Chad Tracy
Encyclopedia
Chad Austin Tracy (born May 22, 1980 in Charlotte, North Carolina
) is a Major League Baseball
third baseman
, who is currently with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
.
during his career at East Carolina University
. He was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks
in the seventh round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
.
, for the El Paso Diablos
. In four minor league seasons, Tracy hit .335 with 24 home run
s, 85 doubles
, and 206 RBIs
in 337 games
. In , he was selected to participate in the Futures Game
during the All-Star
break as the starting third baseman on the U.S. squad.
in 143 games. He led NL third basemen with 25 errors
, and he had a major-league-low .935 fielding percentage
at third.
In , Tracy had a breakout season, as he batted .308 (7th-best in the league) with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs. He also had a slugging percentage of .533, 10th-best in the NL.
Tracy's numbers dipped in the season. He batted .281 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs. His slugging percentage went down over 100 points from his 2005 total, going from .553 to .451. His 129 strikeout
s went up as they nearly doubled his 2005 total. He also tied Edwin Encarnacion
for the major league lead in errors by a third baseman, with 25, as he again had a .935 fielding percentage at third base.
His numbers dipped again in 2007, as he batted .264—the lowest batting average of his major league career. He batted .222 with 2 out and runners in scoring position
.
In 2008 he had his lowest on base percentage (.308) and slugging percentage (.414) of his major league career, as he batted .267. He again batted .222 with 2 out and runners in scoring position.
, who was called up to the Diamondbacks after hitting .356 for the Reno Aces
with a .477 on base percentage (2nd in the Pacific Coast League
) and a .552 slugging percentage. Manager Bob Melvin
said Whitesell would get a chance to play every day, and that Tracy "is going to pinch hit, (and) he's going to fill in at third and first for a while." That did not last long, however, as on May 19, not even two weeks later, Melvin had been fired as manager and the team optioned Whitesell back to Reno.
A right-oblique strain that Tracy suffered May 29 led to him being placed on the 15-day disabled list
. Tracy came off the disabled list after missing 27 games.
Tony Clark
was released in mid-July, and Whitesell was called back up for the third time in the season to replace him on July 16. Tracy said:
with an invite to spring training. The deal was announced on January 27, 2010. On March 29, the Cubs announced that Tracy had made the major league Cubs' 25 man roster. On May 7, Tracy was sent down to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
to make room for Starlin Castro
. Tracy was designated for assignment
by the Cubs. Tracy was released by the Cubs on July 1, 2010.
Tracy signed with the New York Yankees
on July 9, 2010, and he was assigned to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees but eventually opted out of his contract, making him a Free Agent.
Tracy signed with the Florida Marlins
on August 5, 2010.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, who is currently with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
.
College & draft
Tracy compiled a .339 batting averageBatting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
during his career at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. He was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in the seventh round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
.
Minor league career
He played third base in El Paso, TexasEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, for the El Paso Diablos
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
. In four minor league seasons, Tracy hit .335 with 24 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 85 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 206 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 337 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. In , he was selected to participate in the Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
during the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
break as the starting third baseman on the U.S. squad.
2004–08
Tracy made his major league debut with Arizona in . He finished his rookie season with a .285 average, eight home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .343 on base percentageOn base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
in 143 games. He led NL third basemen with 25 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, and he had a major-league-low .935 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
at third.
In , Tracy had a breakout season, as he batted .308 (7th-best in the league) with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs. He also had a slugging percentage of .533, 10th-best in the NL.
Tracy's numbers dipped in the season. He batted .281 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs. His slugging percentage went down over 100 points from his 2005 total, going from .553 to .451. His 129 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s went up as they nearly doubled his 2005 total. He also tied Edwin Encarnacion
Edwin Encarnación
Edwin Elpidio Encarnación , is a Dominican Republic Major League Baseball utility player with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 6 ft 2 in, 235-pound Encarnación bats and throws right-handed....
for the major league lead in errors by a third baseman, with 25, as he again had a .935 fielding percentage at third base.
His numbers dipped again in 2007, as he batted .264—the lowest batting average of his major league career. He batted .222 with 2 out and runners in scoring position
Scoring position
In the sport of baseball, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit, while a runner on second or third...
.
In 2008 he had his lowest on base percentage (.308) and slugging percentage (.414) of his major league career, as he batted .267. He again batted .222 with 2 out and runners in scoring position.
2009
On May 6, 2009, Tracy (who was batting .224) was taken out of the starting lineup, replaced by Josh WhitesellJosh Whitesell
Joshua S. Whitesell is a 6' 1", 225-pound left-handed professional baseball first baseman for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball....
, who was called up to the Diamondbacks after hitting .356 for the Reno Aces
Reno Aces
The Reno Aces are a minor league baseball franchise based in Reno, Nevada, in the United States. The team is a member of the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks....
with a .477 on base percentage (2nd in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
) and a .552 slugging percentage. Manager Bob Melvin
Bob Melvin
Robert Paul Melvin is the manager of the Oakland Athletics, and a former Major League Baseball catcher.During a 10-year playing career, he played from 1985–94 for seven different teams...
said Whitesell would get a chance to play every day, and that Tracy "is going to pinch hit, (and) he's going to fill in at third and first for a while." That did not last long, however, as on May 19, not even two weeks later, Melvin had been fired as manager and the team optioned Whitesell back to Reno.
A right-oblique strain that Tracy suffered May 29 led to him being placed on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. Tracy came off the disabled list after missing 27 games.
Tony Clark
Tony Clark
Anthony Christopher Clark, known as Tony , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current MLB Network studio analyst....
was released in mid-July, and Whitesell was called back up for the third time in the season to replace him on July 16. Tracy said:
Obviously, I want the playing time, I want to be out there every day. Right now, there are a lot of question marks, especially for me, and some of the other guys that are on their last year of their contract or have some value to be traded, so I think we're probably at that point now where anything can happen. I wouldn't be surprised by anything.Manager AJ Hinch spoke with Tracy, who was batting a career-low .222 with a .288 on base percentage at the time, and Whitesell on July 17. He told them that Whitesell would get the bulk of the action at first base, starting four or five times a week "for the time being". After the 2009 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks did not pick up Tracy's 2010 option which permitted Tracy to file for free agency.
2010
On January 26, 2010, Tracy signed a minor league contract with the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
with an invite to spring training. The deal was announced on January 27, 2010. On March 29, the Cubs announced that Tracy had made the major league Cubs' 25 man roster. On May 7, Tracy was sent down to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
to make room for Starlin Castro
Starlin Castro
Starlin Dejesus Castro is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Chicago Cubs.-Minor Leagues:...
. Tracy was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
by the Cubs. Tracy was released by the Cubs on July 1, 2010.
Tracy signed with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
on July 9, 2010, and he was assigned to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees but eventually opted out of his contract, making him a Free Agent.
Tracy signed with the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
on August 5, 2010.