Ricky Ledée
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Alberto "Ricky" Ledée (born November 22, 1973 in Ponce
, Puerto Rico
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
who played for the New York Yankees
, Cleveland Indians
, Texas Rangers
, Philadelphia Phillies
, San Francisco Giants
, Los Angeles Dodgers
and New York Mets
in his decade long professional career. He won two World Series
championships with the Yankees in and . Ledée, Darryl Strawberry
, and Jose Vizcaino
are the only players who have played for all four current and former New York franchises—the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers and Giants.
outfielder reached base in eight consecutive plate appearances in the 1998 World Series
and was part of the Yankees' championship teams in both 1998 and 1999.
In , Ledée was batting
only .241 for the Yankees when they traded him with pitcher
s Jake Westbrook
and Zach Day
to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for David Justice
. He played just 17 games for the Indians before they traded him to the Texas Rangers for first baseman
David Segui
. He finished 2000 with the Rangers and was a reserve for the club in . Since then, he has played for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Mets, who claimed him off waivers on August 8, .
Ledée signed a minor league
contract with the Oakland Athletics
on February 2, , and was invited to their spring training
camp, but was released March 25. The Mets signed him to another minor league contract March 31. He was a starting outfielder for their triple-A, Pacific Coast League
affiliate, New Orleans Zephyrs
, when they recalled him to the Major League roster June 8. On July 8, he was designated for assignment.
On June 25, 2004 Ledee was placed on the 15-day disable list by the Philadelphia Phillies following hemorrhoidal surgery. Ledee returned to the active roster on July 8, albeit the worse for wear. Ledee doubled in a game versus the Dodgers but went into 2nd base standing as a result of his inability to slide and possible aggravate his condition.
Ledée retired from baseball on August 21, 2007.
's band, Sonora Ponceña. Ledee appeared in the For Love of the Game
as a member of the New York Yankees
named Ruiz.
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
) 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...
who played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, 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...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in his decade long professional career. He won two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
championships with the Yankees in and . Ledée, Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
, and Jose Vizcaino
José Vizcaíno
José Luis Vizcaíno Pimental is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a backup infielder for most of his MLB career. In , he played a significant role with the Chicago Cubs, having 551 at-bats and being 9th in the National League with 131 singles as well as second in the NL with 9 sacrifice...
are the only players who have played for all four current and former New York franchises—the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers and Giants.
Major League Baseball experience
Drafted in the 16th round by New York in 1990, Ledée didn't break into the Major Leagues until 1998, playing in 42 games with the Yankees. The left-handedLeft-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
outfielder reached base in eight consecutive plate appearances in the 1998 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
and was part of the Yankees' championship teams in both 1998 and 1999.
In , Ledée was batting
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 :...
only .241 for the Yankees when they traded him 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...
s Jake Westbrook
Jake Westbrook
Jacob Cauthen "Jake" Westbrook is an American Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher currently with the St. Louis Cardinals. He is known as a sinker ball pitcher and has also hit a grand slam home run....
and Zach Day
Zach Day
Stephen Zachary Day is a former right-handed sinker-ball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for three teams from 2002 to 2006.He currently resides in Cincinnati with his wife, Megan.-Career history:...
to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for David Justice
David Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
. He played just 17 games for the Indians before they traded him to the Texas Rangers for first baseman
First 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...
David Segui
David Segui
David Vincent Segui, is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman. Segui played collegiate baseball for Louisiana Tech University and Kansas City Kansas Community College. During a 15-year baseball career, he played with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Montreal Expos,...
. He finished 2000 with the Rangers and was a reserve for the club in . Since then, he has played for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Mets, who claimed him off waivers on August 8, .
Ledée signed a minor league
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...
contract with 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....
on February 2, , and was invited to their 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...
camp, but was released March 25. The Mets signed him to another minor league contract March 31. He was a starting outfielder for their triple-A, Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
affiliate, New Orleans Zephyrs
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
, when they recalled him to the Major League roster June 8. On July 8, he was designated for assignment.
On June 25, 2004 Ledee was placed on the 15-day disable list by the Philadelphia Phillies following hemorrhoidal surgery. Ledee returned to the active roster on July 8, albeit the worse for wear. Ledee doubled in a game versus the Dodgers but went into 2nd base standing as a result of his inability to slide and possible aggravate his condition.
Ledée retired from baseball on August 21, 2007.
Personal life
Ledée's late father, Toñito Ledée, was the lead singer of Papo LuccaPapo Lucca
Enrique Arsenio Lucca Quiñonez, better known as Papo Lucca, born on April 10, 1946, Ponce, Puerto Rico.Papo Lucca is a famous Puerto Rican multi-instrumentalist , but is best known as a pianist. Main musical genre focus are Salsa and Latin Jazz...
's band, Sonora Ponceña. Ledee appeared in the For Love of the Game
For Love of the Game (film)
For Love of the Game is a 1999 American drama sports film based on the novel of the same title by Michael Shaara...
as a member of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
named Ruiz.