Kila Ka'aihue
Encyclopedia
Micah Kilakila Kaaihue (ˈkiːlə kəʔaɪˈhuːeɪ; born March 29, 1984, in Kailua, Hawaii) is a minor league baseball
player, currently in the Oakland Athletics
organization.
. He was drafted by the Royals in the 15th round (438th overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
.
He played for the Gulf Coast Royals
in , Single-A Burlington Bees
in and , and the Single-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks
in . In , he played for the Double-A Wichita Wranglers
.
Kaaihue split between the Single-A Advanced Wilmington Blue Rocks
and Wichita. In , Kaaihue played for Kansas City's new Double-A affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals
. There, he led the minor leagues in walks, with 104. He also played for the Triple-A Omaha Royals
.
When rosters expanded on September 1, 2008, Kaaihue was called up to the major leagues. He made his major league debut on September 4, . He hit his first major league home run on September 20, 2008.
Kaaihue spent the entire 2009 season in Omaha. He began the 2010 season in Omaha, and was called up to Kansas City in May. In his first Major League at bat that season, he pinch hit
for Willie Bloomquist
in the 8th inning of a May 6 game against the Texas Rangers
, and hit an RBI single that broke an 11-11 tie. After having a disappointing start of the season Kila started getting hot finishing the 2010 Royals season with 8 home runs and 25 runs batting in.
for the Kansas City Royals. He hit a walk-off home run
on April 1 as the Royals beat the Angels
2-1. Mired in a hitting slump from the start of the season, averaging just .195 in 23 games, with only six RBIs and two homers, Kaaihue was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on May 5. Eric Hosmer
was called up to replace him. He was designated for assignment
on September 21, 2011.
September 27, 2011, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics for RHP Phillip Hollingsworth
.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
player, currently in 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....
organization.
Career
Kaaihue went to Iolani High School in Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. He was drafted by the Royals in the 15th round (438th overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
2002 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.This year's draft is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book Moneyball.-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Compensation Selections:...
.
He played for the Gulf Coast Royals
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
in , Single-A Burlington Bees
Burlington Bees
The Burlington Bees are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home is in Burlington, Iowa.-History:...
in and , and the Single-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
in . In , he played for the Double-A Wichita Wranglers
Wichita Wranglers
The Wichita Wranglers were a minor league baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team, which played in the Texas League, was the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major-league club from 1995 to 2007, and of the San Diego Padres from 1987 to 1994. The Wranglers played in...
.
Kaaihue split between the Single-A Advanced Wilmington Blue Rocks
Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
and Wichita. In , Kaaihue played for Kansas City's new Double-A affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas. The team is member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A affiliate to the Kansas City Royals. They relocated to Springdale from Wichita, Kansas in 2008. They were previously known as the...
. There, he led the minor leagues in walks, with 104. He also played for the Triple-A Omaha Royals
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
.
When rosters expanded on September 1, 2008, Kaaihue was called up to the major leagues. He made his major league debut on September 4, . He hit his first major league home run on September 20, 2008.
Kaaihue spent the entire 2009 season in Omaha. He began the 2010 season in Omaha, and was called up to Kansas City in May. In his first Major League at bat that season, he pinch hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for Willie Bloomquist
Willie Bloomquist
William Paul Bloomquist is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played every position, aside from either of the battery positions, during his MLB career....
in the 8th inning of a May 6 game against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, and hit an RBI single that broke an 11-11 tie. After having a disappointing start of the season Kila started getting hot finishing the 2010 Royals season with 8 home runs and 25 runs batting in.
2011
Kaaihue started the 2011 season as the regular first basemanFirst baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
for the Kansas City Royals. He hit a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
on April 1 as the Royals beat the 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...
2-1. Mired in a hitting slump from the start of the season, averaging just .195 in 23 games, with only six RBIs and two homers, Kaaihue was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on May 5. Eric Hosmer
Eric Hosmer
Eric John Hosmer is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
was called up to replace him. He was 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...
on September 21, 2011.
September 27, 2011, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics for RHP Phillip Hollingsworth
Personal
Kaaihue's younger brother, Kala Kaaihue, is a first basemen for the Kansas City T-BonesKansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City T-Bones are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas, in the United States. The T-Bones are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.