born june american professional baseball second baseman detroit_tigers major_league_baseball mlb played texas_rangers listed despite having drafted 17th round college risen time star member list greatest current players baseball known tool player hitting average power throwing fielding twice hit home runs stolen bases season major league history multiple club seasons joined club time season shy major league record second baseman hit cycle game getting hits bats led texas_rangers time career wise stolen bases power speed number november traded detroit_tigers prince fielder defense best career range factor active second baseman major_league_baseball early life high school father howard warden state prison southeast major influence father toss fly balls dad says like life father coached high school especially tough years old best player pony league team coached father playing championship dad caught rolling eyes gave team orders said father bench team lost game physical challenge overcome life said tough younger lot couldn breathe hospital middle night kind held athletics control use younger breathing machine hated thing wanted run active graduated suburb arizona helped lead baseball team state titles hit junior earn second team league honors home runs stolen bases senior year named team state team league high school teammates major leagues best friend high school draft college drafted home state high school 29th round feel ready opted instead college tour recruited division programs attended hit doubles rbis stolen bases named second team played shortstop alongside future major drafted 26th round declined sign felt playing college baseball little longer help develop game coach convinced transfer sophomore year promising play shortstop started briefly alongside fellow middle ended spending season bench teammates university coach spotted summer league convinced head east junior year said saw ground balls thought defensively good middle seen bat didn care batting average base percentage slugging percentage steals attempts named big conference second team noted day stepped doors face mission playing tigers fall world series led hitters average drafted time texas_rangers 17th round overall shortstop urging area scout liked tools makeup desire gritty approach scouting report wrote great feel game solid defensive skills intensity leadership qualities knew probably rival scouts know played foot stress fracture missouri couldn run like knew seen year knew plus runner people didn know probably downgraded knew wasn telling anybody says thought lot better 17th round pick thought belonged rounds nonetheless agreed sign rangers 21st birthday years later wrote handful players draft good certainly heralded talents scouting drafting science art pick later lauded greatest 17th round picks time minor league career entering signed quickly broke shortstop batted bats pro debut indians short season leading team steals triples spent winter arizona working rangers strength conditioning coaches said probably pounds decided needed lift weight eat learned hit breakout season early vaulted spot espn described having great plate discipline power reasonably good defensive shortstop breakout year split season teams beginning low hit bats voted start shortstop team leading league batting base percentage slugging percentage hits doubles extra base hits runs scored play promoted rated exciting prospect league friend asked secret success responded idea promoted levels june double got called million things running head said nervous hands exciting didn know expect little nervous sudden wouldn able hit june named rangers month manager observed think succeeding swing graceful smooth swing hits power lets swing work defensively far shown real feel shortstop got good feet soft hands throws pretty july rangers agreed send prospect right walker vetoed trade ended hitting bats numbers placed fourth seventh slugging percentage eighth league batting race received plate appearances qualify title short rated prospect overall bats tied minor leagues doubles seventh batting average ninth hits home runs runs rbis steals rangers manager doubles saying lot guys don singles rated rangers prospect prospect minors second team named rangers year addition awarded annual diamond recognizes minor odds rises obscurity play prospect status breakout season noted simply fun come day playing good baseball end season augmented scouting report reporting good athlete super strong size speed notch average swing looked short quick sharp told people worry swing long looked fine long swings usually line excessive totals king works count controlling strike zone trouble swinging pitches outside plate area bat pop particularly gaps rifles frequent extra base shots average power player size think bat speed hitting home runs higher levels defensively shows slightly average range good hands arm strength average accurate throws fundamentally sound error rate higher ideal games end second base eventually running speed bit better average fairly aggressive bases steal opportunity overall solid player makes natural ability spent winter playing improving versatility getting work second base hit scout arizona noted swing generated line drive power like swinging bat transitioning second base invited parent club spring training hit slugging spent triple oklahoma transitioning shortstop second base organization anticipated play future event longer played second base major league team tough ego initially difficult switch double play selected mid season team june came close second triple home run derby season bats hit home runs runs tied tenth minor leagues rbis steals attempts cracked prospects list ranking season kept line journal major_league career texas_rangers rookie having traded season won rangers starting second base job spring training came advertised said major league debut april got major league hit major league bat said crowd butterflies going hit huge family town face best pitchers time got locked game big league experience unbelievable face guy hitting left thumb sliding head second base april placed disabled list knew wasn good looked saw thumb pointing said came games later went single home runs lead rangers victory hope fans don expect night joked started season batting ninth lineup moved seventh think career progresses batting order predicted season started games batting seventh batting