Chris Snelling
Encyclopedia
Christopher Doyle Snelling (born December 3, 1981 in North Miami, Florida
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
of ustralian] descent. Though he never officially retired, Snelling has not played since .
on March 2, . He quickly established himself as the franchise's top position prospect in the system. He was often compared to Lenny Dykstra
due to his aggressive play and ability to hit for average and draw walks. He made it to the major leagues in , but during a baserunning mishap tore his ACL
in his left knee. After that incident, his status as a top prospect began to decline, as Snelling suffered numerous serious injuries in subsequent years. At Seattle Mariners
fan blog USS Mariner
, Snelling was dubbed "Doyle" (his middle name) in hopes of driving off the injury curse that plagued him.
reported that Snelling and Mariners pitching prospect Emiliano Fruto
would be traded to the Washington Nationals
for veteran second baseman
José Vidro
. The trade was completed several days later.
Following the Virginia Tech massacre
, players for the Nationals wore Virginia Tech baseball caps for their game against the Atlanta Braves
on April 17, . Snelling's cap was then sent to the Hall of Fame
in Cooperstown, New York
.
On the evening of May 2, , during a game between the Nationals and San Diego Padres
, Snelling was traded to the Oakland Athletics
for outfielder Ryan Langerhans
.
on October 25, .
for cash considerations on November 20, . The Phillies sent him outright to the minors on March 28, .
On April 12, , Snelling was recalled from the minor leagues by the Phillies after an injury to Shane Victorino
. He was designated for assignment on June 7. He spent most of the season with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
.
on March 14, .
for future considerations, but was released after Ryan Doumit
was activated. He played the rest of the season with the Monterrey Sultanes in the Mexican League.
, Snelling grew up in Australia and has played for the Australian national team
. He hit two of Australia's four home runs in its victory over Mexico
on March 8, , during the 2009 World Baseball Classic
.
North Miami, Florida
North Miami is a suburban city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, about north of Miami. The city lies on Biscayne Bay and hosts the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University, and the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University...
) is a former 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...
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...
of ustralian] descent. Though he never officially retired, Snelling has not played since .
Seattle Mariners
Snelling was signed as an amateur free agent out of Australia by 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...
on March 2, . He quickly established himself as the franchise's top position prospect in the system. He was often compared to Lenny Dykstra
Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
due to his aggressive play and ability to hit for average and draw walks. He made it to the major leagues in , but during a baserunning mishap tore his ACL
ACL
- Companies and organizations :* American Classical League* Arctic Co-operatives Limited* Asianet Communications Limited* Association for Computational Linguistics* Atlantic Coast Line Railroad* Atlantic Container Line* Australian Christian Lobby- Sports :...
in his left knee. After that incident, his status as a top prospect began to decline, as Snelling suffered numerous serious injuries in subsequent years. At Seattle Mariners
Seattle 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...
fan blog USS Mariner
USS Mariner
USS Mariner may refer to:*USS Mariner , formerly the steam tugboat Jack T. Scully, was built in 1899 and delivered to the US Navy in 1917. She was lost at sea and stricken in 1918....
, Snelling was dubbed "Doyle" (his middle name) in hopes of driving off the injury curse that plagued him.
Washington Nationals
On the night of December 13, , The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that Snelling and Mariners pitching prospect Emiliano Fruto
Emiliano Fruto
Emiliano Ricardo Fruto is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher. He made his debut in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners on May 14,...
would be traded to the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
for veteran 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...
José Vidro
José Vidro
José Angel Vidro is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. Though he never officially retired, Vidro has not played since .-Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals:...
. The trade was completed several days later.
Following the Virginia Tech massacre
Virginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
, players for the Nationals wore Virginia Tech baseball caps for their game against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on April 17, . Snelling's cap was then sent to the Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
.
On the evening of May 2, , during a game between the Nationals 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...
, Snelling was traded to 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....
for outfielder Ryan Langerhans
Ryan Langerhans
Ryan David Langerhans is an American Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Langerhans was drafted in the third round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves...
.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Snelling was claimed off waivers from the Athletics by the Tampa Bay Devil RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
on October 25, .
Philadelphia Phillies
With a crowded outfield, the Rays traded Snelling to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia 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...
for cash considerations on November 20, . The Phillies sent him outright to the minors on March 28, .
On April 12, , Snelling was recalled from the minor leagues by the Phillies after an injury 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:...
. He was designated for assignment on June 7. He spent most of the season with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
.
San Diego Padres
Snelling signed a minor league deal with San Diego PadresSan 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 March 14, .
Pittsburgh Pirates
On June 10, , Snelling was traded to the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh 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...
for future considerations, but was released after Ryan Doumit
Ryan Doumit
Ryan Matthew Doumit is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He played the first seven years of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...
was activated. He played the rest of the season with the Monterrey Sultanes in the Mexican League.
World Baseball Classic
Although he was born in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Snelling grew up in Australia and has played for the Australian national team
Australia national baseball team
The Australian national baseball team represents Australia in international baseball tournaments and competitions. They are ranked as the top team in Oceania, and are the Oceanian Champions, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship. They...
. He hit two of Australia's four home runs in its victory over Mexico
Mexico national baseball team
The Mexico national baseball team is the baseball team which represents Mexico in international tournaments. They are currently the eighth ranked baseball team in the world.-Pan American Games:*1951 Bronze Medal *1963 Bronze Medal...
on March 8, , during the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
.