Travis Hafner

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Travis Hafner

Cleveland Indians — No. 48
Designated Hitter
Bats: Left	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
August 6, 2002 for the Texas Rangers
Selected MLB statistics (through 2006)
Batting average	.297
Runs batted in	380
Home runs	118
Former teams
Texas Rangers (2002) Cleveland Indians (2003–present)

Travis Lee Hafner (born June 3, 1977) is a designated hitter in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Cleveland Indians. He throws right handed, and bats left handed. A native of Sykeston, North Dakota, he attended Cowley County College in Arkansas City, Kansas and was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 31st round of the 1996 draft. In the winter of 2002, he was traded to the Indians along with Aaron Myette for catcher Einar Diaz and right-handed pitcher Ryan Drese. He is often referred to by the nickname "Pronk", which combined two nicknames "Project" and "Donkey", originally suggested by former teammate Bill Selby during spring training of 2003.

Hafner has developed into one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball, showing excellent power to go with his top-notch plate discipline.

[edit] Professional career

[edit] 2003

Hafner enjoyed moderate success in 2003, splitting time between first base and designated hitter. On August 14, he hit for the cycle in Minnesota, the first Indian to accomplish the feat since Andre Thornton in 1978. Hafner's cycle occurred on the same day as the blackout of 2003.

[edit] 2004

In 2004 Hafner had a breakout offensive season. He finished 9th on the AL MVP ballot for 2004. In 2004 Hafner hit above the .300 mark in each month with the exception of August, and had his most success in July where he hit .360, with 8HR, and 28RBI. He hit his first career grand slam in the home opener on April 12 vs. the Minnesota Twins. Overall in 2004 he played in 140 games, had 150 hits, 28 home runs, 109 RBI, and batted .311. He also scored 96 runs, and had a OBP of .410.

[edit] 2005

In 2005 Hafner had an even better offensive season than in 2004. He was named Tribe Man of the Year and finished 5th in the AL MVP voting. He homered in a career-high six straight games from Sept. 18-24. Hafner was named American League Player of the Month for June, hitting .345, with 10 doubles, 8HR and 29 RBI in 24 games. He was hit in the face by a pitch on July 16 and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 26. Hafner was activated from the DL on August 4 and proceeded to hit .296, with 15 HR and 45 RBI in 54 games. He signed a long-term contract through the 2007 season (2008 club option). Overall in 2005 he played in 137 games, had 148 hits, 33 home runs, 108 RBI, and batted .305. He also scored 94 runs and had an OBP of .408.

[edit] 2006

In his fifth grand slam of the season, setting a new Cleveland franchise record and becoming the first player in Major League history to hit five grand-slams before the All-Star Break. Hafner was not selected to the All-Star Game in 2006, even though he was batting .318 with 25 homers and 74 RBIs at the break.

Harold Reynolds said it was a shame that Hafner was not selected as a reserve for the AL and said Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was unfair for picking two of his first basemen from the White Sox while excluding Hafner. During the All-Star Game discussion, many baseball analysts argued that Hafner may currently be the best hitter in the American League because of his plate discipline, high on-base-percentage, and ability to work a count.

Trais Hafner gives a curtain call to the Indians fans after hitting his sixth grand slam of the 2006 season.

On August 13 Hafner hit his 6th grand slam of the season, during an eleven run first inning from the Indians against the Kansas City Royals. With that grand slam Hafner tied Don Mattingly for the Major League record with six in a season. With the bases loaded in 2006 Hafner hit .615 with six homers and 29 RBIs.

Hafner, for the second time in his career, earned the AL Player of the Month award for August.

On September 1, Hafner was hit on the hand by Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson. On September 9, the Cleveland Indians announced that an x-ray had shown that Hafner had a hairline fracture in his right ring finger, effectively ending his 2006 season.

Hafners final stats for the 2006 season were, he batted .308, had 42 home runs, and 117 RBI. He had 141 hits, 31 doubles, an OBP of .439, and 100 BB. He played in 129 games. Hafner had six grand slams, tied with Don Mattingly for the single season record. Hafner, said that it was a disappointment that he couldn't get a few more shots at breaking the record.

[edit] Trivia

Travis Hafner, looking like WWE wrestler Batista, on a bobblehead to be given away at Jacobs Field during the 2007 season. He holds the WWE Championship.

• Hafner is a huge fan of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)^[1], especially the wrestler Batista.

• Hafner ranks first all-time now for career home runs by a player born in North Dakota with 118. Darin Erstad is now second with 114. (note: although Roger Maris was raised in North Dakota, he was born in Hibbing, Minnesota.)

• Hafner is one of only five players to hit five grand slams in a single season, and one of only two to hit six. Don Mattingly had six in 1987, while Jim Gentile (1961), Ernie Banks (1955) and Richie Sexson (2006) all had five grand slams in a single season.

• Hafner graduated Valedictorian of his high-school class which had fewer than a dozen students.^[2]

• Hafner is a big fan of playing Xbox and Playstation 2.^[3]

• Hafner's favorite road city in baseball is Chicago.^[4]

[edit] Career statistics

Batting Average: .297
Home Runs: 118
RBI: 380
Slugging: .583
Hits: 527
2B: 137
3B: 8
Games: 520
Runs: 331
At Bats: 1775
Strikeouts: 441
On Base Percentage: .402
BB: 277
OPS: .984
SB: 5
Grand Slams: 8

Stats as of the end of the 2006 season

[edit] References

1. ^ Cleveland Indians 2006 Media Guide. pg. 148.
2. ^ Atkin, R. "Ross's Ramblings", 'Christian Science Monitor Blog', August 22, 2006.
3. ^ Cleveland Indians 2006 Media Guide. pg. 148.
4. ^ Cleveland Indians 2006 Media Guide. pg. 148.

[edit] External links

• baseball-reference.com career statistics for Travis Hafner
• si.com - Biography from Sports Illustrated May 25, 2006

• Cowley College press release: June 27, 2006