Austin Kearns
Encyclopedia
Austin Ryan Kearns is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who is currently a free agent
.
, he was offered a scholarship
to play college baseball at the University of Florida
. However, he decided to sign with the Cincinnati Reds
after being selected seventh overall in the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
. After three seasons in the Reds' minor league
system, he made his major league debut on April 17, 2002.
Kearns was traded to the Nationals on July 13, 2006, along with Felipe Lopez
and Ryan Wagner
from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Gary Majewski
, Bill Bray
, Royce Clayton
, Brendan Harris
, and Daryl Thompson
.
On September 23, 2006, playing against the New York Mets
at Shea Stadium
, Kearns and first baseman Nick Johnson
collided while making a sliding attempt to catch a fly ball. Kearns originally remained in the game relatively unhurt, but was removed shortly after play resumed by Manager Frank Robinson
. Kearns was replaced by Ryan Church, who played in Kearns's spot for most of the rest of the season. Kearns suffered severe bruising down his left side as well as soreness. Johnson sustained a broken femur
and underwent surgery that night to repair his injuries. Johnson missed all of 2007 recuperating from his injuries. Kearns, however, had career highs in several key areas, including 161 games played
and 74 RBIs
. On May 12, 2007, in a game at home against the Florida Marlins
, Kearns hit a bases-empty inside-the-park home run
, the first ever for a Nationals player. The ball bounced off the glove of Florida Marlins
player Reggie Abercrombie
. Kearns scored
after receiving the sign to keep –running by 3rd base coach Tim Tollman. Down the stretch, he tallied 4 hits
in 11 at bat
s (with 2 home runs) in a late-season Nats' series sweep over the division leading New York Mets that kept the Mets out of the playoffs.
In 2008, the Nationals placed Kearns on the 15-day disabled list
on May 22 because of loose bodies in his right elbow and on August 25 with a stress fracture
in his left foot.
Kearns was placed on the disabled list on August 5, 2009 with a right thumb injury. His move to the was retroactive to August 4. The Nationals called up outfielder Jorge Padilla from the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs to replace the ailing Kearns. On November 6, the Nationals declined the 2010 contract option on Kearns making him a free agent.
with an invite to spring training. He was added to the Major League roster on April 3. On July 5, 2010, vs. the Texas Rangers
, Kearns was hit by a pitch three times. This set a new all time Indians record and tied the major league record for most hits by pitch. The last player to do so was Manny Ramirez
on the same date in 2008.
for a player to be named later, later revealed to be Zach McAllister
.
. He was designated for assignment on August 12, 2011 to make room on the active roster for the return of Shin-Soo Choo
from the disabled list. Kearns was released on August 17.
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...
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....
.
Cincinnati Reds
After playing at Lafayette Senior High SchoolLafayette High School (Lexington, Kentucky)
Lafayette Senior High School is a public high school located in Lexington, Kentucky's Picadome neighborhood. The school is one of five high schools in the Fayette County Public Schools district. It is among the largest high schools in Kentucky....
, he was offered a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to play college baseball at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. However, he decided to sign with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
after being selected seventh overall in the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
1998 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998...
. After three seasons in the Reds' minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
system, he made his major league debut on April 17, 2002.
Washington Nationals
Felipe López (baseball player)
Felipe López is a Puerto Rican professional baseball infielder who is a free agent.-High school career:...
and Ryan Wagner
Ryan Wagner
Ryan Scott Wagner is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals.-Early life:...
from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Gary Majewski
Gary Majewski
-Career:Majewski graduated in 1998 from St. Pius X High School in Houston, where he was unanimously selected for Houston Player of the Year for his achievement of maintaining a 1.64 ERA and a 14-3 record. With that, he led his team to the state championship in Class 5A TAPPS.In the majors, Majewski...
, Bill Bray
Bill Bray
William Paul "Bill" Bray , is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary...
, Royce Clayton
Royce Clayton
Royce Spencer Clayton is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and occasional actor.-Baseball career:Clayton was born in Burbank, California. He was drafted out of St...
, Brendan Harris
Brendan Harris
Brendan Michael Harris Brendan Michael Harris Brendan Michael Harris (born August 26, 1980 in Albany, New York is a Major League Baseball utility infielder who is a free agent.Brendan grew up in Queensbury, New York and led the Spartans to the 1998 State Baseball Tournament. He graduated from the...
, and Daryl Thompson
Daryl Thompson
Daryl Marcelus Thompson is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball....
.
On September 23, 2006, playing 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...
at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Kearns and first baseman Nick Johnson
Nick Johnson
Nicholas Robert Johnson is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.He previously played for the New York Yankees , Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals , and the Florida Marlins...
collided while making a sliding attempt to catch a fly ball. Kearns originally remained in the game relatively unhurt, but was removed shortly after play resumed by Manager Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
. Kearns was replaced by Ryan Church, who played in Kearns's spot for most of the rest of the season. Kearns suffered severe bruising down his left side as well as soreness. Johnson sustained a broken femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
and underwent surgery that night to repair his injuries. Johnson missed all of 2007 recuperating from his injuries. Kearns, however, had career highs in several key areas, including 161 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
and 74 RBIs
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...
. On May 12, 2007, in a game at home against the Florida Marlins
Florida 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...
, Kearns hit a bases-empty inside-the-park 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...
, the first ever for a Nationals player. The ball bounced off the glove of Florida Marlins
Florida 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...
player Reggie Abercrombie
Reggie Abercrombie
Reginald Damascus Abercrombie is a former Major League Baseball outfielder now playing for the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.-Professional career:...
. Kearns scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
after receiving the sign to keep –running by 3rd base coach Tim Tollman. Down the stretch, he tallied 4 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 11 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s (with 2 home runs) in a late-season Nats' series sweep over the division leading New York Mets that kept the Mets out of the playoffs.
In 2008, the Nationals placed Kearns on the 15-day disabled list
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:...
on May 22 because of loose bodies in his right elbow and on August 25 with a stress fracture
Stress fracture
A stress fracture is one type of incomplete fracture in bones. It is caused by "unusual or repeated stress" and also heavy continuous weight on the ankle or leg...
in his left foot.
Kearns was placed on the disabled list on August 5, 2009 with a right thumb injury. His move to the was retroactive to August 4. The Nationals called up outfielder Jorge Padilla from the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs to replace the ailing Kearns. On November 6, the Nationals declined the 2010 contract option on Kearns making him a free agent.
Cleveland Indians
On January 5, 2010, Kearns signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
with an invite to spring training. He was added to the Major League roster on April 3. On July 5, 2010, vs. the 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...
, Kearns was hit by a pitch three times. This set a new all time Indians record and tied the major league record for most hits by pitch. The last player to do so was 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...
on the same date in 2008.
New York Yankees
On July 30, 2010, Kearns was traded to the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for a player to be named later, later revealed to be Zach McAllister
Zach McAllister
Zachary Taylor McAllister is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
.
Return to Cleveland
On December 20, 2010, Kearns signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He was designated for assignment on August 12, 2011 to make room on the active roster for the return of Shin-Soo Choo
Shin-Soo Choo
Shin-Soo Choo is a South Korean professional baseball outfielder with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball in the United States.Choo was selected as the Most Valuable Player and Best Pitcher of the 2000 World Junior Baseball Championship as South Korea won the event...
from the disabled list. Kearns was released on August 17.