Kelly Stinnett
Encyclopedia
Kelly Lee Stinnett is a retired Major League Baseball
catcher
. He played all or part of 14 seasons in the majors, from until .
, and baseball
. He was an All-State selection in baseball and in football and he led his football team to the Oklahoma Class 5A State Championship. He played on this championship team with 2 other professional athletes - James Trapp and Will Shields. Trapp went to the NFL
and played for the Raiders
and Shields played for the Kansas City Chiefs.
, where in his freshman
year he was All-Conference and All-Region after leading all junior college players with 30 home run
s and 124 RBI
. In his sophomore year, he was National Junior College Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. That year, he had a batting average
of .399 and had 22 home runs and 97 RBI, leading his team to a First-place finish in the Junior College World Series.
He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians
in the amateur draft as the 279th overall pick, and was selected by the New York Mets
in the Rule 5 draft
on December 13, 1993. He began his first season the following spring, on April 5, , with the Mets.
Between 1994 and , Stinnett played in the majors for the Mets, Milwaukee Brewers
, Arizona Diamondbacks
, Cincinnati Reds
, Philadelphia Phillies
, and Kansas City Royals
.
He made a return to the Diamondbacks on December 13, 2004, when he was signed to a minor league contract. Stinnett made his return to the major leagues on May 28, , in a 5-4 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. In late November 2005, Stinnett signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees
.
Stinnett was designated for assignment by the Yankees on July 26, , after the Yankees traded for Phillies' back-up catcher Sal Fasano
. On August 24, 2006, Stinnett signed a minor league contract with the Mets. He made his return to Shea Stadium
as a Met on September 9th, 2006 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, and went 1-3. He finished September with a .083 Batting Average
, and was not included on the 2006 New York Mets
postseason roster. On February 17, , he signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers
. On June 3, 2007, he was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals
for cash considerations.
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...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. He played all or part of 14 seasons in the majors, from until .
High school years
Stinnett attended Lawton High School in Lawton, Oklahoma and was a letterman in footballAmerican 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...
. He was an All-State selection in baseball and in football and he led his football team to the Oklahoma Class 5A State Championship. He played on this championship team with 2 other professional athletes - James Trapp and Will Shields. Trapp went to the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and played for the Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Shields played for the Kansas City Chiefs.
College and pro ball
He attended Seminole Junior College in OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, where in his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year he was All-Conference and All-Region after leading all junior college players with 30 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 124 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 his sophomore year, he was National Junior College Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. That year, he had 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 .399 and had 22 home runs and 97 RBI, leading his team to a First-place finish in the Junior College World Series.
He was drafted by the Cleveland 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...
in the amateur draft as the 279th overall pick, and was selected by the New York Mets
New 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...
in the Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
on December 13, 1993. He began his first season the following spring, on April 5, , with the Mets.
Between 1994 and , Stinnett played in the majors for the Mets, Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, 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...
, and 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...
.
He made a return to the Diamondbacks on December 13, 2004, when he was signed to a minor league contract. Stinnett made his return to the major leagues on May 28, , in a 5-4 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. In late November 2005, Stinnett signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
Stinnett was designated for assignment by the Yankees on July 26, , after the Yankees traded for Phillies' back-up catcher Sal Fasano
Sal Fasano
Salvatore Frank Fasano is a former Major League Baseball catcher who is currently the manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Double A Eastern League, a Minor League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system. He is known to many for his famous Horseshoe moustache.Jeff Pearlman...
. On August 24, 2006, Stinnett signed a minor league contract with the Mets. He made his return to Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
as a Met on September 9th, 2006 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, and went 1-3. He finished September with a .083 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 :...
, and was not included on the 2006 New York Mets
New 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...
postseason roster. On February 17, , he signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. On June 3, 2007, he was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for cash considerations.