Adam David Riggs (born October 4, 1972) is a former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
. He played parts of four years in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
, but is better known for the four seasons he spent with the
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams based in Tokyo, the other being the Yom ...
of the Japanese
Central League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consist ...
.
A native of
Byram Township, New Jersey
Byram Township is a township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 8,350, reflecting an increase of 96 (+1.2%) from the 8,254 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in tu ...
, he attended
Lenape Valley Regional High School
Lenape Valley Regional High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school and school district in serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from two municipalities in Sussex County and one in Morris County, New Jersey, Unite ...
in
Stanhope, New Jersey
Stanhope is a borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 3,610,[County College of Morris
County College of Morris (CCM) is a public community college in Randolph, New Jersey. CCM offers associate degree and certificate programs as well as transfer opportunities for students looking to pursue a bachelor's degree at another instituti ...]
and the
University of South Carolina Aiken
The University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken, USCA, or South Carolina Aiken) is a public university in Aiken, South Carolina. It is part of the University of South Carolina System and offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's ...
.
Baseball career
Adam Riggs played for the
USC Aiken Pacers
The USC Aiken Pacers are the athletic teams that represent the University of South Carolina Aiken, located in Aiken, South Carolina, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), prima ...
for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Drafted by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in the 22nd round of the 1994 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft, Riggs made his
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
debut with the Dodgers on August 7, 1997.
Riggs gained notoriety after a 2003 game with the
Anaheim Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
in which he wore a uniform which featured the team name misspelled as "Angees", which appeared in
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
, and was also nominated for a
This Year in Baseball Award for Most Bizarre Moment in 2003.
In 2005 he signed with the
Yakult Swallows
The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams based in Tokyo, the other being the Yom ...
of Japan's
Central League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consist ...
and played with them until July 2008.
Mitchell Report
On December 13, 2007, Riggs was included in the
Mitchell Report
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 res ...
, in which it was alleged that he used steroids during his career. In the report,
Kirk Radomski
Kirk J. Radomski (born 1969) is a former batboy and clubhouse employee, colloquially known by players as Murdock, for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1995. On April 27, 2007, he pleaded guilty in United States district cour ...
states that Riggs bought
human growth hormone
Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in h ...
,
clenbuterol
Clenbuterol is a sympathomimetic amine used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma use this as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier. It is most commonl ...
, and
Winstrol
Stanozolol ( abbrev. Stz), sold under many brand names, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is used to treat hereditary angioedema. It was developed by American pharmaceutical company W ...
from him between July 10, 2003, to November 30, 2005. Photocopies of five checks from Riggs to Radomski are included in the report to substantiate Radomski's accusations. Radomski claims Riggs was referred to him by
Paul Lo Duca
Paul Anthony Lo Duca (born April 12, 1972) is an American retired professional baseball player and television personality. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers (–), Florida Marlins (2004–, ), New York Met ...
. Riggs declined to meet with the Mitchell investigators but provided a letter from his lawyer stating that he "never tested positive for improper substances".
From 2005 to 2008, Riggs played in Japan where they conform with Olympic testing standards and never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs while with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
References
External links
Japanese foreign batting stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riggs, Adam
1972 births
Living people
Albuquerque Dukes players
American expatriate baseball players in Japan
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Anaheim Angels players
Baseball players from Ohio
Great Falls Dodgers players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball left fielders
Major League Baseball outfielders
Major League Baseball second basemen
Memphis Redbirds players
Mexican League baseball first basemen
Mexican League baseball third basemen
Morris Titans baseball players
Nippon Professional Baseball first basemen
Nippon Professional Baseball outfielders
Nippon Professional Baseball third basemen
People from Byram Township, New Jersey
Portland Beavers players
Salt Lake Stingers players
San Antonio Missions players
San Bernardino Spirit players
San Diego Padres players
Saraperos de Saltillo players
Sportspeople from Steubenville, Ohio
Tokyo Yakult Swallows players
USC Aiken Pacers baseball players
Yakima Bears players
Yakult Swallows players