J. R. Phillips
Encyclopedia
Charles Gene "J. R." Phillips (born April 29, 1970 in East Covina, California), is a former professional baseball player who played first base in the Major Leagues from -. He was drafted by the California Angels
out of high school in the fourth round of the amateur draft in .
in 1992 and made his Major league debut with the team following September call-ups on September 3, 1993. He hit his first major-league home run
off of Rene Arocha
the following game, helping the Giants to a late-season victory in their 100-win season of .
After consecutive 27 home run seasons with the Giants' Triple-A
farm team, the Phoenix Firebirds
, Phillips was named the Giants starting first baseman going into the season, but his lack of production at the big league level forced him into a platoon with Mark Carreon
before mid-season. He hit a career-high 9 home run
s and 28 RBI
s, while hitting .195 over 231 at bats in 92 games. In the beginning of the season, Phillips was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies
.
He bounced between the minors and the majors over the next four seasons, playing for the Phillies, the Houston Astros
and, finally, the Colorado Rockies
. Even in , Phillips hit 41 home runs and 100 RBIs for the Rockies' Triple-A club, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
, earning him a September call up. He managed to hit two more home runs but ended up playing his final game on October 3, 1999, against the Giants.
Phillips can be classified as a AAAA-type player: one who had great success in the Minor leagues
but failed to translate that success in the majors.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
out of high school in the fourth round of the amateur draft in .
Major league career
Phillips was selected on waivers by the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in 1992 and made his Major league debut with the team following September call-ups on September 3, 1993. He hit his first major-league 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...
off of Rene Arocha
René Arocha
René Arocha is a former MLB baseball player.-Biography:René Arocha studied as a teenager at the Regla high school in Havana...
the following game, helping the Giants to a late-season victory in their 100-win season of .
After consecutive 27 home run seasons with the Giants' 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:...
farm team, the Phoenix Firebirds
Phoenix Firebirds
The Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Phoenix, Arizona, USA from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997....
, Phillips was named the Giants starting first baseman going into the season, but his lack of production at the big league level forced him into a platoon with Mark Carreon
Mark Carreon
Mark Carreon is a former first baseman / outfielder in Major League Baseball.-Career:From through , Carreon played for the New York Mets , Detroit Tigers , San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Indians . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in and...
before mid-season. He hit a career-high 9 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 28 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...
s, while hitting .195 over 231 at bats in 92 games. In the beginning of the season, Phillips was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia 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...
.
He bounced between the minors and the majors over the next four seasons, playing for the Phillies, the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and, finally, the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. Even in , Phillips hit 41 home runs and 100 RBIs for the Rockies' Triple-A club, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
, earning him a September call up. He managed to hit two more home runs but ended up playing his final game on October 3, 1999, against the Giants.
Phillips can be classified as a AAAA-type player: one who had great success in the Minor leagues
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...
but failed to translate that success in the majors.