Rajai Davis

Infobox MLB player
name = Rajai Davis


width = 150
caption =
team = Oakland Athletics
number = 38
position = Center fielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1980|10|19
birthplace = city-state|Norwich|Connecticut
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = August 14
debutyear = 2006
debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .256
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 4
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 28
stat4label = Stolen bases
stat4value = 52
teams =
*Pittsburgh Pirates (by|2006–by|2007)
*San Francisco Giants (by|2007–by|2008)
*Oakland Athletics (by|2008–present)

Rajai Lavae Davis [RAH-jay] (born October 19, 1980 in city-state|Norwich|Connecticut) is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Oakland Athletics.

Davis was a switch-hitter, but became a full-time right-handed hitter prior to the by|2004 season. He also throws right-handed.cite web| url=http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=434658 | title=Rajai Davis Player File| work=MLB.com| accessdate=2007-09-12]

Early life

Davis played Little League Baseball in Willimantic, Connecticut. In 1994, Davis helped the Willimantic Senior League All-Star team to the Connecticut State championship, losing 9-8 to South Windsor.Fact|date=August 2007

In 1999, Davis graduated from New London High School where he earned letters playing baseball, basketball, and football.cite web |url=http://pressbox.mlb.com/pressbox/downloads/y2007/pit/players_a_n.pdf#page=39 |title=2007 Pirates Media Guide|work=MLB Pressbox] During the summer he was a member of the New London American Legion team.Fact|date=August 2007

After high school, Davis attended the University of Connecticut at Avery Point in Groton.

Professional career

Minor leagues

Davis was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 38th round (1,134th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft as a second baseman.San Francisco Giants broadcast of August 20, 2007 game at Florida Marlins. "Fox Sports Net Bay Area".] He had an extended minor league career, playing six full minor league seasons before making his major league debut. He achieved great success at all levels, however, with a .305 career minor league batting average to go along with 251 stolen bases in 322 chances. In addition, Davis made three consecutive All-Star appearance at three different levels of play from by|2002 to by|2004.cite web |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/D/Rajai-Davis.shtml |title=Rajai Davis Baseball Statistics|work=The Baseball Cube]

Major leagues

Pittsburgh Pirates (2006–07)

Davis made his major league debut for the Pirates on August 14, mlby|2006, going 0-for-1 in a pinch hit appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers. He stole his first base two days later, but did not get his first major league hit for another two weeks. It came on August 29, in the form of a pinch hit double off Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano. He made his first and only defensive appearance of 2006 the next day, playing three innings in right field.

an Francisco Giants (2007–08)

Davis was traded to the San Francisco Giants with a player to be named later on July 31, mlby|2007, for Matt Morris.cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070731&content_id=2119958&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf | title=Giants send Morris to Bucs for Davis| last=Haft| first=Chris| work=MLB.com| date=2007-07-31] He made his Giants debut the next night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, stealing a base and throwing out a runner from center field.cite web| url=http://mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2007_08_01_sfnmlb_lanmlb_1&c_id=sf | title= LA Dodgers 6, San Francisco 4 (8/1/07 Boxscore)| work=MLB.com| accessdate=2007-09-12] In his time with the Giants, Davis was a semi-regular in the Giants lineup, filling in for Dave Roberts or Barry Bonds whenever necessary.

On August 13, the Giants played a doubleheader in Pittsburgh, which was Davis' first time back since the trade. He started in center in both games, going a combined three-for-seven, with three doubles, two runs scored, two stolen bases, and an RBI.cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2007_08_13_sfnmlb_pitmlb_1&c_id=sf |title= Pittsburgh 3, San Francisco 1 (8/13/07 Boxscore)|work=SFGiants.com] cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2007_08_13_sfnmlb_pitmlb_2&c_id=sf |title= San Francisco 10, Pittsburgh 3 (8/13/07 Boxscore)|work=SFGiants.com] Additionally, in the second game, Davis made a spectacular diving catch on the warning track in left-center field.cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070813&content_id=2147088&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |title=Davis burns former team as Giants win| last=Haft| first=Chris| work=MLB.com| date=2007-08-14] [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/23/SPLLV78LF.DTL Davis sees himself making more great catches this year] ]

Just three days later, he robbed Andruw Jones of a possible home run to end the game at Turner Field in Atlanta.cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070816&content_id=2152763&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |title=Relentless Giants batter Braves| last=Haft| first=Chris| work=MLB.com| date=2007-08-16] Davis kept the ball as a souvenir. The next night, Davis hit his first career home run off Florida Marlins starter Scott Olsen.cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070817&content_id=2154256&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |title=Zito dominant in win over Marlins| last=Keller| first=Tom| work=MLB.com| date=2007-08-17]

Davis was second among the NL rookie leaders in stolen bases, with 22. The leader, Arizona's Chris Young, had 27—but also had nearly three times as many at-bats as Davis.cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting?split=0&league=nl&season=2007&seasonType=2&sort=stolenBases&type=reg&ageMin=17&ageMax=51&state=0&college=0&country=0&hand=a&pos=rookie |title=MLB Player Batting Stats: 2007| work=ESPN.com| accessdate=2007-09-11]

Oakland Athletics (2008–present)

On April 23, mlby|2008, Davis was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics and was added to the active roster. With Oakland in 2008, he stole 25 bases in only 196 at-bats.

tatistics

References

External links