2006 Cleveland Indians Season
The 2006 Cleveland Indians season was the 106th season for the franchise. It began with the Cleveland Indians attempting to win the AL Central and make the playoffs. The Indians finished with a mediocre 78-84 record and missed the playoffs. It was the final season before Progressive bought the naming rights to then-Jacobs Field. Offseason * December 7, 2005: Paul Byrd was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. * January 6, 2006: Todd Hollandsworth was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. Regular season On September 2, 2006, Kevin Kouzmanoff became the 23rd Major Leaguer to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat, the 12th American Leaguer to do so, and the second of 2006 (along with Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals). He was only the third player to have the home run be a grand slam. Kouzmanoff is only one of two players in Major League Baseball history to hit a grand slam on his first ''pitch'' ever seen in the Major Leagues, alon ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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American League Central
The American League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed in the realignment of 1994 by moving three teams from the American League West and two teams from the American League East. Its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States. Along with the National League East, the AL Central is one of two divisions in the Major Leagues in which all of its members have won a World Series title. In fact, each team has captured at least two World Series championships. The Kansas City Royals were the most recent team from the division to win the World Series. Division membership Current members *Chicago White Sox – Founding member; formerly of the AL West *Cleveland Guardians – Founding member; formerly of the AL East; known as the Cleveland Indians until 2021 *Detroit Tigers – Joined in 1998; formerly of the AL East *Kansas City Royals – Founding member; formerly of the AL West *Minnesota Twins – Founding member; formerly of the A ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Matt Underwood
Matt Underwood is an American sportscaster currently serving as the television play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). Broadcasting career Prior to joining the Guardians broadcast team on a full-time basis in 2000, Underwood spent 10 years at WEWS-TV 5 in Cleveland (ABC). Underwood joined WEWS as an associate sports producer after graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1990. In December 1994, Underwood was named as a sports producer/reporter. During this time, he also worked for WKNR Radio (then at 1220 AM) as an update anchor and weekend show host. A year later he would become the weekend sports anchor at ''News Channel 5'', and in November 1996 he became the station's sports director and weeknight 6 and 11 p.m. sports anchor, a job he held until 2000, when he became a full-time member of the Guardians' broadcasting team (having previously done radio and TV pregame shows for the team as a side job prior to 2000). Underwood was i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fernando Cabrera (baseball)
Fernando José Cabrera (born November 16, 1981) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox. Career Cleveland Indians Cabrera was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft and signed in August 1999. He was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game. He was designated for assignment by Cleveland on August 1, , and was subsequently released on August 9. Baltimore Orioles The Tampa Bay Devil Rays claimed him off release waivers on August 13, and had five days to sign him or let Cabrera become a free agent. Cabrera decided to become a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles on August 21, 2007. The Orioles recalled Cabrera in September 2007. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Orioles at the beginning of the season. On September 5, 2008, Cabrera was release ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Andrew Brown (pitcher)
Andrew Aaron Brown (born February 17, 1981) is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. He has played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics. Brown was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the sixth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. He was traded by Atlanta to the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 15, 2002, in a deal for Gary Sheffield; and from Los Angeles to Cleveland on May 19, 2004, as the player to be named from an earlier deal for Milton Bradley. In 2005, he appeared on the Indians roster for two different stints but never appeared in a gameIn 2006, while with the Buffalo Bisons, he was called up to the Cleveland Indians on August 13. On November 8, 2006, he was traded from Cleveland to the San Diego Padres along with third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff in exchange for second baseman Josh Barfield. On June 28, 2007, Brown was traded to the Oakland Athletics, once again for Milton Bradley. On Ja ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Jose Betancourt (born April 29, 1975) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies, as well as in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama BayStars. Career Boston Red Sox He was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox in September 1993. The Red Sox released him following the 1999 season and then re-signed him as a free agent in December 2000 after he spent the 2000 season with the Yokohama BayStars. He was granted free agency again in October 2001, after serving the required time to acquire free agency. Cleveland Indians After sitting out the 2002 season he signed with the Cleveland Indians as a minor league free agent and made his Major League debut for the Indians on July 13, 2003 against the Chicago White Sox. He pitched in 33 games for the Indians, registering an ERA of 2.13. In 2004, Betancourt went 5-6, his first full season ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Edinson Vólquez
