Chip Ambres
Encyclopedia
Raymond Payne "Chip" Ambres (born December 19, 1979 in Beaumont, Texas
) is a right-handed Minor League Baseball
outfielder
who is currently a free agent.
in Beaumont, Texas
, Ambres was named a second team All-American by Baseball America
, a USA Today All-USA high school baseball team
member, and was a highly recruited quarterback
.
Ambres signed a National Letter of Intent
to play football
at Texas A&M University
, but opted for baseball after he was selected 27th overall by the Florida Marlins
in the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
and offered a $1.5 million signing bonus.
Ambres' first season as a pro had a memorable moment at the end of the year. After being called up to the Single-A Utica Blue Sox
in mid-season, the 19-year-old finished the regular season with the club, driving in 15 runs
in only 28 games.
In , Ambres was named the No. 6 prospect in the Marlins organization by Baseball America. Ambres became a free agent at the end of the season.
contract with the Boston Red Sox
.
until he was with his third organization, the Kansas City Royals
. Kansas City acquired Ambres, along with minor league pitcher
Juan Cedeño
, from the Boston Red Sox
on July 19, 2005, for infielder
Tony Graffanino
. The following day, Ambres made his Major League debut at Jacobs Field
in Cleveland
against the Indians
, going 2-for-4 with a double
.
Ambres' 2005 rookie campaign was his best and most active season to-date. He finished 2005 with a batting average
of .241 with four home run
s and nine RBI
in 53 games.
Ambres toiled in the minor leagues in the Royals' organization in and did not appear in any games with the parent club. He became a free agent
in October.
came calling, And On December 19, 2005 signed Ambres to a Minor League Contract .
Ambres was called up on July 17, , to play for the Mets and had the game winning hit on July 22 - his first Major League hit since he played for the Royals in 2005. On July 24, 2007, Ambres was designated for assignment
to make a roster spot for Damion Easley
who returned from the bereavement list. He was assigned to Triple-A
New Orleans
and finished the season there. Following the 2007 season, he became a minor league free agent.
.
Ambres was called up on July 8, 2008, by the San Diego Padres for their game against the Florida Marlins. On July 26, Ambres was designated for assignment and was outrighted to the minors on August 1 after clearing waivers. The Padres brought him back on September 2. Ambres elected to become a free agent after the end of the season after being outrighted to the minors once again.
. The Red Sox are going to receive PTBNL or cash considerations.
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
) is a right-handed Minor League Baseball
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...
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.
Florida Marlins
As a senior at West Brook Senior High SchoolWest Brook Senior High School
West Brook Senior High School is the largest high school in the city of Beaumont, Texas. West Brook is located at 8750 Phelan Boulevard. It is operated by the Beaumont Independent School District.The school's official mascot is the Bruin Bear...
in Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Ambres was named a second team All-American by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, a USA Today All-USA high school baseball team
USA Today All-USA high school baseball team
Each year, USA Today, an American newspaper, awards outstanding high-school baseball players with a place on its All-USA High School Baseball Team. The newspaper names athletes whom they believe to be the best baseball players from high schools across the United States...
member, and was a highly recruited quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
Ambres signed a National Letter of Intent
National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
to play football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, but opted for baseball after he was selected 27th overall by 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...
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...
and offered a $1.5 million signing bonus.
Ambres' first season as a pro had a memorable moment at the end of the year. After being called up to the Single-A Utica Blue Sox
Utica Blue Sox
The Utica Blue Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Utica, New York. In their most recent incarnation, the Blue Sox played in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League from 1977-2001, with their home games at Donovan Stadium at Murnane Field...
in mid-season, the 19-year-old finished the regular season with the club, driving in 15 runs
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...
in only 28 games.
In , Ambres was named the No. 6 prospect in the Marlins organization by Baseball America. Ambres became a free agent at the end of the season.
Boston Red Sox
On December 21, 2004 Ambres signed a minor leagueMinor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
contract with the 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"...
.
Kansas City Royals
Ambres did not break into the Major LeaguesMajor 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...
until he was with his third organization, 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...
. Kansas City acquired Ambres, along with minor league pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Juan Cedeño
Juan Cedeño
Juan Cedeño is a Dominican Republic baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization.The Boston Red Sox signed Cedeño as an international free agent in 2001. He played organization from 2002 through 2005, until he was traded with Chip Ambres to the Kansas City Royals for Tony Graffanino. He...
, from the 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"...
on July 19, 2005, for infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Tony Graffanino
Tony Graffanino
Anthony Joseph Graffanino is a former American Major League Baseball second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop. Though he never officially retired, Graffanino has not played since .-Career:...
. The following day, Ambres made his Major League debut at Jacobs Field
Jacobs Field
Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball and the American League. Along with Quicken Loans Arena, it is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
against the Indians
Cleveland 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...
, going 2-for-4 with a double
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....
.
Ambres' 2005 rookie campaign was his best and most active season to-date. He finished 2005 with a batting average
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 :...
of .241 with four 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 nine 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...
in 53 games.
Ambres toiled in the minor leagues in the Royals' organization in and did not appear in any games with the parent club. He became 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....
in October.
New York Mets
After which the New York MetsNew 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...
came calling, And On December 19, 2005 signed Ambres to a Minor League Contract .
Ambres was called up on July 17, , to play for the Mets and had the game winning hit on July 22 - his first Major League hit since he played for the Royals in 2005. On July 24, 2007, Ambres was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
to make a roster spot for Damion Easley
Damion Easley
Jacinto Damion Easley is a former Major League Baseball player who is currently Executive Director of Warrior Baseball Academy. He is also an assistant coach for the Peoria Padres.-Biography:...
who returned from the bereavement list. He was assigned to Triple-A
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
New Orleans
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
and finished the season there. Following the 2007 season, he became a minor league free agent.
San Diego Padres
On November 20, 2007, he signed a minor league contract with San Diego and was invited to spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
.
Ambres was called up on July 8, 2008, by the San Diego Padres for their game against the Florida Marlins. On July 26, Ambres was designated for assignment and was outrighted to the minors on August 1 after clearing waivers. The Padres brought him back on September 2. Ambres elected to become a free agent after the end of the season after being outrighted to the minors once again.
Boston Red Sox Again
On January 27, Ambres signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox.New York Mets Again
On June 10, the New York Mets acquired Chip Ambres from the Boston Red Sox. The veteran outfielder has been assigned to the Buffalo BisonsBuffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
. The Red Sox are going to receive PTBNL or cash considerations.