Scott Eric Podsednik (born March 18, 1976 in West, Texas), (Nickname Scotty Pods) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who currently plays for the Chicago White Sox. He previously played for the Seattle Mariners (2001-02) and Milwaukee Brewers (2003-04), and led the major leagues in stolen bases in 2004 with 70. In 2005, Podsednik finished second in the American League in stolen bases with 59 (behind the Angels' Chone Figgins) despite missing several games due to injury. However, because he led Major League Baseball in steals for all of the first half of the 2005 season, he was voted by fans into the last roster spot as an All-Star selection, the first of his career. Although he played in the All-Star Game in Detroit, he saw only defensive time and did not get a chance to bat. The position of the left fielder A left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder in the sport of baseball who plays defense in left field. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) West Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Seattle Mariners (1977–present) Other nicknames The Ms Ballpark Safeco Field (1999–present) King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome) (1977-1999) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) None... The following are the baseball events of the year 2001 throughout the world. ... This year in baseball: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 8 - Ozzie Smith is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 19, 34, 42, 44 Name Milwaukee Brewers (1970–present) Seattle Pilots (1969) Ballpark Miller Park (2001–present) County Stadium (1970-2000) Sicks Stadium (Seattle) (1969) Major league titles World Series titles (0) None... The following are the events of the year 2003 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2005 throughout the world. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... West is a city in McLennan County, Texas, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,692. ... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ... Austin Kearns, an outfielder, catches a fly ball. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) West Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Seattle Mariners (1977–present) Other nicknames The Ms Ballpark Safeco Field (1999–present) King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome) (1977-1999) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) None... The following are the baseball events of the year 2001 throughout the world. ... This year in baseball: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 8 - Ozzie Smith is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 19, 34, 42, 44 Name Milwaukee Brewers (1970–present) Seattle Pilots (1969) Ballpark Miller Park (2001–present) County Stadium (1970-2000) Sicks Stadium (Seattle) (1969) Major league titles World Series titles (0) None... The following are the events of the year 2003 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world. ... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2005 throughout the world. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1985 In baseball statistics, stolen bases (denoted by SB) is a count of the number of bases successfully stolen by a player. ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 11, 26, 29, 30, 42, 50 Name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2005–present) Anaheim Angels (1997-2004) California Angels (1965-1996) Los Angeles Angels (1961-1965) Other nicknames The Halos Ballpark Angel Stadium of... Desmond DeChone (Chone) Figgins (born January 22, 1978 in Leary, Georgia) is a Major League Baseball utility player for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Chone is pronounced similarly to Shawn). Figgins is well-renowned as one of the top utility players in the major leagues, possessing the ability to... An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their respective sports league. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor...

He is married to former Playboy playmate Lisa Dergan. He is commonly called "Arthur Podzarelli"--a nickname given to him due to his similarities with "The Fonz." Playboy is an American mens magazine, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, which has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. ... 2004 Playmate of the Year Carmella DeCesare meets with fans A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of Playboy magazine as Playmate of the Month (or PMOM). ... Lisa Dergan Podsednik (born August 10, 1970 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is an American model, actress and media personality. ...

Climb to the Major Leagues

Podsednik was drafted out of West High School in the 3rd round, 85th overall, in the 1994 Amateur Draft by the Texas Rangers. For the next 8 years, he would only play on rookie and minor league clubs, dealing with minor lagging injuries along the way. While his play was not stellar initially, he showed gradual improvement until he was promoted to Texas' AA team, the Tulsa Drillers. Here, he began to struggle so much as to be demoted back to the Rangers organization's rookie club in 1999, but he immediately responded by hitting .412 with 5 runs batted in just 5 games. After being recalled back to Tulsa for the remainder of that season and the 2000 season, the Rangers gave up on him as a future prospect, and he then moved to the Seattle Mariners organization. Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26, 34, 42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Other nicknames The Lone Stars Ballpark Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... League Texas League Division North Division Year founded 1977 Major League affiliation St. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) West Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Seattle Mariners (1977–present) Other nicknames The Ms Ballpark Safeco Field (1999–present) King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome) (1977-1999) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) None...

Seattle immediately placed Podsednik at the AAA level, where he hit .564, good enough for his first promotion to a Major League team in September, 2001. He was mostly used in a pinch-running role or as a late defensive replacement. His first career Major League hit was a 3‑RBI triple.

In 2002, Podsednik played mostly at AAA Tacoma, but was activated for 14 Major League games, hitting his first major-league home run during that time. Class-Level Triple-A Minor League affiliations Pacific Coast League Pacific Conference - Northern Division Major League affiliation Seattle Mariners (1995-Present) Oakland Athletics (1980-1994) New York Yankees (1978-1979) Minnesota Twins (1972-1977) Chicago Cubs (1966-1971) San Francisco Giants (1960-1965) Current uniform Name Tacoma Rainiers (1995-Present...

