Mike Cameron

Full Name: Michael Terrance Cameron	Current Team: Boston Red Sox
Height/Weight: 6'2"/205	Uniform Number: 23
Birthdate: January 8, 1973	Entry Draft: 18th round (488th) in 1991
Birthplace: LaGrange, Georgia	Drafted By: Chicago White Sox
Primary Position: CF	College: N/A

Biography[]

Michael Terrance Cameron (born January 8 1973 in LaGrange, Georgia) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox.

Overview[]

Mike Cameron was a standout player at LaGrange High School. Cameron was drafted out of high school by the Chicago White Sox in 1991. In the minor leagues, he was in danger of losing his sight when his eye socket was almost fractured by a flying ball.

His major league debut took place in August 27, 1995 with the White Sox. In 1997 he won a starting job as the team's regular center fielder. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Paul Konerko in 1998. Along with 3 other players he was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Ken Griffey Jr. before the 2000 season. He played in the All-Star Game in 2001 and has reached the postseason twice and won the Gold Glove Award in 2001 and 2003 for his defensive play in the outfield. In 2004 he signed a three year, $19.5 million dollar contract to play center field for the New York Mets.

With the acquisition by the Mets of Carlos Beltran before the 2005 season, Cameron surrendered his position to the star center fielder and played most of his games in right field during the 2005 season. On August 11, 2005, in San Diego, Cameron collided with Beltran in the outfield as both made diving attempts to catch a fly ball. Cameron suffered multiple fractures of his nose and cheekbones and was removed from the field on a stretcher.[1]

On November 15, 2005 Cameron was traded to the San Diego Padres for Xavier Nady. He won his first National League Gold Glove award during the 2006 season with San Diego.

His former manager Jack McKeon has described him as "simply a delightful young man".

Cincinnati Reds announcer Marty Brennaman once said Cameron is one of his top 10 favorite players he has ever been around.

He is one of a small group of major leaguers who have hit 4 home runs in a single game.

After being selected to the American League All-Star Team in 2001, Cameron used his salary bonus to purchase All-Star Game warm-up jackets for all of his Seattle Mariner teammates. He is known for routinely sitting on top of the dugout to sign autographs and talk with fans before games. He is also founder of the Cam4Kids Foundation and host of the First State Goft Tournament in Seattle in efforts to raise money to provide scholarships to inner-city kids. He is actively involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as the Starlight Foundation.

After leaving the Seattle Mariners in 2004 via free agency, Cameron played his first game back in Seattle during interleague play in May 2006. Mariners fans greeted his return with a standing ovation.

Cameron has won 5 Rawlings Gold Gloves, winning in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, and most recently with the Padres in 2006.

Scouting Report[]

Statistics[]

Batting Stats[]

Year	Team		G	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	2B	3B	BB	SO	HBP	SH	SB	IBB	GDP
1995	CHW	A	28	38	4	7	1	2	.184	.244	.316	2	0	3	15	0	3	0	0	0
1996	CHW	A	11	11	1	1	0	0	.091	.167	.091	0	0	1	3	0	0	0	0	0
1997	CHW	A	116	379	63	98	14	55	.259	.356	.433	18	3	55	105	5	2	23	1	8
1998	CHW	A	141	396	53	83	8	43	.210	.285	.336	16	5	37	101	6	1	27	0	6
1999	CIN	N	146	542	93	139	21	66	.256	.357	.469	34	9	80	145	6	5	38	2	4
2000	SEA	A	155	543	96	145	19	78	.267	.365	.438	28	4	78	133	9	7	24	0	10
2001	SEA	A	150	540	99	144	25	110	.267	.353	.480	30	5	69	155	10	1	34	3	13
2002	SEA	A	158	545	84	130	25	80	.239	.340	.442	26	5	79	176	7	4	31	3	8
2003	SEA	A	147	534	74	135	18	76	.253	.344	.431	31	5	70	137	5	1	17	1	13
2004	NYM	N	140	493	76	114	30	76	.231	.319	.479	30	1	57	143	8	1	22	2	5
2005	NYM	N	76	308	47	84	12	39	.273	.342	.477	23	2	29	85	4	1	13	0	5
2006	SDP	N	141	552	88	148	22	83	.268	.355	.482	34	9	71	142	6	0	25	2	8
2007	SDP	N	151	571	88	138	21	78	.242	.328	.431	33	6	67	160	8	2	18	1	9
2008	MIL	N	120	444	69	108	25	70	.243	.331	.477	25	2	54	142	6	1	17	1	4
2009	MIL	N	149	544	78	136	24	70	.250	.342	.452	32	3	75	156	4	0	7	3	12
Total	NL		923	3454	539	867	155	482	.251	.340	.465	211	32	433	973	42	10	140	11	47
Total	AL		906	2986	474	743	110	444	.249	.341	.428	151	27	392	825	42	19	156	8	58
Total			1829	6440	1013	1610	265	926	.250	.340	.448	362	59	825	1798	84	29	296	19	105

