Ryan Klesko: Difference between revisions

Ryan Klesko
Ryan Klesko
	Klesko with the San Francisco Giants in 2007
	Left fielder / First baseman
	Born: June 12, 1971 (age 52); Westminster, California, U.S.
	Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
	September 12, 1992, for the Atlanta Braves
Last MLB appearance
	September 29, 2007, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
Batting average	.279
Home runs	278
Runs batted in	987
Teams
	Atlanta Braves (1992–1999); San Diego Padres (2000–2006); San Francisco Giants (2007);
Career highlights and awards
	All-Star (2001); World Series champion (1995);
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing United States
World Junior Baseball Championship

Browse history interactively

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Ryan Anthony Klesko (born June 12, 1971) is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. He attended Westminster High School in Westminster, California.

Early life

Klesko was born on June 12, 1971, in Westminster, California. His father was an oilfields worker whom Klesko lost at a young age.^[1]^[2] His mother, Lorene, worked at an aerospace parts company in Santa Ana and helped Klesko learn to play baseball.^[3] When he was nine, she dug a pitcher's mound for him in his backyard. She enrolled him in pitching school with Ron Lefebvre and put on catcher's gear herself to catch Klesko three times a week.^[2]

Klesko attended Westminster High School, where even though he hit a lot of home runs, he starred as a pitcher, throwing a ninety-two mile per hour fastball and pitching for the USA Junior Olympic team. He strained a ligament pitching for the junior team at 17, though, and concentrated on hitting thereafter.^[2] Klesko signed a letter of intent to play college baseball at Arizona State, but he never did so, instead signing with the Atlanta Braves after the team selected him in the fifth round of the 1989 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.^[4]^[2]

Professional career

Klesko hit a home run in three consecutive World Series games against the Cleveland Indians in Games 3, 4, and 5 of the 1995 World Series.^[5] In Game 3, he hit a solo shot off of Charles Nagy in the seventh inning of a 7–6 loss.^[6] The Game 4 home run, another solo shot (this time off Ken Hill) put the Braves up 1–0 in the sixth; they would win the game 5–2.^[7] In Game 5, his ninth-inning two-run home run to right field off José Mesa was almost caught by his mother; Klesko wound up trading the man who caught it an autographed Greg Maddux baseball for it. The Braves lost that game 5–4, but they beat the Indians for the fourth time in the sixth game to become World Series champions.^[1]

Klesko hit at least 21 home runs in eight of his 13 seasons in the major leagues, with a high of 34 homers in 1996. His most productive season came in 2001, when he hit .286 with 30 home runs and posted career highs in RBI (113), runs (105), stolen bases (23) and slugging percentage (.539), and made the National League All-Star team. In 2002, Klesko hit .300 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI, and collected career-highs in hits (162) and doubles (39). Defensively he shuttled around the outfield and first base. In his career, Klesko compiled a .370 on-base percentage with a .500 slugging average, for an .870 OPS. His .525 slugging percentage as a Brave ranks fourth all-time among the team's career leaders, ahead of Eddie Mathews. His .886 OPS as a Brave ranks him fifth among Braves' all-time leaders.^[8]

Klesko missed nearly the entire 2006 season due to major shoulder surgery. He returned on September 21, drawing a walk as a pinch-hitter in his first plate appearance. On December 19, 2006, Klesko signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. Klesko announced his retirement from baseball on April 18, 2008.^[9]

Off the field

As of 2019, Klesko serves as a pre-game and post-game analyst for the Atlanta Braves on Fox Sports South and SportsSouth. Klesko has also served as the Padres' spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, hosting Make-A-Wish children for batting practice, a pregame ceremony and a ballgame each home stand.^[10] Through his Klesko's Korner program, he has regularly provided Padres tickets to children and families facing cancer for the last four years, and he has also been a leading supporter of the Padres Scholars program. Klesko was honored June 19, 2014 with his induction into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in Troy, Michigan.^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Rosenberg, B. J. (July 8, 2015). "Braves Recall: Ryan Klesko". The Atlanta Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Mell, Randall (February 27, 1993). "Mom's the Word in Klesko's Youth". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ DiGiovanna, Mike (April 7, 1994). "Klesko Is Atlanta's Long Man". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ "Westminster's Klesko Will Attend Arizona St". Los Angeles Times. 6 May 1989. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
^ Dean, Matt (January 9, 2018). "Braves Slugger, World Series Hero Ryan Klesko Signs on for Hot Stove Banquet". milb.com. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ "1995 World Series Game 3, Braves at Indians, October 24". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ "1995 World Series Game 4, Braves at Indians, October 25". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ "Atlanta Braves Top 10 Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
^ "Klesko retiring from majors after 16-year career, agent says". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
^ "Feature: Ryan Klesko - Former Major League Baseball Player". SouthernJournalMagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
^ "Klesko, Bobick and Patulski to be inducted into Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame". SportsHeritage.org. Retrieved 2017-06-13.

External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)

[Game_5-1] Rosenberg, B. J. (July 8, 2015). "Braves Recall: Ryan Klesko". The Atlanta Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[mom_word-2] Mell, Randall (February 27, 1993). "Mom's the Word in Klesko's Youth". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[3] DiGiovanna, Mike (April 7, 1994). "Klesko Is Atlanta's Long Man". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[4] "Westminster's Klesko Will Attend Arizona St". Los Angeles Times. 6 May 1989. Retrieved 15 December 2017.

[5] Dean, Matt (January 9, 2018). "Braves Slugger, World Series Hero Ryan Klesko Signs on for Hot Stove Banquet". milb.com. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[6] "1995 World Series Game 3, Braves at Indians, October 24". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[7] "1995 World Series Game 4, Braves at Indians, October 25". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[8] "Atlanta Braves Top 10 Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.

[9] "Klesko retiring from majors after 16-year career, agent says". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-08-01.

[10] "Feature: Ryan Klesko - Former Major League Baseball Player". SouthernJournalMagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-06-13.

[11] "Klesko, Bobick and Patulski to be inducted into Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame". SportsHeritage.org. Retrieved 2017-06-13.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1971)}}
-{{Cleanup|date=January 2009}}
-{{Infobox MLB player
+{{Infobox baseball biography
 |name=Ryan Klesko
 |image=Klesko.jpg
+|caption=Klesko with the San Francisco Giants in 2007
-|width=200
 |position=[[Left fielder]] / [[First baseman]]
 |bats=Left
 |throws=Left
-|birthdate={{Birth date and age|1971|6|12}}
+|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1971|6|12}}
-|birthplace={{city-state|Westminster|California}}
+|birth_place=[[Westminster, California]], U.S.
+|debutleague = MLB
 |debutdate=September 12
 |debutyear=1992
 |debutteam=Atlanta Braves
+|finalleague = MLB
 |finaldate=September 29
 |finalyear=2007
 |finalteam=San Francisco Giants
+|statleague = MLB
-|stat1label=[[Batting average]]
+|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
 |stat1value=.279
 |stat2label=[[Home run]]s
@@ Line 21: / Line 24: @@
 |stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
 |stat3value=987
-|teams=<nowiki></nowiki>
+|teams=
-* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{By|1992}}–{{By|1999}})
+* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1992}}–{{mlby|1999}})
-* [[San Diego Padres]] ({{By|2000}}–{{By|2006}})
+* [[San Diego Padres]] ({{mlby|2000}}–{{mlby|2006}})
-* [[San Francisco Giants]] ({{By|2007}})
+* [[San Francisco Giants]] ({{mlby|2007}})
-|highlights=<nowiki></nowiki>
+|highlights=
-* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] selection ([[2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2001]])
+* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2001]])
 * [[World Series]] champion ({{wsy|1995}})
+|medaltemplates=
+{{MedalSport | Men's [[baseball]]}}
+{{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}}
+{{MedalCompetition | [[18U Baseball World Cup|World Junior Baseball Championship]]}}
+{{MedalGold | [[VIII Baseball World Junior Championship 1988|1988 Sydney]] | [[United States national under-18 baseball team|Team]]}}
 }}
-'''Ryan Anthony Klesko''' (born June 12, 1971 in [[Westminster, California]]), is a former [[first baseman]] and [[corner outfielder]], who last played for the [[San Francisco Giants]] of [[Major League Baseball]]. He attended [[Westminster High School]] in [[Westminster, California]].
+'''Ryan Anthony Klesko''' (born June 12, 1971) is an American former [[Major League Baseball]] [[first baseman]] and corner outfielder who played for the [[Atlanta Braves]], [[San Diego Padres]] and [[San Francisco Giants]]. He attended [[Westminster High School (Westminster, California)|Westminster High School]] in Westminster, California.
+==Early life==
-Klesko hit at least 21 [[home run]]s in eight of his 13 major league seasons, with a high of 34 homers in {{mlby|1996}}. His most productive season came in {{mlby|2001}}, when he hit .286 with 30 home runs and posted career-highs in [[Run batted in|RBI]] (113), [[Run (baseball)|runs]] (105), [[stolen base]]s (23) and [[slugging percentage]] (.539), and made the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|National League All-Star]] team. In {{mlby|2002}}, he hit .300 with 29 HR and 95 RBI, and collected career-highs in [[hit (baseball)|hits]] (162) and [[double (baseball)|doubles]] (39). Defensively he has shuttled around the outfield and first base.
+Klesko was born on June 12, 1971, in [[Westminster, California]]. His father was an oilfields worker whom Klesko lost at a young age.<ref name="Game 5"/><ref name="mom word">{{cite web|last=Mell|first=Randall|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1993-02-27-9301120160-story.html|title=Mom's the Word in Klesko's Youth|work=South Florida Sun Sentinel|date=February 27, 1993|access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> His mother, Lorene, worked at an aerospace parts company in [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]] and helped Klesko learn to play baseball.<ref>{{cite web|last=DiGiovanna|first=Mike|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-07-sp-43090-story.html|title=Klesko Is Atlanta's Long Man|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=April 7, 1994|access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> When he was nine, she dug a [[pitcher's mound]] for him in his backyard. She enrolled him in pitching school with Ron Lefebvre and put on catcher's gear herself to catch Klesko three times a week.<ref name="mom word"/>
+Klesko attended [[Westminster High School (Westminster, California)|Westminster High School]], where even though he hit a lot of [[home run]]s, he starred as a pitcher, throwing a ninety-two mile per hour fastball and pitching for the USA Junior Olympic team. He strained a ligament pitching for the junior team at 17, though, and concentrated on hitting thereafter.<ref name="mom word"/>  Klesko signed a [[letter of intent]] to play [[college baseball]] at [[Arizona State Sun Devils baseball|Arizona State]], but he never did so, instead signing with the [[Atlanta Braves]] after the team selected him in the fifth round of the [[1989 Major League Baseball Draft|1989 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Westminster's Klesko Will Attend Arizona St.|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1989-05-06/sports/sp-2191_1_ryan-klesko-baseball-at-arizona-state-westminster-high-school|access-date=15 December 2017|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=6 May 1989}}</ref><ref name="mom word"/>
-In his career he has a .370 [[on base percentage]] with a .500 slugging average, for a .870 [[on-base plus slugging|OPS]]. His .525 slugging percentage as a Brave ranks 4th all-time among the team's career leaders, ahead of [[Eddie Mathews]]. His .886 OPS as a Brave ranks him 5th among Braves' all-time leaders.<ref>http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/leaders_bat.shtml</ref>
+==Professional career==
-Klesko became the first player to hit a home run in three consecutive World Series road games when he did so against the [[Cleveland Indians]] in Games 3, 4, and 5 of the [[1995 World Series]].
+Klesko hit a home run in three consecutive World Series games against the [[Cleveland Indians]] in Games 3, 4, and 5 of the [[1995 World Series]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Dean|first=Matt|url=https://www.milb.com/charleston/news/braves-slugger-world-series-hero-ryan-klesko-signs-on-for-hot-stove-banquet/c-264447840|title=Braves Slugger, World Series Hero Ryan Klesko Signs on for Hot Stove Banquet|work=milb.com|date=January 9, 2018|access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> In Game 3, he hit a solo shot off of [[Charles Nagy]] in the seventh inning of a 7–6 loss.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE199510240.shtml|title=1995 World Series Game 3, Braves at Indians, October 24|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> The Game 4 home run, another solo shot (this time off [[Ken Hill (baseball)|Ken Hill]]) put the Braves up 1–0 in the sixth; they would win the game 5–2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE199510250.shtml|title=1995 World Series Game 4, Braves at Indians, October 25|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> In Game 5, his ninth-inning two-run home run to right field off [[José Mesa]] was almost caught by his mother; Klesko wound up trading the man who caught it an autographed [[Greg Maddux]] baseball for it. The Braves lost that game 5–4, but they beat the Indians for the fourth time in the sixth game to become World Series champions.<ref name="Game 5">{{cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=B. J. |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/braves-recall-ryan-klesko/ia9nZNCB8xgFJzmVfg1G0K/|title=Braves Recall: Ryan Klesko|work=The Atlanta Journal|date=July 8, 2015|access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref>
+Klesko hit at least 21 [[home run]]s in eight of his 13 seasons in the major leagues, with a high of 34 homers in {{mlby|1996}}. His most productive season came in {{mlby|2001}}, when he hit .286 with 30 home runs and posted career highs in [[Run batted in|RBI]] (113), [[Run (baseball)|runs]] (105), [[stolen base]]s (23) and [[slugging percentage]] (.539), and made the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|National League All-Star]] team. In {{mlby|2002}}, Klesko hit .300 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI, and collected career-highs in [[hit (baseball)|hits]] (162) and [[double (baseball)|doubles]] (39). Defensively he shuttled around the outfield and first base. In his career, Klesko compiled a .370 [[on-base percentage]] with a .500 slugging average, for an .870 [[on-base plus slugging|OPS]]. His .525 slugging percentage as a Brave ranks fourth all-time among the team's career leaders, ahead of [[Eddie Mathews]]. His .886 OPS as a Brave ranks him fifth among Braves' all-time leaders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/leaders_bat.shtml|title=Atlanta Braves Top 10 Batting Leaders|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
-Klesko missed nearly the entire {{mlby|2006}} season due to major shoulder surgery. He returned on September 21, drawing a walk as a pinch-hitter in his first plate appearance. On December 19, 2006, Klesko signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants.
-Klesko announced his retirement from baseball on April 18, {{mlby|2008}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3353798 |title=Klesko retiring from majors after 16-year career, agent says|accessdate=2008-08-01 |work=[[ESPN.com]] |publisher= |date= }}</ref>
+Klesko missed nearly the entire {{mlby|2006}} season due to major shoulder surgery. He returned on September 21, drawing a walk as a pinch-hitter in his first plate appearance. On December 19, 2006, Klesko signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. Klesko announced his retirement from baseball on April 18, {{mlby|2008}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3353798 |title=Klesko retiring from majors after 16-year career, agent says|access-date=2008-08-01 |work=[[ESPN.com]] }}</ref>
 ==Off the field==
-*Klesko has been actively involved with the Padres Community Relations efforts. In 2001, he received the Chairman's Award, presented annually by the Padres Community Relations Department to the player who best exemplifies the community spirit of John Moores and his family. During his five Padres seasons, Klesko has given his time and money to support numerous philanthropic endeavors in the San Diego community. He has served as the club's spokesperson for the [[Make-A-Wish Foundation]], hosting Make-A-Wish children for batting practice, a pregame ceremony and a ballgame each home stand. Through his Klesko's Korner program, he has regularly provided Padres tickets to children and families facing cancer for the last four years, and he has also been a leading supporter of the Padres Scholars program.
+As of 2019, Klesko serves as a pre-game and post-game analyst for the [[Atlanta Braves]] on [[Fox Sports South]] and [[SportsSouth]]. Klesko has also served as the Padres' spokesperson for the [[Make-A-Wish Foundation]], hosting Make-A-Wish children for batting practice, a pregame ceremony and a ballgame each home stand.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://southernjournalmagazine.com/feature-ryan-klesko-former-major-league-baseball-player/ |title=Feature: Ryan Klesko - Former Major League Baseball Player|access-date=2017-06-13 |work=[[SouthernJournalMagazine.com]] }}</ref> Through his Klesko's Korner program, he has regularly provided Padres tickets to children and families facing cancer for the last four years, and he has also been a leading supporter of the Padres Scholars program. Klesko was honored June 19, 2014 with his induction into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in Troy, Michigan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsheritage.org/public-news/klesko-bobick-patulski-inducted-polish-american-sports-hall-fame-bowler-liz-johnson-receive-2014-excellence-sports-award/ |title=Klesko, Bobick and Patulski to be inducted into Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame|access-date=2017-06-13 |work=[[SportsHeritage.org]] }}</ref>
-*[[ESPN]] [[reporter]] [[Pedro Gomez (sports reporter)|Pedro Gomez]] reported on November 16, 2007, Klesko and teammate [[Barry Bonds]] were [[hunting]] together in [[Colorado]] at the time Bonds was notified he was [[Indictment|indicted]] by a [[United States federal courts|federal]] [[grand jury]] in the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]].
 ==See also==
+{{Commons category}}
-* [[Top 500 home run hitters of all time]]
+* [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders]]
 == References ==
@@ Line 53: / Line 62: @@
 ==External links==
+{{Baseballstats| mlb=117148| espn=2795| br=k/kleskry01 | fangraphs=1041||brm=klesko001rya}}
-{{Commons category}}
-*{{Baseballstats| mlb=117148| espn=2795| br=k/kleskry01 | fangraphs=1041| cube=K/ryan-klesko}}
-*[http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3353798 Klesko to retire from MLB]
+{{Southern League MVP}}
 {{1995WorldSeriesBraves}}
@@ Line 62: / Line 70: @@
 [[Category:1971 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:Baseball players from California]]
+[[Category:Baseball players from Westminster, California]]
 [[Category:National League All-Stars]]
 [[Category:Atlanta Braves players]]
@@ Line 69: / Line 77: @@
 [[Category:Major League Baseball first basemen]]
 [[Category:Major League Baseball left fielders]]
-[[Category:People from Orange County, California]]
+[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]
-[[ja:ライアン・クレスコ]]

v t e Atlanta Braves 1995 World Series champions
2 Rafael Belliard 4 Jeff Blauser 7 Dwight Smith 8 Javy López 9 Marquis Grissom 10 Chipper Jones 11 Charlie O'Brien 12 Eddie Pérez 16 Mike Mordecai 17 Luis Polonia 18 Ryan Klesko 20 Mark Lemke 23 David Justice 24 Mike Devereaux (NLCS MVP) 26 Alejandro Peña 27 Fred McGriff 29 John Smoltz 31 Greg Maddux (NL CYA) 33 Steve Avery 38 Greg McMichael 43 Mark Wohlers 47 Tom Glavine (World Series MVP) 50 Kent Mercker 51 Pedro Borbón Jr. 52 Brad Clontz
Manager 6 Bobby Cox Coaches Third Base Coach 22 Jimy Williams Hitting Coach 28 Clarence Jones Bench Coach 37 Jim Beauchamp First Base Coach 39 Pat Corrales Bullpen Coach 42 Ned Yost Pitching Coach 54 Leo Mazzone Coach 59 Frank Fultz
Regular season National League Division Series National League Championship Series