Mark Grudzielanek
Encyclopedia
Mark James Grudzielanek (icon; born June 30, 1970 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
) is a retired Major League Baseball
second baseman
and shortstop
. Grudzielanek played six different teams during his 15-season career. He batted and threw right-handed.
in El Paso, Texas
and was a letterman and an All-State selection in basketball
and baseball
. He was a regional Skee-Ball champion in 1987. His mother is of Galician
descent. His father is of Polish descent.
in the 17th round of the 1989 MLB Draft but did not sign. He was then drafted in the 11th round of the 1991 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos
and signed on June 11, 1991.
In 1994, with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
he hit .322 in 122 games and was rewarded by being selected as a Double-A All-Star, Eastern League Most Valuable Player and Expos Minor league player of the year.
He made his Major League debut on April 28, 1995 with the Expos against the Chicago Cubs
, striking out as a pinch hitter against Mike Walker. He made his first start (at second base) the following day but did not record his first major league hit (a double) until May 4 against New York Mets
relief pitcher Mike Remlinger
. His first home run came on May 16, 1995 against Kevin Jarvis
of the Cincinnati Reds
. He appeared in 78 games that season, hitting .245.
In 1996, Gruzielanek hit .306 in 153 games and was selected to appear in the 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
. In the All-Star game, he ground out in his lone at-bat against Roberto Hernandez.
He hit .281 in 492 games for the Expos over four seasons.
(along with Hiram Bocachica
and Carlos Perez) for Jonathan Tucker, Peter Bergeron
, Wilton Guerrero
and Ted Lilly
on July 31, 1998. Primarily a shortstop through this point in his career, the Dodgers moved him to second base in 2000 to make room for Alex Cora
to play shortstop.
He spent five seasons with the Dodgers, playing in 605 games and hitting .284 with 38 home runs.
for Chad Hermansen
and Todd Hundley
. He spent the next two seasons in Chicago, hitting .312 in 202 games.
on January 6, 2005. He appeared in 137 games with the Cardinals, hitting .294.
. He won the Gold Glove Award
in for second basemen in the American League
. He played with the Royals for three seasons, appearing in 336 games, with a .300 batting average.
offered him a minor league contract on July 19, 2009. After only 11 games (3 with the Gulf Coast Twins and 8 with the New Britain Rock Cats
) he was released on August 10.
with a spring training invite. He was added to the Major League roster on April 3. He appeared in 30 games for the Indians, hitting .273 but also spending several weeks on the disabled list. On June 8, Grudzielanek was designated for assignment by the Indians to make room on the roster for Anderson Hernandez
, he was released shortly after.
Grudzielanek retired on February 23, 2011.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
) is a retired 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...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and 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...
. Grudzielanek played six different teams during his 15-season career. He batted and threw right-handed.
Early years
Grudzielanek attended J. M. Hanks High SchoolJ. M. Hanks High School
J.M. Hanks High School, commonly referred to as Hanks High School, is one of seven public secondary schools in Ysleta Independent School District, which encompasses much of east El Paso, Texas. Hanks' primary feeder schools are Desert View Middle School and Indian Ridge Middle School...
in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and was a letterman and an All-State selection in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball 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...
. He was a regional Skee-Ball champion in 1987. His mother is of Galician
Galician
Galician can refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Galicia * Galician language* Galician people, an ethnic group of Galicia, Spain* Galician wine, wine produced in Galicia, Spain*Galician cuisine- See also :* Galicia...
descent. His father is of Polish descent.
Montreal Expos
Grudzielanek was originally drafted by the New York MetsNew 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...
in the 17th round of the 1989 MLB Draft but did not sign. He was then drafted in the 11th round of the 1991 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and signed on June 11, 1991.
In 1994, with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
he hit .322 in 122 games and was rewarded by being selected as a Double-A All-Star, Eastern League Most Valuable Player and Expos Minor league player of the year.
He made his Major League debut on April 28, 1995 with the Expos 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...
, striking out as a pinch hitter against Mike Walker. He made his first start (at second base) the following day but did not record his first major league hit (a double) until May 4 against 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...
relief pitcher Mike Remlinger
Mike Remlinger
Michael John Remlinger is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Remlinger has played with the San Francisco Giants , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds , Atlanta Braves , Chicago Cubs , and the Boston Red Sox...
