Kevin Stocker
Encyclopedia
Kevin Douglas Stocker is a former Major League Baseball
shortstop
and switch-hitter. Stocker played with the Philadelphia Phillies
(-), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (-) and Anaheim Angels
(2000).
Stocker was drafted by Philadelphia in . He made his debut on July 7, 1993 at Veterans Stadium
, in a marathon game that lasted 6 hours and 10 minutes. Stocker played all 20 innings in the defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers
7-6. Stocker was credited with a game-saving play in the tenth inning when he made a miraculous throw to home-plate for a force-out.
In his rookie season, Stocker batted
.324 with two home run
s and 31 RBI
in 70 games. He was the regular Phillies shortstop through the 1997 season. In 1997 he enjoyed his best season, compiling career-highs in games played
(149), runs (51), doubles
(23) and stolen base
s (11), adding five triples
, four homers and 41 RBI.
During the 1997 expansion draft, Stocker was traded to Tampa Bay in exchange for Bobby Abreu
. After two-plus seasons, he was released and signed with Anaheim. In eight-season career, Stocker batted .254 with 23 home runs and 248 RBI. He now owns an Emerald City Smoothie franchise in Washington.
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...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and switch-hitter. Stocker played 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...
(-), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (-) and Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(2000).
Stocker was drafted by Philadelphia in . He made his debut on July 7, 1993 at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, in a marathon game that lasted 6 hours and 10 minutes. Stocker played all 20 innings in the defeat of 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...
7-6. Stocker was credited with a game-saving play in the tenth inning when he made a miraculous throw to home-plate for a force-out.
In his rookie season, Stocker batted
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 :...
.324 with two 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 31 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 70 games. He was the regular Phillies shortstop through the 1997 season. In 1997 he enjoyed his best season, compiling career-highs in games played
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,...
(149), runs (51), 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....
(23) and 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 (11), adding five triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, four homers and 41 RBI.
During the 1997 expansion draft, Stocker was traded to Tampa Bay in exchange for Bobby Abreu
Bobby Abreu
Bob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....
. After two-plus seasons, he was released and signed with Anaheim. In eight-season career, Stocker batted .254 with 23 home runs and 248 RBI. He now owns an Emerald City Smoothie franchise in Washington.