| Kenny Rogers | |
|---|---|
 Rogers with the Detroit Tigers in 2008 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1964-11-10)November 10, 1964 (age 61) Savannah, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 6, 1989, for the Texas Rangers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 2008, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 219–156 |
| Earned run average | 4.27 |
| Strikeouts | 1,968 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Kenneth Scott Rogers (born November 10, 1964) is an American formerMajor League Baseball (MLB)pitcher, with a 20-year career (1989 to 2008) for six different teams. He won the1996 World Series with theNew York Yankees over theAtlanta Braves, and played in the2006 World Series with theDetroit Tigers. In addition to being known for his fielding (winning fiveGold Glove Awards), he pitched the 14thperfect game in MLB history. In 2008, he was the oldest baseball player in theAmerican League.
Rogers is nicknamed "the Gambler" aftera song made famous by thesinger who shares his name.
Rogers was born inSavannah, Georgia, and grew up on a 15-acre (6.1 ha)farm inDover, Florida.[1]
Rogers and his wife, Rebecca Lewis, reside inWestlake, Texas, with their two children. He enjoys golf, fishing and building houses forHabitat for Humanity.
Rogers graduated fromPlant City High School inFlorida in 1982, where he played baseball only during his senior season, hitting .375 as aright fielder (he playedshortstop in his senior league). He was selected by theTexas Rangers in the 39th round of the1982 Major League Baseball draft and signed for $1,000. He was converted into a pitcher on the strength of his throwing arm andleft-handedness. Rogers spent seven years in theminor leagues before making it to the Rangers in 1989 as areliever. He became a starting pitcher for the club in 1993.
During Rogers' career, he played for the:Texas Rangers (1989–95, 2000–02, 2004–05),New York Yankees (1996–97),Oakland Athletics (1998–99),New York Mets (1999),Minnesota Twins (2003), andDetroit Tigers (2006–08).
Rogers is one of only three pitchers in Rangers history through 2009 to win at least 17 games in 31 starts or fewer (set back in 1995), along withScott Feldman (2009) andFerguson Jenkins (18 wins in 30 starts in 1978).[2]
On November 18, 1997, Rogers was acquired by the Oakland Athletics from the Yankees for third basemanScott Brosius inBilly Beane's first trade as general manager.[3] Rogers led the Oakland pitching staff in his first season in innings (238.7) and wins (16). The next season, he started 19 games, winning only 5 with a 4.30 ERA. He was traded at the deadline to the New York Mets forTerrence Long and a minor league player.
Rogers was traded by the Athletics on July 23, 1999, in exchange forLeo Vazquez andTerrence Long. During his short tenure with the team, Rogers started 12 games during the regular season, winning 5 and losing 1, compiling a 4.03 earned run average. Even though he pitched two scoreless innings giving up just one hit in the previous game.[4] He is best remembered in a Mets uniform for walking in the series winning run against the Atlanta Braves in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS, giving the Braves the win on awalk-off walk. Rogers became a free agent following the 1999 season.
After the 1999 season, Rogers signed with the Texas Rangers.
Rogers signed with theMinnesota Twins in March of 2003, filing the rotation slot vacated by an injuredEric Milton.[5] Rogers went 13-8 with a 4.57 ERA during the regular season and made one appearance out of the bullpen in the ALDS against the New York Yankees.
Rogers rejoined the Rangers as a free agent in 2004.
On June 29, 2005, after walking out ontoAmeriquest Field for a pre-game warmup against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Rogers shoved two cameramen, knocking one camera to the ground.[6] One of the reporters resumed filming after picking up said camera, which angered Rogers into shoving him again, after grabbing and throwing the camera to the ground, kicking it. He was then led away by a teammate and later sent home by the club. Larry Rodriguez (the assaulted cameraman) ofDallas/Fort Worth MetroplexFox Network affiliateKDFW was taken to a local hospital, complaining of shoulder, arm and leg pain. While in the hospital, Rodriguez made an official complaint of assault against Rogers.
Two days after the incident, CommissionerBud Selig suspended Rogers for 20 games and fined him $50,000. While an appeal of his suspension was pending, Rogers appeared at theAll-Star Game inDetroit. The suspension was subsequently upheld by Selig. The commissioner was later overruled by independentarbiter Shyam Das, allowing Rogers to return to play after sitting out 13 games. On July 18, 2005, Rogers was charged with a Class Amisdemeanor assault charge with regard to Rodriguez and a Class C misdemeanor assault charge with regard toFSN Southwest cameraman David Mammeli. Rogers was cited and released on $1,500bond. The Class A charge was later reduced to Class C following Rogers' completion of ananger management course.
On August 11, 2005, Rogers returned to the mound against theBoston Red Sox inFenway Park. Rogers allowed 5 runs and 7 hits during 5 innings, on the way to a 16–5 Boston victory. He finished 2005 with a 3.46 ERA in 1951⁄3 innings. Shortly after the regular season ended, the Rangers announced Rogers would not return to the team.
On October 5, 2005, Rodriguez filed acivil suit against Rogers and the Rangers, seeking an unspecified amount of monetary damages.
