Ian Kinsler: Difference between revisions

Ian Kinsler
Texas Rangers – No. 5
Second baseman
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
April 3, 2006, for the Texas Rangers
Career statistics (through June 4, 2009)
Batting average	.289
Home runs	65
Runs batted in	227
Runs	302
Stolen bases	71
Teams
Texas Rangers (2006-present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (2008) 2x AL Player of the Week: April 2007 & April 2009 Hit for the cycle (2009)

Ian Michael Kinsler (born June 22, 1982, in Template:City-state) is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.

Kinsler is known as a five-tool player, hitting for average and power, and exhibiting proficiency in baserunning, throwing, and fielding.^[1] While he was drafted in only the 17th round, Kinsler has risen to become the Rangers' starting second baseman and leadoff hitter, an All Star, a two-time Player of the Week, and a member of the Sporting News' 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. He also contributed a historic offensive performance in a game in April 2009, in which he had hits in all six of his at bats, and hit for the cycle.

Kinsler is Jewish,^[2][3][4] has become a prominent figure in the Jewish community,[8] and likes the attention that he generates from the Jewish community.[9] His father was a warden at the state prison on Tucson's Southeast Side.^[5]

Kinsler graduated from Canyon del Oro High School in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley, Arizona. He helped lead the baseball team to state titles in 1997 and 2000. He hit .380 as a junior, to earn second-team all-league honors, and .504 with 5 home runs and 26 stolen bases during his senior year, in which he was named first-team all-state and first-team all-league.^[6] Outfielder Brian Anderson of the Chicago White Sox was his best friend and teammate in high school,^[7] and three other current major leaguers: Scott Hairston of the San Diego Padres, Chris Duncan of the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as Shelly Duncan and Ryan Schroyer were all on his high school baseball team as well.[10]

Kinsler was featured in the 2008 Hank Greenberg 75th Anniversary edition of Jewish Major Leaguers Baseball Cards, published in affiliation with Fleer Trading Cards and the American Jewish Historical Society, commemorating the Jewish Major Leaguers from 1871 through 2008.^[8] He joins, among other Jewish major leaguers, Brad Ausmus, Kevin Youkilis, Ryan Braun, Brian Horwitz, Gabe Kapler, Jason Marquis, Jason Hirsh, John Grabow, Craig Breslow, and Scott Schoeneweis. Kinsler was one of three Jewish players in the 2008 All-Star Game, joining Youkilis and Braun.^[9] Kinsler says that "Youkilis will always say something to me on the bases [referring to the fact that they are both Jewish]. 'Happy Passover,' he'll throw something at me."^[10] Through April 15, 2009, he had the seventh-highest career batting average (.295; directly ahead of Ron Blomberg) of all Jewish major leaguers.^[11]

He was drafted by his home state Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000 (29th round), but didn't feel ready for the pros, and 2001 (26th round), but declined to sign as he still felt he wasn't ready or mature enough to play every day at the big league level, and needed to play college baseball a little longer.[11]

He opted instead to take a college tour, first—because he hadn't been recruited by any D-1 programs—attending Central Arizona College, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, (hitting .405 with 17 doubles, 37 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases; named second-team All-ACCAC), Arizona State (where he played alongside fellow middle infielder Dustin Pedroia), and the University of Missouri for his junior year (.335/.416/.536, with 16 steals in 17 attempts).

The Texas Rangers selected Kinsler in the 17th round in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft as a shortstop, at the urging of area scout Mike Grouse, who liked Kinsler's tools, makeup, heart, love for the game, desire, and gritty approach. In Grouse's scouting report he wrote that Kinsler had a great feel for the game, athleticism, solid defensive actions, intensity, and leadership qualities. Grouse knew that Kinsler was probably being underrated by rival scouts, who didn't know that Kinsler had a foot stress fracture while at Missouri “so he really couldn’t run like I knew he could. I’d seen him in Wichita the year before so I knew he was a plus runner. Most people ... didn’t know that so they probably downgraded him. But I knew it and I wasn’t telling anybody.” The pick was later lauded as "one of the greatest 17th round picks of all time." Kinsler, for his part, says "I thought I was a lot better than a 17th round pick. I thought I belonged in the top 10 rounds."^[12]

He had a breakout year in 2004, splitting the season between the Low-A Clinton Lumberkings (.401 batting average/.465 on base percentage/.687 slugging percentage in 224 at bats) and the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders (.300/.400/.480 in 277 at bats). Overall, in 501 at bats, Kinsler had 51 doubles, 174 hits (ninth in the minor leagues), 20 home runs, 103 runs, 99 RBIs, 18 HBP, and 23 steals. He tied for first in the minor leagues in doubles (51), and was seventh in batting average (.345) and ninth in hits (174).^[13]

