Larry DeWayne Wise is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
baseballBaseball 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...
outfielderOutfielder 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...
who is a free agent. He graduated from Chapin High School in
1997-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians ; Liván Hernández, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández...
and was selected by the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the 5th round of the 1997 amateur draft. He is most famous for his ninth-inning catch in
Mark Buehrle's perfect gameMark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays by retiring all 27 batters he faced on Thursday, July 23, 2009. This event took place in U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois in front of 28,036 fans in attendance...
.
Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays
Wise was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays on December 13,
1999-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; Mariano Rivera, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Orlando Hernández**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Eddie Pérez...
, in the
Rule 5 DraftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
without having played a game for the Reds. He made his Major League debut for the Blue Jays on April 6,
2000-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - New York Yankees*Postseason - October 3 to October 26Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. He struggled to make an impact at the big-league level, appearing in just 28 games in the 2000 season, batting a paltry .136 before being sent back to the minors.
After spending the entire
2001-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
season in the Toronto minor league system, Wise was recalled to the Majors in
2002-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. He appeared in 42 games and hit his first
home runIn 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...
during this time, before being demoted largely due to his .179
batting averageBatting 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 :...
.
Atlanta Braves and Return to Cincinnati
He became a free agent after the
2003-Headline event of the year:*The Florida Marlins become World Series champions, holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team, 4 games to 2.-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Florida Marlins...
season, which he spent entirely in Syracuse, the Blue Jays' AAA affiliate. On October 25,
2003-Headline event of the year:*The Florida Marlins become World Series champions, holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team, 4 games to 2.-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Florida Marlins...
, Wise signed as a minor league free agent with the
Atlanta BravesThe 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....
. He impressed in the Braves' minor league system, batting a combined .309 between Class-A, Class-A Advanced and AAA, earning a call up and his next shot at the big leagues. Wise batted .228 in 77 appearances for the Braves in
2004-Headline events of the year:*The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since , ending the Curse of the Bambino.*With 262 hits, Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners breaks George Sisler's record of 257. Suzuki also sets the record for most singles in a season, with 225.*2004 also marked the final...
, with 6
home runIn 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.
After the
2004-Headline events of the year:*The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since , ending the Curse of the Bambino.*With 262 hits, Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners breaks George Sisler's record of 257. Suzuki also sets the record for most singles in a season, with 225.*2004 also marked the final...
season Wise was placed on waivers by the Braves and claimed by the
Detroit TigersThe 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...
. He spent the entire
2005-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
season with thée
Toledo Mud HensThe Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
, the Tigers' AAA affiliate, where he batted .234 before being released.
The next team to sign Wise was the team who had drafted him in the first place, the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He spent the majority of the
2006-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
season in
LouisvilleLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
at AAA level, but he did appear in 31 games at MLB level. The Reds resigned Wise to a minor league contract for the
2007-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
season, which again he spent mostly in AAA, making just 5 appearances in the Majors. He was released and granted free agency on October 1,
2007-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
.
2008 Season
After the Reds had opted not to resign him and with offers not exactly flooding in, Wise began to explore the possibility of playing in the independent baseball leagues. He didn't have to, however, as he received a call from
Chicago White SoxThe 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...
and signed a minor league deal on March 5,
2008-Major League Baseball:* Regular Season Champions* World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies** American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays** National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies* Postseason – October 1 to October 29...
. Charlotte, the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, was the next stop on his journeyman career. He was called up the major leagues when
Juan UribeJuan C. Uribe Tena is a Dominican Republic professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. He began his career in 1997 when he was signed to the Colorado Rockies, and played with the team until December 3, 2003 when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox...
went on the DL in May, but used sparingly before being sent back down. When
Paul KonerkoPaul Henry Konerko is an American professional baseball first baseman who has played for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball since 1999. He previously played with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds . Konerko helped the Chicago White Sox win the 2005 World Series, the...
, the White Sox
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
went on the DL in late July, Wise was selected for promotion, due to his .319 batting average in Charlotte, ahead of Sox prospect
Jerry OwensJerry Lee Owens is a Major League Baseball center fielder who is currently a free agent. He played most of the season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights of the International League, but was called up and made his major league debut as a pinch runner on September 11...
.
