works as a sportscaster for Bally Sports West, talking about Angels games.
Many people think Tim Salmon is one of the best and most liked players in Angels history. When he retired, he had hit the most home runs for the Angels, with 299. This record was later broken by Mike Trout in 2020. In 2015, Tim Salmon was honored by being added to the Angels Hall of Fame.
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Early Life
Tim Salmon was born on August 24, 1968, in Long Beach, California. He grew up in the Belmont Shore area of the city. When he was just three years old, he once wandered off and was found happily watching games at a local baseball field. His parents separated when he was young. He lived in Texas with his mother and brother for a while, and also spent time in Arizona with his father. Tim has said that his older brother and grandmother helped him feel stable during his childhood.
Tim went to Greenway High School in Phoenix, Arizona. He was a talented athlete, playing three sports. He mainly played baseball and football, but also played basketball. In football, he played different positions like punter and wide receiver. Some colleges were interested in him for football. In 1986, when he was a senior, his Babe Ruth League baseball team won a state championship. At 17, the Atlanta Braves picked him in the 1986 draft, but he decided not to sign with them. He wasn't sure which sport to focus on, but he chose baseball and joined Grand Canyon University's team. In 1988, he played summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The California Angels chose Tim Salmon in the third round of the 1989 MLB Draft. He was the 69th player picked overall. He started his professional journey with the Bend Bucks, a team in the minor leagues. In his first minor league season, he hit .245 with 6 home runs.
In 1990, he moved up to the A-Advanced Palm Springs Angels. During a game, he was hit in the face by a pitch, which caused a serious jaw injury. He had to be hospitalized and couldn't play for a long time. Even though the injury was bad, Tim said he didn't feel much pain. He returned to play later that year. In 1992, Tim played for the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers. He had an amazing season, hitting .347 with 29 home runs and 105 RBIs. These were his best numbers in the minor leagues. That year, he won the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Rookie Success and Awards (1992-1995)
On August 20, 1992, Tim Salmon was called up to the Angels' main team, the big leagues. Many baseball experts were excited about him joining the team. He played his first MLB game on August 21 against the New York Yankees. The next day, he got his first hit. On August 23, he hit his first career home run. In his short first season, he played 23 games.
In 1993, Tim became the regular starting right fielder for the Angels. He had a fantastic rookie season, hitting .283 with 31 home runs and 95 RBIs. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award. He was one of only a few players to win this award with every vote.
Tim started the 1994 season a bit slowly. But after talking with his hitting coach, he started playing much better. In one amazing three-game stretch, he got 13 hits! This tied a record for the most hits in three games in American League history. He even had a perfect game where he got 5 hits out of 5 tries, including 2 home runs. He won the AL Player of the Week Award for his great performance. The 1994 season was shorter because of a strike, but Tim still hit 23 home runs.
The 1995 season was one of Tim Salmon's best. He had a career-high batting average of .330. He also set personal bests for hits, runs, and total bases. He won a Silver Slugger Award that year, which is given to the best offensive players at each position. He was also voted as one of the top players for the AL Most Valuable Player Award.
Becoming a Key Hitter (1996-1999)
By 1996, Tim Salmon was part of a strong outfield for the Angels. He was the oldest of the three main outfielders. He continued to play well, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 98 runs that season. He was also great at catching balls in the outfield and helping with plays.
In 1997, Tim moved to the cleanup spot in the batting order. This meant he was expected to drive in a lot of runs. And he did! He set a career high with 129 RBIs that year. He also hit 33 home runs. His 129 RBIs were among the best in all of Major League Baseball. He was again voted as one of the top players for the AL MVP award.
In 1998, Tim had some injuries, including a foot strain. He missed some games but still played well when he was on the field. He hit .300 with 26 home runs and 88 RBIs. He was named AL Player of the Week again in August for his excellent hitting. He continued to be the cleanup hitter for most of the season.
Tim had another injury in 1999, this time to his left wrist. He missed over 60 games because of it. When he returned, he still managed to hit 17 home runs in 98 games.
World Series Champion (2000-2002)
By the start of the 2000 season, Tim Salmon was the player who had been with the Angels the longest. He continued to be a strong hitter. In August, he hit his 223rd career home run, breaking the Angels' record for most home runs. He had a great season, hitting 34 home runs and driving in 97 runs. He also set a career high for games played and walks.
Before the 2001 season, Tim had surgeries on his foot and shoulder. He also had an abdomen strain during spring training. These injuries made it hard for him to play his best. His batting average dropped to a career low of .227 that year.
In 2002, Tim Salmon bounced back! His regular season stats improved, as he hit .286 with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs. He helped lead the Angels to a fantastic 99-win season. This was the first time Tim had played in the postseason, and the first time the Angels had been there since 1986.
The Angels won their first playoff series against the New York Yankees. Then, they won the American League Championship Series against the Minnesota Twins, earning their first trip to the World Series. In Game 2 of the 2002 World Series, Tim Salmon had an amazing game. He hit two home runs, both of which helped the Angels win a very close game 11-10. Overall, in the World Series, Tim hit .346 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. The Angels defeated the San Francisco Giants to win their first ever World Series championship! Tim was a huge part of that historic win.
Later Seasons and Retirement (2003-2006)
In 2003, Tim Salmon started playing a new role. He shared time in right field with another player and also played as a designated hitter. He finished the season hitting .275 with 19 home runs.
In 2004, Tim mostly played as a designated hitter. In August, it was announced that he needed surgery for a serious shoulder and arm injury. This surgery meant he would likely miss all of the 2005 season. Because his contract was ending, some people thought this injury might mean the end of his career. As expected, he missed the entire 2005 season while recovering.
But Tim Salmon wasn't ready to quit! In January 2006, at 37 years old, he was invited to spring training. He made the team and signed a one-year contract. On May 13, he reached a big milestone: his 1,000th career RBI. He was only the second player in Angels history to drive in 1,000 runs for the team. On September 28, Tim announced he would retire at the end of the 2006 season. He played his final MLB game on October 1, 2006. For his last game, his name and jersey number were cut into the grass of the field at Angel Stadium. Tim Salmon finished his amazing career with a .282 batting average, 299 home runs, and 1,016 RBIs.
Tim Salmon's Legacy
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As of 2025, Tim Salmon is the Angels' all-time leader in walks (965). He is also second in team history for home runs (299), RBIs (1,016), and runs scored (986). He is one of only three Angels players to have won the Rookie of the Year award. The others are Mike Trout (2012) and Shohei Ohtani (2018).
Tim Salmon returned to Angel Stadium in 2010 for an All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game. He received a huge cheer from the crowd. He then hit two home runs and was named the game's MVP!
The Angels have not officially retired Tim Salmon's jersey number, 15. However, the number was not used by any player from his retirement until 2023. On August 22, 2015, Tim Salmon was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame. This happened during a special ceremony at Angel Stadium. He was also inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in 2016.
Life Outside Baseball
Tim Salmon, his wife Marci, and their four children live in Scottsdale, Arizona. When Tim played for the Angels, his family lived in Newport Beach, California. His son played baseball, and his daughter played softball.
Tim Salmon is a Christian. When he played for the Angels, he would lead weekly chapel services for the team. Since 2015, Tim has been the head baseball coach at Scottsdale Christian Academy. He coached his own son on the team from 2015 to 2018.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