eighth batting sixth batting ninth batting second batting batting batting fifth finished batting average home runs rbis team leading stolen bases bats batted runners scoring position game tied led doubles slugging percentage seventh best season rookie bats defensively august tied team record recording double plays game led american_league second range factor errors named texas_rangers rookie year season season focused building legs improve speed agility spring training hit led rbis sixth major leagues hits hitting continued season named player week period ending april batted week home runs rbis seven runs scored slugging percentage home runs april tied team record month shared season month baseman said trying good swings ball goes goes batted rbis month voted rangers player month april july went disabled list stress fracture left foot come july missed games tied major league record august plate appearances inning game win baltimore hit home runs leading second stolen base attempts success rate batters home runs stolen bases sixth player franchise history reach plateau joining despite stress fracture kept bats stolen bases runs led rangers finished season seventh power speed number ninth sacrifice hits steals base tied tenth hits tied fourth league steals eighth line drive percentage tied ninth sacrifice hits began hit higher batting order batted second games seventh sixth ninth eighth defense led major league second range factor leading league second straight year star february signed year deal worth million guaranteed jump million rangers exercise million option received raise million signing bonus contract went million million million million rangers choose exercise million option receive traded option year increase option exercised commitment largest rangers player drafted developed represents past present future organization said assistant general manager lot money said imagined position life big day family reflected working life point dad started taking backyard started throwing baseball asked impact money said going play regardless making dollars doesn difference going play hard money doesn bring respect way play game brings respect finish playing game money going legacy played game field delighted rangers manager ultimately committed team hitter didn think prototype hitter guy proved wrong washington said walk run swing bat run hit ball mid best career stolen base percentage history attempts game said things known according scouts ability innate instincts speed pure running speed signed says goes faster god given ability read ball bat mid june rain delay stadium feet raced dove head wet covering infield giant teammates followed receiving large ovation new_york_mets fans security field drawing chorus good routines going said awesome star star game yankee stadium exciting moment baseball point reserve voted peers fan finished nearly million votes beat votes game hit stole base called attempting steal base demonstrated umpire missed washington_post espn baseball writer picked half season mlb best game hitting streak june july team best hitting streak belongs july leading batting average runs hits total bases extra base hits bats plate appearances second doubles power speed number sacrifices fourth singles sixth sacrifice flies seventh stolen bases triples base percentage eighth said left fielder engine makes offense august injured left groin defensive play suffering sports ultimately required season ending surgery missed games season didn decision said want fix injury surgery despite missing weeks season times advanced single fourth batting average power speed number fifth steals base bases taken advanced fly balls passed balls wild pitches etc sixth line drive percentage extra base hit percentage plate appearances eighth runs ninth sacrifice hits home runs road tenth stolen bases caught twice success rate lowest percentage bats hit runners scoring position batters home runs stolen bases doubles ranked second franchise history base percentage hitter best mark slugging percentage highest batter american_league base percentage hitter seasons fourth highest major leagues hitters location exploit said star pitcher guy trouble guy trouble breaking balls doesn hole like field led major league second range factor double plays errors mentioned mvp candidate injury writers espn dallas news los_angeles_times washington_post mvp sports cut campaign short month half think missed having mvp year manager said luck stayed healthy run away end received single 10th place vote hitting cycle joining club named list greatest current players baseball panel baseball people members winners major baseball awards polled arrive list april game baltimore_orioles hit cycle fourth ranger time right handed ranger game second player ranger history hits single game having inning game runs extra base hits game matched team records thing beauty teammate said loved dual feat modern baseball era major league player hits game hitting cycle august total bases base shy june team record players prior years hits runs extra base hits game recent having los_angeles_dodgers named week april week plate appearances led major leagues batting average hits extra base hits runs tied lead doubles base percentage slugging percentage triple home runs stolen bases incredible said teammate hank june houston opened inning ninth career homer surpassing club record shared stole base fifth inning setting club record career steals furthermore time caught trying steal espn called quarter mvp july led power speed number home runs fourth runs total bases sixth extra base hits bats seventh sacrifice flies ninth stolen bases sacrifices batting left runners base narrowly missed making star team led second june fan votes fifth votes players ahead passed day minute voting missed making team reserve player voting coming second time toronto missed chance team manager pick reserve missed fourth opportunity team competition final spot team coming second tigers fifth opportunity presented pulled star game spend time pregnant wife finished second fan voting player voting final vote competition appeared likely candidate replace fellow second baseman went replace baseman leading league batting come fourth competition sixth final opportunity presented withdrew finger infection angels coach chose replacement time angels come competition reports observed spent tenure star manager finding new