Joe Randa

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Joe Randa
Third Baseman
Born: December 18, 1969 (1969-12-18) (age 38)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 30, 1995
for the Kansas City Royals
Final game
October 1, 2006
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Career statistics
Batting average     .284
Home runs     123
Runs batted in     739
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • No notable achievements

Joseph Gregory Randa (pronounced /ˈɹændə/, born December 18, 1969 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a former Major League Baseball player. He was primarily a third baseman during his career.

[edit] High School Years

Randa attended Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wisconsin, lettering in football, basketball, baseball, and tennis. Randa's #12 was retired by the Lasers. He is also a member of the Kettle Moraine Laser Trailblazer Hall of Fame.

[edit] Pro career

Randa made his major league debut in 1995 with the Royals, playing in 34 games. He played the next three seasons as a competitive third baseman with three different teams, hitting .303, .302, and .254 for the Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Detroit Tigers, respectively.

The Royals reacquired Randa prior to the 1999 season. Installed as a full-time third baseman for the first time in his career, Randa hit .314 with 16 home runs and 84 RBIs, establishing himself as a run producer in the middle of the order and a steady fielder at third base. In 2003, Randa set the Kansas City Royals' team record for the most consecutive errorless games by a third baseman, going 75 games without an error. After the 2004 season ended, Randa signed with the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent. On Opening Day, Randa hit the game winning home run in the bottom of the 9th for Cincinnati in a 7-6 victory. On July 23, 2005, Randa was traded to the San Diego Padres for pitchers Justin Germano and Travis Chick. He was then signed by the Pirates on December 28, 2005 for a one year contract worth between $3.5 and $4 million dollars.

On November 2, 2006, Randa announced his retirement. He batted .284/.339/.426 with 123 HRs and 739 RBIs in 1,522 games over 12 seasons.

Randa's nickname is "The Joker" because of his resemblance to the comic book character in Batman and the way he "smiled" when he was up to bat. He was given this nickname while playing for Pittsburgh in 1997.

Joe Randa is currently a host of Crunch Time on Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City.

Randa made his first and only playoff performance in 2005 with the San Diego Padres.

[edit] External links

Awards
Preceded by
Chipper Jones		 Topps Rookie All-Star Third Baseman
1996		 Succeeded by
Scott Rolen
Preceded by
Rafael Palmeiro		 American League Player of the Month
July, 1999		 Succeeded by
Rafael Palmeiro & Iván Rodríguez