Travis Buck

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Travis Buck
Oakland Athletics — No. 6
Right fielder
Born: November 18, 1983 (1983-11-18) (age 24)
Richland, Washington
Bats: Left Throws: Right 
Major League Baseball debut
April 22007 for the Oakland Athletics
Selected MLB statistics
(through June 4, 2008)
Batting average     .261
Home runs     9
Runs batted in     45
Teams

Travis George Buck (born November 18, 1983 in Richland, Washington) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics. He was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round (700th overall) in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He did not sign with the Mariners and elected to attend Arizona State University. He would later be drafted by the Athletics as the 36th overall selection of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.

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[edit] College career

Buck played college baseball for Arizona State University from 2003-2005. He is #8 in the ASU all-time hits category with 272, and his 110 hits in 2005 are the ninth-most in Sun Devils history. In 2004 and 2005 he was selected as a Pac-10 Conference All-Star outfielder, and in 2004 he was a gold medal winner with the USA Baseball National Team.[1]

[edit] Professional career

In 2006, Buck split time between high A (the Stockton Ports) and AA (the Midland RockHounds). He finished the year hitting .302 for Midland with four home runs in 212 at-bats. He was selected as an outfielder for the United States in the All-Star Futures Game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.[2]

Prior to 2007, Buck was rated as the top prospect in the Oakland organization[3] and the #50 prospect in Major League Baseball[4] by Baseball America. He was in the Opening Day lineup for Oakland due to an injury to first baseman Dan Johnson, which prompted manager Bob Geren to shift Nick Swisher to first base and tab Buck as the starting right fielder.[5] Buck went 1-3 in the game, with his first major league hit being a double off Mariners starting pitcher Félix Hernández.

On May 30th, 2008, he was called up with Carlos Gonzalez when Mike Sweeney, Ryan Sweeney and Joey Devine were all placed on the disabled list.

[edit] Miscellaneous facts

Travis Buck comes out to the song King of Kings by Motörhead for his at bats at Athletics home games.

[edit] References