Mark Ellis (baseball)
Mark Ellis | |
---|---|
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Second baseman | |
Born: Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S. | June 6, 1977|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 9, 2002, for the Oakland Athletics | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 27, 2014, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .262 |
Home runs | 105 |
Runs batted in | 550 |
Teams | |
Mark William Ellis (born June 6, 1977) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Oakland Athletics, and also appeared for the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. Ellis posted a career .991 fielding percentage, the fifth-best all-time for a second baseman in MLB history at the time of his retirement.[1]
Early career
Ellis was born in Rapid City, South Dakota. Ellis graduated from Stevens High School in Rapid City in 1995. Also in Ellis' graduating class was WNBA star Becky Hammon. They were voted by their peers as male and female "Class Athletes" of the '95 graduating class.
Ellis is one of three players to have made it to the Major Leagues who played for the Rapid City Post 22
He went on to play for the
Ellis was a ninth-round selection by the
On January 1, 2001, he was acquired by the
Major league career
Oakland Athletics
Ellis made his Major League debut on April 9, 2002, for the Athletics against the
In 2006, Ellis broke
Ellis missed most of the A's 2006 post-season due to a hand injury suffered during Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Minnesota Twins.[10]
On June 4, 2007, Ellis became only the sixth player in Oakland Athletics history to
Ellis missed the last two months of the 2008 season due to cartilage damage in his shoulder. He underwent successful surgery that also fixed a torn labrum from a previous injury.[11]
In October 2008, the Athletics signed Ellis to an $11 million contract through 2010, with an option of extending the deal an additional season.[12]
Colorado Rockies
On June 30, 2011, Ellis was traded to the Colorado Rockies for Bruce Billings and a player to be named later.[13] On September 30, the Athletics announced that they received 22-year-old outfielder Eliezer Mesa to complete the deal.[14]
Los Angeles Dodgers
On November 15, 2011, Ellis signed a two-year, $8.75 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[15]
After a strong start, Ellis's leg was severely injured on May 20, 2012, by a hard slide from Tyler Greene of the St. Louis Cardinals while Ellis was attempting to turn a double play. Initially saying that he was okay, Ellis did not go to the hospital until the following day when he experienced extreme discomfort and swelling in his lower leg. After performing a fasciotomy to allow room within his leg for the swollen muscle tissue, his doctor later said that Ellis might have lost his leg if the surgery had been performed only six or seven hours later than it was.[16][17][18] Doctors said Ellis' injury was a rare one for athletes, but more common for victims of car accidents.[16][17] Ellis was expected to be out for six weeks and did not rejoin the Dodgers till July 4.
Overall, he appeared in 110 games for the Dodgers in 2012, hitting .258 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI.
In 2013, Ellis remained relatively healthy and played in 126 games. He hit .270 with 6 home runs and 48 RBI, helping the Dodgers win the
St. Louis Cardinals
Ellis signed with the St. Louis Cardinals on December 16, 2013.[19] He was placed on the disabled list with an oblique strain on August 19, 2014, after hitting a career-low .192 for the Cardinals.[20]
On February 25, 2015, Ellis announced his retirement.[1]
Pop culture
- In the 2011 film, Moneyball, focusing on the Oakland A's analytical approach to economically assembling a competitive baseball team, the role of Mark Ellis is played by Brent Dohling, the baseball coach of Tarbut V' Torah.[21]
Personal life
Ellis and his wife, Sarah, have three children.[22] They purchased a home in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2007, but sold it in 2020.[23]
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Florida Gators baseball players
References
- ^ a b Slusser, Susan (February 25, 2015). "Longtime A's second baseman Mark Ellis retires". sfgate.com. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
- ^ "Alumni > Mark Ellis". Post 22 Baseball. Archived from the original on February 10, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ "Graduate of the Year | The American Legion". www.legion.org. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ^ "Mark Ellis Statistics: Transactions". Sports Reference, Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ "April 9, 2002 Oakland Athletics at Texas Rangers Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. April 9, 2002. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ "April 18, 2002 Anaheim Angels at Oakland Athletics Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. April 18, 2002. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ "June 28, 2002 San Francisco Giants at Oakland Athletics Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. June 28, 2002. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ Nelson, Steve (April 10, 2004). "Ellis out for the season". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ 2007 Oakland Athletics Media Guide (PDF). MLB Advanced Media. pp. p. 69. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ Quinn, Ryan (October 5, 2006). "Notes: A's defense takes a hit". MLB.com. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ Urban, Mychael (February 17, 2008). "Ellis' hitting is ahead of his throwing". oaklandathletics.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
- ^ Urban, Mychael (October 21, 2008). "Ellis embraces two-year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
- ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben. "Rockies Acquire Mark Ellis". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
- ^ "A's announce coaching staff changes for 2012". Oakland Athletics Press Release. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
- ^ "Dodgers sign Ellis to two-year, $8.75M deal". Losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
- ^ a b Jim Peltz, Quick action probably saved leg of Dodgers' Mark Ellis, Los Angeles Times, Published May 20, 2012, Retrieved May 22, 2012
- ^ a b "Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Mark Ellis almost lost leg after injury at second base – MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN". Msn.foxsports.com. May 21, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
- ^ "- CBSSports.com". cbssports.com. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
- ^ "Cardinals sign veteran 2B Mark Ellis". USA Today. Associated Press. December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
- ^ Ellis placed on DL; Cards call up infielder Garcia
- ^ "Dohling knows Moneyball" by Joe Haakenson. October 1, 2011. Accessed April 29, 2012.
- ^ Baxter, Kevin (September 6, 2013). "Mark Ellis, wife, reach out to stricken family after son's death". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ Flemming, Jack (December 29, 2020). "Former Dodger Mark Ellis sheds Scottsdale home with a batting cage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet