Robert Person

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Robert Person is a former professional baseball pitcher who played 9 seasons in Major League Baseball: two for the New York Mets, two and a half for the Toronto Blue Jays, three and a half for the Philadelphia Phillies, and only pitched 7 games for the Boston Red Sox in the last year of his career.

Person was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 25th round of the 1989 amateur draft and eventually traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1991. In the 1992 expansion draft, the Florida Marlins drafted him 47th overall, became a free agent, and signed again with the Marlins.

In 1994, Person was traded from the Marlins to the New York Mets, who, in 1996, traded him to the Blue Jays for John Olerud. Person became a Phillie in 1999 when the Blue Jays swapped him for Paul Spoljaric. Granted free agency after the 2002 season, he joined the Red Sox for a short and unsuccessful stint.

Person tried joining the White Sox out of spring training in 2004 and 2005, but was unsuccessful. Injuries have been the Achilles heel (quite literally), preventing Person from achieving sustained success.

Person's most memorable feat came with the Philadelphia Phillies on June 2, 2002, when he hit two home runs in one game against the Montreal Expos. The first home run was a grand slam to left field off Masato Yoshii with two outs in the first inning; the second was a three-run home run to left field off Bruce Chen with one out in the fifth inning. In between those home runs, he came up again with the bases loaded and drove a ball far enough for a second slam, but it was foul and he ended up striking out.

Person's best season as a pitcher came in 2001 when he went 15-7 with a 4.19 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 208 and one-third innings.

Before Person's grand slam, Jeff Juden was the last Phillies pitcher to hit a grand slam: August 25, 1995 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Randy Learch was the last Phillie before Person to hit two home runs in a game, a feat that he accomplished in the 1980s.

Person played collegiately for the University of Arkansas.[1] He played high school baseball at University City High School in St. Louis.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Arkansas Razorbacks Baseball. hogwired.com.