Howie Clark

Infobox MLB player
name = Howie Clark


width = 150
caption =
team = Minnesota Twins
number = 19
position = Infielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1974|2|13
birthplace = city-state|San Diego|California
bats = Left
throws = Right
debutdate = July 16
debutyear = 2002
debutteam = Baltimore Orioles
statyear = May 20, 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .262
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 3
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 26
teams =
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2002)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2003-by|2004)
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2006)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2007)
*Minnesota Twins (by|2008)

Howard "Howie" Roddy Clark (born February 13, 1974 in city-state|San Diego|California) is a utility player in the Minnesota Twins organization. He is currently playing for the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins' Triple-A affiliate. Clark made his Major League Baseball debut with the Baltimore Orioles in by|2002 and has played at the major league level in parts of six seasons with the Orioles, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Twins. He is 5'10 in height and weighs 195 pounds.

Playing career

Clark was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 27th round of the by|1992 amateur draft and spent 10 years in Baltimore's minor league system. During this time, Clark played in parts of four seasons with the Rochester Red Wings, the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate, from by|1998 to by|2002 and was named the team captain.He made his major league debut with Baltimore on July 16, by|2002. Clark became a free agent after the 2002 season and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.

After two seasons with the Blue Jays, Clark signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent the by|2005 season with the Pirates' Double-A and Triple-A organizations before signing with Baltimore before the by|2006 season. Clark played most of the year with their Triple-A affiliate, the Ottawa Lynx, but was called up to Baltimore for a brief stretch during the months of June and July. After 2006, Clark re-signed with Toronto.

On May 30, by|2007, while playing third base for the Blue Jays, Clark let an easy pop fly fall after Alex Rodriguez yelled in order to distract the infielders. Sports telecasts reaired this play numerous times in the following days as part of discussions on Rodriguez's sportsmanship.

Clark was cited in the 2007 Mitchell Report on performance enhancing drugs in baseball. According to steroids distributor Kirk Radomski, Clark made four or five purchases of HGH (human growth hormone) from Radomski. Records indicate Clark made at least two payments via money order to Radomski in 2005.

Clark was released by the Blue Jays on August 7, 2007. He then signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on November 27 of that year and began the by|2008 season with the Rochester Red Wings, now the Triple-A affiliate of the Twins. Clark was called up to Minnesota on May 16 to replace the injured Matt Tolbert but was designated for assignment to Rochester on May 31. He accepted the assignment, stating that one of his reasons for returning to Rochester was his good relationship with the fans.Fact|date=August 2008

External links