Chris Donnels
Encyclopedia
Christopher Barton Donnels (born April 21, 1966 in Los Angeles, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
third baseman
. He is an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University
where he was a standout for the Lions' baseball team.
.
Donnels spent only limited time with the Mets in the season. He appeared in 45 games, but struggled considerably, putting together a .174 batting average. At the conclusion of the 1992 season, the Mets failed to protect Donnels, and he was chosen by the Florida Marlins
as the 67th pick of the 1992 expansion draft. Only a month later, the Marlins placed Donnels on waivers.
. It was with the Astros in the season that Donnels appeared in the most number of games of any season throughout his career. He appeared in 88 games, playing the primary backup to third baseman Ken Caminiti
. Donnels pieced together a .257 batting average and hit the first two home run
s of his major league career.
He continued this role for the season. In , after appearing in 19 games with Houston, the Astros sent Donnels to the Boston Red Sox
as part of a conditional deal. Astros rookie Phil Nevin
made the team, thus making Donnels expendable.
for the season. He then played three seasons for the Orix Blue Wave from -.
for the 2000 season began, Donnels was invited to attend the spring camp for the Los Angeles Dodgers
. Considering he had not seen major league action in four years, Donnels had an outstanding spring, and surprised many by not being cut like many veterans in his position are every year. Although he saw limited action in 2000, only appearing in 27 games, Donnels compiled a respectable .294 batting average with four home runs.
The season saw Donnels appear in 66 games for the Dodgers, continuing as one of the primary pinch hitter
s off the bench. At season's end, Donnels contract with the Dodgers expired, and he became a free agent
.
offered Donnels a contract and more money. He went on to play the season with Arizona, hitting .238 with 3 home runs in 74 games. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs
at the beginning of the season, but did not see any playing time. Five weeks later, the Florida Marlins purchased Donnels' contract from the Cubs. Donnels remained in the Marlins minor league system until the end of the season when he was released. On March 8, 2004, Donnels signed a free agent contract with the Colorado Rockies
. Nearing forty years of age, Donnels played out the season for the Rockies Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
, then retired.
He played in his last official major league game on September 29, 2002.
to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball. According to the report, Donnels purchased both human growth hormone and anabolic steroids from Kirk Radomski
between 2000-2004.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) is a former 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...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. He is an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
where he was a standout for the Lions' baseball team.
New York Mets
Donnels was drafted out of college in the first round (24th overall pick) of the Major League Baseball Draft. He spent the next few years ascending through the Mets minor league affiliates. On May 7, , Donnels made his Major League Baseball debut for the Mets. Over the course of his rookie year, Donnels played in 37 games, compiling a .225 batting averageBatting 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 :...
.
Donnels spent only limited time with the Mets in the season. He appeared in 45 games, but struggled considerably, putting together a .174 batting average. At the conclusion of the 1992 season, the Mets failed to protect Donnels, and he was chosen by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
as the 67th pick of the 1992 expansion draft. Only a month later, the Marlins placed Donnels on waivers.
Houston Astros
Almost immediately after being placed on waivers by Florida, Donnels was signed to a contract by the Houston AstrosHouston 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...
. It was with the Astros in the season that Donnels appeared in the most number of games of any season throughout his career. He appeared in 88 games, playing the primary backup to third baseman Ken Caminiti
Ken Caminiti
Kenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
. Donnels pieced together a .257 batting average and hit the first two 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 his major league career.
He continued this role for the season. In , after appearing in 19 games with Houston, the Astros sent Donnels to the 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"...
as part of a conditional deal. Astros rookie Phil Nevin
Phil Nevin
Phillip Joseph Nevin is a retired American professional baseball player who spent twelve seasons in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros , Detroit Tigers , Anaheim Angels , San Diego Padres , Texas Rangers , Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins...
made the team, thus making Donnels expendable.
Japan
Although Donnels finished the 1995 season with the Red Sox, appearing in 40 more games, his career collapsed after the season. He was released at the season's end, and failed to draw interest from another major league club. Donnels was signed by the Kintetsu BuffaloesKintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
for the season. He then played three seasons for the Orix Blue Wave from -.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On February 8, 2000, days before 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...
for the 2000 season began, Donnels was invited to attend the spring camp 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...
. Considering he had not seen major league action in four years, Donnels had an outstanding spring, and surprised many by not being cut like many veterans in his position are every year. Although he saw limited action in 2000, only appearing in 27 games, Donnels compiled a respectable .294 batting average with four home runs.
The season saw Donnels appear in 66 games for the Dodgers, continuing as one of the primary 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...
s off the bench. At season's end, Donnels contract with the Dodgers expired, and he became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
End of career
When Donnels' contract with the Dodgers expired at the end of the 2001 season, the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona 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...
offered Donnels a contract and more money. He went on to play the season with Arizona, hitting .238 with 3 home runs in 74 games. He was traded to 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 the beginning of the season, but did not see any playing time. Five weeks later, the Florida Marlins purchased Donnels' contract from the Cubs. Donnels remained in the Marlins minor league system until the end of the season when he was released. On March 8, 2004, Donnels signed a free agent contract with the 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...
. Nearing forty years of age, Donnels played out the season for the Rockies Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
, then retired.
He played in his last official major league game on September 29, 2002.
Mitchell Report
On December 13, 2007, he was named in the Mitchell ReportMitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball. According to the report, Donnels purchased both human growth hormone and anabolic steroids from Kirk Radomski
Kirk Radomski
Kirk J. Radomski is a former batboy and clubhouse employee for the New York Mets Major League Baseball team from 1985–1995, who on April 27, 2007 pleaded guilty in United States district court to money laundering and illegal distribution of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, Clenbuterol,...
between 2000-2004.