James Mouton
Encyclopedia
James Raleigh Mouton is a former professional baseball
player. An outfielder
, he played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball
, from 1994 until 2001, for the Houston Astros
, San Diego Padres
, Montreal Expos
and Milwaukee Brewers
.
as a second baseman
. He advanced rapidly through their farm system, and was already playing at Triple-A with the Tucson Toros
in 1993. That year, he won the Pacific Coast League
Most Valuable Player award after batting
.315 with 16 home run
s, 92 RBI, and 40 stolen base
s.
right fielder
and leadoff hitter. Although he had never played the outfield in the minor leagues, he fielded reasonably well, finishing 7th in the National League
in defensive WAR. He played in every game that season until the 1994-95 strike ended the season in August, appearing at all three outfield positions. He also finished 10th in the NL in stolen bases with 24.
During the next two seasons, Mouton continued to play semi-regularly for the Astros, playing in over 100 games each year. His statistics remained fairly consistent, batting .262 with 4 home runs, 27 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 1995, and batting .263 with 3 home runs, 34 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 1996. In 1997, however, his batting average dipped to .211, and he managed just 9 steals in 80 games. He was traded during the offseason to the Padres for pitcher
Sean Bergman
.
before retiring.
s, and 148 runs batted in.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. An 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...
, he played all or part of eight seasons 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...
, from 1994 until 2001, for the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, 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...
, Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Early career
Mouton was originally drafted by the Astros in the 7th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft1991 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Other notable players:...
as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. He advanced rapidly through their farm system, and was already playing at Triple-A with the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
in 1993. That year, he won 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...
Most Valuable Player award after batting
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 :...
.315 with 16 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, 92 RBI, and 40 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.
Astros
In 1994, Mouton made his major league debut as the Astros' Opening DayOpening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and leadoff hitter. Although he had never played the outfield in the minor leagues, he fielded reasonably well, finishing 7th in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in defensive WAR. He played in every game that season until the 1994-95 strike ended the season in August, appearing at all three outfield positions. He also finished 10th in the NL in stolen bases with 24.
During the next two seasons, Mouton continued to play semi-regularly for the Astros, playing in over 100 games each year. His statistics remained fairly consistent, batting .262 with 4 home runs, 27 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 1995, and batting .263 with 3 home runs, 34 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 1996. In 1997, however, his batting average dipped to .211, and he managed just 9 steals in 80 games. He was traded during the offseason to the Padres for pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Sean Bergman
Sean Bergman
Sean Frederick Bergman is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, and Minnesota Twins between and...
.
Remaining career
Mouton split the 1998 season between the major league Padres and their top farm club, the Las Vegas Stars. Although he hit .354 in the minors, Mouton hit just .190 with San Diego, and was allowed to become a free agent after the season. Mouton signed with the Expos, spending the 1999 season as their fifth outfielder. He went on to serve in a similar capacity for the Brewers in 2000-01. After spending 2002 in the minor leagues, Mouton played part of the 2003 season in the Mexican League with the Broncos de ReynosaBroncos de Reynosa
The Reynosa Broncos are a Mexican team that play in the Adolfo Lopez Mateos stadium in the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.The Broncos de Reynosa play in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol and it's part of the Zona Norte division....
before retiring.
Career summary
In eight seasons, Mouton played 723 games, and hit .246, 18 home runHome 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, and 148 runs batted in.