Andre Ethier
Encyclopedia
Andre Everett Ethier is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits (including four walk off home runs), which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season. He earned the nickname Endre, a play on first name by substituting the "A" with an "E", by Dodgers fans, due to his late inning heroics.
after playing with Arizona State University
in the fall of 2000. The coaching staff at ASU told him that they thought he did not have Division I talent, and that he would do better to play junior college ball. At CGCC, Ethier recorded 94 hits as one of the top junior college players in Arizona, batting .468 with 32 doubles. He was named team MVP. During the summer of 2001, he played with the Keene Swamp Bats
in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
. In 2010, Ethier was inducted into the NECBL Hall of Fame.
of .371, 113 runs, 27 doubles, 7 triples, 14 home run
s and 118 runs batted in. His collegiate career ended in the midst of a 23-game hitting streak. He was a two-time Pacific-10 Conference All-Star in 2002–03.
During the summer of 2002, Ethier played with the Rochester Honkers
of the Northwoods League
, one of the country's premier summer collegiate baseball leagues. Ethier tied for the team lead in home runs(4), batted .264, led the team with 34 RBIs and won a Northwoods League Silver Glove for his defensive play in right field.
While at ASU, he was teammates and good friends with current Boston Red Sox
second basemen, Dustin Pedroia
and current Texas Rangers
second basemen Ian Kinsler
.
in the 37th round of the 2001 amateur draft. Opting to attend ASU instead, he was drafted in the second round of the 2003 amateur draft, again by the Oakland Athletics
. He signed with the Athletics on July 1, 2003.
Oakland assigned him to the Single-A Vancouver Canadians
and later to the Kane County Cougars
for the 2003 season. His minor-league career continued in 2004 with the Modesto Athletics
, where he hit .313, and in 2005 with the Midland RockHounds
Double-A team, where he hit .319 with 18 homers and was selected as the Texas League
Most Valuable Player, Oakland Athletics Minor League Player of the Year, Texas League All-Star Outfielder and Texas League All-Star Game MVP. He also played four games in 2005 with the Sacramento Rivercats Triple-A team. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statistics/2005/10371.shtml
On December 13, 2005, Ethier was traded by the Oakland Athletics
to the Los Angeles Dodgers
for Milton Bradley
and Antonio Perez
.
debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers
on May 2, 2006, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
in his home state of Arizona
and hit his first home run the next night against Dewon Brazelton
of the San Diego Padres
.
On May 19, 2006, Ethier had a breakout game, going 5 for 5 with four runs scored as he raised his batting average from .222 to .317. He remained hot throughout the summer and was named National League Player of the Week for the week ending July 9, 2006. Ethier batted very well for much of the season with his average peaking at .354 before a late slump dropped it to .308 at season's end. An early front-runner for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, he finished fifth in voting.
He used the song Alive
by P.O.D.
as his batting song his rookie year.
, and Luis Gonzalez in the outfield. But Ethier got a lot of playing time early due to an injury to Kemp. Ethier enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign, playing in 153 games while batting .284, with 13 home run
s, and 64 RBIs.
to become the Dodgers starting left fielder for the start of the 2008 season. When the Dodgers acquired outfielder Manny Ramirez
, he moved to his more natural position of right field, with Kemp playing center field. In the regular season, Ethier played in 141 games, had 525 at bats, scored 90 runs, had 160 hits, hit an average .305 batting avg. with 20 Homers and 77 RBIs.
, driving in a career-high six runs. He won the Silver Slugger Award and finished 6th in MVP voting at the conclusion of the season.
with more than 2.7 million votes. He slumped down the stretch, finishing with a .292 batting average, 23 home runs and 82 RBI in 139 games.
, breaking the old record set by Joe Torre
. On April 30 Ethier extended this same streak to 27 games, moving past two former Dodgers to stand alone in second place in the franchise's history of hitting streaks and tie the Dodgers record for the most hits in April. The streak eventually reached 30 games, second most in Dodger franchise history, before it ended on May 7 against the New York Mets
. Ethier was a Final Vote
candidate for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
but finished second to Shane Victorino
of the Philadelphia Phillies
. However, Victorino was injured and unable to participate so Ethier was selected to replace him on the All-Star roster.
Ethier became the subject of some controversy in the second half of the season. Los Angeles Times
columinst TJ Simers wrote an article that quoted Ethier as saying his production was down in 2011 because of a knee injury that he had been battling all season, and implying that the Dodgers were forcing him to play despite his injury. Manager Don Mattingly
called himself "blindsided" by the story and responded that he would never make a player play hurt. After a meeting with Mattingly and GM Ned Colletti
, Ethier backed off on his comments and said it was his choice to play hurt.
