Ryan Roberts

Infobox MLB player
name=Ryan Roberts


width=150
position=Second baseman
team=Texas Rangers
number=29
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|09|19
birthplace=city-state|Fort Worth|Texas
debutdate=July 30
debutyear=2006
debutteam=Toronto Blue Jays
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.074
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=1
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=1
teams=
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2006-by|2007)
*Texas Rangers (by|2008) Ryan Alan Roberts (born September 19, 1980 in Fort Worth, Texas) is a Major League Baseball infielder for the Texas Rangers. A right-handed batter, Roberts is 5'11" tall and weighs 190 pounds. Roberts has over 30 tattoos. [> [http://bluejays.scout.com/2/504765.html "SCOUTING JAYS PROSPECT #10: RYAN ROBERTS"] , scout.com, posted March 3, accessed July 30, 2006.]

College career

After graduating from L. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas), Roberts won an NJCAA DIV. III World Series his sophomore year at Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite, Texas. Roberts was an All-American with a .475 batting average, 17 home runs, and 73 RBI and was named a MAC All-Conference and All-American Selection at shortstop. Roberts transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. After his senior year in by|2003, he was named Southland Conference Player of the Year and Hitter of the Year. [ [http://utamavs.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/051903aaa.html "UTA'S ROBERTS NAMED SLC PLAYER, HITTER OF THE YEAR"] , University of Texas at Arlington: Official Athletic Site, posted May 19, accessed April 12, 2006.] He was among the conference leaders in eight different offensive categories, was first-team all-SLC as a third baseman, and was also named to several All-America teams.

Professional career

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Roberts with the 530th overall pick of the 2003 draft, as part of the 18th round. Roberts signed with the Blue Jays and made his professional debut in the New York-Penn League. He advanced rapidly, and was named to the by|2005 Eastern League All-Star team. [ [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/events/allstargames.jsp?mc=_eas_05 "2005 EASTERN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM"] , the official site of Minor League Baseball, accessed April 12, 2006.] The Blue Jays allocated Roberts to the Arizona Fall League that off-season, [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/2005afl/index.html "2005 Arizona Fall League"] , Baseball America online, posted 2005, accessed April 12, 2006.] a step usually reserved for players considered to be prospects, and on November 18 of that year, they purchased his contract from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and added him to their 40-man roster. [ [http://www.nhfishercats.com/information/press-release-details.asp?id=159&details=JOSH+BANKS+AND+RYAN+ROBERTS+ADDED+TO+BLUE+JAYS+40+MAN+ROSTER "BLUE JAYS ADD PAIR TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER"] , New Hampshire Fisher Cats, posted November 18, 2005, accessed April 12, 2006.] Roberts began the by|2006 season in Triple-A Syracuse before being called up to the 25-man Toronto Blue Jays roster. On August 3, 2006, Roberts connected on a solo home run in Yankee Stadium for his first major league hit in his second ever major league game. It was the only run the Jays scored that day as Cory Lidle coasted to an 8-1 win.

After the by|2007 season, Roberts' was released by the Blue Jays. Roberts signed on November 21, 2007, with the Texas Rangers with a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.

couting reports

In 2003, Baseball America analyst John Manuel described Roberts as the best player on UTA's squad. [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/leagues/NCAA/weekend042403.html "Wolfpack faces Tar Heels at remodeled Doak"] , by John Manuel, Baseball America online, April 25, 2003, accessed April 12, 2005.] Later that year, after Roberts had been drafted, Manuel described him in an online chat as an "interesting sleeper", and said that "his best tool is his bat". [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/040426jm.html "Baseball America - Chat"] , by John Manuel, Baseball America online, posted 2003, accessed April 12, 2005.] In another chat the next year, Manuel reiterated his confidence in Roberts's offensive potential.

References

External links