Troy Glaus
Encyclopedia
Troy Edward Glaus (icon; born August 3, 1976 in Tarzana
, California
) is a Major League Baseball
first baseman
and third baseman
who is currently a free agent
. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim Angels
(-), Arizona Diamondbacks
, Toronto Blue Jays
(-), St. Louis Cardinals
(-), and the Atlanta Braves
. Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA
. He bats and throws right-handed.
s and 877 RBI
in 1395 games. In 19 postseason games, he hit .347 with nine home runs and 16 RBI. Glaus has been selected to four All-Star Games
.
Glaus had a breakout season in , becoming the all time single season home run leader for third basemen in Angels history with 47.
Glaus started in the 2001 MLB All-Star Game
and posted his second consecutive 40 home run season with 41 on the year.
In , Glaus failed to reach the 40 home run club for the first time since the 1999 season, but he managed to hit thirty home runs in helping the Angels make the playoffs for the first time in 16 years. The Angels beat the San Francisco Giants
in 7 games to win their first World Series
title in team history.
Glaus was a key member of the Angels' 2002 World Series
championship team and was named the Most Valuable Player of that series.
Glaus followed that up with another All-Star year in .
Glaus missed much of the season with a shoulder injury. 2004 was the last year of his contract with the Angels. As an established veteran, he was in demand on the free agent
market and able to field lucrative offers for long term contracts. Although Glaus had spent his entire career an Angel, and was a fan favorite, the team decided not to pursue Glaus' return. Amid concerns about Glaus' future health after his injury, the team decided to go with the much lower-priced alternative of turning the third base position over to young prospect Dallas McPherson
, whom they felt had a good chance to soon become as productive as Glaus had been.
Glaus ultimately signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks
for US$
45 million over four years.
s tied him with David Wright for the most errors by a third baseman in the Major Leagues, and he had a Major League-low .946 fielding percentage at third. He was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays
in the off-season along with minor league shortstop Sergio Santos
. The trade sent pitcher Miguel Batista
and second baseman Orlando Hudson
to the Diamondbacks. The Jays badly needed a power bat a year after letting go of Carlos Delgado
, however the emergence of Hudson at second base has given the statistical advantage of this trade to the Diamondbacks
Although Glaus is a third baseman, he played a game for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Chicago White Sox
on May 27, as a shortstop
, due the demotion of Toronto shortstop Russ Adams
. As Blue Jays manager John Gibbons
pointed out, this change in position was only for one game. Glaus was not expected to do much fielding due to the fact the pitcher was known to induce many fly balls, instead of ground balls. This defensive alignment did not affect his hitting, going 2-4 with 1 HR. Since then, Glaus made several starts at shortstop, usually when the Blue Jays were facing National League
opponents at their home ballpark, where there is no DH
.
After hitting 38 home runs and 104 RBI in the 2006 season, Glaus earned a single 10th place vote for the 2006 American League
MVP Award.
In 2006 he had the lowest zone rating of any Major League third baseman (.741).
In Glaus's production was hampered all year by foot injuries and his production fell.
On December 13, 2007, he was cited in the Mitchell Report
.
in exchange for fellow third baseman Scott Rolen
on January 14, 2008. This worked out well for the Cardinals, as Glaus did about as well as, or better than, his career rates in most offensive categories. Furthermore, Glaus committed only 7 errors in 146 games at 3B.
On September 3, 2008, he hit his 300th career home run off Doug Davis of the Arizona Diamondbacks
in the third inning.
He underwent arthroscopic right shoulder surgery on January 21, . The Cardinals initially expected him to be ready around the start of 2009 season, but after a setback in his rehabilitation he was placed on the 15-day DL
; after another reassessment the Cardinals announced that they did not expect him to return until June 2009. On July 11, 2009 he was assigned to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League on a rehabilitation assignment. He returned September 2, against the Brewers in the bottom of the 6th inning.
, Glaus has signed a one-year $1.75 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, a deal that allows him to earn an additional $2.25 million in performance and roster bonuses. He became the starting first baseman in 2010.
After a rough April in which he hit below the Mendoza Line
, Glaus rebounded to become Player of the Month in May, hitting .330 with 6 home runs and 28 RBI. As of August 9, Glaus was hitting .242 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI.
Glaus's production faltered in July & August. After Atlanta acquired Derrek Lee
on August 18 to play 1st base, Glaus was placed on the DL with knee fatigue. Glaus had a few setbacks, but returned to Atlanta in a back-up role behind Derrek Lee and rookie Freddie Freeman
.
Glaus made only one appearance at 3rd base during the regular season, but was used at 3rd in game 2 of the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants
starting a key double play. Glaus then started game four of the series at 3rd.
Tarzana, Los Angeles, California
Tarzana is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The neighborhood is located on the site of a former ranch owned by author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who named it Tarzana after his jungle hero character Tarzan.-Geography:Tarzana, a district...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is a 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...
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...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim 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...
(-), 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...
, Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto 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 ....
(-), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(-), and 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....
. Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Professional career
Through 10-plus seasons, Glaus has hit .256 with 304 home runHome 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 877 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 1395 games. In 19 postseason games, he hit .347 with nine home runs and 16 RBI. Glaus has been selected to four All-Star Games
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
.
Anaheim Angels
Glaus began his career with the Angels in and was installed as the team's starting third baseman in .Glaus had a breakout season in , becoming the all time single season home run leader for third basemen in Angels history with 47.
Glaus started in the 2001 MLB All-Star Game
2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 72nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the...
and posted his second consecutive 40 home run season with 41 on the year.
