Ian Kinsler

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**Ian Kinsler**

Texas Rangers — No. 5
Second base
Born: June 22, 1982 (1982-06-22) (age 25)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
April 3, 2006 for the Texas Rangers
Selected MLB statistics (through May 19, 2008)
Batting average	.278
Home runs	38
RBI	137
Steals	47
Teams
Texas Rangers (2006-present)

Ian Michael Kinsler (born June 22, 1982, in Tucson, Arizona) is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Texas Rangers.

1 Early life and high school
2 Draft and college
3 Minor league career
4 Major league career
- 4.1 Texas Rangers (2006-present)
5 Personal
6 Awards
7 Career statistics
8 Reference
9 External links

[edit] Early life and high school

Kinsler is Jewish,[1][2] and his father was a warden at the state prison on Tucson's Southeast Side.^[1]

Kinsler graduated from Canyon del Oro High School in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley, Arizona. He helped lead the baseball team to state titles in 1997 and 2000. He hit .380 as a junior, to earn 2nd-team all-league honors, and .504 with 5 home runs and 26 stolen bases during his senior year, in which he was named 1st-team all-state and 1st-team all-league.^[2] Outfielder Brian Anderson of the Chicago White Sox, was his best friend and teammate in high school.[3]

[edit] Draft and college

He was drafted by his home state Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000 (29th round) and 2001 (26th round), but declined to sign.

He opted instead to take a college tour, attending Central Arizona College (hitting .405 with 17 doubles, 37 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases; named 2nd-team All-ACCAC), Arizona State (where he played alongside fellow middle infielder Dustin Pedroia), and the University of Missouri (.335/.416/.536, with 16 steals in 17 attempts).

The Texas Rangers selected Kinsler in the 17th round in the 2003 draft as a shortstop.

[edit] Minor league career

He had a breakout year in 2004, splitting the season between the low-A Clinton Lumberkings (.401/.465/.687 in 224 at bats) and the AA Frisco RoughRiders (.300/.400/.480 in 277 at bats). Overall, in 501 at bats Kinsler had 51 doubles, 20 home runs, 103 runs, 99 RBIs, 18 HBP, and 23 steals. He tied for 1st in the minor leagues in doubles (51), and was 7th in batting average (.345).

Kinsler was named to the Midwest League all star team at shortstop. Baseball America rated him the 11th-best prospect in the minors, the # 8 prospect in the Midwest League, and the # 9 prospect in the Texas League. Kinsler was also named the Rangers' Minor League Player of the Year.

Kinsler spent 2005 at AAA with the Oklahoma Redhawks, transitioning from shortstop to second base. He hit .274 with 23 home runs, 102 runs, 94 RBIs, and 12 steals in 14 attempts, in 530 at bats. His solid season contributed to the Rangers' decision to trade Alfonso Soriano during the 2005-06 offseason.

[edit] Major league career

[edit] Texas Rangers (2006-present)

[edit] 2006

Kinsler won the Rangers' starting second base job in spring training, 2006. He made his Major League debut in a game against the Boston Red Sox on April 3, 2006. He also got his first Major League hit in the same game, off Curt Schilling. He was hitting .476 before he dislocated his left thumb sliding into second base on April 11, 2006. On May 25, 2006, Kinsler came back after being on the 15-day disabled list. He went 3-4 with a single and 2 home runs, to lead the Rangers to an 8-7 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Kinsler finished 2006 with a .286 batting average, 14 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and 55 RBIs in 423 at bats. He batted .300 with runners in scoring position, and .333 when the game was late and close.^[3]

After a successful rookie season, Kinsler seemed to have the starting second base job locked up, as the Rangers elected to let fellow second baseman Mark Derosa walk in free agency.

Defensively, Kinsler led all AL second basemen in both range (5.58) and errors (18).

[edit] 2007

In spring training in 2007 he hit .429 and was 4th in the major leagues in RBIs (19), and 6th in hits (27).^[4]

Kinsler was named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending April 15th. He batted .476 (10-for-21) with four home runs, eight RBIs, and seven runs scored. His nine home runs in April tied a team record for that month.[4]

In 2007, Kinsler had 20 home runs (leading all AL second basemen),[5] and was 23-2 in stolen base attempts. He was one of only 6 batters in the AL to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, along with Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, Grady Sizemore, B.J. Upton, and Curtis Granderson. It was the seventh time in franchise history a player reached the 20-20 plateau.^[5] He did this despite a stress fracture in his left foot, which kept him under 500 at-bats.^[6]

Kinsler finished the year 7th in the American League in power/speed number (21.4), 9th in sacrifice hits (8), and tied for 10th in bunt hits (5). On defense, Kinsler led all major league second basemen in range factor (5.69), leading the league for the second straight year.

[edit] 2008

Contract. In February 2008 Kinsler signed a five-year deal worth $22 million guaranteed, which will jump to $32 million if the Rangers exercise an option for 2013. It could buy him out of two years of free agency. He will receive a raise to $500,000 in 2008, and a $1 million signing bonus. The contract will go to $3 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011, and $7 million in 2012. If the Rangers choose not to exercise the $10 million option, Kinsler will receive a $500,000 buyout. If he is traded, both the buyout and option year would increase by $500,000. With the option, the commitment would be the largest the Rangers have made to a player that they drafted and developed. "Ian represents the past, present, and future of this organization," said assistant general manager Thad Levine, who oversaw most of the negotiations.^[7] "It's a lot of money," Kinsler said. "I've never imagined being in this position in my life."^[8]

"I'm going to play the same regardless of whether I'm making $5 or $1 trillion," he said. "It really doesn't make a difference to me. I'm going to go out there and play hard and money doesn't bring respect. The way you play the game brings respect. When I finish playing the game, it's not how much money I made that is going to be legacy. It's how I played the game and what I did on the field."^[9]

While initially reluctant, Rangers manager Ron Washington committed to Kinsler being the team's leadoff hitter in 2008. "I didn't think he was the prototype leadoff hitter, but the guy proved me wrong," Washington said. "He'll take a walk or get one run for us with one swing of the bat. He can bunt, he can run and he can hit the ball to the other side."[6]

[edit] Personal

Married his high school sweetheart Tess Brady on November 18, 2006.[7][8]
Kinsler's five strangest autograph requests were a diaper, neck brace, yarmulke, kids' arms, and giant baseball.[9]

[edit] Awards

2004 - Baseball America 2nd-team Minor League All-Star SS
2004 - Low A All-Star SS
2004 - Midwest League All-Star SS
2004 - Texas Rangers Minor League Player of the Year

2006 - Texas Rangers Rookie of the Year
2007 - American League Player of the Week (Mid-April)^[10]

[edit] Career statistics

**Ian Kinsler** (Updated as of May 23, 2008)
	Games	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BA
Career	296	1100	200	306	60	4	39	141	48	.278

[edit] Reference

[edit] External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
BR Bullpen profile
Hardball Times stats
Baseball America bio
"Warming up for the Jewish Boys of Summer," 3/5/08

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Texas Rangers current roster