Will Rhymes
Encyclopedia
William Daniel Rhymes (born April 1, 1983) is an American professional baseball
second baseman
with the Detroit Tigers
of Major League Baseball
.
Rhymes was raised in Houston, Texas
and has an identical twin brother named Jonathan. Rhymes attended Lamar High School in Houston where he played baseball. One of his close friends and fellow teammates was Tampa Bay Rays
starting pitcher Jeff Niemann
.
Rhymes played college baseball at The College of William & Mary, where he majored in molecular biology, rushed the fraternity of Lambda Chi Alpha
, and graduated in 2005. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 27th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft
.
Rhymes first earned attention from Major League Scouts while playing for the Brewster White Caps of the Cape Cod Baseball League during the summer of 2004. Though initially recruited as a temporary player, Rhymes's extraordinary effort and superb performance on the field earned him a contract through the entire summer, and a starting spot at second base. Rhymes earned a reserve spot in the mid-season East Division All Stars as well as the post-season league wide All Star Team.
Rhymes was promoted to the Tigers on July 25, 2010 after injuries struck the Tigers lineup and made his major league debut the same day in a pinch hitting role against the Toronto Blue Jays
.
Rhymes was optioned back to the AAA Toledo Mud Hens following the return of the Tigers injured second baseman, but was recalled August 18, 2010.
On September 20, 2010 Rhymes hit his first major league career home run off of Zack Greinke
of the Kansas City Royals
. Rhymes home run was initially ruled an RBI triple but after further review of the replay, the ruling on the field was overturned and rightfully ruled a two run home run, after it bounced off the horizontal iron support above the wall in right. This is the first incidence in which an instant replay review granted a player the first home run of their career.
It was announced at the start of the 2011 baseball season that Rhymes would make the Opening Day roster, his first, and be the starting second baseman for the Tigers.
On May 2, 2011 Rhymes was optioned from the 25 man roster to AAA Toledo in favor of second baseman Scott Sizemore.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
of 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...
.
Rhymes was raised in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
and has an identical twin brother named Jonathan. Rhymes attended Lamar High School in Houston where he played baseball. One of his close friends and fellow teammates was Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa 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...
starting pitcher Jeff Niemann
Jeff Niemann
Jeffrey Warren Niemann is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.-College:...
.
Rhymes played college baseball at The College of William & Mary, where he majored in molecular biology, rushed the fraternity of Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
, and graduated in 2005. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 27th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft
2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
.
Rhymes first earned attention from Major League Scouts while playing for the Brewster White Caps of the Cape Cod Baseball League during the summer of 2004. Though initially recruited as a temporary player, Rhymes's extraordinary effort and superb performance on the field earned him a contract through the entire summer, and a starting spot at second base. Rhymes earned a reserve spot in the mid-season East Division All Stars as well as the post-season league wide All Star Team.
Rhymes was promoted to the Tigers on July 25, 2010 after injuries struck the Tigers lineup and made his major league debut the same day in a pinch hitting role against 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 ....
.
Rhymes was optioned back to the AAA Toledo Mud Hens following the return of the Tigers injured second baseman, but was recalled August 18, 2010.
On September 20, 2010 Rhymes hit his first major league career home run off of Zack Greinke
Zack Greinke
Donald Zackary "Zack" Greinke is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. Greinke won the American League Cy Young Award in 2009 with the Kansas City Royals.-High school & minor leagues:Greinke was born in Orlando, Florida...
of 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...
. Rhymes home run was initially ruled an RBI triple but after further review of the replay, the ruling on the field was overturned and rightfully ruled a two run home run, after it bounced off the horizontal iron support above the wall in right. This is the first incidence in which an instant replay review granted a player the first home run of their career.
It was announced at the start of the 2011 baseball season that Rhymes would make the Opening Day roster, his first, and be the starting second baseman for the Tigers.
On May 2, 2011 Rhymes was optioned from the 25 man roster to AAA Toledo in favor of second baseman Scott Sizemore.