Ben Grieve Marquee

b. May 4, 1976 · Oakland Athletics 1997–2000, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2001–2003, Milwaukee Brewers 2004, Chicago Cubs 2004–2005

Oakland took him second overall in 1994 and he hit .288 with 18 home runs and 89 runs batted in as a rookie in 1998, making the All-Star team and taking the Rookie of the Year award with 130 points of 140. He hit 27 home runs and drove in 104 in 2000.

Oakland traded him to Tampa Bay that winter in the deal that brought back Johnny Damon, and the decline started immediately. He hit .264, then .251, then .230 in three seasons there and was released. Milwaukee and the Cubs used him off the bench for two more years.

Nine seasons gave him 864 hits, 192 doubles, 118 home runs, 466 walks and a .269 average. His father Tom played eight years and ran the Texas Rangers. He is not on a Hall of Fame ballot.

Honors

Award	Times	Years
All-Star selection	1	1998
MLB Players Choice Outstanding Rookie	1	1998
Rookie of the Year	1	1998
The Sporting News Rookie Player of the Year	1	1998

Batting, season by season

Year	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG
1997	OAK	24	93	12	29	6	0	3	24	13	25	0	.312
1998	OAK	155	583	94	168	41	2	18	89	85	123	2	.288
1999	OAK	148	486	80	129	21	0	28	86	63	108	4	.265
2000	OAK	158	594	92	166	40	1	27	104	73	130	3	.279
2001	TBD	154	542	72	143	30	2	11	72	87	159	7	.264
2002	TBD	136	482	62	121	30	0	19	64	69	121	8	.251
2003	TBD	55	165	28	38	7	0	4	17	32	41	0	.230
2004	CHC/MIL	123	250	30	65	17	0	8	35	39	70	0	.260
2005	CHC	23	20	1	5	0	0	0	1	5	7	0	.250
Career	—	976	3215	471	864	192	5	118	492	466	784	24	.269

On this day & linked events

1976

Born May 4, 1976

Arlington, TX, USA

1997

Major-league debut: Ben Grieve

Ben Grieve made a major-league debut on September 3, 1997.

2005

Final major-league game: Ben Grieve

Ben Grieve played a final major-league game on October 2, 2005.