Willie Harris
Encyclopedia
William Charles Harris is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
and infielder
. Harris is known for his quick feet and base-stealing abilities, with currently 94 career stolen bases. Harris was formerly a member of the Baltimore Orioles
, Chicago White Sox
(-), Boston Red Sox
, Atlanta Braves
, and Washington Nationals
(-). He bats left-handed
and throws right-handed. He attended Kennesaw State University
and lives in Cairo, Georgia during the offseason. According to Major League Baseball, Willie Harris has a recorded height of 5'9" and weighs 195 pounds.
in 2005. He can also play third base
. His most productive season came in , when he posted career-numbers in average
(.262), RBI (27), runs
(68), hits
(107), doubles
(15) and at-bats (409). Harris also notched a career high of 19 stolen base
s. In 2005, he stole 10 bases in 56 games.
In the 2005 playoffs, Harris went 2-for-2 in the postseason with an RBI, one stolen base, and one run scored. Harris's successful pinch-hit single in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series
against the Houston Astros
would prove to be decisive after Harris scored on an RBI single by Jermaine Dye
. Not only was the run the game-winner, it was the only run which would be scored in the Series-clinching Game 4.
camp as a non-roster invitee, but he was figured to have a strong chance to make the Opening Day roster. On April 20, Harris had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox and was added to the 40-man roster. Harris was designated for assignment
on July 18. Three days later, he cleared waivers and was assigned to the Pawtucket Red Sox
.
completed a trade on April 29, as the Braves sent outfielder Ryan Langerhans
to the A’s in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. To fill Langerhans' spot, Atlanta purchased the contract of Harris from Triple-A Richmond
.
Harris went on to have a career year in 2007. He hit near .400 during the month of May and went in to the All-Star Break with a .342 average. He led the team with 17 stolen bases. On June 30, Willie Harris tied a career personal record with 3 stolen bases in a 6-5 win over the Marlins. He posted a remarkable night on July 21: In a 14-6 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals
, Harris went 6-for-6 with four singles, two triples, six RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base. He became just the second player in Atlanta history and the seventh in franchise history to have six hits in a game. But Harris' numbers in the second half of the season dropped precipitously. He had a .214 average, a .294 on base percentage, and a .354 slugging average after the all-star break.
On August 9, the Braves were beating the NL East-leading New York Mets
7-3 entering the bottom of the 9th at Shea Stadium
. After Braves reliever Tyler Yates
yielded three runs to bring the Mets within one, Óscar Villarreal
came on to pitch. The first hitter he faced, first baseman Carlos Delgado
, hit what appeared to be a solo home run to make it a tie game. Harris ranged back in left field, stopped just before the wall and jumped, robbing the home run and preserving the lead.
Harris was designated for assignment on December 4, 2007. Harris was not offered a new contract by the Braves and became a free agent on December 12, 2007.
On December 13, 2007, he signed with the Washington Nationals
. He proved an effective insurance policy, playing second base, third base
, shortstop
and all three outfield positions over the course of the season. He was known for playing stellar defense, and made several outstanding athletic catches in the outfield. On August 22, , Willie hit his eleventh and twelfth home run
s of the year, including his first career grand slam
that gave the Nationals a 6-4 lead. He also hit a 2-run home run, collected 6 RBI to give him 38 for the season, scored 3 times, and stole a base in the Nationals' 13 to 5 win against the Chicago Cubs
at Wrigley Field
. Harris finished the season with 13 home runs, six more than he hit in the previous seven years of his career combined.
During the 2008-2009 offseason, he signed a two-year contract with the Nationals, worth 3 million dollars(1.5 million per season). On April 13, 2009, Willie Harris was placed on the 15-day disabled list for a left oblique strain.
.
On July 30th, against the Washington Nationals, the Mets were trailing 3-0 when Willie Harris came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He struck out looking to end the game.
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...
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...
and infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
. Harris is known for his quick feet and base-stealing abilities, with currently 94 career stolen bases. Harris was formerly a member of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(-), 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"...
, 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....
, and 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...
(-). He bats left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and throws right-handed. He attended Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
and lives in Cairo, Georgia during the offseason. According to Major League Baseball, Willie Harris has a recorded height of 5'9" and weighs 195 pounds.
Career
Versatility and speed are his biggest strengths, as Harris has the ability to play all three outfield positions as well as second base, where he started 28 games in 2005. He started two games at shortstopShortstop
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...
in 2005. He can also play third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. His most productive season came in , when he posted career-numbers in 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 :...
