Shannon Stewart (baseball)

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name=Shannon Stewart
team=Free Agent
number=--
position=Left fielder
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1974|2|25
debutdate=September 2
debutyear=1995
debutteam=Toronto Blue Jays
statyear=August 11, 2008
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.297
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=115
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=580
teams=
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|1995-by|2003)
*Minnesota Twins (by|2003-by|2006)
*Oakland Athletics (by|2007)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2008)

Shannon Harold Stewart (born February 25, 1974 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a Major League Baseball left fielder who is currently a free agent.

High school years

Stewart attended Miami Southridge High School in Cutler Bay, Florida and was a student and a letterman in football, baseball, and track. In football, he was a starting quarterback as a sophomore, and as a junior, he was an All-Dade County selection. In baseball, as a senior, he was an All-Dade County selection.

Professional career

Toronto Blue Jays

Shannon Stewart was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (19th pick) of the mlby|1992 amateur draft and made his debut on September 2, mlby|1995. Stewart fluctuated between the majors and minors over the next several seasons, eventually finding a place in the every day Blue Jay lineup by the end of mlby|1997.

In his first full season with the Blue Jays in mlby|1998, he hit .279, belting 12 home runs and driving in 55 runs. During that season, he stole 51 bases, a career-high. Playing alongside superstars Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, and Carlos Delgado that year, Stewart became a catalyst at the top of the Toronto lineup, providing speed and base-stealing ability, as well as some power and clutch-hitting. In every season from mlby|1999 to mlby|2002, Stewart batted .300 or higher and scored over 100 runs. He also showed some unexpected power, hitting 21 HRs in mlby|2000.

Stewart spent parts of eight seasons with Toronto before he was dealt to the Minnesota Twins for Bobby Kielty in mlby|2003. Stewart played in 855 games with Toronto, batting .301 with 218 doubles, 73 home runs and 163 stolen bases.

Minnesota Twins

Stewart was traded, along with the balance of his salary, in 2003 to the Minnesota Twins for Bobby Kielty in a move designed to allow the Jays to later acquire Ted Lilly. [cite web |url=http://danjulien.atspace.com/ricciardi.htm#10 |title=The Stewart/Kielty/Lilly three-way] Stewart, now in the thick of a pennant race, was suddenly cast into the limelight. He hit .322 with the Twins, with an on base percentage of .384. The Twins beat the Chicago White Sox in a closely fought pennant race, but were defeated by the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. Shannon finished 4th in American League MVP voting, a remarkable accomplishment for a lead-off hitter.

Oakland Athletics

On February 7, mlby|2007, Stewart and the Oakland Athletics agreed to a one-year deal worth $1 million with a possible extra $1.5 million more in incentives based on playing time. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2758035 ESPN - A's, Stewart agree to one-year contract - MLB ] ]

On June 7, 2007, Stewart broke up Curt Schilling's bid for a no-hitter with a two out, bases-empty single in the bottom of the ninth inning. This was the second time Stewart has broken up a late game no-hitter; in 2001, he got a single to break up Hideo Nomo's no-hit bid.

Stewart finished his one season with the A's hitting .290 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 146 games.

econd stint with Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays signed Stewart to a minor league deal on February 24, mlby|2008, and gave their former first-round pick an invitation to spring training. This move came as a surprise to many who never thought Stewart would be back in a Jays uniform, especially when the Jays re-signed left fielder Reed Johnson.

Stewart ended up being chosen by the Jays to take over left field, in a platoon with Matt Stairs, over the fan favorite Reed Johnson, who was released by the team. On March 30, the Blue Jays purchased Stewart's contract from Triple-A Syracuse. He was released by the Blue Jays on August 11.

Injuries

After his stellar 2003 season, Stewart suffered from plantar fasciitis problems in both feet, limiting him to 92 games in mlby|2004 and only 44 in mlby|2006. While playing football in high school, Stewart suffered an injury to his shoulder, thus weakening his throwing ability. Because his arm is not as strong as it once was, he has sometimes been considered a liability in the field; opposing base runners frequently take bases they might not take if another fielder were playing his position.

Accomplishments

*Career .299 AVG (21st among active players)
*Finished 4th in American League MVP voting (2003)
*3rd in the American League in steals (1998, 51 steals)
*4th in the American League in steals (1999, 37 steals)

References

External links