After the September 7 game, Ethier decided to shut down for the season in order to consult doctors on the problems with his knee, with the hope of getting healthy in time for spring training. Ethier appeared in 135 games with the Dodgers in 2011, hitting .291 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI.
Despite his injury, Andre Ethier won his first Gold Glove Award
on November 1, 2011.
and Cherokee
descent. His mother is Mexican American
. Ethier is the older brother of Adam and Devon Ethier. Andre is married to Maggie Germaine Ethier, whom he met at Arizona State University. The couple have two children together.
His brother, Devon Ethier, played baseball at Gateway Community College
and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 32nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft.
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...
outfielder
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...
for 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...
.
In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits (including four walk off home runs), which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season. He earned the nickname Endre, a play on first name by substituting the "A" with an "E", by Dodgers fans, due to his late inning heroics.
Junior College career
Ethier transferred to Chandler-Gilbert Community CollegeChandler-Gilbert Community College
Chandler–Gilbert Community College is a community college in the Maricopa County Community College District.- History :CGCC was founded in 1985 as an extension of Mesa Community College...
after playing with Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in the fall of 2000. The coaching staff at ASU told him that they thought he did not have Division I talent, and that he would do better to play junior college ball. At CGCC, Ethier recorded 94 hits as one of the top junior college players in Arizona, batting .468 with 32 doubles. He was named team MVP. During the summer of 2001, he played with the Keene Swamp Bats
Keene Swamp Bats
The Keene Swamp Bats are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Keene, New Hampshire. The team, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League , plays their home games at Alumni Field. In the NECBL, they are consistently one of the top teams and have reached the league playoffs in each...
in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...
. In 2010, Ethier was inducted into the NECBL Hall of Fame.
Arizona State
Ethier re-enrolled at ASU in the fall of 2001 and played there until the end of his junior year in 2003 with an ASU career batting averageBatting 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 :...
of .371, 113 runs, 27 doubles, 7 triples, 14 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 118 runs batted in. His collegiate career ended in the midst of a 23-game hitting streak. He was a two-time Pacific-10 Conference All-Star in 2002–03.
During the summer of 2002, Ethier played with the Rochester Honkers
Rochester Honkers
The Rochester Honkers are an amateur baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Their home games are played at Mayo Field in Rochester, Minnesota....
of the Northwoods League
Northwoods League
The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of the top college players from North America and beyond. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate...
, one of the country's premier summer collegiate baseball leagues. Ethier tied for the team lead in home runs(4), batted .264, led the team with 34 RBIs and won a Northwoods League Silver Glove for his defensive play in right field.
While at ASU, he was teammates and good friends with current 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"...
second basemen, Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Luis Pedroia is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award...
and current 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...
second basemen Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
.
MLB Draft and minor leagues
Ethier was drafted by the Oakland AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in the 37th round of the 2001 amateur draft. Opting to attend ASU instead, he was drafted in the second round of the 2003 amateur draft, again by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He signed with the Athletics on July 1, 2003.
Oakland assigned him to the Single-A Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
and later to the Kane County Cougars
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Geneva, Illinois, about 35 miles west of Chicago....
for the 2003 season. His minor-league career continued in 2004 with the Modesto Athletics
Modesto Nuts
The Modesto Nuts are a minor league baseball team in Modesto, California, USA. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Colorado Rockies. The Modesto Nuts play home games at John Thurman Field. Opened in 1955 and renovated in 1997, the park seats 4,000 fans...
, where he hit .313, and in 2005 with the Midland RockHounds
Midland RockHounds
The Midland RockHounds are a minor league baseball team based in Midland, Texas, USA. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Citibank Ballpark, located in Midland. Opened in 2002, the stadium seats...
Double-A team, where he hit .319 with 18 homers and was selected as the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
Most Valuable Player, Oakland Athletics Minor League Player of the Year, Texas League All-Star Outfielder and Texas League All-Star Game MVP. He also played four games in 2005 with the Sacramento Rivercats Triple-A team. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statistics/2005/10371.shtml
On December 13, 2005, Ethier was traded by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
to 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...
for Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley (baseball player)
Milton Obelle Bradley, Jr. is a Major League Baseball left fielder who is currently a free agent.-Montreal Expos :...
and Antonio Perez
Antonio Pérez (baseball player)
Antonio Miguel Pérez is a Major League Baseball player for the Atlanta Braves organization. In , he led the Los Angeles Dodgers with eleven stolen bases. Pérez signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals for the season, but was released during spring training...
.
2006 season
Ethier hit a double and drew a walk in his Major League BaseballMajor 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...
debut with 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...
on May 2, 2006, against 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 his home state of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and hit his first home run the next night against Dewon Brazelton
Dewon Brazelton
Dewon Cortez Brazelton is a professional baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball, and is currently a free agent....
of the 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...
