Colby Rasmus
Encyclopedia
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Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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...
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 Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
of 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...
.
Early years
Rasmus played as pitcher and first baseman for Phenix CityPhenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city and the county seat in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smiths Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area...
National Little League during the 1999 Little League World Series
1999 Little League World Series
The 1999 Little League World Series took between August 22 and August 28 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Hirkata Little League of Hirakata, Japan defeated Phenix City National Little League of Phenix City, Alabama in the championship game of the 53rd Little League World...
. Phenix City won the United States championship game before losing in the finals to Osaka, Japan 5-0. Rasmus finished the World Series with a batting average of .417 and a pitching record of 0-1 with 7 strikeouts.
Rasmus attended Russell County High School in Seale, Alabama
Seale, Alabama
Seale is an unincorporated community in Russell County, Alabama, United States. The county seat from 1868-1935, and is current home to the counties High and Middle Schools. One of Alabama's oldest buildings, the Russell County courthouse also is located in the city. -References:...
. As a senior, he batted .484 with 24 home runs with 66 RBI and 69 runs scored in 39 games . His 24 home runs passed Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985....
for second all-time in the state for home runs in a season by a high school player. In a pre-draft workout, Rasmus was clocked at 95 mph (42 m/s) throwing from center field. He also ran 60 yards in 6.7 seconds. Rasmus helped lead Russell County to a national championship in 2005 as they finished the season ranked first in both the National High School Baseball Coaches Association poll and the USA TODAY Super 25 baseball rankings. Rasmus graduated from Russell County High School in 2005. He is the brother of Batavia Muckdogs
Batavia Muckdogs
The Batavia Muckdogs are a minor league baseball team based in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. The Muckdogs are the current Short-Season A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals...
center fielder Casey Rasmus
Minor leagues (2005–2008)
Rasmus was drafted by the Cardinals with the 28th pick of the first round out of high school. The pick was sent to the Cardinals from the Boston Red Sox in compensation for the Red Sox signing Edgar RenteríaEdgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
in free agency. Rasmus received a $1,000,000 signing bonus from the Cardinals.
Rasmus ended his 2006 season, his second in professional baseball, on the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals team. Between Low-A Quad Cities and High-A Palm Beach, he combined for a .288 average, 16 home runs, 26 doubles,
He won the Player of the Month Award in August, batting .365 with 12 home runs.
The Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
(AA) manager, Stu Cole
Stu Cole
Stewart Bryan Cole is a former Major League Baseball player. Cole played for the Kansas City Royals in the 1991 season. In nine games, Cole had one hit in seven at-bats, with two walks...
, commented on Rasmus' high level of talent: "If there was a five-tool player in the league last year, Rasmus was the one. He brought everything to the table. And defensively he made more plays to save his team runs. If the ball was in the air there was a chance you were going to see something exciting.".
For the 2007 season, Rasmus was assigned to the Springfield Cardinals, AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Later, he played in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
during winter of 2007 for Team USA. He batted .286 over six games.
He was a non-roster invitee to the Cardinals in spring training
Spring 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...
, trying to claim a regular spot in the lineup after the Cardinals traded Jim Edmonds
Jim Edmonds
James Patrick "Jim" Edmonds is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds...
on December 15, 2007. On March 17, 2008, the Cardinals assigned Rasmus to the AAA Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
.
In 2008, Rasmus was selected to play baseball as a member of the US Olympic Team in the Beijing Olympics, but he was unable to attend due to injury.
The minor league prowess made Rasmus a favorite of the Cardinals sabremetrically inclined blog, vivaelbirdos.com.
St. Louis Cardinals
On January 23, 20092009 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champions – New York Yankees**American League Champions – New York Yankees**National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies*Postseason – October 7 to November 4...
, the Cardinals gave out 20 non-roster invitations (including three 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....
s) to spring training
Spring 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...
, including their top minor-league players Rasmus, and Brett Wallace
Brett Wallace
Brett Alexander Wallace is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
.
Rasmus was included in Baseball America's 2009 Top 100 Prospects list as the #3 prospect in all of MLB.
On April 3, 2009, Rasmus was named to the opening day roster of the St. Louis Cardinals.
He made his major-league debut on April 7 against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 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...
at Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, of MLB...
. He earned his first major league hit in his second career at-bat, on a single to right field off Pittsburgh's Ian Snell
Ian Snell
Ian Dante Snell is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. From -, he went by the name Ian Oquendo, adopting the last name of his wife, and during the 2009 World Baseball Classic he went by Ian Davila-Snell, adopting his stepfather's surname...
. He went 2-for-4 in the game, with two runs scored, including his first career run on a home run by Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
.
On May 2, he hit his first home run vs. 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...
while Pujols took a day off after playing in the team's first 24 games. The Cardinals lost the game, 6-1.
On June 19, he had his first four-hit game, in a 10-5 victory 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...
in which Pujols scored his 1000th career run.
On July 1, he hit his first career walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
off Bob Howry
Bob Howry
Bobby Dean Howry is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-Early life:Howry attended Deer Valley High School in Arizona,then he attended McNeese State University and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants...
, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, leading all NL rookies with eight home runs and 29 RBIs. He was the first Cardinals rookie to hit a game-winning home run since Andy Van Slyke
Andy Van Slyke
Andrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...
in August, 1983.
On September 5, 2010, it was reported that Rasmus requested a trade from General Manager John Mozeliak
John Mozeliak
John Mozeliak is the current Vice President and General Manager of Major League Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals. He accepted a three-year contract for the position on the evening of October 30, 2007, and was formally introduced as the new GM the next day...
because of a shortage of playing time, and a strained relationship with manager Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball manager and infielder, best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals...
. Rasmus attempted to downplay the rumor and Mozeliak indicated he would not trade Rasmus.
Rasmus hit his first career grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds' Bronson Arroyo. He hit his second grand slam against the San Francisco Giants.
Toronto Blue Jays
On July 27, 2011, Rasmus was traded to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
along with P. J. Walters
P. J. Walters
Phillip DeWayne "P. J." Walters is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Personal life:Walters was born March 12, 1985, in Dothan, Alabama. He is married to Brittney....
, Brian Tallet
Brian Tallet
Brian Curtis Tallet is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He stands 6' 6" in height. Brian Tallet pitched for the LSU Tigers and won a national championship in 2000....
and Trever Miller
Trever Miller
Trever Douglas Miller is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-High school:...
for Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
, Octavio Dotel
Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel is a Domincan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent....
, Marc Rzepczynski
Marc Rzepczynski
Marc Walter Rzepczynski is an American professional baseball left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.The Toronto Blue Jays blogosphere gave Rzepczynski the nickname "Scrabble".-Amateur career:...
and Corey Patterson
Corey Patterson
Donald Corey Patterson is an American professional baseball free agent outfielder in Major League Baseball. He is the older brother of outfielder Eric Patterson.-Amateur career:...
.