Kevin Kouzmanoff
Encyclopedia
Kevin Kouzmanoff is an American
professional baseball
third baseman
who is a free agent.
Kouzmanoff had trouble with various sports in high school. He got special help for batting practice, just to learn how to swing a bat for three years, implementing a swing. He dedicated all his time and effort to make it to college baseball and get drafted. Kouzmanoff is the third player of only four players in history to hit a grand slam
in his first major league at-bat, after Bill Duggleby
in and Jeremy Hermida
in , and followed by Daniel Nava
in . Both Kouzmanoff and Nava hit their slam on the first pitch they saw.
Kouzmanoff is of Macedonian
descent.
and then moved to Evergreen, Colorado
just before high school
started, where he played high school baseball
at Evergreen High School
.
where he hit
.364.
In , he attended the University of Nevada-Reno where as a walk-on he hit .361.
, the Cleveland Indians
selected Kouzmanoff in the 6th round (168th overall).
Kouzmanoff made his professional debut later in 2003 with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers
, hitting .272 with eight home run
s and 33 RBI
in 206 at-bats. Kouzmanoff also played for the Winchester Royals
in Virginia
.
In , Kouzmanoff hit 16 home runs, 87 RBI and a .330 average with the Lake County Captains
of the South Atlantic League
. Bothered by back problems in , he was limited to only 254 at-bats with the Kinston Indians
, but still hit .339 with 12 home runs and 58 RBI.
Starting the season with Double-A
Akron
, Kouzmanoff flirted with a .400 average before finishing at .389 and being promoted to the Buffalo Bisons
in July. He was named the Indians' 2006 Minor League Player of the Year (receiving the "Lou Boudreau
Award").
On September 2, , Kouzmanoff became the 23rd major leaguer to hit a home run on his first Major League pitch, the 12th American League
r to do so, and the second of 2006 (along with Adam Wainwright
of the St. Louis Cardinals
). Kouzmanoff hit a grand slam off of then-Texas Ranger Edinson Volquez
on the first pitch he ever saw in the major leagues, the first player in MLB history ever to do so on the first pitch. (The first-pitch slam feat was equalled by Boston Red Sox rookie Daniel Nava on June 12, 2010, at Fenway Park against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton.)
On November 8, 2006, Kouzmanoff was traded with pitcher
Andrew Brown to San Diego in exchange for second baseman
Josh Barfield
.
In , Kouzmanoff was ninth among all NL rookies in RBI (74; behind Troy Tulowitzki
and Ryan Braun
), 7th in home runs (18; behind Braun, Chris Young, Tulowitzki, and Josh Hamilton), hits (133), and extra base hit
s (50), and tied for 10th in runs
(57).
In he had the worst strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors, 6.04.
In 2009 he set a National League
single-season record for third basemen with a .990 fielding percentage
, committing three errors in 309 total chances. This led to the Hall of Fame calling him and asking if he would donate his glove to them on which he responded; "I have to pick the glove. They aren't getting my gamer!"
Kouzmanoff broke the record of .987 by Colorado's Vinny Castilla
in .
were traded to the Oakland Athletics
for outfielders Scott Hairston
and Aaron Cunningham
.
acquired Kouzmanoff for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Following the season, he was outrighted from the 40-man roster and on October 6, he elected free agency.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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 a free agent.
Kouzmanoff had trouble with various sports in high school. He got special help for batting practice, just to learn how to swing a bat for three years, implementing a swing. He dedicated all his time and effort to make it to college baseball and get drafted. Kouzmanoff is the third player of only four players in history to hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in his first major league at-bat, after Bill Duggleby
Bill Duggleby
William James Duggleby , nicknamed "Frosty Bill," was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. He played from 1898 to 1907. He also played two games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1902 and nine games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1907...
in and Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Ryan Hermida is an outfielder in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.-Early career:...
in , and followed by Daniel Nava
Daniel Nava
Daniel James Nava is a professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization. He plays for the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League....
in . Both Kouzmanoff and Nava hit their slam on the first pitch they saw.
Kouzmanoff is of Macedonian
Macedonians (ethnic group)
The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
descent.
High school
Kouzmanoff grew up in Newport Beach, CaliforniaNewport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
and then moved to Evergreen, Colorado
Evergreen, Colorado
Evergreen is a census-designated place and a U.S. Post Office in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Evergreen is roughly west of Denver. The population was 9,038 at the 2010 census...
just before high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
started, where he played high school baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
at Evergreen High School
Evergreen High School (Evergreen, Colorado)
Evergreen High School is a public secondary institution in the JEFFCO Public Schools district in Evergreen, Colorado, U.S. Until Conifer High School opened in 1996, it served students in both Evergreen and Conifer...
