Freddy Guzmán
Encyclopedia
Freddy Antonio Guzmán is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies
organization.
by the San Diego Padres
on April 17, . In 2004 he led all minor leaguers in stolen base
s, with 90.
He made his major league debut on August 17, , going 1-5 with a walk
. He got a hit
in his first six games in the majors. He missed all of the season following Tommy John surgery
. Guzman hit his first MLB home run
on September 11, , at Comerica Park
(Detroit Tigers
) off left-handed
pitcher Clay Rapada
. Guzmán is well known in the minor leagues for his base running. He has had 443 stolen base
s over 8 seasons.
He was ranked by Baseball America
as the second-best prospect in the Padres organization in 2004. In 2007, he came to spring training
to compete with Kenny Lofton
, Marlon Byrd
, and Jerry Hairston, Jr.
for playing time in center field, but Guzmán did not make the opening day roster and played the entire season in Triple-A Oklahoma
.
On December 5, 2007, Guzmán was traded to the Detroit Tigers
for Chris Shelton. Just before the end of spring training, he was sent outright to the minors. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.
On May 11, 2009 Guzman was released by the Mariners. On May 16, 2009 he was signed by the Boston Red Sox
and assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket. On July 29, 2009 he was released by the Red Sox. On August 7, 2009 Guzman signed a Minor League contract with the Baltimore Orioles
. On August 31, 2009 the Orioles traded him to the New York Yankees
for a player to be named later. On September 14, Guzmán was called up to the Yankees. In February 2010, Guzmán signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
.
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...
outfielder
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...
who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization.
Baseball career
Guzmán was signed as a non-drafted free agentFree 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....
by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
on April 17, . In 2004 he led all minor leaguers in stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, with 90.
He made his major league debut on August 17, , going 1-5 with a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. He got a hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in his first six games in the majors. He missed all of the season following Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. Guzman hit his first MLB 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...
on September 11, , at Comerica Park
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
(Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
) off left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
pitcher Clay Rapada
Clay Rapada
Clayton Anthony Rapada is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball.-Career:...
. Guzmán is well known in the minor leagues for his base running. He has had 443 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s over 8 seasons.
He was ranked by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as the second-best prospect in the Padres organization in 2004. In 2007, he came to 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...
to compete with Kenny Lofton
Kenny Lofton
Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
, Marlon Byrd
Marlon Byrd
Marlon Jerrard Byrd , popularly known as The Position or The Possish or Sish, is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs...
, and Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Wayne Hairston, Jr. is a Mexican-American professional baseball utility player.-Professional career:...
for playing time in center field, but Guzmán did not make the opening day roster and played the entire season in Triple-A Oklahoma
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
.
On December 5, 2007, Guzmán was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for Chris Shelton. Just before the end of spring training, he was sent outright to the minors. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.
On May 11, 2009 Guzman was released by the Mariners. On May 16, 2009 he was signed by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket. On July 29, 2009 he was released by the Red Sox. On August 7, 2009 Guzman signed a Minor League contract with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. On August 31, 2009 the Orioles traded him to 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...
for a player to be named later. On September 14, Guzmán was called up to the Yankees. In February 2010, Guzmán signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.