Wise was used mostly as a reserve outfielder/defensive replacement for Ken Griffey Jr., but impressed at the plate, hitting .288 with two homers and seven RBI in 35 games before straining his
adductor muscle- Humans :* Adductor muscles of the hip, the most common reference in humans, but may also refer to** Adductor brevis muscle, a muscle in the thigh situated immediately behind the pectineus and adductor longus...
and going on the DL August 25. Wise's big break came when White Sox All-Star left fielder
Carlos QuentinCarlos Josè Quentin is an American outfielder who plays for the Chicago White Sox. In 2008 and in 2011, Quentin was selected as an All-Star.-Early career:...
fractured his wrist after fouling off a pitch on September 5. Quentin would miss the rest of the season, Wise was taken off the DL and figured to see more playing time taking Quentin's position in left field.
The White Sox were locked in a tight race for the AL Central with the
Minnesota TwinsThe 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 Wise centainly contributed to the Sox eventually winning the division (after a one-game play-off). He picked the perfect moment to hit his first career
grand slamIn 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...
, a go-ahead, pinch-hit shot in the eighth inning to beat the
Detroit TigersThe 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...
11-7 on September 14, .
The Sox made the postseason where they lost to the
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
in four games. Wise batted .286 with a homer and 5 RBI in the
ALDS-Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox:-Game 1, October 1:Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaIn a re-match of last year's ALDS, starters Jon Lester and John Lackey were sharp early on, each tossing a couple of scoreless innings. The Angels finally got on the board in the third, when...
.
2009 Season
The White Sox and Wise agreed to a one-year deal worth $550,000 after he had batted .248 with six homers and 18 RBI in 57 games in 2008. Wise was named by manager
Ozzie GuillénOswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
as the White Sox opening day
center fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
and
leadoff hitterIn baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
for the 2009 season after impressing during spring training. However, just seven games into the season, he separated his shoulder while making a spectacular diving, bases-loaded catch, saving at least two runs. The catch helped preserve a 10-6 Chicago win, but the resulting injury kept Wise on the
disabled listIn 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:...
until early June.
On July 23, 2009, at U. S. Cellular Field, Wise was put in by Guillen as a 9th-inning defensive substitute, and promptly robbed the Rays'
Gabe KaplerGabriel "Gabe" Stefan Kapler is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.He has played portions of 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Tampa Bay Rays...
of a home run with a spectacular, juggling catch, preserving
Mark Buehrle's perfect gameMark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays by retiring all 27 batters he faced on Thursday, July 23, 2009. This event took place in U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois in front of 28,036 fans in attendance...
. To thank Wise for his play
Mark BuehrleMark Alan Buehrle is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He has pitched his entire baseball career for the Chicago White Sox, starting the opening game every season from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2011....
gave him a bottle of
Crown RoyalCrown Royal is a blended Canadian whisky, 40% alcohol by volume, 80 proof. The brand is currently owned by Diageo, who purchased it when the Seagram portfolio was dissolved in the year 2000. It is the top-selling Canadian whisky in the United States....
XR in a cloth bag embroidered with his name and the date of the perfect game.
On July 30, 2009, the team's first home game after the perfect game, the White Sox unveiled a sign reading "The Catch" at the top of the left field wall, at the location where Wise had made his catch. Wise came into that game as a defensive replacement in the 9th and hit a game-winning single in the bottom half of that inning to give the White Sox a win over the Yankees.
2010 season
On October 9, Wise opted for free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to Class AAA Charlotte. He signed with the
Philadelphia PhilliesThe 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...
on November 25, 2009, and prior to the 2010 season was assigned to their Class AAA affiliate, the
Lehigh Valley IronPigsThe Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
.
In 2010, he exercised the June 1 opt-out date in his contract to become a free agent. On June 5, 2010, the Blue Jays signed outfielder DeWayne Wise to a minor league deal.
2011 season
On January 12, 2011, the Florida Marlins signed Wise with an invitation to spring training.
On March 30, Wise exercised his out clause after failing to make the Marlins' Opening Day roster. The Marlins released him, making him a free agent. On April 11 after the Blue Jays center fielder
Rajai DavisRajai Davis [RAH-jay] is an American professional baseball center fielder with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball....
was placed on the 15 day DL, Wise was signed by the Blue Jays to a minor league contract. However, he was released on June 9.
He signed a minor league contract with the
Florida MarlinsThe 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...
on June 15. He was called up on June 17. On August 26, the Blue Jays claimed Wise off waivers. Wise made his 2011 Blue Jays debut on August 29, playing center field against the
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. On October 6, he elected free agency.
External links
- Wise brings no baggage
- MLB.com video of Wise's catch to preserve Mark Buehrle
Mark Alan Buehrle is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He has pitched his entire baseball career for the Chicago White Sox, starting the opening game every season from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2011....
's perfect gameA perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...