Garret Anderson - Los Angeles Angels

Los Angeles Angels

Anderson was drafted by the California Angels in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB Draft and made his Major League debut on July 27, 1994. He had two hits in four at-bats in that game, recording his first career hit on a single to right field off of Oakland Athletics pitcher Ron Darling in the bottom of the third. He appeared in only five games with the Angels in 1994, getting five hits in 13 at-bats.

In 1995, he was called up to the team on April 26 and spent the rest of the year in the Majors. He hit his first career home run on June 13 against Kevin Tapani of the Minnesota Twins. He hit .321 in 106 games with 16 home runs and 69 RBIs and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting in to Marty Cordova of the Twins. From that point forward, Anderson became a mainstay in the Angels' lineup.

Over the next eight seasons, he accumulated at least 600 at bats every year, breaking 90 RBIs and 20 home runs five times while compiling a batting average near .300.

While he was hitting home runs in 2000, he wasn't taking many walks. He is one of only seven players who have concluded a 30-homer season with more homers than walks (35 HR, 24 BB), the others being Alfonso Soriano (39-23 in 2002), Ryan Braun (34-29 in 2007), Pudge Rodriguez (35-24 in 1999), Joe Crede (30-28 in 2006), Javy Lopez (43-33 in 2003), and José Guillén (31-24 in 2003).

In 2002, when the Angels won their first World Series championship, Garret finished fourth in the MVP voting after compiling a .306 average with 29 home runs and 123 runs batted in. Anderson also scored a career-high 93 runs, however the fact he has never scored 100 or more in a season is a result of his main weakness as a player: an inability to take walks and thus a low on-base percentage. Anderson had a similarly strong performance in 2003, he became an American League All-Star. That All-Star weekend, he stole the show by becoming the Home Run Derby Champion and voted the Most Valuable Player in the All Star Game, the first player to win both the Derby and All-Star MVP since Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1991.

On April 13, 2004, Anderson agreed a $48 million, four-year contract extension through 2008. The deal included a team option for 2009 with a $3 million buyout.

Anderson began experiencing chronic ailments in 2004 that limited his playing time and production, including an arthritic condition and plantar fasciitis in his feet. In 2005, he began to see more regular time as a designated hitter to ease the wear and tear off of his body. Anderson's production in 2006 was roughly on par with his 2005 production, with both seasons seeing him hit 17 home runs and drive in at least 85 runs.

On August 21, 2007, he drove in a team-record 10 runs, including a grand slam and a three-run homer, in the Los Angeles Angels' 18-9 win over the New York Yankees. Anderson became the 13th player in Major League history to have 10 RBIs in a game. Anderson now holds the team record for grand slams with eight and RBIs in a game with ten. This performance has been part of a general resurgence in the second half of the 2007 season, a relief to Angels fans who may have wondered if Anderson's career was near its end after a mediocre, injury-plagued first half. Instead, Anderson has led the Majors in RBIs in the latter part of '07. On September 7, 2007, Anderson drove in a run on an RBI single, to set a franchise record for most consecutive games with an RBI with 11. The streak lasted for 12 games, during which time he drove in 22 runs.

On October 28, 2008, the Angels announced they would decline their $14 million option on Anderson's contract and exercised a $3 million buyout.