In , Glaus failed to reach the 40 home run club for the first time since the 1999 season, but he managed to hit thirty home runs in helping the Angels make the playoffs for the first time in 16 years. The Angels beat the 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....
in 7 games to win their first 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...
title in team history.
Glaus was a key member of the Angels' 2002 World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
championship team and was named the Most Valuable Player of that series.
Glaus followed that up with another All-Star year in .
Glaus missed much of the season with a shoulder injury. 2004 was the last year of his contract with the Angels. As an established veteran, he was in demand on the free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
market and able to field lucrative offers for long term contracts. Although Glaus had spent his entire career an Angel, and was a fan favorite, the team decided not to pursue Glaus' return. Amid concerns about Glaus' future health after his injury, the team decided to go with the much lower-priced alternative of turning the third base position over to young prospect Dallas McPherson
Dallas McPherson
Dallas Lyle McPherson is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Chicago White Sox organization.-High school:McPherson played at Randleman High School under Coach Tommy Price...
, whom they felt had a good chance to soon become as productive as Glaus had been.
Glaus ultimately signed 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...
for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
45 million over four years.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Glaus' season with the Diamondbacks was disappointing. His 24 errorError (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
s tied him with David Wright for the most errors by a third baseman in the Major Leagues, and he had a Major League-low .946 fielding percentage at third. He was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto 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 ....
in the off-season along with minor league shortstop Sergio Santos
Sergio Santos
Sergio Jose Santos is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.-Draft and career as a shortstop:...
. The trade sent pitcher Miguel Batista
Miguel Batista
Miguel Descartes Batista Jerez is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, St...
and second baseman Orlando Hudson
Orlando Hudson
Orlando Thill Hudson is an American professional baseball second baseman with the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball.-Early life and high school career:...
to the Diamondbacks. The Jays badly needed a power bat a year after letting go of Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players....
, however the emergence of Hudson at second base has given the statistical advantage of this trade to the Diamondbacks
Toronto Blue Jays
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on May 27, as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, due the demotion of Toronto shortstop Russ Adams
Russ Adams
Russ Moore Adams is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets organizations. Adams bats left-handed and throws with his right hand....
. As Blue Jays manager John Gibbons
John Gibbons
John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
pointed out, this change in position was only for one game. Glaus was not expected to do much fielding due to the fact the pitcher was known to induce many fly balls, instead of ground balls. This defensive alignment did not affect his hitting, going 2-4 with 1 HR. Since then, Glaus made several starts at shortstop, usually when the Blue Jays were facing 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...
opponents at their home ballpark, where there is no DH
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
.
After hitting 38 home runs and 104 RBI in the 2006 season, Glaus earned a single 10th place vote for the 2006 American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
MVP Award.
In 2006 he had the lowest zone rating of any Major League third baseman (.741).
In Glaus's production was hampered all year by foot injuries and his production fell.
On December 13, 2007, he was cited in the Mitchell Report
Mitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
.
St. Louis Cardinals
Glaus was traded to the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in exchange for fellow third baseman Scott Rolen
Scott Rolen
Scott Bruce Rolen is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is an eight-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time All-Star.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
on January 14, 2008. This worked out well for the Cardinals, as Glaus did about as well as, or better than, his career rates in most offensive categories. Furthermore, Glaus committed only 7 errors in 146 games at 3B.
On September 3, 2008, he hit his 300th career home run off Doug Davis 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...
in the third inning.
He underwent arthroscopic right shoulder surgery on January 21, . The Cardinals initially expected him to be ready around the start of 2009 season, but after a setback in his rehabilitation he was placed on the 15-day DL
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
; after another reassessment the Cardinals announced that they did not expect him to return until June 2009. On July 11, 2009 he was assigned to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League on a rehabilitation assignment. He returned September 2, against the Brewers in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Atlanta Braves
Following an injury-shortened 2009 season with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Glaus has signed a one-year $1.75 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, a deal that allows him to earn an additional $2.25 million in performance and roster bonuses. He became the starting first baseman in 2010.
After a rough April in which he hit below the Mendoza Line
Mendoza Line
The Mendoza Line is an expression in baseball in the United States, deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose lifetime batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting...
, Glaus rebounded to become Player of the Month in May, hitting .330 with 6 home runs and 28 RBI. As of August 9, Glaus was hitting .242 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI.
Glaus's production faltered in July & August. After Atlanta acquired Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee , or "D-Lee", is a Major League Baseball first baseman. Lee has played with the San Diego Padres , the Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.Lee was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2003,...
on August 18 to play 1st base, Glaus was placed on the DL with knee fatigue. Glaus had a few setbacks, but returned to Atlanta in a back-up role behind Derrek Lee and rookie Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman
Frederick Charles "Freddie" Freeman is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...
.
Glaus made only one appearance at 3rd base during the regular season, but was used at 3rd in game 2 of the NLDS against the 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....
starting a key double play. Glaus then started game four of the series at 3rd.
Highlights
- 4 time All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(20002000 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 71st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
, 20012001 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 72nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the...
, 20032003 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 74th midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues constituting Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the Chicago...
, 20062006 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 77th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 2006 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh,...
) - World Series MVP AwardWorld Series MVP AwardThe World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
(2002) - Twice won Silver Slugger Award (2000–01)
- AL Home Run Champion in 2000, slugging 47 home runs.
- NL Player of the Month for May in 2010
See also
- List of Olympic medalists in baseball
- USA BaseballUSA BaseballUSA Baseball was founded in , and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. It is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and organizes the United States national baseball team...
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
External links
- Troy Glaus: Behind the Dugout
- stlcardinals.scout.com Glaus Player Profile Page at Scout.com