inventive ways middle finger sports_illustrated took note writing absolute starting second baseman american_league starting second baseman hit home runs rbis hand hit home runs rbis fact isn reserve makes hard star game seriously star game tribute teammate close friend wore number july stole base 21st time career building team record having thrown july led inning home run innings later broke tie run walk home run times major league history batter led inning home run ended game homer suffered strained left july missed games disabled list stolen bases hit 30th home run september major join club 34th major second player rangers history season joining joined seasons yankees second major_league history incredible accomplishment said played guys incredible seasons special deserves lot credit battled season long separates great players good ones led power speed second highest steal success rate active players attempts best sharing philosophy stealing bases said takes art stealing away runs runs opposing team worried getting outs stolen bases idea steal need showed good eye plate rangers bats rate bats best team similarly contact swings best contact rate team playing games home runs 2nd league stole base times 3rd hit hits extra bases 7th best 7th stolen bases scored runs 10th hits 10th defense led second baseman zone runs 2nd assists range factor game 5th star december washington said bat second think performs better mix hitting lineup inning washington said wait hit think takes lot away early march reported bat fifth washington said running slow threat away threat stopping days batting lineup end started games batting 3rd games batting 5th games batting 6th games leading spring training batting slipped patch wet grass pre game warm ups rolled right ankle suffered referred high ankle small bone tip ankle missed weeks spring training began season disabled list washington said miss presence miss threat miss brings defensive end miss leadership initial appearance april having missed games season batting time base percentage 4th selected reserve team second star game said huge honor finished second fan voting injured picked replace finished second second voting players july went disabled list time strained left groin reactivated september finished season batting career high base percentage fielding percentage 5th best league highest career range factor game active major league second disabled list played games round playoffs batted games leading majors home runs tied rbis division series hit safely scored run games joining boston players start post season careers hit hit run consecutive games teammate hit home runs marked second time major_league history teammates hit postseason series games fewer world series rounds playoffs hit safely games batted playoff high rbis runs stolen bases club april player major league history hit lead home run games season giving total lead career game hit home run inning teammates homer games season joined texas homer games season september tied rangers record set seventh home run season hit 20th career homer 34th player major league baseball history hit season lead 6th stole consecutive bases caught breaking club record set joined club second time 12th player major league history multiple seasons major league history multiple seasons joined home runs steals club time career seasons second baseman joined club times 2nd american_league runs scored fifth highest season total rangers history 5th home runs career high walks 9th stolen bases extra base hits power speed best walks strikeouts ratio major leagues walks defense career range factor highest active major league second led second double plays career stolen bases season end rangers history career stolen base percentage best rate active players attempts career home runs 5th years second baseman career october game playoff series rays led game home run sparking rangers victory tampa bay send star star time season second plate appearances bats runs fifth power speed number sixth doubles eighth hit pitch rangers time stolen base leader struck plate appearances making toughest batter strike american_league sixth toughest batter double league bats double play finished season tied fifth active players home runs led texas_rangers time career wise stolen bases hit pitch power speed number fifth runs seventh doubles walks eighth home runs ninth hits rbis ranked 56th best baseball history detroit_tigers present november traded detroit_tigers prince fielder trade stars tigers sending texas million cover difference players salaries espn sunday night baseball commercial fielder talking trading star named fourth star team replacement injured season led american_league bats 4th hits doubles 5th runs scored scoring runs fifth time career 7th power speed number 10th toughest batter american_league strike plate appearances seven players hit home runs steal bases defense led assists fielding percentage second best career range factor active second baseman major_league_baseball november awarded year award second base september recorded career hit single cleveland_indians season hit best batting average posting career high mark collecting home runs rbis following season awarded fielding bible award best fielding second baseman mlb defensive runs saved better baseman season according ultimate zone rating best american_league second miami defensive according baseball reference formula ranked eighth major_league players regardless position defensive runs saved seasons according best total major_league second colorado july hit career home run active major_league player 40th overall home runs runs scored hits stolen bases personal jewish father jewish mother catholic prominent figure jewish community enjoys attention attracts featured hank 75th anniversary edition licensed major_league_baseball commemorating jewish major joined teammate jewish players star game joining says bases referring fact jewish happy throw july passed steal time career steals leader jewish major eligible play israel world baseball classic jewish heritage said wow happy play team israel truth proposal comes play difficult decision milwaukee fantastic team sure talk laugh things like married high school sweetheart november daughter born december june wife gave birth son leave birth won rangers community achievement award recognition having devoted great deal personal time community awards
Ian Kinsler