On December 8, 2005, Rogers signed a two-year, $16-million contract with the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, he won 17 regular season games and excelled in the post-season with 23 straight scoreless innings over his three starts. Rogers ended the 2006 regular season with a record of 17–8 and a 3.84 ERA."We've needed a guy like that for a long time. I'm glad we went out and got him...He means a lot to our team and to guys like me," said Tigers starterJeremy Bonderman on Rogers.
Rogers, on his first year in Detroit:"There's a lot of benefits here, by far, that you wouldn't know as a visiting player, and for me, I've been around quite a while, but I appreciate the town, the city, the people. The travel for a baseball player is very hard, but here it's not that difficult. It lends itself to being able to relax on certain days that you could get off. There's just more benefits, especially when you have the quality of people here likeDombrowski and like we have inMr. Ilitch, those things that you can't take for granted. You add inJim Leyland and the coaching staff here, and I just got lucky to choose this place...Right when I went in the door and met them, I knew. I knew where I was going to end up."[7]
On March 30, 2007,ESPN reported that Rogers would miss three months after undergoing surgery for a blood clot in his pitching shoulder. He made his return on June 22 against theAtlanta Braves, pitching six scoreless innings and allowing two hits while earning his first win of the season.
On October 6, 2006, Rogers earned his first postseason win, pitching 72⁄3 scoreless innings with 8strikeouts in a 6–0 Tigers victory against the Yankees inGame 3 of theAmerican League Division Series. At 41 years and 330 days old, he became the oldest starting pitcher to earn his first career postseason win.
A week later on October 13, Rogers retired 9 batters in a row, inGame 3 of theAmerican League Championship Series against theOakland Athletics, allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks in 71⁄3 scoreless innings, while striking out 6 and pacing the Tigers to a 3–0 victory, leaving the Tigers 1 win away from their firstWorld Series appearance since 1984.
Rogers startedGame 2 of the2006 World Series on October 22, 2006."We wanted Kenny to pitch 2 games at home," Leyland said.[8] He left the game with the Tigers in the lead 3–0, pitching 8 shutout innings, retiring 10 straight batters, striking out 5, allowing only 2 hits and 3 walks, making him the oldest starting pitcher to win a World Series game,[9] and 1 of only 2 pitchers over the age of 40 to do so (Curt Schilling would become the second in 2007).
During the first inning,Fox cameras caught a smudge on Rogers' pitching hand. Rogers said it was dirt mixed withrosin from the rosin bag and wiped it off. MLB spokesperson Rich Levin said the incident was investigated, and the substance was described as dirt. Since dirt is not designated as a foreign substance, per Rule 8.02, Rogers remained in the game.[10] In the process, Rogers extended his streak to 23 shutout innings. Examination of images from previous games revealed similar smudges in two other games.[11]
After injuries shortened his 2007–08 seasons, Rogers ceased playing at the end of 2008. With 219 career victories, he became the 7th 200-game winner who never won 20 games in any single season, joiningMilt Pappas,Jerry Reuss,Frank Tanana,Charlie Hough,Dennis Martínez andChuck Finley.Tim Wakefield joined the group with his 200th win in 2011.Mike Mussina reached 200 wins without having a 20-win season, but recorded a 20-win season afterward.
In 2010, Rogers served as a pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers during spring training. According to remarks byJustin Verlander andJim Leyland, his ability to coach pitchers on fielding would be particularly of interest to the team.[12]
On August 6, 2011, Rogers was enshrined into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
In 2011, Rogers threw out the ceremonial first pitch atComerica Park in Game 3 of theALDS.[13]
Rogers reportedly never formally retired from Major League Baseball.[12]
Rogers pitched the 14thperfect game in MLB history on July 28, 1994, with theRangers against theCalifornia Angels (the last no-hitter in Rangers history to date,[14] and the only perfect game in franchise history). Soon after his feat, he appeared onABC'sGood Morning America on July 29, 1994, and onCBS'sLate Show with David Letterman on August 1, 1994.
He also met and appeared with musicianKenny Rogers at a function inArlington, Texas, on August 13, 1994. Rogers' 1994 perfect game was caught byIván Rodríguez, who in June 2007 caught the no-hitter of Roger's future teammateDetroit TigerJustin Verlander. The game took place exactly three years to the day of the previous perfect game, pitched byDennis Martínez of theMontreal Expos on July 28, 1991.
Known as one of the finest fielding pitchers in baseball, Rogers won 5Gold Glove Awardsat pitcher, including 4 with the Rangers and 1 with the Tigers. He was honored with aFielding Bible Award in 2008 as the top fielding pitcher in MLB.[15]Oakland Athletics general managerBilly Beane stated that Rogers"was the best fielding pitcher" he ever saw."It's like having an extra infielder."[16]
On June 18, 2006, Rogers won his 200th game (against theChicago Cubs atWrigley Field), during which Detroit set a club record with 8 home runs.[17]
Rogers is second all-time inpickoffs with 93 in his career. On May 9, 2008, against theNew York Yankees, Rogers picked offWilson Betemit in the second inning for his 92nd pick-off, passingMark Langston.
· Baseball Almanac, orRetrosheet| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Perfect game pitcher July 28, 1994 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher July 28,1994 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American LeagueAll-Star Game Starting Pitcher 2006 | Succeeded by |