Kyle Nathaniel Blanks (born September 11, 1986) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
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
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 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), ...
(MLB) for the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
,
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
, and
Texas Rangers. Blanks wore the unusual
uniform number
In team sports, the number, often referred to as the uniform number, squad number, jersey number, shirt number, sweater number, or similar (with such naming differences varying by sport and region) is the number worn on a player's uniform, to ...
88 throughout his MLB career. Listed at and , he batted and threw right-handed.
Early life
Blanks was born in
Sellersville, Pennsylvania
Sellersville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,249 at the 2010 census. It is in the Pennridge School District.
History
Sellersville was founded in the early 18th century. It was centered on a major road known as B ...
and grew up in
Moriarty, New Mexico
Moriarty is a town in Torrance County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,910 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Moriarty is located at (34.999815, -106.046667).
According to ...
where he was a stand-out for the Moriarty High Pintos. Blanks attended
Yavapai College
Yavapai College is a public community college in Yavapai County, Arizona. The main campus is in Prescott, with locations in Clarkdale, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Sedona.
History
Yavapai College was established in 1965 by means of a c ...
.
Professional career
San Diego Padres
![Kyle Blanks](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Kyle_Blanks.jpg)
Blanks was selected by
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
in the 42nd round (1241st overall) of the
2004 Major League Baseball Draft. He was the Padres' Minor League Player of the Year in 2008. Though he was a standout
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 started playing in the
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
in April 2009.
[ He was called up to the majors for the first time after only 66 Triple-A games when ]Cliff Floyd
Cornelius Clifford Floyd Jr. (born December 5, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for 17 seasons, most notably for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins and New York Mets. He is currently a baseball analyst who co-hosts ...
was placed on the disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
on June 19, . He played left field
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
for the Padres after only 15 games in the outfield for Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
.[ He hit 10 ]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 in 148 at bats
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 batt ...
in his first MLB season as he continued to be the Padres' highest-rated prospect.[ He hit only .150 in his first 40 at-bats, but finished with 10 homers with a .287 average. His season ended on August 28 with a case of ]plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain (PHP) is a disorder of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot. It results in pain in the heel and bottom of the foot that is usually most severe with the f ...
.[ During the offseason, the Padres traded away third baseman ]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.
Kouzm ...
in order to move Chase Headley
Chase Jordan Headley (born May 9, 1984) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. A switch-hitter, Headley made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the San Diego Padres in 2007, and also played for the New York Yankees.
H ...
to the infield
Infield is a sports term whose definition depends on the sport in whose context it is used.
Baseball
In baseball, the diamond, as well as the area immediately beyond it, has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-c ...
to open a position for Blanks in left field.[
Blanks began the 2010 season as the Padres ]cleanup hitter
In baseball, a cleanup hitter is the fourth hitter in the batting order. The cleanup hitter is traditionally the team's most powerful hitter. His job is to "clean up the bases", i.e., drive in base runners.
Theory
The thinking behind the us ...
behind Adrián González
Adrián González Savín (born May 8, 1982), also known by his nicknames "A-Gon" and "Titán", is a Mexican-American former professional baseball first baseman He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, ...
. Blanks' season ended in May with an elbow that required reconstructive surgery. He finished batting only .157 with three homers, 15 RBI and an alarming 46 strikeouts in 102 at-bats.[ After González was traded in the offseason, Padres General Manager ]Jed Hoyer
Jed Hoyer (born December 7, 1973) is the president of baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs. He has been the general manager of the San Diego Padres and the assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox.
Early and personal life
Hoyer was bor ...
expected either newly acquired Anthony Rizzo
Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. He is a three-time ...
or Blanks to eventually be the Padres starting first baseman.
Blanks started 2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
on the disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
. He played 78 games at Double-A San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
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, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
and Triple-A Tucson
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
, hitting a combined .312 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI. He was promoted to San Diego and Anthony Rizzo
Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. He is a three-time ...
was sent down to Tucson on July 22. He finished the season hitting .229 with seven home runs and 26 RBI in 170 at bats.
Hoyer believed that Rizzo would be the starting first baseman for the Padres in 2012. ''The San Diego Union-Tribune
''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868.
Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
'' projected Jesús Guzmán and Blanks as options for left field. However, he was lost for the season in April after surgery to repair a significant tear in the labrum of his non-throwing shoulder.
Blanks played well during 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
, but began the year with Tucson with left field occupied by Carlos Quentin
Carlos José Quentin (born August 28, 1982) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. In 2008 and 2011, Quentin was selec ...
and first base occupied by Yonder Alonso
Yonder Alonso (born April 8, 1987) is a Cuban former professional baseball first baseman and current MLB Network analyst. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Cl ...
. Blanks was called up on April 14 when Quentin began serving a suspension for a brawl. He remained with the club after Quentin's return as an injury to Cameron Maybin
Cameron Keith Maybin (born April 4, 1987) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current broadcaster. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Florida / Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Brave ...
opened up a spot in the outfield. Blanks also picked up a number of starts at first base in June while Yonder Alonso
Yonder Alonso (born April 8, 1987) is a Cuban former professional baseball first baseman and current MLB Network analyst. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Cl ...
was on the disabled list with a broken hand. Blanks himself went to the disabled list on July 12 with tendinitis in his left heel. He returned on August 31 after a rehab assignment and spent the rest of the season with the club. For the year, Blanks set a career high with 88 games played and 71 starts. He hit .243 in 280 at-bats with 8 home runs.
Blanks was chosen to start the 2014 season in the minors. Blanks was called up on May 5, after Xavier Nady
Xavier Clifford Nady VI (; born November 14, 1978) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. Nady played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Ari ...
was designated for assignment. Blanks only played 5 games for the Padres in 2014, getting 2 hits in 10 at bats.
Oakland Athletics
On May 15, 2014, the Padres traded Blanks to the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
for Jake Goebbert and minor leaguer Ronald Herrera
Ronald José Herrera Aular (born May 3, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees.
Professional career Oakland ...
. He was designated for assignment on November 28, 2014.
Texas Rangers
On December 15, 2014, the Texas Rangers signed Blanks to a minor league contract with a base salary of $1 million, and $600,000 in performance related bonuses if he made the big league roster. Blanks appeared in 18 games for the Rangers in 2015, hitting .313 in 71 plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner ...
s.
San Francisco Giants
Blanks signed with the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
on a minor league contract in November 2015. Despite missing time in 2016 due to injury, the Giants re-signed Blanks to a minor league deal for the 2017 season. He was released on May 26, 2017.
Acereros de Monclova
On June 13, 2017, Blanks signed with the Acereros de Monclova
The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Their home ballpark is Estadio de Béisbol Monclova, which has a capacity of 11,000 people. The Acere ...
of the Mexican Baseball League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
. He was released on June 22, 2017.
Awards and honors
References
External links
MiLB.com player profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanks, Kyle
1986 births
Living people
Acereros de Monclova players
African-American baseball players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Arizona League Padres players
Baseball players from Pennsylvania
El Paso Chihuahuas players
Fort Wayne Wizards players
Gigantes de Carolina players
Lake Elsinore Storm players
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball left fielders
Major League Baseball right fielders
Mexican League baseball left fielders
Oakland Athletics players
People from Moriarty, New Mexico
People from Sellersville, Pennsylvania
Peoria Saguaros players
Portland Beavers players
Round Rock Express players
Sacramento River Cats players
San Antonio Missions players
San Diego Padres players
Texas Rangers players
Tucson Padres players
Yavapai Roughriders baseball players
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American people