Luke Brandon Scott (born June 25, 1978) is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays, and in the KBO League for the SK Wyverns.
Luke Scott | |
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![]() Scott with the Tampa Bay Rays | |
Outfielder / Designated hitter | |
Born: DeLeon Springs, Florida, U.S. | June 25, 1978|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
Professional debut | |
MLB: April 5, 2005, for the Houston Astros | |
KBO: March 29, 2014, for the SK Wyverns | |
Last appearance | |
MLB: September 27, 2013, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
KBO: July 4, 2014, for the SK Wyverns | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .258 |
Home runs | 135 |
Runs batted in | 436 |
KBO statistics | |
Batting average | .267 |
Home runs | 6 |
Runs batted in | 17 |
Teams | |
Early life and college
editScott attended DeLand High School in DeLand, Florida, where he batted .460 and .420 in his junior and senior years respectively and was part of their IB program. He graduated there in 1997.[1] Scott attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned All-Big 12 Conference honors on the Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball team. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 45th round (1,327th overall) of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign.[2] In the summer of 2000, Scott played for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League,[3][4] and also played for the Staunton Braves in the Valley Baseball League. He also played baseball at Indian River Community College.[1] Scott spent a winter playing for a Venezuelan League where he earned the nickname "el monstruo de cuadrangular" which translates to "The Home Run Monster".
Professional baseball career
editCleveland Indians
editScott was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the ninth round (277th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft.[5] He spent his first professional season in 2001 at home recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow joint.[6] He made his professional debut for the Columbus Red Stixx of the South Atlantic League in 2002.[7][8] He played for the Indians' organization through 2003, making stops at Kinston and Akron.[8]
Houston Astros
editScott was traded by the Indians to the Houston Astros for Jeriome Robertson on March 31, 2004.[7] He made his Major League debut on April 5, 2005, against the St. Louis Cardinals, and was hitless in three at-bats in that game.[9] His first hit was a triple to centerfield off Ramón Ortiz of the Cincinnati Reds on April 8, 2005.[10] He appeared in 34 games that season and posted a .188 batting average with 4 RBI.[7]
Scott became the first Astros' rookie to hit for the cycle, accomplishing an "unnatural cycle" (home run, triple, double, and single, in that order) on July 28, 2006.[11] Scott hit his first career home run, off Enrique González, in the same game.[12] After the completion of the 2007 season, Scott headed to Venezuela to play another season in the Winter League, where he earned Winter League all-star honors.
Baltimore Orioles
editScott was traded to the Orioles with Matt Albers, Troy Patton, Dennis Sarfate and Mike Costanzo for Miguel Tejada on December 12, 2007.[13]
Scott appeared in a career-high 148 games for the Orioles in 2008, batting .257 with 23 home runs and 65 runs batted in.[7] In May, Scott was involved in a benches-clearing situation after New York Yankees pitcher LaTroy Hawkins threw a fastball near his head. Home plate umpire Chuck Meriwether ejected Hawkins and then restrained Scott from confronting the pitcher.[14] Hawkins was suspended for three games.[15]
On July 7, 2009, Scott had a career high seven RBIs against the Seattle Mariners, going 3-for-4 with a single, triple, and home run.[16] After Aubrey Huff was dealt to the Detroit Tigers in August 2009, the Orioles starting using Scott as an occasional first baseman. Scott was named Most Valuable Oriole for the 2010 season.[17]
In 2011, Scott batted .220 with nine home runs and 22 RBI in 64 games, and struck out 54 times in 209 at-bats.[7][18] The Orioles declined to offer him a contract for 2012, making him a free agent.[19]
Tampa Bay Rays
editOn January 12, 2012, Scott signed a one-year deal with a player option for 2013 with the Tampa Bay Rays.[20] His option was declined on October 31, making him a free agent. On February 6, 2013, he was re-signed by the Rays to a one-year, $2.75 million, contract.[21]
Scott was placed on the 15-day DL with a calf strain on March 31, 2013.[22] On April 30, Scott was activated from the disabled list, and Shelley Duncan, who had been getting most of the time at designated hitter in Scott's absence, was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.[23] On August 17, Scott was placed on the disabled list with back spasms.[24] After his return on September 1, he was used mostly off the bench. His best month was July, where in 20 games, he hit .284 with four home runs and 11 RBI.[25] In 91 games in 2013, including a team-leading 61 starts at designated hitter, he hit .241 with nine home runs and 40 RBI.[7]
SK Wyverns
editOn December 19, 2013, Scott agreed to a one-year, $300,000 deal with the SK Wyverns of the KBO League. The $300,000 is made up of a $50,000 signing bonus and a $250,000 contract.[26] On July 16, it was reported that Scott had been cut from the team for calling the coach, Lee Man-soo, a "liar" and a "coward".[27]
Pericos de Puebla
editHe signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League on April 4, 2015. He played in 28 games with them, hitting .292 with seven homers and 27 RBI.[8] He was released on May 13.
