![C-mo to Rodney](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/C-mo_to_Rodney.jpg)
Craig Keystone Monroe (nicknamed "C. Mo") (born February 27, 1977) is a former
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), ...
(MLB)
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
and current sportscaster. He played for the
Texas Rangers,
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
,
Chicago Cubs,
Minnesota Twins and
Pittsburgh Pirates and is currently an analyst for Detroit Tigers TV broadcasts on
Bally Sports Detroit
Bally Sports Detroit (BSD) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group that operates as a Bally Sports affiliate. It provides coverage of local sports teams in the state of Michigan, primarily focusing on those in Metro D ...
as well as the
Detroit Tigers Radio Network
The Detroit Tigers Radio Network is an American radio network composed of 49 radio stations which carry English-language coverage of the Detroit Tigers, a professional baseball team in Major League Baseball (MLB). Detroit's WXYT-FM (97.1 ...
.
[
]
Professional career
On July 29, 2001, at Arlington, Texas, Monroe hit a home run in his first major league game for the Texas Rangers, contributing to a 2-0 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Monroe then joined the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
organization on February 1, 2002, when he was selected off waivers from the Rangers. Playing his first full season in 2003, Monroe hit 23 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 i ...
s.
On July 19, 2006, Monroe hit a grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
home run off Javier Vázquez of the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
which was decisive in the Tigers 5–2 win. At the time, the teams were locked in a struggle for the 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 loc ...
division lead. Monroe called it "by far the biggest one I've ever hit." Monroe led Detroit with 28 home runs that season, as the Tigers turned around more than a decade of losing with 95 wins, and he was second on the team with 92 RBIs. He also hit five home runs in the 2006 postseason, which culminated in a World Series appearance.
On August 17, 2007, the Tigers designated Monroe for assignment. On August 23, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later. Monroe played with the Cubs for the remainder of the 2007 season. The Tigers received Clay Rapada
Clayton Anthony Rapada (born March 9, 1981) is a Filipino American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Clev ...
to complete the trade. On November 13, Monroe was traded to the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later. On August 1, 2008, Monroe was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
by the Twins and released on August 8.
Monroe signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on January 13, 2009. Monroe was added to the Major League roster at the end of spring training. Monroe was designated for assignment on June 20 to make room on the roster for Steve Pearce. Monroe was released on July 1, after which he retired as an active player.
Retirement activities
Monroe became a studio analyst for the Detroit Tigers on Bally Sports Detroit
Bally Sports Detroit (BSD) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group that operates as a Bally Sports affiliate. It provides coverage of local sports teams in the state of Michigan, primarily focusing on those in Metro D ...
in 2012 and also serves as an occasional color analyst on game broadcasts. In 2019, he launched his signature men's fashion line called "This is your fault for having eyes". After designing each suit, he breaks down his decisions in and about his signature style. In 2022, Monroe could be heard on the Detroit Tigers Radio Network
The Detroit Tigers Radio Network is an American radio network composed of 49 radio stations which carry English-language coverage of the Detroit Tigers, a professional baseball team in Major League Baseball (MLB). Detroit's WXYT-FM (97.1 ...
as a color-commentator alongside play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson
Daniel Hill Dickerson (born November 13, 1958) is an American sportscaster, best known for his current position as the lead radio play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers on the Detroit Tigers Radio Network.
Early life an ...
on select road games.
Personal life
Monroe's mother's name is Marilyn Monroe, the same as that of the late actress. She was on hand to watch her son hit a go-ahead home run against the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...
on August 30, 2006. After the game, he told the media, "Marilyn Monroe is here in New York, and I'm thrilled." Monroe and his wife, Kasey, have three children.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, Craig
1977 births
Living people
African-American baseball players
Baseball players from Dallas
Charleston RiverDogs players
Chicago Cubs players
Detroit Tigers announcers
Detroit Tigers players
Hudson Valley Renegades players
Major League Baseball broadcasters
Major League Baseball left fielders
Minnesota Twins players
Oklahoma RedHawks players
People from Texarkana, Texas
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Sportspeople from Arlington, Texas
Texas Rangers players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Tulsa Drillers players
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American sportspeople