Luke Scott (baseball)

Luke Brandon Scott (born June 25, 1978) is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays, and in the Korea Baseball Organization for the SK Wyverns.

For the English film, commercial and television director, see Luke Scott (director). For the Australian rugby league player, see Luke Scott (rugby league).

Luke Scott
Scott with the Tampa Bay Rays
Outfielder / Designated hitter
Born: (1978-06-25) June 25, 1978
DeLeon Springs, Florida
Batted: Left Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: April 5, 2005, for the Houston Astros
KBO: March 29, 2014, for the SK Wyverns
Last appearance
MLB: September 27, 2013, for the Tampa Bay Rays
KBO: July 4, 2014, for the SK Wyverns
MLB statistics
Batting average.258
Home runs135
Runs batted in436
KBO statistics
Batting average.267
Home runs6
Runs batted in17
Teams

College

Scott attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned All-Big 12 Conference honors on the Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball team. In the summer of 2000, he played for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League,[1] and also played for the Staunton Braves in the Valley Baseball League. He also played baseball at Indian River Community College. Scott spent a winter playing for a Venezuelan League where he earned the nickname "el monstruo de cuadrangular" which translates to "The Home Run Monster". He spent his first professional season in 2001 at home recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow joint.[2]

Professional baseball career

Cleveland Indians

Scott was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 9th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft and made his professional debut for the Columbus Red Stixx of the South Atlantic League in 2002.[3][4] He played for the Indians organization through 2003, making stops at Kinston and Akron.[4]

Houston Astros

He was traded by the Indians to the Houston Astros for Jeriome Robertson on March 31, 2004.[3] He made his Major League debut on April 5, 2005 against the St. Louis Cardinals, and was hitless in three at-bats in that game.[5] His first hit was a triple to centerfield off Ramón Ortiz of the Cincinnati Reds on April 8, 2005.[6] He appeared in 34 games that season and posted a .188 batting average.[3]

Scott became the first Astros' rookie to hit for the cycle, accomplishing an "unnatural cycle" (home run, triple, double, and single, in that order) on July 28, 2006.[7] Scott hit his first career home run, off Enrique González, in the same game. After the completion of the 2007 season Scott headed to Venezuela to play another season in the Winter League, where he earned Winter League all-star honors.

Baltimore Orioles
Scott with the Baltimore Orioles in 2011.

Scott was traded to the Orioles with Matt Albers, Troy Patton, Dennis Sarfate and Mike Costanzo for Miguel Tejada during the 2007–2008 off-season.[8]

Scott appeared in a career-high 148 games for the Orioles in 2008.[3] He batted .257 and tallied 23 home runs and 65 runs batted in.[3] In May, Scott was involved in a benches-clearing situation after New York Yankees pitcher LaTroy Hawkins threw a fastball near his head. Home plate umpire Chuck Meriwether ejected Hawkins and then restrained Scott from confronting the pitcher.[9] Hawkins was suspended for three games.[10]

On July 7, 2009, Scott had a career high seven RBIs against the Seattle Mariners, going 3-4 with a single, triple, and home run. After Aubrey Huff was dealt to the Detroit Tigers in August 2009, the Orioles starting using Scott as an occasional 1st baseman. Scott was named Most Valuable Oriole for the 2010 season.[11]

Scott hit .220 in 2011 and struck out 54 times in 209 at-bats.[12] The Orioles declined to offer him a contract for 2012, making him a free agent.[13]

Tampa Bay Rays

On January 12, 2012, Scott signed a one-year deal with a player option for 2013 with the Tampa Bay Rays.[14] His option was declined on October 31, making him a free agent. On February 6, 2013 he was re-signed by the Rays to a one-year, $2.75 million, contract.[15]

He was placed on the 15-day DL on March 31, 2013. On April 30, Scott was activated from the disabled list, and Shelley Duncan, who had been getting most of the time at designated hitter in Scott's absence, was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.[16] On August 17, Scott was placed on the disabled list with back spasms. After his return on September 1, he was used mostly off the bench. His best month was July, where in 20 games, he hit .284 with 4 HR and 11 RBI. In 91 games in 2013, including a team-leading 61 starts at designated hitter, he hit .241 with 9 HR and 40 RBI.

SK Wyverns

On December 19, 2013, Scott agreed to a one-year, $300,000 deal with the SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Championship. The $300,000 is made up of a $50,000 signing bonus and a $250,000 contract.[17] On July 16, it was reported that Scott had been cut from the team for calling the coach, Lee Man-soo, a "liar" and a "coward".[18]

Pericos de Puebla

He signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League on April 4, 2015. He played in 28 games with them, hitting .292 with seven homers and 27 RBI.[4] He was released on May 13.

Toronto Blue Jays

Scott signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a minor league deal on May 15, 2015, and was assigned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.[19][20] He was released on August 13 after batting .240 in 52 games.[21][4]

Personal life

Scott enjoys hunting and is a firearms enthusiast. He is a supporter of greater personal responsibility and smaller government.[22]

In 2010, during the dispute regarding President Obama's birth certificate, Scott said that Obama was not born in the United States. Scott added: "I was born here. If someone accuses me of not being born here, I can go – within 10 minutes – to my filing cabinet and I can pick up my real birth certificate and I can go, 'See? Look! Here it is. Here it is.' The man has dodged everything. He dodges questions, he doesn't answer anything. And why? Because he's hiding something."[22][23]

gollark: Hardly.
gollark: But yes, Olivia for owner if not me.
gollark: ??????
gollark: We've already had Era II, what's your idea?
gollark: Also autobotrobot, consequentially.

See also

References
  1. "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  2. "FanBlog: Astros, October 12, 2006", chron.com
  3. "Luke Scott Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  4. "Luke Scott Minor, Fall, Winter, Korean & Mexican Leagues Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  5. "St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros Box Score, April 5, 2005". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  6. "Cincinnati Reds at Houston Astros Box Score, April 8, 2005". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  7. "Scott first Astros rookie to hit for cycle", mlb.com
  8. "Tejada traded to Astros, Orioles to receive five players for former AL MVP". SI.com. December 12, 2007. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
  9. DiComo, Anthony (May 21, 2008). "Benches clear in Yanks-O's opener". yesnetwork.com. YES Network. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  10. "Yankees' LaTroy Hawkins suspended 3 games". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  11. "Luke Scott named 2010 Most Valuable Oriole". Baltimore Orioles. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  12. "2011 Baltimore Orioles". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  13. Baltimore Sun (December 13, 2011). "Orioles decline to tender 2012 contract to Luke Scott". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  14. "Scott deal official: $5M in '12, $6M option". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on January 15, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  15. "Rays Sign Luke Scott". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  16. Topkin, Marc (April 29, 2013). "Rays await discipline for blowup with umpire". Tampa Bay Times.
  17. Topkin, Marc (December 19, 2013). "Former Rays DH Scott heads to South Korea". Tampa Bay Times.
  18. Meoli, Joe (July 16, 2014). "Former Oriole Luke Scott cut from Korean team after calling coach 'liar,' 'coward'". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  19. Dakers, Tom (May 14, 2015). "Blue Jays sign Luke Scott to minor league contract, yeah...that Luke Scott". bluebirdbanter.com. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  20. Nicholson-Smith, Ben (May 14, 2015). "Blue Jays to sign Scott to minor-league deal". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  21. "International League Transactions". p. August 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  22. Brown, David (December 7, 2010). "Answer Man: Luke Scott talks Nugent, hunting and Obama origin". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  23. "Orioles disavow Luke Scott's comments". ESPN. AP. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
Achievements
Preceded by
José Reyes		 Hitting for the cycle
July 28, 2006		 Succeeded by
Carlos Guillén
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