Chris Getz
Encyclopedia
Christopher Ryan Getz is a Major League Baseball
second baseman
for the Kansas City Royals
. Getz bats left-handed
and throws right-handed.
, and was raised in Grosse Pointe
, Michigan by Art and Betsy Getz. He attended Grosse Pointe South High School
('South'), where he was a 3 time All-Michigan selection in football
and baseball
and holds the South career records for batting average
(.465), doubles
, stolen base
s, walks
, and saves. Getz was a member of South's State Championship baseball team during his junior year. He shared the title of "Michigan's Mr. Baseball" in 2002 and also lettered in football
and golf
. Getz was drafted in the 6th round by the Chicago White Sox in , but opted to play baseball at Wake Forest University
where his father had attended college. Getz transferred to the University of Michigan
to play baseball,. after just one season. He holds the single season Big Ten records for at bat
s, hits
, and was an All Big Ten Selection in and .
, the Sox rookie league affiliate before being promoted to the Single-A Kannapolis Intimidators
where he played in 55 games. In , Getz played in 130 games for the Double-A Birmingham Barons
. Limited by injury, Getz played in just 72 games for Birmingham during the season, batting .299.
In 2008, Getz was named the All-Star Futures Game
, he was called up to the White Sox on August 10, . He first appeared in a game against the Kansas City Royals
three days later on August 12, where he recorded his first hit and RBI
off Royals pitcher
Josh Newman
in his one and only at-bat during the 8th inning. The next day, he had his first Major League start, replacing Alexei Ramirez
at second base. He went 1-3 with a single
.
With Ramirez moving over to shortstop for the season, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen
announced that Getz had won the starting role at second base out of spring training. In 2009, Getz ranked tied for first among AL rookies in multi-hit games (28) and 92.6 stolen base percentage (25-for-27) led the league. After season he was named 2009 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
.
on November 6, 2009 along with Josh Fields for Mark Teahen
.
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...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
for 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...
. Getz bats left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and throws right-handed.
Early life
Getz was born in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, MichiganSouthfield, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road...
, and was raised in Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe refers to a coastal area in Metro Detroit, Michigan, United States that comprises five adjacent individual communities. From southwest to northeast, they are:*Grosse Pointe Park, city*Grosse Pointe, city*Grosse Pointe Farms, city...
, Michigan by Art and Betsy Getz. He attended Grosse Pointe South High School
Grosse Pointe South High School
Grosse Pointe South High School , commonly called South, is one of two public high schools located in the Grosse Pointes, suburban cities adjacent to Detroit, Michigan. At the corner of Fisher Road and Grosse Pointe Blvd in Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe High School, the first public high...
('South'), where he was a 3 time All-Michigan selection in 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...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and holds the South career records for 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 :...
(.465), 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....
, stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, 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...
, and saves. Getz was a member of South's State Championship baseball team during his junior year. He shared the title of "Michigan's Mr. Baseball" in 2002 and also lettered in 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...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. Getz was drafted in the 6th round by the Chicago White Sox in , but opted to play baseball at Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
where his father had attended college. Getz transferred to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
to play baseball,. after just one season. He holds the single season Big Ten records for 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, 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....
, and was an All Big Ten Selection in and .
Chicago White Sox
Getz was again selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. In 2005, he played 6 games for the Great Falls White SoxGreat Falls White Sox
The Great Falls Voyagers are a minor league baseball team based in Great Falls, Montana. This team has played continuously since 1969, and also played in the Pioneer League from 1948 to 1963....
, the Sox rookie league affiliate before being promoted to the Single-A Kannapolis Intimidators
Kannapolis Intimidators
The Kannapolis Intimidators are a minor league baseball team in Kannapolis, North Carolina. The team is a Class Low-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and has played in the South Atlantic League under various names and team affiliations since its inception in 1995.-Team history:The Intimidators...
where he played in 55 games. In , Getz played in 130 games for the Double-A Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
. Limited by injury, Getz played in just 72 games for Birmingham during the season, batting .299.
In 2008, Getz was named the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
, he was called up to the White Sox on August 10, . He first appeared in a game against 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...
three days later on August 12, where he recorded his first hit and 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...
off Royals 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...
Josh Newman
Josh Newman
Joshua Paul Newman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played parts of and for the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals....
in his one and only at-bat during the 8th inning. The next day, he had his first Major League start, replacing Alexei Ramirez
Alexei Ramírez
Alexei Fernando Ramírez is a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Chicago White Sox...
at second base. He went 1-3 with a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
.
With Ramirez moving over to shortstop for the season, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
announced that Getz had won the starting role at second base out of spring training. In 2009, Getz ranked tied for first among AL rookies in multi-hit games (28) and 92.6 stolen base percentage (25-for-27) led the league. After season he was named 2009 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
.
Kansas City Royals
Getz was traded to the Kansas City RoyalsKansas 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...
on November 6, 2009 along with Josh Fields for Mark Teahen
Mark Teahen
Mark Thomas Teahen is an American-Canadian professional baseball infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball....
.