Ryan Klesko
Ryan Klesko | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Klesko with the San Francisco Giants in 2007 | |||||||||||||||
Left fielder / First baseman | |||||||||||||||
Born: Westminster, California, U.S. | June 12, 1971|||||||||||||||
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |||||||||||||||
MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
September 12, 1992, for the Atlanta Braves | |||||||||||||||
Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
September 29, 2007, for the San Francisco Giants | |||||||||||||||
MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
Batting average | .279 | ||||||||||||||
Home runs | 278 | ||||||||||||||
Runs batted in | 987 | ||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Ryan Anthony Klesko (born June 12, 1971) is an American former
Early life
Klesko was born on June 12, 1971, in
Klesko attended
Professional career
Klesko hit a home run in three consecutive World Series games against the
Klesko hit at least 21 home runs in eight of his 13 seasons in the major leagues, with a high of 34 homers in 1996. His most productive season came in 2001, when he hit .286 with 30 home runs and posted career highs in RBI (113), runs (105), stolen bases (23) and slugging percentage (.539), and made the National League All-Star team. In 2002, Klesko hit .300 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI, and collected career-highs in hits (162) and doubles (39). Defensively he shuttled around the outfield and first base. In his career, Klesko compiled a .370 on-base percentage with a .500 slugging average, for an .870 OPS. His .525 slugging percentage as a Brave ranks fourth all-time among the team's career leaders, ahead of Eddie Mathews. His .886 OPS as a Brave ranks him fifth among Braves' all-time leaders.[8]
Klesko missed nearly the entire 2006 season due to major shoulder surgery. He returned on September 21, drawing a walk as a pinch-hitter in his first plate appearance. On December 19, 2006, Klesko signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. Klesko announced his retirement from baseball on April 18, 2008.[9]
Off the field
As of 2019, Klesko serves as a pre-game and post-game analyst for the
Klesko and fellow former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz were named in a tax dispute involving conservation easement for a 1,546-acre non-cash donation the two made on behalf of a partnership the two formed in the early 1990s.[12] On 25 April 2024, the court cleared the two of fraud charges, but reduced the assessed value of the donated easement to one-tenth of the claimed amount, and imposed a 40% penalty.[13][14]
See also
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
References
- ^ a b Rosenberg, B. J. (July 8, 2015). "Braves Recall: Ryan Klesko". The Atlanta Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Mell, Randall (February 27, 1993). "Mom's the Word in Klesko's Youth". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (April 7, 1994). "Klesko Is Atlanta's Long Man". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ "Westminster's Klesko Will Attend Arizona St". Los Angeles Times. 6 May 1989. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
- ^ Dean, Matt (January 9, 2018). "Braves Slugger, World Series Hero Ryan Klesko Signs on for Hot Stove Banquet". milb.com. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ "1995 World Series Game 3, Braves at Indians, October 24". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ "1995 World Series Game 4, Braves at Indians, October 25". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ "Atlanta Braves Top 10 Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Klesko retiring from majors after 16-year career, agent says". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- ^ "Feature: Ryan Klesko - Former Major League Baseball Player". SouthernJournalMagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ^ "Klesko, Bobick and Patulski to be inducted into Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame". SportsHeritage.org. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ^ Tax Court Slashes $47.6 Million Deduction Claim, Backs Penalty Bloomber Tax, 25 April 2024
- ^ Partnership Gets a Tenth of Claimed Conservation Easement Deduction Tax Notes Research, 25 April 2024
- ^ Tax Court Strikes out Smoltz and Klesko’s Big K SCE, but Provides Relief for Those Facing Fraud Allegations Polsinelli, 21 May 2024
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)