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Mark Ellis (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Mark William Ellis is an American professional baseball
second baseman
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
of Major League Baseball
. He has played for the Oakland Athletics
and Colorado Rockies
.
. Ellis graduated from Stevens High School in Rapid City in 1995, and is one of three players to have made it to the major leagues who played for the Rapid City Post 22 American Legion baseball
program in Rapid City. As a 16-year-old, Ellis was the starting shortstop for the 1993 Rapid City Post 22 varsity "Hardhat" baseball team which had a 70–5 record and won the national title in Roseburg, OR. He went on to earn South Dakota
American Legion
Player of the Year honors in back-to-back years, 1994 and 1995. He went on to play for the University of Florida
Gators baseball program and was the MVP of the Gainesville regional at the 1998 College World Series
.
Ellis was a ninth-round selection by the Kansas City Royals
in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
. He played with the Royals farm system in 1999 and 2000, where he was a Short-Season A All-Star in 1999 and a Carolina League
All-Star in 2000.
On January 1, 2001, he acquired by the Oakland Athletics
along with outfielder
Johnny Damon
and pitcher
Cory Lidle
in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Royals for outfielder Ben Grieve
, shortstop
Angel Berroa
, and catcher
A.J. Hinch. In 2001, with the AAA Sacramento River Cats
, he hit .273 in 132 games with 10 home runs.
, pinch running in the eighth inning for Jeremy Giambi
. He remained in the game and ground out to short in the 10th inning. He recorded his first base hit, in his first Major League start, on April 18 against the Anaheim Angels
, a single to left field off of Ramón Ortiz
. His first home run was hit on June 28, 2002 off of San Francisco Giants
pitcher Jay Witasick
. For the 2002 season his batting
was .272 in 98 games. He followed by hitting .248 the following season, but missed the entire season due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder resulting from a collision with shortstop Bobby Crosby
in a spring training
game against the Chicago Cubs
. In , he returned to the Athletics and led the team in batting average (.316), on base percentage
(.384), and slugging average (.477) as the team's regular second baseman.
In , Ellis broke Bret Boone
's single-season American League
record for a second baseman with a .99685 fielding percentage
, although the Gold Glove Award
went to the Royals' Mark Grudzielanek
.
Ellis missed most of the A's 2006 post-season
due to a hand injury suffered during Game 2 of the American League Division Series
against the Minnesota Twins
.
On June 4, , Ellis became only the sixth player in Oakland Athletics history to hit for the cycle
. On July 23, 2007, he had his first career multi-home run
game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. On August 5, 2007, he tied the A's team record for consecutive error-less games by a second baseman at 70 games.
Ellis missed the last two months of the 2008 season due to cartilage damage in his shoulder. He underwent successful surgery that also fixed a torn labrum from a previous injury.
In October 2008, the Athletics signed Ellis to an $11 million contract through 2010, with an option of extending the deal an additional season.
for Bruce Billings
and a player to be named later. On September 30, the Athletics announced that they received 22-year-old outfielder Eliezer Mesa as the player to be named later to complete the deal.
.
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...
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 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...
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...
. He has played for 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....
and 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...
.
Early career
Ellis as born in Rapid City, South DakotaRapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
. Ellis graduated from Stevens High School in Rapid City in 1995, and is one of three players to have made it to the major leagues who played for the Rapid City Post 22 American Legion baseball
American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
program in Rapid City. As a 16-year-old, Ellis was the starting shortstop for the 1993 Rapid City Post 22 varsity "Hardhat" baseball team which had a 70–5 record and won the national title in Roseburg, OR. He went on to earn South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
Player of the Year honors in back-to-back years, 1994 and 1995. He went on to play for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
Gators baseball program and was the MVP of the Gainesville regional at the 1998 College World Series
1998 College World Series
The 1998 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 29 to June 6. The fifty-second tournament's champion was the University of Southern California, coached by Mike Gillespie. The championship was the Trojans' record 11th, but their first since 1978, the...
.
Ellis was a ninth-round selection by 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 the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
. He played with the Royals farm system in 1999 and 2000, where he was a Short-Season A All-Star in 1999 and a Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
All-Star in 2000.
On January 1, 2001, he acquired by 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....
along with 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...
Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
and 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...