Toronto Blue Jays
editScott signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a minor league deal on May 15, 2015, and was assigned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.[28][29] He was released on August 13 after batting .240 in 52 games.[30][8]
Personal life
editScott enjoys hunting and is a firearms enthusiast. He is a supporter of greater personal responsibility and smaller government.[31]
In 2010, during the dispute regarding President Obama's birth certificate, Scott said that Obama was not born in the United States. Scott added: "I was born here. If someone accuses me of not being born here, I can go – within 10 minutes – to my filing cabinet and I can pick up my real birth certificate and I can go, 'See? Look! Here it is. Here it is.' The man has dodged everything. He dodges questions, he doesn't answer anything. And why? Because he's hiding something."[31][32]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Drown, Jeremy (June 1, 2000). "Luke Scott Gives Back To Former High School". Oklahoma State University. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ "45th Round of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). Cape Cod Baseball League. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ "2000 Falmouth Commodores". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "9th Round of the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ Bailey, Chip (October 12, 2006). "Five Questions, Five Predictions (with no guarantees)". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 21, 2006. Retrieved October 21, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f "Luke Scott Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Luke Scott Minor, Fall, Winter, Korean & Mexican Leagues Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
- ^ "St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros Box Score, April 5, 2005". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. April 5, 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds at Houston Astros Box Score, April 8, 2005". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. April 8, 2005. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ Footer, Alyson (July 29, 2006). "Scott first Astros rookie to hit for cycle". Houston Astros. MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
- ^ Yanik, Kevin (July 29, 2006). "Scott's cycle not enough in tough loss". Houston Astros. MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ "Tejada traded to Astros, Orioles to receive five players for former AL MVP". Sports Illustrated. CNN. Associated Press. December 12, 2007. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
- ^ DiComo, Anthony (May 21, 2008). "Benches clear in Yanks-O's opener". YES Network. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ "Yankees' LaTroy Hawkins suspended 3 games". ESPN. Associated Press. May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ Miller, Doug (July 8, 2009). "Scott picks up pair to tune of seven RBIs". Baltimore Orioles. MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ "Luke Scott named 2010 Most Valuable Oriole". Baltimore Orioles. MLB.com. October 2, 2010. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ "2011 Baltimore Orioles". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ Connolly, Dan (December 13, 2011). "Orioles decline to tender 2012 contract to Luke Scott". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ Topkin, Marc (January 12, 2012). "Scott deal official: $5M in '12, $6M option". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on January 15, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (February 6, 2013). "Rays Sign Luke Scott". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ Short, D. J. (March 30, 2013). "Luke Scott placed on disabled list with calf strain, could miss five weeks". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ Topkin, Marc (April 29, 2013). "Rays await discipline for blowup with umpire". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ^ "Rays place Scott on DL due to back spasms". ESPN. Associated Press. August 17, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ "Luke Scott Game by Game Stats and Performance". ESPN. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ Topkin, Marc (December 20, 2013). "Former Rays DH Scott heads to South Korea". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ^ Meoli, Jon (July 16, 2014). "Former Oriole Luke Scott cut from Korean team after calling coach 'liar,' 'coward'". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
- ^ Dakers, Tom (May 14, 2015). "Blue Jays sign Luke Scott to minor league contract, yeah...that Luke Scott". Bluebird Banter. SB Nation. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
- ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (May 14, 2015). "Blue Jays to sign Scott to minor-league deal". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
- ^ "International League Transactions". Minor League Baseball. p. August 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
- ^ a b Brown, David (December 7, 2010). "Answer Man: Luke Scott talks Nugent, hunting and Obama origin". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on December 10, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- ^ "Orioles disavow Luke Scott's comments". ESPN. Associated Press. December 8, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- MLB updates
- Career statistics and player information from the KBO League