.
On May 19, 2006, Ethier had a breakout game, going 5 for 5 with four runs scored as he raised his batting average from .222 to .317. He remained hot throughout the summer and was named National League Player of the Week for the week ending July 9, 2006. Ethier batted very well for much of the season with his average peaking at .354 before a late slump dropped it to .308 at season's end. An early front-runner for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, he finished fifth in voting.
He used the song Alive
Alive (P.O.D. song)
"Alive" is the lead single off P.O.D.'s second major label studio album Satellite. It is arguably the band's most popular song and serves as an anthem of celebrating God. The "Alive" CD single was first released in 2001 and then again in 2002 with alternative cover art and tracks...
by P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
as his batting song his rookie year.
2007 season
Ethier entered the 2007 Season expecting to split time with Matt KempMatt Kemp
Matthew Ryan "Matt" Kemp is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Kemp was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2003 draft and made his major league debut in 2006...
, and Luis Gonzalez in the outfield. But Ethier got a lot of playing time early due to an injury to Kemp. Ethier enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign, playing in 153 games while batting .284, with 13 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 64 RBIs.
2008 season
Ethier beat out Juan PierreJuan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
to become the Dodgers starting left fielder for the start of the 2008 season. When the Dodgers acquired outfielder Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
, he moved to his more natural position of right field, with Kemp playing center field. In the regular season, Ethier played in 141 games, had 525 at bats, scored 90 runs, had 160 hits, hit an average .305 batting avg. with 20 Homers and 77 RBIs.
2009 season
In 2009, Ethier hit .272 with a career best 31 home runs and 106 RBIs. He was a key contributor for the Dodgers that season, with six walk off hits (including four walk off home runs), the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season. On June 26, 2009, Ethier hit three home runs in a game against the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, driving in a career-high six runs. He won the Silver Slugger Award and finished 6th in MVP voting at the conclusion of the season.
2010 season
Ethier got off to a strong start to the 2010 season, leading the National League in home runs, RBI and batting average, but he broke his pinky finger on his right hand during batting practice on May 15, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list three days later. On July 4, Ethier was selected to start on the National League All Star team2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
with more than 2.7 million votes. He slumped down the stretch, finishing with a .292 batting average, 23 home runs and 82 RBI in 139 games.
2011 season
Ethier set a new MLB record for April with a 23-game hitting streak on April 26 against the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, breaking the old record set by Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
. On April 30 Ethier extended this same streak to 27 games, moving past two former Dodgers to stand alone in second place in the franchise's history of hitting streaks and tie the Dodgers record for the most hits in April. The streak eventually reached 30 games, second most in Dodger franchise history, before it ended on May 7 against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. Ethier was a Final Vote
All-Star Final Vote
All-Star Final Vote is an annual Internet and text message ballot by Major League Baseball fans to elect the final player for each team that participates in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game after all other selections have been made and announced on national television. The first 33 players...
candidate for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 82nd in-season exhibition game between the All-Stars of the National League and the American League ; the leagues composing Major League Baseball. The event was held on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the...
but finished second to Shane Victorino
Shane Victorino
Shane Patrick Victorino is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.-Career:...
of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. However, Victorino was injured and unable to participate so Ethier was selected to replace him on the All-Star roster.
Ethier became the subject of some controversy in the second half of the season. Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
columinst TJ Simers wrote an article that quoted Ethier as saying his production was down in 2011 because of a knee injury that he had been battling all season, and implying that the Dodgers were forcing him to play despite his injury. Manager Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
called himself "blindsided" by the story and responded that he would never make a player play hurt. After a meeting with Mattingly and GM Ned Colletti
Ned Colletti
Ned Louis Colletti, Jr. is the General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He previously served as Assistant General Manager for the San Francisco Giants....
, Ethier backed off on his comments and said it was his choice to play hurt.
After the September 7 game, Ethier decided to shut down for the season in order to consult doctors on the problems with his knee, with the hope of getting healthy in time for spring training. Ethier appeared in 135 games with the Dodgers in 2011, hitting .291 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI.
Despite his injury, Andre Ethier won his first Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
on November 1, 2011.
Personal life
Ethier's father is of French CanadianFrench Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
and Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
descent. His mother is Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
. Ethier is the older brother of Adam and Devon Ethier. Andre is married to Maggie Germaine Ethier, whom he met at Arizona State University. The couple have two children together.
His brother, Devon Ethier, played baseball at Gateway Community College
Gateway Community College
Gateway Community College is a public community college located in Connecticut. The college maintains two campuses: one in New Haven and one in North Haven. As of February 17, 2010, Gateway had the 1st highest credit enrollment among Connecticut's community colleges, with 6987 students enrolled...
and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 32nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft.