Reggie Abercrombie
Encyclopedia
Reginald Damascus Abercrombie (born July 15, 1981 in Columbus, Georgia
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
now playing for the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.
. He was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 23rd round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
, but chose to attend Lake City Community College
in Florida
during the 1999-2000 school year. After a strong spring training
in 2006, in which he batted .358 with a .394 on-base percentage and a .627 slugging percentage, the Florida Marlins
called him up to the big club.
His ascent to the Majors was somewhat surprising, considering he had only had brief stints above Single-A ball. Though once viewed as a marginal prospect, the Marlins had high hopes for him. In 2006, he joined a rookie cast that included Hanley Ramírez
, Dan Uggla
, Jeremy Hermida
, Josh Johnson, Josh Willingham
, Eric Reed
, Mike Jacobs, and Scott Olsen
, a group that overperformed considering the meager expectations, which were placed on them due to the frugal nature of Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria
. Abercrombie had some high points, but overall he did not stick as a starter for the Marlins in 2006 and ended up with only 281 plate appearances, a batting average of .212, an on-base percentage of .271, and a slugging percentage of .333, all well below the league averages.
Though he never materialized into a consistent option for the Marlins, on April 19, 2006, while playing against the Cincinnati Reds
in the Great American Ballpark, Abercrombie, facing pitcher Mike Gosling
, hit a home run
486 feet, according to Hit Tracker Online's Standard Distance (considered "the best way of comparing home runs hit under a variety of different conditions" by the website). This home run was the furthest recorded distance of any home run since Hit Tracker has kept track of HR distances, until on September 27, 2008, Adam Dunn
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
hit a home run of Standard Distance 501 feet.
In the 2007 season, Abercrombie saw less time in the majors and again slumped at the plate there, with a .197 batting average
, .238 on-base percentage, and .316 slugging percentage in 80 plate appearances. He spent most of the season, however, with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
, where he hit very well, with a .323 batting average, .361 on-base percentage, and .584 slugging percentage in 379 plate appearances.
claimed him off waivers from the Marlins. He was sent outright to the minors on March 28, 2008. On June 7, his contract was purchased from the minors, and was added to the active roster. He was designated for assignment on July 6. After being sent outright to the minors, he was recalled to the Astros on August 9. Although he only got 60 plate appearances in the major leagues, he had fairly good statistics in his time there, finishing the season with a .309 batting average and a .509 slugging percentage. On January 5, , he re-signed with the Houston Astros.+++
On April 11, 2011, it was reported that he re-signed with the Fighting Pheasants.
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
) is a former 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...
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...
now playing for the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.
Professional career
Abercrombie aka kool aid graduated from Columbus High SchoolColumbus High School (Columbus, Georgia)
Columbus High School is located in Columbus, Georgia, USA. It serves as one of the Muscogee County School District's Liberal Arts Magnet school. It opened in 1890 and has been located throughout the city. In the 2006–2007 school year it was ranked #9. In 2005, the school shared the ranking as the...
. He was selected by 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...
in the 23rd round of 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...
, but chose to attend Lake City Community College
Lake City Community College
Florida Gateway College , formerly Lake City Community College, is a state college in Lake City, Florida, U.S. It is part of the Florida College System...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
during the 1999-2000 school year. After a strong 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...
in 2006, in which he batted .358 with a .394 on-base percentage and a .627 slugging percentage, 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...
called him up to the big club.
His ascent to the Majors was somewhat surprising, considering he had only had brief stints above Single-A ball. Though once viewed as a marginal prospect, the Marlins had high hopes for him. In 2006, he joined a rookie cast that included Hanley Ramírez
Hanley Ramirez
Hanley Ramirez is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2009, Ramírez won the NL batting title and is a three-time All-Star starter...
, Dan Uggla
Dan Uggla
Daniel Cooley Uggla is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball....
, 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:...
, Josh Johnson, Josh Willingham
Josh Willingham
Joshua David Willingham is an American Major League Baseball left fielder. He has played for the Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics.-Early years:...
, Eric Reed
Eric Reed
Eric Shane Reed is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He is an alumnus of Texas A&M University...
, Mike Jacobs, and Scott Olsen
Scott Olsen
Scott Matthew Olsen is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:Olsen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan...
, a group that overperformed considering the meager expectations, which were placed on them due to the frugal nature of Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria
Jeffrey Loria
Jeffrey H. Loria is an art dealer and is the owner of the Miami Marlins. Raised in Manhattan, Loria took an early interest in baseball, attending his first New York Yankees game in the late 1940s. Loria attended New York City's Stuyvesant High School and Yale University, where he initially took...
. Abercrombie had some high points, but overall he did not stick as a starter for the Marlins in 2006 and ended up with only 281 plate appearances, a batting average of .212, an on-base percentage of .271, and a slugging percentage of .333, all well below the league averages.
Though he never materialized into a consistent option for the Marlins, on April 19, 2006, while playing against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the Great American Ballpark, Abercrombie, facing pitcher Mike Gosling
Mike Gosling
Michael Frederick Gosling is a retired left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who was most recently with the Cleveland Indians organization.-Minnesota Twins:...
, hit a 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...
486 feet, according to Hit Tracker Online's Standard Distance (considered "the best way of comparing home runs hit under a variety of different conditions" by the website). This home run was the furthest recorded distance of any home run since Hit Tracker has kept track of HR distances, until on September 27, 2008, Adam Dunn
Adam Dunn
Adam Troy Dunn , nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed....
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
hit a home run of Standard Distance 501 feet.
In the 2007 season, Abercrombie saw less time in the majors and again slumped at the plate there, with a .197 batting average
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 :...
, .238 on-base percentage, and .316 slugging percentage in 80 plate appearances. He spent most of the season, however, with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
, where he hit very well, with a .323 batting average, .361 on-base percentage, and .584 slugging percentage in 379 plate appearances.
Houston Astros
On October 11, 2007, the Houston AstrosHouston 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...
claimed him off waivers from the Marlins. He was sent outright to the minors on March 28, 2008. On June 7, his contract was purchased from the minors, and was added to the active roster. He was designated for assignment on July 6. After being sent outright to the minors, he was recalled to the Astros on August 9. Although he only got 60 plate appearances in the major leagues, he had fairly good statistics in his time there, finishing the season with a .309 batting average and a .509 slugging percentage. On January 5, , he re-signed with the Houston Astros.+++
Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants
He is a popular player in Sioux Falls due to his help in leading the Pheasants to the championship series.On April 11, 2011, it was reported that he re-signed with the Fighting Pheasants.