- Michael Saunders
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Michael Saunders Seattle Mariners — No. 55 Left fielder Born: November 19, 1986
Victoria, British ColumbiaBats: Left Throws: Right MLB debut July 25, 2009 for the Seattle Mariners Career statistics
(through 2011 Season)Batting average .196 Home runs 12 Runs batted in 45 Teams - Seattle Mariners (2009–present)
Michael Edward Saunders (born November 19, 1986 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian Major League Baseball left fielder for the Seattle Mariners. He is a left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing outfielder. He was nicknamed "The Condor" by Dave Sims who attributed the origin of it to Lee Tinsley.
Contents
Professional career
Seattle Mariners
Mike Saunders started his baseball playing Little League at Gordon Head Baseball Association. While attending Lambrick Park Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia, Saunders played high school baseball for the Victoria Mariners of the B.C. Premier Baseball League. He was selected by the Mariners in the 11th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft.
Before officially signing with the Mariners, Saunders spent the 2004 season playing for the Tallahassee Community College Eagles. He then spent the 2005 season with the Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League, hitting .270 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs. In 2006, he was promoted to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League, hitting .239 with four home runs and 39 RBIs. Despite struggling in 2006, for 2007 he was promoted to the high A High Desert Mavericks of the California League, where he excelled, hitting .299 with 14 home runs and 77 RBIs, before he was called up to the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx of the AA Southern League, where he finished off the season hitting .288 with one home run and 7 RBIs in 15 games. Saunders started the 2008 season once again in West Tennessee, where he hit .290 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 67 games before being promoted to the AAA Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League on June 17.
After beginning the 2009 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers where he hit .313 with 13 HRs and 32 RBIs in 243 at-bats, Saunders was promoted from Tacoma on July 25, 2009 when the Mariners designated Wladimir Balentien for assignment.[1][2] He made his MLB debut that day in a game against the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field, where he went hitless against Jeremy Sowers in the Mariners 10-3 loss. His first major league hit was a single off of Cliff Lee on July 26, 2009.
On May 6, 2010, Saunders was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma after the Mariners put Milton Bradley on the restricted list.[3] Three days later, he hit his first Major League home run off Angels pitcher Ervin Santana.
International career
Beijing Olympic Games
Saunders also represented Canada at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.[4] Serving as Canada's primary right-fielder, Saunders had 8 hits in 28 at-bats out of the third spot in the lineup. He scored five runs and had four RBIs in seven games, while his two home runs led Canada to a 6th place finish.
References
- ^ MLB.com: Mariners promote Saunders from Minors Retrieved on July 25, 2009
- ^ Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Mariners recall Saunders; designate Balentien Retrieved on July 25, 2009
- ^ Outfielder Michael Saunders recalled from Triple-A Tacoma
- ^ WCTV.tv: Former Eagle Michael Saunders Knocking on Door of Big Leagues Retrieved on July 25, 2009
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
Canada 2008 Beijing Olympic Baseball roster 7 Adam Stern | 9 Matt Rogelstad | 11 Stubby Clapp | 14 Brett Lawrie | 15 Emmanuel Garcia | 17 Emerson Frostad | 19 Ryan Radmanovich | 20 Michael Saunders | 22 T. J. Burton | 23 David Davidson | 24 James Avery | 25 Mike Johnson | 27 Jonathan Lockwood | 28 David Corrente | 29 Jimmy Van Ostrand | 30 Chris Robinson | 31 Steve Green | 32 Brooks McNiven | 33 Nick Weglarz | 34 Chris Reitsma | 35 Chris Begg | 37 Rheal Cormier | 40 Scott Thorman | 42 R. J. Swindle
Manager 21 Terry Puhl | Coach 2 Rob Ducey | Coach 10 Greg Hamilton | Coach 36 Denis Boucher
Seattle Mariners current roster Active roster 1 Luis Rodríguez | 3 Josh Bard | 4 Adam Kennedy | 5 Chris Gimenez | 8 Carlos Peguero | 9 Chone Figgins | 12 Trayvon Robinson | 13 Dustin Ackley | 15 Kyle Seager | 16 Alex Liddi | 17 Justin Smoak | 20 Mike Carp | 21 Franklin Gutiérrez | 23 Shawn Kelley | 26 Brendan Ryan | 29 Wily Mo Peña | 30 Miguel Olivo | 31 Josh Lueke | 33 Casper Wells | 34 Félix Hernández | 35 Steve Delabar | 36 Michael Pineda | 37 César Jiménez | 38 Jason Vargas | 41 Charlie Furbush | 43 Brandon League | 44 Mike Wilson | 49 Blake Beavan | 50 Jamey Wright | 51 Ichiro Suzuki | 52 Chance Ruffin | 54 Tom Wilhelmsen | 55 Michael Saunders | 56 Greg Halman | 59 Anthony Vasquez | 60 Jeff Gray | 67 Mauricio Robles | 70 Johermyn Chávez | 74 Yoervis Medina | -- Danny Hultzen
Inactive roster Disabled list 10 Adam Moore | 53 David Aardsma | 57 Dan Cortes
Coaching Staff Manager 22 Eric Wedge | Bench Coach 6 Robby Thompson | 1st Base Coach 18 Mike Brumley | 3rd Base Coach 28 Jeff Datz | Hitting Coach 40 Chris Chambliss | Pitching Coach 48 Carl Willis | Bullpen Coach 47 Jaime Navarro | Bullpen Catcher 62 Jason Phillips
Tacoma Rainiers current roster Active roster 3 Danny Lopez | 4 Sean Kazmar | 5 Carlos Triunfel | 10 Alex Liddi * | 12 Ralph Henriquez | 13 Chris Seddon | 14 Erasmo Ramírez | 15 Jarrett Grube | 16 Shawn Kelley * | 17 Chris Gimenez * | 19 Johan Limonta | 20 Luke French | 23 Chaz Roe | 25 Steve Delabar | 26 Greg Halman * | 29 José Yepez | 33 Justin Smoak * | 35 Scott Patterson | 36 Michael Saunders * | 37 César Jiménez | 38 Nate Robertson | 39 Mike Wilson * | 41 Fabio Castro | 47 Forrest Snow | 50 Luis Antonio Jiménez
Disabled list 27 Matt Tuiasosopo * | 32 Mauricio Robles * | 34 Carlos Peguero *
Coaching Staff Manager 43 Daren Brown | Pitching Coach 28 Dwight Bernard | Hitting Coach 30 Alonzo Powell
* Member of the 40-man roster of the Seattle Mariners Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- Seattle Mariners players
- Baseball people from British Columbia
- Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Major League Baseball players from Canada
- Major League Baseball center fielders
- Major League Baseball left fielders
- Olympic baseball players of Canada
- People from Victoria, British Columbia
- Everett AquaSox players
- Wisconsin Timber Rattlers players
- High Desert Mavericks players
- West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players
- Tacoma Rainiers players
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