Chris Latham (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Joseph Latham (born May 26, 1973) is a former outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. He is a switch hitter
who is 6'0" tall, weighs 195 pounds, and throws right-handed.
in Henderson, Nevada
, and in 1991 the Los Angeles Dodgers
selected him in the June amateur draft, taking him with the 300th overall pick as part of the draft's 11th round. Latham enjoyed a breakout season with the Yakima Bears
of the Northwest League
in 1994, setting a club record with a .340 batting average
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:su4f4FLgETEJ:www.yakimabears.com/news.asp%3Fid%3D93. Latham also made the Northwest League's All-Star
team that season,http://tsf.waymoresports.thestar.com/thestar/baseball/player.cgi?1743 establishing himself as a prospect.
The Major League Baseball Players Association
went on strike late in 1994, and as a result major league organizations attempted to field teams of replacement players in the spring training
before the 1995 season. Latham was one of the Dodgers' replacement players that spring, but the two sides reached a deal before any regular-season replacement games were played.
On October 30, 1995, Latham was chosen as the player to be named later
in a deal that had been concluded on July 31. Los Angeles received pitchers Kevin Tapani
and Mark Guthrie
from the Minnesota Twins
, with Latham, Ron Coomer
, Greg Hansell
and José Parra
going the other way. Latham made his major league debut with the Twins on April 12, 1997, appearing as a pinch runner
for Todd Walker
in an 11-6 win over the Kansas City Royals
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B04120KCA1997.htm. He spent parts of the next three seasons with the Twins, but struggled to establish himself in the major leagues, and was traded to the Colorado Rockies
for Scott Randall
on December 7, 1999.
Latham spent all of the 2000 season at the AAA level, then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays
organization as a minor league free agent
. He enjoyed his most successful major league season with the Blue Jays in 2001, batting .274 with a .369 on base percentage
and a .425 slugging percentage in 73 at bat
s. After another season in AAA, he spent a brief time with the New York Yankees
in 2003, then signed with Japan's Yomiuri Giants
after being designated for assignment
.
Latham spent the 2005 season with the independent Bridgeport Bluefish
of the Atlantic League
. Most recently, he represented the United States
in the 2005 World Cup of Baseball
, as one of four outfielders on America's team http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/050829worldcup.html.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in 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...
. He is a switch hitter
Switch hitter
In baseball, a switch-hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed.-Baseball:Usually, right-handed batters hit better against left-handed pitchers and vice-versa. Most curveballs break away from batters hitting from the same side as the opposing pitcher. Such pitches are often...
who is 6'0" tall, weighs 195 pounds, and throws right-handed.
Baseball career
Latham played baseball at Basic High SchoolBasic High School
Basic High School is a nine-month public high school that is part of the Clark County School District and is located in Henderson, Nevada. It has five "Smaller Learning Communities": Freshman Academy; Institute of Business, Technology, and Mass Communication; Institute of Health, Wellness, and...
in Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
, and in 1991 the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
selected him in the June amateur draft, taking him with the 300th overall pick as part of the draft's 11th round. Latham enjoyed a breakout season with the Yakima Bears
Yakima Bears
The Yakima Bears are a minor league baseball team in Yakima, Washington. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2001, formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers from the team's creation in 1990 when the Salem...
of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
in 1994, setting a club record with a .340 batting average
Batting 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 :...
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:su4f4FLgETEJ:www.yakimabears.com/news.asp%3Fid%3D93. Latham also made the Northwest League's All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team that season,http://tsf.waymoresports.thestar.com/thestar/baseball/player.cgi?1743 establishing himself as a prospect.
The Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
went on strike late in 1994, and as a result major league organizations attempted to field teams of replacement players in the spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
before the 1995 season. Latham was one of the Dodgers' replacement players that spring, but the two sides reached a deal before any regular-season replacement games were played.
On October 30, 1995, Latham was chosen as the player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
in a deal that had been concluded on July 31. Los Angeles received pitchers Kevin Tapani
Kevin Tapani
Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:...
and Mark Guthrie
Mark Guthrie
Mark Andrew Guthrie is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was a member of the 1991 World Series Champion Minnesota Twins....
from the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, with Latham, Ron Coomer
Ron Coomer
Ronald "Coom Dawg" Coomer is a former first baseman and third baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 9-year career from to . He played for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Greg Hansell
Greg Hansell
Gregory Michael Hansell in Bellflower, California, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Hansell played for four different major league ballclubs during his career: the Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins , Milwaukee Brewers , and Pittsburgh Pirates...
and José Parra
José Parra (baseball)
José Miguel Parra was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played from -. He also played two seasons in Japan, for the Yomiuri Giants in and the Orix Buffaloes in , as well as in South Korea and Taiwan.-External links:...
going the other way. Latham made his major league debut with the Twins on April 12, 1997, appearing as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
for Todd Walker
Todd Walker
Todd Arthur Walker is a former Major League Baseball infielder.-College:Walker attended LSU where he led the Tigers to the 1993 national championship. He also earned the 1993 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award. In 2006, Walker was elected to the LSU Hall of Fame...
in an 11-6 win over the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B04120KCA1997.htm. He spent parts of the next three seasons with the Twins, but struggled to establish himself in the major leagues, and was traded to the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
for Scott Randall
Scott Randall
Scott Phillip Randall is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He appeared in 15 games for the Cincinnati Reds .-External links:...
on December 7, 1999.
Latham spent all of the 2000 season at the AAA level, then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
organization as a minor league free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He enjoyed his most successful major league season with the Blue Jays in 2001, batting .274 with a .369 on base percentage
On 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...
and a .425 slugging percentage in 73 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. After another season in AAA, he spent a brief time 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...
in 2003, then signed with Japan's Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
after being 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...
.
Latham spent the 2005 season with the independent Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. Most recently, he represented the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 2005 World Cup of Baseball
World Cup of Baseball
The Baseball World Cup is an international tournament in which national baseball teams from around the world compete. It is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation . Along with the World Baseball Classic, it is one of two active tournaments considered by the IBAF to be a major world...
, as one of four outfielders on America's team http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/050829worldcup.html.