Cory Lidle
Cory Lidle
Cory Fulton Lidle was an Americanright-handed baseball pitcher who spent nine seasons in the major leagues with seven different teams. His twin brother Kevin Lidle also played baseball, as a catcher for several minor league teams...
in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Royals for outfielder Ben Grieve
Ben Grieve
Benjamin Grieve is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. In his nine-season career, he played with the Oakland Athletics , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Milwaukee Brewers , and Chicago Cubs .Grieve won the American League Rookie of the Year...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Angel Berroa
Angel Berroa
Ángel Maria Berroa Selmo is a Dominican professional baseball infielder. Berroa was selected as the 2003 American League Rookie of the Year.-Early career:...
, and 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...
A.J. Hinch. In 2001, with the AAA Sacramento River Cats
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics....
, he hit .273 in 132 games with 10 home runs.
Oakland Athletics
Ellis made his major-league debut on April 9, 2002 for the Athletics against the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, pinch running in the eighth inning for Jeremy Giambi
Jeremy Giambi
Jeremy Dean Giambi is a left-handed, former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox. He also played in the minors for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. He is the younger brother of Colorado Rockies first...
. He remained in the game and ground out to short in the 10th inning. He recorded his first base hit, in his first Major League start, on April 18 against the Anaheim Angels
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...
, a single to left field off of Ramón Ortiz
Ramón Ortiz
Ramón Diógenes Ortiz is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher. He has previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Anaheim Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs as well as the Orix...
. His first home run was hit on June 28, 2002 off of 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....
pitcher Jay Witasick
Jay Witasick
Gerald Alphonse "Jay" Witasick, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his major league debut on July 7, as a member of the A's versus the California Angels...
. For the 2002 season his batting
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 :...
was .272 in 98 games. He followed by hitting .248 the following season, but missed the entire season due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder resulting from a collision with shortstop Bobby Crosby
Bobby Crosby
Robert Edward Crosby is an infielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. The son of former major league infielder Ed Crosby, he bats and throws right-handed...
in a 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...
game against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. In , he returned to the Athletics and led the team in batting average (.316), on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
(.384), and slugging average (.477) as the team's regular second baseman.
In , Ellis broke Bret Boone
Bret Boone
Bret Robert Boone is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.-Personal life:Boone was born in El Cajon, California to Susan G. Roel and Bob Boone. He is a graduate of El Dorado High School and the University of Southern California. He is the grandson of former major leaguer Ray Boone and...
's single-season American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
record for a second baseman with a .99685 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, although the Gold Glove Award
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
went to the Royals' Mark Grudzielanek
Mark Grudzielanek
Mark James Grudzielanek is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop. Grudzielanek played six different teams during his 15-season career. He batted and threw right-handed.-Early years:...
.
Ellis missed most of the A's 2006 post-season
Major League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
due to a hand injury suffered during Game 2 of the American League Division Series
2006 American League Division Series
-Game 1, October 3:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkA five-run third inning by the Yankees put the game out of reach for the Tigers. Bobby Abreu doubled to score Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter . Gary Sheffield then singled in Abreu, and Jason Giambi launched a two-run home run for a commanding 5–0...
against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
On June 4, , Ellis became only the sixth player in Oakland Athletics history to hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
. On July 23, 2007, he had his first career multi-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...
game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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...
. On August 5, 2007, he tied the A's team record for consecutive error-less games by a second baseman at 70 games.
Ellis missed the last two months of the 2008 season due to cartilage damage in his shoulder. He underwent successful surgery that also fixed a torn labrum from a previous injury.
In October 2008, the Athletics signed Ellis to an $11 million contract through 2010, with an option of extending the deal an additional season.
Colorado Rockies
On June 30, 2011, Ellis was traded to the Colorado RockiesColorado 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...
for Bruce Billings
Bruce Billings
Bruce Billings is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball.-Early life and college:Billings is the son of Bruce and Emily. Billings attended Samuel F. B...
and a player to be named later. On September 30, the Athletics announced that they received 22-year-old outfielder Eliezer Mesa as the player to be named later to complete the deal.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On November 15, 2011, Ellis signed a two-year $8.75 million contract with the Los Angeles DodgersLos 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...
.
Film
- In the 2011 film, Moneyball, focusing on the Oakland A's analytical approach to economically assembling a competitive baseball team, the role of Mark Ellis is played by actor Brent Dohling.