Fielding Stats[]

Year	Team		POS	G	GS	INN	PO	A	ERR	DP	AVG
1995	CHW	A	CF	3	3	20	6	0	0	0	1.000
1995	CHW	A	OF	28	10	127	33	1	0	0	1.000
1995	CHW	A	RF	26	7	107	28	1	0	0	1.000
1996	CHW	A	CF	4	3	22	6	0	0	0	1.000
1996	CHW	A	OF	8	3	31.2	7	0	0	0	1.000
1996	CHW	A	LF	2	0	3.2	2	0	0	0	1.000
1996	CHW	A	RF	5	0	6	0	0	0	0	.000
1996	CHW	A	DH	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1997	CHW	A	OF	112	107	941.2	334	5	5	2	.985
1997	CHW	A	DH	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1997	CHW	A	CF	102	99	836.2	295	4	5	1	.984
1997	CHW	A	RF	37	8	105	36	1	0	1	1.000
1998	CHW	A	RF	2	1	11	3	0	0	0	1.000
1998	CHW	A	OF	138	105	983	313	6	4	0	.988
1998	CHW	A	CF	136	104	972	311	6	4	0	.988
1999	CIN	N	CF	146	142	1260.2	371	7	8	3	.979
1999	CIN	N	OF	146	142	1260.2	372	7	8	3	.979
2000	SEA	A	RF	1	0	4	2	0	0	0	1.000
2000	SEA	A	OF	155	142	1273.2	398	5	6	3	.985
2000	SEA	A	CF	155	142	1269.2	396	5	6	3	.985
2001	SEA	A	DH	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
2001	SEA	A	OF	149	140	1272.1	410	8	6	2	.986
2001	SEA	A	CF	149	140	1272.1	410	8	6	2	.986
2002	SEA	A	DH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
2002	SEA	A	OF	155	146	1318	414	6	5	0	.988
2002	SEA	A	CF	155	146	1318	414	6	5	0	.988
2003	SEA	A	OF	147	145	1284	485	3	4	2	.992
2003	SEA	A	CF	147	145	1284	485	3	4	2	.992
2004	NYM	N	OF	135	132	1184	354	7	8	2	.978
2004	NYM	N	CF	135	132	1184	354	6	8	2	.978
2005	NYM	N	RF	68	67	593	136	2	6	1	.958
2005	NYM	N	CF	10	9	79	15	1	0	0	1.000
2005	NYM	N	OF	76	76	672	151	3	6	1	.962
2006	SDP	N	CF	141	139	1244	367	6	6	2	.984
2006	SDP	N	OF	141	139	1244	367	6	6	2	.984
2007	SDP	N	OF	150	148	1329	365	7	5	2	.987
2007	SDP	N	CF	150	148	1329	365	7	5	2	.987
2008	MIL	N	CF	119	119	1057	293	3	1	0	.997
2009	MIL	N	CF	147	146	1267.2	404	4	4	1	.990
Total			OF	1806	1700	15245.2	4702	70	68	20	.986
Total			CF	1699	1617	14416	4492	66	62	18	.987
Total			RF	139	83	826	205	4	6	2	.972
Total			DH	8	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Total			LF	2	0	3.2	2	0	0	0	1.000

Transactions[]

Selected by Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the free-agent draft (June 3, 1991 - signed June 12, 1991).
Traded by Chicago White Sox to Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Paul Konerko (November 11, 1998).
Traded by Cincinnati Reds with Brett Tomko, Jake Meyer and Antonio Perez to Seattle Mariners in exchange for Ken Griffey Jr. (February 10, 2000).
Granted free agency (October 27, 2003).
Signed by New York Mets (December 23, 2003).
Traded by New York Mets to San Diego Padres in exchange for Xavier Nady (November 18, 2005).
Granted Free Agency (October 31, 2007).
Signed as a Free Agent with the Milwaukee Brewers (January 11, 2008).

Trivia[]

2001: Cameron (along with teammate Bret Boone) set the Seattle Mariners single season record for sacrifice flies, with 13.
2002: Cameron set the Seattle Mariners single season strikeout record, with 176.
2 May, 2002: Against the Chicago White Sox, Cameron hit back-to-back home runs twice in the same inning with Bret Boone, setting a MLB record. Cameron ended the night with four home runs, becoming only the 13th Major Leaguer to do so up to that point.
1999-2003: Cameron was one of only three MLB players (along with Carlos Beltran and Bobby Abreu) to record 100 home runs and 150 stolen bases.
Until 2006: Cameron's number was 44, but changed to 25 when traded to the San Diego Padres since 44 was Jake Peavy's number.
2007: Hit his 200th Career Home Run against the Pittsburgh Pirates.