Vance Wilson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers — No. 13 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: March 17, 1973 Mesa, Arizona |
|
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| April 24, 1999 for the New York Mets | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2007) |
|
| Batting average | .250 |
| Home runs | 25 |
| Runs batted in | 129 |
| Teams | |
Vance Allen Wilson (born March 17, 1973 in Mesa, Arizona) is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Wilson stands at 5'11" tall, and weighs 215 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed.
Contents |
[edit] Early career
Wilson was a high school standout at Red Mountain High School in Arizona and continued his hometown success at Mesa Community College where he tagged a Junior College All-American in 1994.
The New York Mets selected Wilson in the 44th round of the 1993 Amateur Draft, and the catcher signed with the team the following summer after finishing his college career.
After five arduous and injury riddled seasons in the Mets minor league system Wilson made his major league debut on April 24, 1999 as a defensive replacement against the Chicago Cubs. Wilson's immediate tenure in New York was short-lived however, and he began the 2000 and 2001 seasons with Triple-A Norfolk.
[edit] New York Mets
Wilson finally began to play regularly with the Mets in late 2001, assuming the role of back up catcher behind perennial National League All-Star Mike Piazza. Used as a pinch-hitter and occasional spot-starter, Wilson's greatest value to the Mets was as a defensive replacement who could prevent runners from stealing bases (something Piazza struggled with). From 2001-2004 Wilson ranked amongst the top three National League catchers for lowest opposing stolen base percentage.
The reserve catcher appeared in a career-high 96 games for the Mets in 2003, notching career-highs of 8 home runs and 39 RBIs. However, Wilson was hampered by injuries towards the end of the 2004 season, and the Mets dealt him to Tigers on January 5, 2005 for second baseman Anderson Hernandez.
[edit] Detroit Tigers
In Detroit, Wilson once again found himself behind another perennial All-Star, this time backing up Iván Rodríguez. During the latter half of 2005 he had a short starting stint, calling 22 games for the Tigers with Rodríguez on the disabled list and ineligible list.
He started 2006 once again on the bench as the Tigers began the race for the American League crown. During the summer he signed a two-year extension with Tigers.
In 2007, he tore a muscle in his right forearm during spring training and was expected to be on the disabled list for the first half of the season. He then had a setback in early June that required Tommy John surgery, which ended any chances of a return in 2007. Minor league catcher Mike Rabelo was the back-up catcher in his absence for the remainder of the season. [1]
Wilson entered the 2008 major league season as the backup to Iván Rodríguez. However, Wilson suffered yet another setback during his rehabilitation during the winter months. He is suffering from Plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation in the ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes. It can cause pain simply moving around at any speed, whether walking or running.[2] Rabelo, part of the trade for Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera, is no longer available, leaving the backup catching duties to utility player Brandon Inge who earned his break into MLB as a catcher for the Tigers.
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference
