Jeffrey Hammonds
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Bryan Hammonds is a former Major League Baseball
player. He attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
in Scotch Plains, New Jersey
and Stanford University
in California before playing pro ball. He played for the Baltimore Orioles
(1993–1998), Cincinnati Reds
(1998–1999), Colorado Rockies
(2000), Milwaukee Brewers
(2001–2003), San Francisco Giants
(2003–2004) and the Washington Nationals
in (2005).
Hammonds had great speed in high school and college before injuring his knee. After high school, Hammonds was a ninth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays
in 1989, though he did not sign, instead attending Stanford University. After he broke the Pac-10
single season stolen base
record as a freshman at Stanford, The Star-Ledger
reported Hammonds was caught stealing just three times in four years of high school (including summer ball), all by Union High School
catchers. He was awarded NCAA Freshman of the Year and voted All-College World Series in 1990, and was an All-American in both 1990 and 1992. Hammonds also played a prominent role on the 1992 Olympic baseball team in Barcelona, batting over .400 to lead the USA team.
Hammonds was a first-round draft pick (fourth overall) in the 1992 amateur draft, selected by the Baltimore Orioles
, where he would play for six years. In his thirteen-year career in MLB, he batted .272, 110 home run
s, 824 hits, and 423 RBI
.
His best season was in 2000 with the Colorado Rockies
, when he batted .335, 20 home runs, 106 RBI, 14 SB
, in only 454 at bats in 2000, earning a spot on the 2000 National League
all-star
team.
Before the 2001 season, Hammonds signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, though injuries prevented him from approaching his All-Star form with Rockies. Hammonds signed with the Washington Nationals
for their inaugural season in D.C. On May 18, 2005, Hammonds hit a bases loaded RBI single to lead the Nats over the Brewers, however, it was his final ever RBI. On June 10, 2005, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
reported that Hammonds had retired.
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...
player. He attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school in Union County, New Jersey, which serves students in Grades 9 through 12 from the Township of Scotch Plains and the Borough of Fanwood, operating as part of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School...
in Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in California before playing pro ball. He played for 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...
(1993–1998), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The 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....
(1998–1999), 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...
(2000), Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(2001–2003), San Francisco 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....
(2003–2004) and the 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...
in (2005).
Hammonds had great speed in high school and college before injuring his knee. After high school, Hammonds was a ninth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in 1989, though he did not sign, instead attending Stanford University. After he broke the Pac-10
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
single season 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...
record as a freshman at Stanford, The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
reported Hammonds was caught stealing just three times in four years of high school (including summer ball), all by Union High School
Union High School (New Jersey)
Union High School is a comprehensive community public high school located in Union Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Union Public School District. In the late 1960s, a new high school was built, expanding on the existing Burnet Junior High School structure...
catchers. He was awarded NCAA Freshman of the Year and voted All-College World Series in 1990, and was an All-American in both 1990 and 1992. Hammonds also played a prominent role on the 1992 Olympic baseball team in Barcelona, batting over .400 to lead the USA team.
Hammonds was a first-round draft pick (fourth overall) in the 1992 amateur draft, selected by 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...
, where he would play for six years. In his thirteen-year career in MLB, he batted .272, 110 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, 824 hits, and 423 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...
.
His best season was in 2000 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...
, when he batted .335, 20 home runs, 106 RBI, 14 SB
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...
, in only 454 at bats in 2000, earning a spot on the 2000 National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
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...
team.
Before the 2001 season, Hammonds signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, though injuries prevented him from approaching his All-Star form with Rockies. Hammonds signed with the 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...
for their inaugural season in D.C. On May 18, 2005, Hammonds hit a bases loaded RBI single to lead the Nats over the Brewers, however, it was his final ever RBI. On June 10, 2005, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
reported that Hammonds had retired.