Ross Gload

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px

name=Ross Gload
position=First base
position2=Outfielder
team=Kansas City Royals| number=7
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|4|5
debutdate=August 31
debutyear=2000
debutteam=Chicago Cubs
statyear=July 16, 2008
stat1label=Batting Average
stat1value=.290
stat2label=Home Runs
stat2value=20
stat3label=Runs Batted In
stat3value=145
teams=
*Chicago Cubs (by|2000)
*Colorado Rockies (by|2002)
*Chicago White Sox (by|2004-by|2006)
*Kansas City Royals (by|2007-present)

Ross Peter Gload (born on April 5, 1976 in Brooklyn, New York) is a first baseman and outfielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball.

High School/College Career

Gload grew up in the Long Island community of Springs, New York, where he broke numerous high school and county home run records. After his record breaking 1994 season for East Hampton High School, Gload was honored with the "Carl Yastrzemski Award¹," which is annually awarded to the most outstanding high school baseball player in Suffolk County by the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association. His 41 career home runs, and 20 in the 1994 season alone, are New York state high school records. Perhaps his most memorable high school moment was the Suffolk County Championship game, where he single-handedly propelled East Hampton to the Long Island Championship with four moonshots off of Kings Park High School's left handed starter Matthew Ligouri. Gload was recruited by the University of South Florida, where he played under longtime Coach Eddie Cardieri, before going pro.

Major League Career

Gload was selected in the 13th round of the by|1997 amateur draft by the Florida Marlins. On July 31, by|2000, at the trade deadline, he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs along with minor leaguer Dave Noyce for Henry Rodriguez. Gload made his Major League debut August 31, by|2000 with the Cubs. On September 12, by|2001, he was claimed on waivers by the Colorado Rockies but did not play in any big league games that season.

In January by|2002, Gload was involved in two deals with the New York Mets in a span of six days, first moving to the Mets in a three-team, 11-player trade, then having his contract purchased by Colorado from the Mets. Gload batted .258 with a home run and four RBIs in limited action with the Rockies.

Just before the by|2003 season, Gload moved on to the Chicago White Sox organization, being acquired by Chicago for minor leaguer Wade Parrish. Gload did not appear in a Major League uniform in 2003, but in by|2004 and again in by|2006, he saw significant duty with the White Sox. He batted .321 in 2004 with seven homers and 44 RBIs. In 2006, his numbers were .327 with three homers and 18 RBIs in fewer at-bats.

On December 16th, 2006, Gload was traded to the Kansas City Royals for relief pitcher
Andrew Sisco. In by|2007, with Kansas City, Gload logged career highs in at-bats and RBIs, being used as a starter more than in the past. He batted .288 with seven homers and 51 RBIs in 102 games.

During the 2007-2008 offseason, Gload signed a two-year Major League contract with Kansas City.

ee also

* Chicago White Sox all-time roster

References

* [http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=340393 Ross Gload profile]
*
* [http://www.newsday.com/sports/highschool/ny-hsyazaward,0,4855723.htmlstory?coll=ny_sports_highschool_util]