Kinsler was named to the Midwest League all-star team at shortstop. Baseball America rated him the 11th-best prospect in the minors, the # 8 prospect in the Midwest League, and the # 9 prospect in the Texas League. Kinsler was also named the Rangers' Minor League Player of the Year. After his first year in the minors, he says, "I was probably 170 pounds and I decided I needed to lift, put on some weight, and eat as much as I could. And I learned how to hit."[12]

Kinsler spent 2005 at Triple-A with the Oklahoma RedHawks, transitioning from shortstop to second base. He hit .274 with 23 home runs, 102 runs (tied for tenth in the minor leagues),[13] 94 RBIs, and 12 steals in 14 attempts, in 530 at bats. Kinsler cracked the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list, ranking 98th in 2005.^[14] His solid season contributed to the Rangers' decision to trade Alfonso Soriano during the 2005-2006 offseason.

Kinsler won the Rangers' starting second base job in spring training, 2006. He made his major league debut in a game against the Boston Red Sox on April 3, 2006. He also got his first major league hit in the same game, off Curt Schilling. He was hitting .476 before he dislocated his left thumb sliding into second base on April 11, 2006. On May 25, 2006, Kinsler came back after being on the 15-day disabled list. He went 3-4 with a single and 2 home runs, to lead the Rangers to an 8-7 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Kinsler finished 2006 with a .286 batting average, 14 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and 55 RBIs in 423 at bats. He batted .300 with runners in scoring position, and .333 when the game was late and close.^[15] Defensively, Kinsler led all AL second basemen in both range factor (5.58) and errors (18).

After a successful rookie season, Kinsler seemed to have the starting second base job locked up, as the Rangers elected to let fellow second baseman Mark DeRosa walk in free agency.

In spring training in 2007, he hit .429 and was fourth in the major leagues in RBIs (19), and sixth in hits (27).^[16]

Kinsler was named the American League (AL) Player of the Week for the period ending April 15. He batted .476 (10-for-21) with four home runs, eight RBIs, and seven runs scored. His nine home runs in April tied a team record for that month.^[17]

In 2007, Kinsler had 20 home runs (leading all AL second basemen),[14] and was 23-2 in stolen base attempts. He was one of only 6 batters in the AL to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, along with Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, Grady Sizemore, B.J. Upton, and Curtis Granderson. It was the seventh time in franchise history a player reached the 20-20 plateau.^[18] He did this despite a stress fracture in his left foot, which kept him under 500 at-bats.^[19]

Kinsler finished the year seventh in the AL in power/speed number (21.4), ninth in sacrifice hits (8), and tied for tenth in bunt hits (5). On defense, Kinsler led all major league second basemen in range factor (5.69), leading the league for the second straight year.

In February 2008, Kinsler signed a five-year deal worth $22 million guaranteed, which will jump to $32 million if the Rangers exercise an option for 2013. It could buy him out of two years of free agency. He will receive a raise to $500,000 in 2008, and a $1 million signing bonus. The contract will go to $3 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011, and $7 million in 2012. If the Rangers choose not to exercise the $10 million option, Kinsler will receive a $500,000 buyout. If he is traded, both the buyout and option year would increase by $500,000. With the option, the commitment would be the largest the Rangers have made to a player who they drafted and developed. "Ian represents the past, present, and future of this organization," said assistant general manager Thad Levine.^[20] "It's a lot of money," Kinsler said. "I've never imagined being in this position in my life."^[21]

"I'm going to play the same regardless of whether I'm making $5 or $1 trillion," he said. "It really doesn't make a difference to me. I'm going to go out there and play hard and money doesn't bring respect. The way you play the game brings respect. When I finish playing the game, it's not how much money I made that is going to be legacy. It's how I played the game and what I did on the field."^[21]

While initially reluctant, Rangers manager Ron Washington committed to Kinsler being the team's leadoff hitter in 2008. "I didn't think he was the prototype leadoff hitter, but the guy proved me wrong," Washington said. "He'll take a walk or get one run for us with one swing of the bat. He can bunt, he can run and he can hit the ball to the other side."^[22]

Kinsler was a 2008 AL All Star. It was his most exciting moment in baseball up until that point.^[23]

Kinsler had a majors'-best 25-game hitting streak.[15][16] The team hitting streak, belonging to Gabe Kapler, is 28.^[24]

Through July 28, Kinsler had been leading the AL in batting average (.331), runs (90), hits (145), total bases (232), extra base hits (55), at bats (438), and plate appearances (499). He was also second in doubles (37) and power/speed number (17.9), third in sacrifices (7), fourth in singles (90), sixth in sacrifice flies (6), seventh in stolen bases (25), triples (4), and on base percentage (.392), and eighth in OPS (.922). However, after last playing on August 17, in early September it was announced that Kinsler would have season-ending surgery to repair a sports hernia. "I really didn't have a decision," Kinsler said. "If I want to fix this injury, then I have to have surgery."^[25]