Edinson Vólquez (; born July 3, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins. Vólquez signed with the Rangers in 2001 under the name of Julio Reyes. He went by Edison Vólquez after 2003, before adding an ''n'' to his first name in 2007. Early life Vólquez grew up in the Dominican Republic and started playing baseball when he was 9 or 10 with the support of his parents. "It was good for me because my mom and dad always took care of me... The only thing I did was go to school and play baseball." Professional career Texas Rangers Vólquez was signed as an amateur free agent by the Texas Rangers in the Dominican Republic in 2001. Together with John Danks and Thomas Diamond, Vólquez was one third of the "DVD" trio of Rangers pitching prospects. After spending four years in the Rangers' m ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Daniel Nava
Daniel James Nava (born February 22, 1983) is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Philadelphia Phillies. Nava is only the fourth player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in his first major league at bat and the second to do it on the first pitch. Early life Nava was born in Redwood City, California. He played baseball at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, California and received his Psychology degree from Santa Clara University. He was and in his freshman year in high school and grew to and by his senior year. After an opportunity to walk-on to the Santa Clara University baseball team, he failed to make the team as a player and became the team equipment manager. He left Santa Clara after two years because he could no longer afford the tuition. He then enrolled in the College of San Mateo (junior college). He tried out for ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Grand Slam (baseball)
In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners ("bases loaded"), 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 taking all the possible tricks. The word ''slam'', by itself, usually is connected with a loud sound, particularly of a door being closed with excess force; thus, ''slamming the door'' on one's opponent(s), in addition to the bat slamming the ball into a home run. Notable highlights Players Roger Connor is believed to have been the first major league player to hit a grand slam, on September 10, 1881, for the Troy Trojans at Riverfront Park in Rensselaer, New York. Although Charlie Gould hit one for the Boston Red Stockings of the National Association (NA) in 1871, the NA is not recognized by Major League Baseball (MLB) as a major league. Alex Rodriguez has 25 career gra ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981), nicknamed "Waino" and "Uncle Charlie", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Atlanta Braves selected him 29th overall in the first round of the 2000 amateur draft from Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia. His performance in the minor leagues made him one of the Braves' top pitching prospects. After the 2003 season, the Braves traded him to the Cardinals for outfielder J. D. Drew. Wainwright made his MLB debut on September 11, 2005, and spent the rest of the season as a relief pitcher. The next year, he briefly assumed closer duties, saving the series-clinching games of the 2006 National League Championship Series and World Series. In 2007, he returned to starting pitching, a role in which he has since remained. He missed the 2011 season due to Tommy John surgery, but emerged as an ace, leading the National League multiple times in wins, innings pitched, an ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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At Bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batter is credited with an at bat only if that plate appearance does not have one of the results enumerated below. While at bats are used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average and slugging percentage, a player can qualify for the season-ending rankings in these categories only if they accumulate 502 plate appearances during the season. Batters will not receive credit for an at bat if their plate appearances end under the following circumstances: * They receive a base on balls (BB).In 1887, Major League Baseball counted bases on balls as hits (and thus as at-bats). The result was high batting averages, including some near .500, and the experiment was abandoned the following season. * They are hit by a pitch (HBP). * They ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Home Run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run is usually achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles (or hitting either foul pole) without the ball touching the field. Far less common is the "inside-the-park" home run where the batter reaches home safely while the baseball is in play on the field. When a home run is scored, the batter is credited with a hit and a run scored, and a run batted in ( RBI) for each runner that scores, including himself. Likewise, the pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit and a run, with additional runs charged for each runner that scores other than the batter. Home runs are among the most popular aspects of baseball and, as a result, prolific home run hitters are usually the most popular among fans and consequently th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Kevin Kouzmanoff
Kevin Kouzmanoff (born July 25, 1981) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers. Kouzmanoff is the third of only four players in history to hit a grand slam in his first major league at-bat, after Bill Duggleby in 1898 and Jeremy Hermida in 2005, and followed by Daniel Nava in 2010. Both Kouzmanoff and Nava accomplished this feat on the first pitch they saw. Kouzmanoff is of Macedonian descent. Amateur career High school Kouzmanoff grew up in Newport Beach, California and then moved to Evergreen, Colorado just before high school started, where he played high school baseball at Evergreen High School. College In 2002, he attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he hit .364. In 2003, he attended the University of Nevada-Reno where as a walk-on he hit .361. Professional career Cleveland Indians In the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |