Shawn Gilbert
From BR Bullpen
Albert Shawn Gilbert
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9", Weight 170 lb.
- High School Agua Fria Union
- School Golden West College, Arizona State University, California State University, Fresno
- Debut June 2, 1997
- Final Game July 2, 2000
- Born March 12, 1965 in Camden, NJ USA
[edit] Information
Albert Shawn Gilbert Jr. was drafted four times by for three different teams-the Dodgers, Reds and Twins. It wasn't until their second try that the Twins were able to finally sign him in 1987.
The 5'9", 185 pound Gilbert was not too imposing (some sources say he was as small as 170 pounds), but he held his own in the minors by using his small stature to swipe 40 or more bases in 3 out of 4 seasons between 1988 and 1991. He also hit .372 in 43 at-bats with Visalia in 1988.
Gilbert, who batted and threw right handed, made his major league debut June 2, 1997. Over the next few years, he bounced between the majors and minors. He ended up swiping only 2 bases in 51 total major league games and hitting .149.
An interesting fact about Gilbert's major league career is in 51 games, he only had 47 at-bats and he scored more runs than had actual hits. Rarely for someone to appear in 50 or more career games does anyone have more runs than hits and more games than at-bats. Two other examples of this are Charles Gipson and Glen Barker.
In the 1999 Pan American Games, Gilbert was 3 for 8 with a double as the backup shortstop to Travis Dawkins for Team USA.
He ended up retiring from professional baseball in 2003 at the age of 38 after playing in the Dodgers and Pirates farm systems in all of 2001, 2002, and 2003.
Gilbert currently lives in Fresno, California.
[edit] Major Transaction
- On June 10, 1998, Gilbert was traded from the New York Mets to the St. Louis Cardinals for Wayne Kirby.