In 2008, despite missing the last 6 weeks of the season, Kinsler was fourth in the AL in batting average (.319) and power/speed number (21.3), eighth in runs (102) and OPS (.892), ninth in sacrifice hits (8), and tenth in stolen bases (26). He hit .413 with runners in scoring position.^[26] He was one of only 3 batters in the AL to have at least 18 home runs and 18 stolen bases in both 2007 and 2008, along with Alex Rodriguez and Grady Sizemore. In the field, he led all major league second basemen with a 5.77 range factor and 123 double plays, but also in errors with 18.^[27]

Kinsler was mentioned as an MVP candidate before his injury by writers at ESPN, the Dallas News, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post.^{[24][28][29][30][31]} Kinsler could have conceivably rivaled Dustin Pedroia for MVP if not for the sports hernia that cut his 2008 campaign short by a month and a half.^[32] In the end, he received a single 10-place vote from Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.^[33][34]

In 2009 he was named # 24 on the Sporting News' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.^[35]

Kinsler, speaking in mid-January of his recovery from surgery, said: "I'm 100% ready to go in the spring."[17] He recovered in time to participate in spring training.^[36]

On April 15, 2009, in a game against the Baltimore Orioles, Kinsler hit for the cycle,^[38] becoming only the fourth Ranger to do so (and the only right-handed Ranger). In the same game, Kinsler became only the second player in Ranger history to get 6 hits in a single game (the first being Alfonso Soriano on May 8, 2004), and the first to do so in a 9-inning game. His five runs and four extra base hits in the game matched two other team records. "It was a thing of beauty," teammate Marlon Byrd said. "I loved it."^[37] Kinsler's dual feat was the first in the modern baseball era; the last major league player to have six hits in a game while hitting for the cycle was William Farmer Weaver, for the Louisville Colonels on August 12, 1890.^[39][40] Kinsler was also one base shy of Jose Canseco’s team record for total bases. Kinsler had 13; Canseco had 14 against Seattle on June 13, 1994.^[41] Only three other players in the prior 55 years have had six hits, five runs, and four extra-base hits in a game, the most recent being Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002.^[42]

Kinsler was named AL co-Player of the Week on April 20, 2009. For the week, in 30 plate appearances^[43] he led the major leagues in batting average (.556), hits (15), extra base hits (7), and runs (9), and tied for the lead in doubles (4).^[44] He also had a .600 on base percentage and 1.000 slugging percentage, with a triple, two home runs, and six stolen bases. "He's incredible," teammate Hank Blalock said.^[45]

On May 3, Kinsler opened the first inning with his eighth career leadoff homer, tying a club record shared by Mike Hargrove, Oddibe McDowell, and Michael Young.^[46] On May 21, Kinsler stole third base in the fifth inning, setting a club record for career steals of third at 18; Kinsler at the time had never been caught trying to steal third.^[47]

Through June 1, Kinsler led the AL in power-speed number (11.3), was fifth in extra base hits (27), sixth in home runs (13) and total bases (111), eighth in runs (38), RBIs (39), and triples (2), and ninth in stolen bases (10), while batting .397 against left-handers and .409 with runners on base.^[48][49]

All Star Vote. In early voting for the All Star Game, Kinsler was leading all AL second basemen, with 787,619 votes as of June 2, ahead of Dustin Pedroia (641,281) and Robinson Cano (413,605),^[50] and had the third-most votes of all AL players, behind Evan Longoria and Derek Jeter.[18]

Kinsler married his high school sweetheart Tess Brady on November 18, 2007.^[51][52] Their first child, Rian Brooklynn Kinsler was born December 5, 2008.^[1]

Kinsler's five strangest autograph requests were a diaper, neck brace, yarmulke, kids' arms, and giant baseball.^[53]

Roll over stat abbreviations for definitions. Stats through August 17, 2008.^[55]

14. Ian Kinsler and Rangers help Toys for Tots Campaign December 2008 http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=8052390

15. Ian Kinsler’s leadership saves the day for the Texas Rangers http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/1176350.html

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ian Kinsler.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
• Hardball Times stats
• Baseball America bio
• "Warming up for the Jewish Boys of Summer," 3/5/08
• "Ian Kinsler chat transcript; Rangers second baseman fields questions from fans," MLB.com, 5/27/09
• "Grouse Hunt: The Inside Story Of How Ian Kinsler Became A Ranger," D Magazine, 6/7/09

{{subst:#if:Kinsler, Ian|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1982}}

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1982 births

}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}}

|| LIVING  = 
| MISSING  = 
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default = 

}}