. His first home run came on May 16, 1995 against Kevin Jarvis
Kevin Jarvis
Kevin Thomas Jarvis is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently a scout for the San Diego Padres....
of the 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....
. He appeared in 78 games that season, hitting .245.
In 1996, Gruzielanek hit .306 in 153 games and was selected to appear in the 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 67th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 1996 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the...
. In the All-Star game, he ground out in his lone at-bat against Roberto Hernandez.
He hit .281 in 492 games for the Expos over four seasons.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Grudzielanek was traded by the Expos to the Los Angeles DodgersLos 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...
(along with Hiram Bocachica
Hiram Bocachica
Hiram Gabriel Bocachica Colon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is 5'11" and weighs around 195 pounds.-Major league career:...
and Carlos Perez) for Jonathan Tucker, Peter Bergeron
Peter Bergeron
Peter Francis Bergeron is a former professional baseball outfielder. Bergeron appeared 308 Major League games, all of which were played with the Montreal Expos over five different seasons. He was known as primarily being a leadoff hitter, with above average speed and defensive skills...
, Wilton Guerrero
Wilton Guerrero
Wilton Alvaro Guerrero is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , Cincinnati Reds , and Kansas City Royals ....
and Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly
Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws left-handed...
on July 31, 1998. Primarily a shortstop through this point in his career, the Dodgers moved him to second base in 2000 to make room for Alex Cora
Alex Cora
José Alexander "Alex" Cora is a Major League Baseball infielder. He played college baseball at the University of Miami.-Early career:...
to play shortstop.
He spent five seasons with the Dodgers, playing in 605 games and hitting .284 with 38 home runs.
Chicago Cubs
On December 4, 2002 the Dodgers traded him (along with Eric Karros) to the Chicago CubsChicago 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...
for Chad Hermansen
Chad Hermansen
Chad Bruce Hermansen is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.Hermansen played amateur ball as a shortstop at Green Valley High School of Henderson, Nevada, and the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the first round of the June draft, with the tenth overall pick...
and Todd Hundley
Todd Hundley
Todd Randolph Hundley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He is the son of former Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley...
. He spent the next two seasons in Chicago, hitting .312 in 202 games.
St. Louis Cardinals
After leaving the Cubs as a free agent after the 2004 season, Grudzielanek signed with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. 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...
on January 6, 2005. He appeared in 137 games with the Cardinals, hitting .294.
Kansas City Royals
Grudzielanek signed a contract on December 16, 2005, to be the second baseman for the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. He won the Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
in for second basemen in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. He played with the Royals for three seasons, appearing in 336 games, with a .300 batting average.
Minnesota Twins
He became a free agent after the 2008 season but did not sign with a team until the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The 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...
offered him a minor league contract on July 19, 2009. After only 11 games (3 with the Gulf Coast Twins and 8 with the New Britain Rock Cats
New Britain Rock Cats
The New Britain Rock Cats are the Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club. They compete in the Eastern League and play their home games at New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.-History:...
) he was released on August 10.
Cleveland Indians
On January 12, 2010, he signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
with a spring training invite. He was added to the Major League roster on April 3. He appeared in 30 games for the Indians, hitting .273 but also spending several weeks on the disabled list. On June 8, Grudzielanek was designated for assignment by the Indians to make room on the roster for Anderson Hernandez
Anderson Hernández
Anderson Hernández is a middle infielder in Anderson Hernández is a middle [[infielder]] in Anderson Hernández is a middle [[infielder]] in [[Major League Baseball]...
, he was released shortly after.
Grudzielanek retired on February 23, 2011.
Highlights
- All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe 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...
(1996) - Collected 201 hitsHit (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....
in a season (1996) - Led National LeagueNational LeagueThe 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...
in doublesDouble (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....
(54, 1997) - Led NL in at-batsAt batIn baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
(649, 1997) - Finished 6th in the NL in batting average (.326, 1999)
- Hit for the cycle on April 27, 2005 while playing for the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe 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...
- Won AL Gold Glove Award at second base (2006)
- Collected career hit number 2000 on July 12, 2008.
- Holds the MLB record for longest streak of home games played with a hit, 35, in 1999 while played for the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe 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...
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- Hitting for the cycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...