(.262), RBI (27), 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...
(68), hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(107), 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....
(15) and at-bats (409). Harris also notched a career high of 19 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. In 2005, he stole 10 bases in 56 games.
In the 2005 playoffs, Harris went 2-for-2 in the postseason with an RBI, one stolen base, and one run scored. Harris's successful pinch-hit single in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
against 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...
would prove to be decisive after Harris scored on an RBI single by Jermaine Dye
Jermaine Dye
Jermaine Trevell Dye is a retired American Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. Dye played with the Atlanta Braves , Kansas City Royals , Oakland Athletics , and the Chicago White Sox . Dye won the World Series MVP with the White Sox in 2005...
. Not only was the run the game-winner, it was the only run which would be scored in the Series-clinching Game 4.
2006
The Boston Red Sox signed Harris to a one-year, split contract. He went to spring trainingSpring 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...
camp as a non-roster invitee, but he was figured to have a strong chance to make the Opening Day roster. On April 20, Harris had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox and was added to the 40-man roster. Harris was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
on July 18. Three days later, he cleared waivers and was assigned to the Pawtucket 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...
.
2007
The Atlanta Braves and Oakland AthleticsOakland 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....
completed a trade on April 29, as the Braves sent outfielder Ryan Langerhans
Ryan Langerhans
Ryan David Langerhans is an American Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Langerhans was drafted in the third round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves...
to the A’s in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. To fill Langerhans' spot, Atlanta purchased the contract of Harris from Triple-A Richmond
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
.
Harris went on to have a career year in 2007. He hit near .400 during the month of May and went in to the All-Star Break with a .342 average. He led the team with 17 stolen bases. On June 30, Willie Harris tied a career personal record with 3 stolen bases in a 6-5 win over the Marlins. He posted a remarkable night on July 21: In a 14-6 rout of 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...
, Harris went 6-for-6 with four singles, two triples, six RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base. He became just the second player in Atlanta history and the seventh in franchise history to have six hits in a game. But Harris' numbers in the second half of the season dropped precipitously. He had a .214 average, a .294 on base percentage, and a .354 slugging average after the all-star break.
On August 9, the Braves were beating the NL East-leading 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...
7-3 entering the bottom of the 9th at 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...
. After Braves reliever Tyler Yates
Tyler Yates
Tyler Kali Yates is a right-handed pitcher in Minor League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization....
yielded three runs to bring the Mets within one, Óscar Villarreal
Óscar Villarreal
Óscar Eduardo Villarreal is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in the majors for the Arizona Diamondbacks , Atlanta Braves , and Houston Astros .-Arizona Diamondbacks:...
came on to pitch. The first hitter he faced, first baseman Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players....
, hit what appeared to be a solo home run to make it a tie game. Harris ranged back in left field, stopped just before the wall and jumped, robbing the home run and preserving the lead.
Harris was designated for assignment on December 4, 2007. Harris was not offered a new contract by the Braves and became a free agent on December 12, 2007.
2008-2009
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...
. He proved an effective insurance policy, playing second base, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, 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...
and all three outfield positions over the course of the season. He was known for playing stellar defense, and made several outstanding athletic catches in the outfield. On August 22, , Willie hit his eleventh and twelfth 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 of the year, including his first career grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
that gave the Nationals a 6-4 lead. He also hit a 2-run home run, collected 6 RBI to give him 38 for the season, scored 3 times, and stole a base in the Nationals' 13 to 5 win 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...
at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. Harris finished the season with 13 home runs, six more than he hit in the previous seven years of his career combined.
During the 2008-2009 offseason, he signed a two-year contract with the Nationals, worth 3 million dollars(1.5 million per season). On April 13, 2009, Willie Harris was placed on the 15-day disabled list for a left oblique strain.
2010
On September 24, 2010, Harris hit the first inside-the-park home run in Nationals history against the Atlanta Braves.2011
On January 14, 2011, Harris and the New York Mets agreed to a minor-league deal. According to reporter Anthony DiComo, Harris "is all but a lock to make the team in an arrangement that should net him between 250 and 400 plate appearances" in 2011. On January 17, 2011 the Mets and Harris made it official that he had signed a minor league contract with the team. He also got an invite to Spring TrainingSpring 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...
.
On July 30th, against the Washington Nationals, the Mets were trailing 3-0 when Willie Harris came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He struck out looking to end the game.