Shawn Wooten
Encyclopedia
William Shawn Wooten is a retired Major League Baseball
catcher
. Previously, Wooten played in the majors with the Anaheim Angels
(-), Philadelphia Phillies
, and Boston Red Sox
. He bats and throws right-handed.
In a five-season career, Wooten has compiled a .272 batting average
with 18 home run
s and 86 RBI
in 266 games played
.
, first base and third
, Wooten showed some nice flashes early in his career, but might have amounted to more than a journeyman player if a pair of injuries did not occur. After parts of eight seasons in the minors
(he was drafted and signed by the Detroit
Tigers
), Wooten made it to the majors with the Angels in 2000. He was part of their World Series
championship team in . Wooten batted .474 in the postseason, third best among all hitters in the playoffs, going 9-for-19 with five runs scored and one homer, which came in the decisive Game 4 of the 2002 American League Division Series
.
In , Wooten spent his first full season in the major leagues with Anaheim (qualifying as a rookie
) after making the 25-man roster out of spring training
. He opened the campaign batting .385 (10-for-26), with three home runs and six runs batted in in April, leading all American League
rookies in home runs for the month. In June, he led Angels hitters with a .386 average (17-for-44) and was batting .328 (42-for-128) at the All-Star
break, second to Seattle
's Ichiro Suzuki
among AL rookies (based on 125 at-bats
). Wooten hit safely in 47 contests, including 17 multi-hit games. His season ended when doctors discovered torn cartilage in his left wrist in early September and underwent arthroscopic surgery. At the time, he was hitting .312 (69-for-221) with eight home runs and 32 runs batted in in 79 games and ranked second among American League
first-year players with a .466 slugging percentage. Nevertheless, he was selected for the Baseball Digest
and Topps
Major League Baseball rookie All-Star teams. At the time of the injury
, his .312 average was second best among American League rookies and was tops on the Angels' club.
Coming off the disabled list
in July , Wooten hit .338 (26-for-77) from August through September, including three doubles
in a game to tie a team record. He finished with a .292 average in 49 games. In the postseason against the Yankees
, Twins
, and Giants
, he hit .474 (9-for-19) with one home run and three RBI in nine games.
In 2003, Wooten posted career highs in games (98), at-bats (272), runs
(25) and walks
(24), hitting .243 with seven home runs and 32 RBI. Anaheim pitcher
s posted a 3.81 ERA
with him behind the plate
. After a knee injury, Wooten was used mainly as a pinch hitter
. His .350 pinch-average (7-for-20) tied for second in the American League. He signed with the Phillies before the season, but he missed entire first-half of season due to recurrent injuries that placed him on 60-day disabled list starting on March 21.
On May 19, 2005, the Boston Red Sox placed reserve catcher Doug Mirabelli
on the 15-day DL prior to the interleague series opener with the Atlanta Braves
. To replace Mirabelli on the active roster, the Red Sox purchased the contract of Wooten from the Triple-A Pawtucket
Red Sox
. At this time, Wooten had seven home runs and 27 RBI in 39 games for Pawtucket and was hitting .225 (34-for-151) when he got the call. More important, he was playing every day. He signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins
at the beginning of the season and played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings. After that, he spent time playing for the San Antonio Missions
, the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres before his release.
In July , Wooten signed with the non-affiliated St. Paul Saints
. He played three games with the team before the New York Mets
bought out his contract. He was released by the Mets on May 3, 2008, and quickly signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Wooten is a member of the prestigious Cedar Rapids Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. On November 10, 2011 he was hired as manager of the California League team Lake Elsinore Storm, the high single-a affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
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...
. Previously, Wooten played in the majors with 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...
(-), 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 Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
In a five-season career, Wooten has compiled a .272 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 :...
with 18 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 86 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 266 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
Career
A valuable utility player who can play catcherCatcher
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...
, first base and third
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, Wooten showed some nice flashes early in his career, but might have amounted to more than a journeyman player if a pair of injuries did not occur. After parts of eight seasons in the minors
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...
(he was drafted and signed by the Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
), Wooten made it to the majors with the Angels in 2000. He was part of their World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
championship team in . Wooten batted .474 in the postseason, third best among all hitters in the playoffs, going 9-for-19 with five runs scored and one homer, which came in the decisive Game 4 of the 2002 American League Division Series
2002 American League Division Series
-Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins:-Game 1, October 1:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe game went back and forth with the Angels taking a 5–4 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning. Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia brought in Scott Schoeneweis to pitch to Jason Giambi, who tied the game...
.
In , Wooten spent his first full season in the major leagues with Anaheim (qualifying as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
) after making the 25-man roster out of 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...
. He opened the campaign batting .385 (10-for-26), with three home runs and six runs batted in in April, leading all 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...
rookies in home runs for the month. In June, he led Angels hitters with a .386 average (17-for-44) and was batting .328 (42-for-128) at the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
break, second to Seattle
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...
's Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki
, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
among AL rookies (based on 125 at-bats
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
). Wooten hit safely in 47 contests, including 17 multi-hit games. His season ended when doctors discovered torn cartilage in his left wrist in early September and underwent arthroscopic surgery. At the time, he was hitting .312 (69-for-221) with eight home runs and 32 runs batted in in 79 games and ranked second among 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...
first-year players with a .466 slugging percentage. Nevertheless, he was selected for the Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
and Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
Major League Baseball rookie All-Star teams. At the time of the injury
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
, his .312 average was second best among American League rookies and was tops on the Angels' club.
Coming off the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
in July , Wooten hit .338 (26-for-77) from August through September, including three doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in a game to tie a team record. He finished with a .292 average in 49 games. In the postseason against the 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...
, 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...
, and 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....
, he hit .474 (9-for-19) with one home run and three RBI in nine games.
In 2003, Wooten posted career highs in games (98), at-bats (272), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(25) and walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(24), hitting .243 with seven home runs and 32 RBI. Anaheim 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...
s posted a 3.81 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
with him behind the plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
. After a knee injury, Wooten was used mainly as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. His .350 pinch-average (7-for-20) tied for second in the American League. He signed with the Phillies before the season, but he missed entire first-half of season due to recurrent injuries that placed him on 60-day disabled list starting on March 21.
On May 19, 2005, the Boston Red Sox placed reserve catcher Doug Mirabelli
Doug Mirabelli
Douglas Anthony Mirabelli is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the San Francisco Giants , Texas Rangers , Boston Red Sox , and San Diego Padres before returning to the Red Sox to end his eleven year career...
on the 15-day DL prior to the interleague series opener with 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....
. To replace Mirabelli on the active roster, the Red Sox purchased the contract of Wooten from the Triple-A Pawtucket
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
. At this time, Wooten had seven home runs and 27 RBI in 39 games for Pawtucket and was hitting .225 (34-for-151) when he got the call. More important, he was playing every day. He signed a minor league contract with 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...
at the beginning of the season and played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings. After that, he spent time playing for the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
, the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres before his release.
In July , Wooten signed with the non-affiliated St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. He played three games with the team before 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...
bought out his contract. He was released by the Mets on May 3, 2008, and quickly signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Wooten is a member of the prestigious Cedar Rapids Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. On November 10, 2011 he was hired as manager of the California League team Lake Elsinore Storm, the high single-a affiliate of the San Diego Padres.