Ryan Roberts

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Roberts in spring 2007
Roberts in spring 2007

Ryan Roberts (b. September 19, 1980 in Fort Worth, Texas) is a professional baseball player. A second baseman, Roberts is currently on the Toronto Blue Jays. A right-handed batter who throws with his right arm, Roberts is 5'10" tall and weighs 190 pounds.

Contents

[edit] College career

Ryan Roberts dominated the Junior College level winning a NJCAA DIV. III World Series his Sophomore year at Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite Texas. Roberts was an all American with a .475 avg, 73 RBI, and 17 HR. Roberts was a MAC All Conference and All American Selection at shortstop. Roberts continued his collegiate dominance at the University of Texas at Arlington. After his senior year in 2003, he was named Southland Conference Player of the Year and Hitter of the Year.[1] 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.

[edit] Professional career

The Blue Jays selected Roberts with the 530th overall pick of the 2003 June 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 steadily, and was named to the 2005 Eastern League All-Star team.[2] The Blue Jays allocated Roberts to the Arizona Fall League that offseason,[3] 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.[4] On August 3, 2006, Roberts connected on a solo home run in Yankee Stadium for his first ever 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.

[edit] Scouting reports

In 2003, Baseball America analyst John Manuel described Roberts as the best player on UTA's squad.[5] 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".[6] In another chat the next year, Manuel reiterated his confidence in Roberts's offensive potential, but also stated, "I think the Jays like him better than other league managers and scouts did."[7]

[edit] Trivia

Ryan Roberts has over 30 tattoos. [8]

His first Major League hit was a homerun off the late Cory Lidle in Yankee Stadium on August 3, 2006.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "2005 EASTERN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM", the official site of Minor League Baseball, accessed April 12, 2006.
  3. ^ "2005 Arizona Fall League", Baseball America online, posted 2005, accessed April 12, 2006.
  4. ^ "BLUE JAYS ADD PAIR TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER", New Hampshire Fisher Cats, posted November 18, 2005, accessed April 12, 2006.
  5. ^ "Wolfpack faces Tar Heels at remodeled Doak", by John Manuel, Baseball America online, April 25, 2003, accessed April 12, 2005.
  6. ^ "Baseball America - Chat", by John Manuel, Baseball America online, posted 2003, accessed April 12, 2005.
  7. ^ "Sally League Chat with John Manuel", by John Manuel, Baseball America online, posted 2004, accessed April 12, 2005.
  8. ^ >"SCOUTING JAYS PROSPECT #10: RYAN ROBERTS", scout.com, posted March 3, accessed July 30, 2006.