Ryan Roberts
Encyclopedia
Ryan Alan Roberts is a Major League Baseball
infielder
for the Arizona Diamondbacks
. A right-handed batter, Roberts is 5' 11" tall and weighs 190 pounds. He is married to actress Kim Camille. Roberts has over 30 tattoo
s.
, Roberts' team won an NJCAA Division III World Series his sophomore year at Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite, Texas
. Roberts was an All-American with a .475 batting average
, 17 home run
s, and 73 RBIs
, and was named a MAC All-Conference and All-American Selection at shortstop. Roberts transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington
. After his senior year in , he was named Southland Conference
Player of the Year and Hitter of the Year. He was among the conference leaders in eight different offensive categories, was first-team all-SLC as a third baseman, and was also named to several All-America teams. In 2003, Baseball America
analyst John Manuel
described Roberts as the best player on UTA's squad which also included Hunter Pence now with the Philadelphia Phillies.
selected Roberts with the 530th overall pick of the 2003 draft, in the 18th round. Roberts signed with the Blue Jays and made his professional debut in the New York-Penn League. In 2003, after Roberts had been drafted, Manuel described him in an online chat as an "interesting sleeper", and said that "his best tool is his bat".
He was named to the Eastern League
All-Star
team. The Blue Jays allocated Roberts to the Arizona Fall League
that off-season, and on November 18 of that year, they purchased his contract from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
and added him to their 40-man roster.
Roberts began the season in Triple-A Syracuse before being called up to the 25-man Toronto Blue Jays roster. On August 3, 2006, Roberts connected on a solo home run in Yankee Stadium
for his first major league hit
in his second ever major league game.
In 2007 Roberts batted .249 in AAA, and then went 1–13 in the major leagues. After the season, Roberts' was released by the Blue Jays. Roberts signed on November 21, 2007, with the Texas Rangers with a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training
.
In November 2008, Roberts signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks
. He made the opening day roster for the first time in his career. He has played mostly as a utility player during the 2009 season with the Diamondbacks.
Through June 13, 2009, Roberts had a .274 batting average in the minor leagues, and a .243 batting average in the major leagues in 111 at bats.
When the Diamondbacks traded second baseman Felipe López on July 20, 2009, Ryan Roberts was named the DBacks everyday second baseman. At first, it was believed he would split time with veteran Augie Ojeda
, but due to his performance he has earned the everyday role. Since becoming the everyday second baseman, Roberts has hit 5 home runs with 10 RBIs and has compiled a .368 batting average, the third best in that span. In the 2009 Season, Roberts hit .279 with 8 home runs and 25 RBI, while playing at second base for 57 games, third base for 19 games, and left field for 16 games.
In game 4 of the NLDS
against the Brewers
, Roberts blasted a two-out grand slam in the first inning to help keep the Diamondbacks alive in the postseason. This home run came only a week after Roberts' first career grand slam, a game-winning "ultimate grand slam" capping a dramatic 10th inning rally to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers
7-6.
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...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
for 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...
. A right-handed batter, Roberts is 5' 11" tall and weighs 190 pounds. He is married to actress Kim Camille. Roberts has over 30 tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s.
College career
After graduating from L. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas)L. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas)
Lawrence Dale Bell High School, more commonly known as L. D. Bell High School, is a public high school in the cities of Hurst and Bedford, Texas and part of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. The school is named for Lawrence Dale Bell, the founder of nearby Bell Helicopter...
, Roberts' team won an NJCAA Division III World Series his sophomore year at Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite is a city located within the Dallas/Ft.Worth area of Texas. As of the 2010 US Census, the population was 139,824.-History:The city was founded May 22, 1873, by a Texas & Pacific Railway engineer who purchased land along the Texas & Pacific line outside of Dallas...
. Roberts was an All-American with a .475 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 :...
, 17 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 73 RBIs
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...
, and was named a MAC All-Conference and All-American Selection at shortstop. Roberts transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university located in Arlington, Texas, United States. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military...
. After his senior year in , he was named Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
Player of the Year and Hitter of the Year. He was among the conference leaders in eight different offensive categories, was first-team all-SLC as a third baseman, and was also named to several All-America teams. In 2003, Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
analyst John Manuel
John Manuel
John C. Manuel is co-editor-in-chief of the Durham, N.C.,-based magazine Baseball America and its website BaseballAmerica.com. He also contributes to BA books such as the Prospect Handbook and Almanac and co-hosts BA Podcasts...
described Roberts as the best player on UTA's squad which also included Hunter Pence now with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Professional career
The Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
selected Roberts with the 530th overall pick of the 2003 draft, in the 18th round. Roberts signed with the Blue Jays and made his professional debut in the New York-Penn League. In 2003, after Roberts had been drafted, Manuel described him in an online chat as an "interesting sleeper", and said that "his best tool is his bat".
He was named to the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team. The Blue Jays allocated Roberts to the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
that off-season, and on November 18 of that year, they purchased his contract from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a minor league baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major-league club....
and added him to their 40-man roster.
Roberts began the season in Triple-A Syracuse before being called up to the 25-man Toronto Blue Jays roster. On August 3, 2006, Roberts connected on a solo home run in Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
for his first major league hit
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....
in his second ever major league game.
In 2007 Roberts batted .249 in AAA, and then went 1–13 in the major leagues. After the season, Roberts' was released by the Blue Jays. Roberts signed on November 21, 2007, with the Texas Rangers with a minor league contract with an invitation to 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 November 2008, Roberts signed a minor league deal with 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...
. He made the opening day roster for the first time in his career. He has played mostly as a utility player during the 2009 season with the Diamondbacks.
Through June 13, 2009, Roberts had a .274 batting average in the minor leagues, and a .243 batting average in the major leagues in 111 at bats.
When the Diamondbacks traded second baseman Felipe López on July 20, 2009, Ryan Roberts was named the DBacks everyday second baseman. At first, it was believed he would split time with veteran Augie Ojeda
Augie Ojeda
Octavio "Augie" Ojeda is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent...
, but due to his performance he has earned the everyday role. Since becoming the everyday second baseman, Roberts has hit 5 home runs with 10 RBIs and has compiled a .368 batting average, the third best in that span. In the 2009 Season, Roberts hit .279 with 8 home runs and 25 RBI, while playing at second base for 57 games, third base for 19 games, and left field for 16 games.
In game 4 of the NLDS
2011 National League Division Series
The 2011 National League Division Series were two best-of-five playoffs comprising the opening round of the Major League Baseball postseason, played to determine the participating teams in the 2011 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a fourth team—a wild card—played...
against the Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Roberts blasted a two-out grand slam in the first inning to help keep the Diamondbacks alive in the postseason. This home run came only a week after Roberts' first career grand slam, a game-winning "ultimate grand slam" capping a dramatic 10th inning rally to defeat 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.