Matt Diaz
Encyclopedia
Matthew Edward Diaz is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who plays for the Atlanta Braves
. He grew up in Lakeland, Florida.
, Diaz helped lead the Seminoles to two College World Series
appearances, including the title game vs. the University of Miami
. He was named the Sporting News man of the Year in , and a First Team All-America
n (American Baseball Coaches Association, National Baseball College Writers' Association) in 1999.
in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
in the 17th round.
Despite being among the Devil Rays' minor league career leaders in hits
and extra base hit
s, Diaz had a tough time in the majors, hitting only .167 in 30 at-bats in his two years with the Devil Rays. After being released by Tampa Bay, Diaz signed with the Kansas City Royals
where he hit .281 with 10 extra base hits (including 1 home run
) and 12 RBI
in a backup role in .
for minor league pitcher Ricardo Rodríguez. Diaz earned a backup outfielder spot for the Braves during spring training
. Appearing in 124 games, including many starting assignments in the second half of the season, Diaz batted .327 in 297 at-bats. On August 14, 2006, Diaz had four hits for the second straight day and tied the National League
record with ten straight hits. He grounded out in the 9th inning to end the streak.
Diaz had his first career two-homer game on August 29, , against the Florida Marlins
. On September 5, he hit a three-run walk-off double
in the bottom of the ninth to give the Braves a 9-8 win. Diaz finished the season with a career-high .338 batting average in 124 games.
.
. Pittsburgh also sent cash to the Braves in the deal.
Jonny Diaz
.
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 plays for the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. He grew up in Lakeland, Florida.
Amateur career
As a two-year starter at Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, Diaz helped lead the Seminoles to two College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
appearances, including the title game vs. the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. He was named the Sporting News man of the Year in , and a First Team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (American Baseball Coaches Association, National Baseball College Writers' Association) in 1999.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
in the 17th round.
Despite being among the Devil Rays' minor league career leaders in hits
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....
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, Diaz had a tough time in the majors, hitting only .167 in 30 at-bats in his two years with the Devil Rays. After being released by Tampa Bay, Diaz signed with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
where he hit .281 with 10 extra base hits (including 1 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...
) and 12 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 a backup role in .
Atlanta Braves
On December 19, 2005, Diaz was traded to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for minor league pitcher Ricardo Rodríguez. Diaz earned a backup outfielder spot for the Braves during 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...
. Appearing in 124 games, including many starting assignments in the second half of the season, Diaz batted .327 in 297 at-bats. On August 14, 2006, Diaz had four hits for the second straight day and tied 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...
record with ten straight hits. He grounded out in the 9th inning to end the streak.
Diaz had his first career two-homer game on August 29, , against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. On September 5, he hit a three-run walk-off double
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....
in the bottom of the ninth to give the Braves a 9-8 win. Diaz finished the season with a career-high .338 batting average in 124 games.
Pittsburgh Pirates
In December 2010, Diaz agreed to a two year, $4.25 million contract with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
Atlanta Braves
On August 31st 2011, Diaz was traded back to the Braves for a player to be named laterPlayer to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
. Pittsburgh also sent cash to the Braves in the deal.
Personal
A born-again Christian, Diaz and his wife Leslee have three kids, Nathan Everett, Anna Grace, and Matthew Jacob. His brother is contemporary Christian singerContemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
Jonny Diaz
Jonny Diaz
Jonny Diaz is an American contemporary Christian pop artist originally from Lakeland, Florida. His song "More Beautiful You" has charted on American Christian music charts...
.
Quotes
- On not being an everyday player: "[A] lot of people would think about the money they're not making if they don't play every day, but we all make enough money."