Jumping on the Major League Scene

After the 2002 season, Podsednik was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers organization from Seattle for $20,000. In Milwaukee, Podsednik was finally given a fair chance to become a Major League regular, and he would take advantage in 2003. Podsednik surprised many people by compiling a .314 batting average, 43 stolen bases, 100 runs scored, 175 hits, 29 doubles, eight triples, nine home runs, 58 runs batted in, 56 walks and a .379 on-base percentage for the Brewers, even though he was not inserted permanently into the starting lineup until mid-May.

Podsednik finished second to the Florida Marlins' Dontrelle Willis in the official Rookie of the Year balloting. Despite sharing comparable success, some thought Podsednik's chances for winning the award were irreparably hurt by his playing for a perennial also-ran and by his relative low profile. This was in contrast to Willis, who received much more national exposure and played in a larger Miami market for a team that would eventually win the World Series. Furthermore, unlike Podsednik, who had been a relatively obscure career minor leaguer, Willis had been a much-hyped future superstar, going back to his days in the Chicago Cubs minor league system. Major league affiliations National League (1993–present) East Division (1993–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 42 Name Florida Marlins (1993–present) Ballpark Dolphin Stadium (1993–present) a. ... Dontrelle Wayne D-Train Willis (born January 12, 1982 in Oakland, California) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Florida Marlins who made his debut in 2003 and went on to win the 2003 World Series. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 10, 14, 23, 26, 42 Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) (a. ...

Despite this, Podsednik was subsequently (unofficially) voted Rookie of the Year by baseball fans through a system similar to the one in use to determine each year's All Star team starting lineups.

Major League Career

The 2004 season saw Podsednik's average drop to .240, partly due to pressure on him and his teammates to produce runs on an offensively lethargic Brewers team. Despite his more limited time on base, Podsednik led the league with 70 stolen bases, an astounding number for a sub-.250 hitter.

In December 2004, the Chicago White Sox realized Podsednik's ability and felt he was perfect for the direction they were going, which was to win with speed and timely hitting versus power. Podsednik was dealt to Chicago, along with pitcher Luis Vizcaino, for veteran slugger Carlos Lee in a trade that would ultimately benefit both teams. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Carlos Noriel Lee (born June 20, 1976 in Aguadulce, Panama) is a left fielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. ...

In 2005, Podsednik became the catalyst on a White Sox team that led the Central Division for the entire season and played an integral part in the White Sox winning their first World Series title since 1917. Despite spending time on the injured list, he still managed to finish a close second in stolen bases, batted .290, led the league in infield hits, and stole third base on 18 out of 19 attempts. A well rounded yet below average offensive White Sox team enabled Podsednik to concentrate on his strengths — getting on base, and using his speed, rather than hitting for power and driving in runs himself. He quickly became a huge fan favorite in Chicago, and every stolen base he attempted seemed to bring as much excitement as does an RBI base hit; indeed, the "Podsednik effect" was one of the factors in the White Sox' performance, much commented on, unnerving pitchers who knew they had to watch over their shoulder constantly. He was selected to his first All-Star game in 2005 via the MLB's All-Star Final Vote. The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... This article is under construction. ...

On June 23, 2006, Scott Podsednik hit his first career grand slam off Andy Pettite, another Houston Astros pitcher. Phil Garner, manager of the Astros when they were swept by the White Sox in the 2005 World Series and still when Podsednik hit his first grand slam in 2006, said "It's tough to pitch to this guy. He hits a home run once in a blue moon or whenever he faces the Astros."

Curious records

On October 4, 2005, during Game 1 of the American League Division Playoff Series against the Boston Red Sox, Podsednik became only the second player in Major League Baseball history to hit a home run in a post-season game after going without any homers in the regular season with at least 500 or more at bats. Coincidentally, the man he joins in this historical category is Lance Johnson, another White Sox player who was the first to accomplish the feat in the 1993 American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Later, on October 23, 2005, during Game 2 of the World Series against the Houston Astros, Podsednik hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 9th off Astros closer Brad Lidge to win the game thus making Podsednik the only player in history to hit more than one home run in the post-season after going a full season with none. Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Olde Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ... Mark McGwire swinging for the fences. ... Lance Johnson, born July 6, 1963, in Cincinnati, Ohio is a Major League Baseball player. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... Mariano Rivera is the closer for the New York Yankees. ... Bradley Thomas Lidge (born December 23, 1976 in Sacramento, California) is an American Major League Baseball closer for the Houston Astros. ... In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run which ends the game. ...

In Game 3 of the same 2005 Series, Podsednik, who was the lead-off batter in the rotation, also became the player with the most at-bats in a single Series game (8).

See also

• List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions

Major League Baseball recognizes stolen base champions in the American League and National League each season. ...

External links

• Scott Podsednik at MLB.com
• Scott Podsednik at ESPN.com
• Baseball-Reference.com - Major league career statistics
• The Baseball Cube Minor League and Major League Statistics