.
College
In , he attended the University of Arkansas at Little RockUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock , is a public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, and the second largest university by enrollment in the state of Arkansas....
where he hit
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 :...
.364.
In , he attended the University of Nevada-Reno where as a walk-on he hit .361.
Cleveland Indians
In the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
, the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
selected Kouzmanoff in the 6th round (168th overall).
Kouzmanoff made his professional debut later in 2003 with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Mahoning Valley Scrappers
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are a minor league baseball club based in Niles, Ohio, a city in the valley of the Mahoning River. The Scrappers play in the Pinckney Division of the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League and are affiliated with the Cleveland Indians Major League...
, hitting .272 with eight 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 and 33 RBI
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 206 at-bats. Kouzmanoff also played for the Winchester Royals
Winchester Royals
The Winchester Royals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Winchester, Virginia. They play in the northern division of the Valley Baseball League....
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
In , Kouzmanoff hit 16 home runs, 87 RBI and a .330 average with the Lake County Captains
Lake County Captains
The Lake County Captains are a minor league baseball team in Eastlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. The team, a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, plays in the Midwest League....
of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. Bothered by back problems in , he was limited to only 254 at-bats with the Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
, but still hit .339 with 12 home runs and 58 RBI.
Starting the season with Double-A
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
Akron
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
, Kouzmanoff flirted with a .400 average before finishing at .389 and being promoted to the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
in July. He was named the Indians' 2006 Minor League Player of the Year (receiving the "Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
Award").
On September 2, , Kouzmanoff became the 23rd major leaguer to hit a home run on his first Major League pitch, the 12th American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
r to do so, and the second of 2006 (along with Adam Wainwright
Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St...
of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
). Kouzmanoff hit a grand slam off of then-Texas Ranger Edinson Volquez
Edinson Volquez
Edinson Volquez [VOL-kez] , is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. He bats and throws right-handed....
on the first pitch he ever saw in the major leagues, the first player in MLB history ever to do so on the first pitch. (The first-pitch slam feat was equalled by Boston Red Sox rookie Daniel Nava on June 12, 2010, at Fenway Park against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton.)
On November 8, 2006, Kouzmanoff was traded with 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...
Andrew Brown to San Diego in exchange for 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...
Josh Barfield
Josh Barfield
Joshua LaRoy Barfield is a second baseman who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He is the son of former major league outfielder Jesse Barfield. Barfield was born in Venezuela during his mother's two-week winterball visit with his father...
.
San Diego Padres
Padres fans were slow to embrace Kouzmanoff at the beginning of the season; Barfield had been popular with fans, and Kouzmanoff endured a slow start. However, he gradually increased his production and fans affectionately began to root “Koooz” when he made plays or got base hits, leading some uninitiated spectators to believe he is being booed.In , Kouzmanoff was ninth among all NL rookies in RBI (74; behind Troy Tulowitzki
Troy Tulowitzki
Troy Trevor Tulowitzki , nicknamed Tulo, is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Colorado Rockies.Tulowitzki's arm, range and instincts at shortstop are highly regarded...
and Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
), 7th in home runs (18; behind Braun, Chris Young, Tulowitzki, and Josh Hamilton), hits (133), and extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s (50), and tied for 10th in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(57).
In he had the worst strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors, 6.04.
In 2009 he set a 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...
single-season record for third basemen with a .990 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...
, committing three errors in 309 total chances. This led to the Hall of Fame calling him and asking if he would donate his glove to them on which he responded; "I have to pick the glove. They aren't getting my gamer!"
Kouzmanoff broke the record of .987 by Colorado's Vinny Castilla
Vinny Castilla
Vinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves...
in .
Oakland Athletics
On January 16, 2010, Kouzmanoff and minor league infielder Eric SogardEric Sogard
Eric Sidney Sogard aka Harry Potter The Wizard of the Baseball Diamond is an infielder for the Oakland Athletics. From Arizona State University, Sogard was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 2nd Round of the 2007 amateur draft...
were traded to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
for outfielders Scott Hairston
Scott Hairston
Scott Alexander Hairston is an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Hairston bats and throws right-handed.-High school years:...
and Aaron Cunningham
Aaron Cunningham
Aaron Roe Ward Cunningham is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres.-Baseball career:Cunningham was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the sixth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft...
.
Colorado Rockies
On August 23, 2011 the Colorado RockiesColorado 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...
acquired Kouzmanoff for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Following the season, he was outrighted from the 40-man roster and on October 6, he elected free agency.