Adam Hyzdu
Encyclopedia
Adam Davis Hyzdu is a former outfielder
in Major League Baseball
and Nippon Professional Baseball. He batted and threw right-handed.
In Major League Baseball, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, (-), Boston Red Sox
( and ), San Diego Padres
(2005) and Texas Rangers
.
in Cincinnati, where he broke Ken Griffey, Jr.'s
home run
record (22) and led his team to win the state championship in 1989.
Hyzdu was drafted by the San Francisco Giants
in the first round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft
, but never reached the major leagues as a Giant. Hyzdu is well-known for his accomplishments in the minor leagues. During his two seasons with the Altoona Curve
, he broke many franchise records, many of which still stand today. He was an Eastern League
All-Star both seasons and had his number 16 retired by the club.
Hyzdu was named "NL player of the week" the Week for July 15–21, 2002 while playing outfield for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He batted .588 with three homers and a league-leading 11 RBI. In fives games during the week, Hyzdu was 10-for-17, scored six runs, and compiled a slugging percentage of 1.118 and an on-base percentage of .611.
On July 19 versus St. Louis, he belted his first career grand slam
. The following day, Hyzdu established career-highs with four hits, including a pair of three-run homers, and seven runs batted in.
In a seven-season major league career, Hyzdu was a .229 hitter
with 19 home runs and 61 RBI in 221 games.
With the Red Sox in 2004, Hyzdu batted .300 (3 for 10) with a home run, two RBI
, and 2 doubles
in 17 games. In 129 games with Pawtucket
, he batted .301 with 29 home runs, 79 RBI, and led the team in walks
with 84.
After the 2006 season, he joined the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
of the Japan
ese Pacific League
with a one-year contract. He batted .272 with 7 home runs in 47 games. After one season in Japan, he failed to get a contract extension and left the Hawks to be a free agent.
1985-89 and his brother Marshall Hyzdu played football for Dartmouth College
1996-99.
Adam is happily married with three children. He is an active member in the local Christian church, and is outspoken about his faith. "Play the game His way," is a motto Hyzdu has always lived by.
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...
in 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...
and Nippon Professional Baseball. He batted and threw right-handed.
In Major League Baseball, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, (-), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
( and ), San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
(2005) and 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...
.
Biography
Hyzdu attended Moeller High SchoolMoeller High School
Archbishop Moeller High School , known as Moeller, is a private, all-male, college-preparatory high school in the suburbs of Cincinnati, in Hamilton County, Ohio...
in Cincinnati, where he broke Ken Griffey, Jr.'s
Ken Griffey, Jr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
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...
record (22) and led his team to win the state championship in 1989.
Hyzdu was drafted by 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 the first round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft
1990 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1990 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:The draft went a record 101 rounds, surpassing 1989's total of 88, and included a record 1,487 selections. The Astros led all clubs with 100 selections. Seattle was second with 75,...
, but never reached the major leagues as a Giant. Hyzdu is well-known for his accomplishments in the minor leagues. During his two seasons with the Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
, he broke many franchise records, many of which still stand today. He was an 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 both seasons and had his number 16 retired by the club.
Hyzdu was named "NL player of the week" the Week for July 15–21, 2002 while playing outfield for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He batted .588 with three homers and a league-leading 11 RBI. In fives games during the week, Hyzdu was 10-for-17, scored six runs, and compiled a slugging percentage of 1.118 and an on-base percentage of .611.
On July 19 versus St. Louis, he belted his first career grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
. The following day, Hyzdu established career-highs with four hits, including a pair of three-run homers, and seven runs batted in.
In a seven-season major league career, Hyzdu was a .229 hitter
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 :...
with 19 home runs and 61 RBI in 221 games.
With the Red Sox in 2004, Hyzdu batted .300 (3 for 10) with a home run, two 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...
, and 2 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in 17 games. In 129 games with Pawtucket
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
, he batted .301 with 29 home runs, 79 RBI, and led the team in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
with 84.
After the 2006 season, he joined the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
of the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
with a one-year contract. He batted .272 with 7 home runs in 47 games. After one season in Japan, he failed to get a contract extension and left the Hawks to be a free agent.
Personal life
His brother Mike Hyzdu played football for Miami University (OH)Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
1985-89 and his brother Marshall Hyzdu played football for Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
1996-99.
Adam is happily married with three children. He is an active member in the local Christian church, and is outspoken about his faith. "Play the game His way," is a motto Hyzdu has always lived by.