Kenny Rogers

Kenneth Scott Rogers (born November 10, 1964) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, with a 20-year career (1989 to 2008) for six different teams.

Rogers graduated from Plant City High School in Florida in 1982, where he played baseball only during his senior season, hitting .375 as a right fielder (he played shortstop in his senior league).

He was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 39th round of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft, and signed for $1,000.

He was converted into a pitcher on the strength of his throwing arm and left-handedness.

Rogers spent 7 years in the minor leagues before making it to the Rangers in 1989 as a reliever.

During Rogers' career, he played for the: Texas Rangers (1989–95, 2000–02, 2004–05), New York Yankees (1996–97), Oakland Athletics (1998–99), New York Mets (1999), Minnesota Twins (2003), and Detroit Tigers (2006–08).

He became a starting pitcher for the club in 1993.

He won the 1996 World Series with the New York Yankees over the Atlanta Braves, and played in the 2006 World Series with the Detroit Tigers.

On November 18, 1997, Rogers was acquired by the Oakland Athletics from the Yankees for third baseman Scott Brosius in Billy Beane's first trade as general manager.

Rogers led the Oakland pitching staff in his first season in innings (238.7) and wins (16).

The next season, he started 19 games, winning only 5 with a 4.30 ERA.

He was traded at the deadline to the New York Mets for Terrence Long and a minor league player.

Rogers was traded by the Athletics on July 23, 1999, in exchange for Leo Vazquez and Terrence Long.

During his short tenure with the team, Rogers started 12 games during the regular season, winning 5 and losing 1, compiling a 4.03 earned run average.

He is best remembered in a Mets uniform for walking in the series winning run against the Atlanta Braves in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS, giving the Braves the win on a walk-off walk.

Rogers became a free agent following the 1999 season.

After the 1999 season, Rogers signed with the Texas Rangers.

Rogers Signed with the Minnesota Twins in March of 2003, filing the rotation slot vacated by an injured Eric Milton.

Rogers went 13-8 with a 4.57 ERA during the regular season, and made one appearance out of the bullpen in the ALDS against the New York Yankees.

Rogers rejoined the Rangers as a free agent in 2004.

On June 29, 2005, after walking out onto Ameriquest Field for a pre-game warmup against the LA Angels, Rogers shoved two cameramen, knocking one camera to the ground.

One of the reporters resumed filming after picking up said camera, which angered Rogers into shoving him again, after grabbing and throwing the camera to the ground, kicking it.

He was then led away by a teammate and later sent home by the club.

Larry Rodriguez (the assaulted cameraman) of Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex' Fox Network affiliate KDFW was taken to a local hospital, complaining of shoulder, arm and leg pain.

While in the hospital, Rodriguez made an official complaint of assault against Rogers.

Two days after the incident, Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rogers for 20 games and fined him $50,000.

While an appeal of his suspension was pending, Rogers appeared at the All-Star Game in Detroit.

The suspension was subsequently upheld by Selig.

The commissioner was later overruled by independent arbiter Shyam Das, allowing Rogers to return to play after sitting out 13 games.

On July 18, 2005, Rogers was charged with a Class A misdemeanor assault charge with regard to Rodriguez and a Class C misdemeanor assault charge with regard to the second, FSN Southwest, cameraman David Mammeli.

Rogers was cited and released on $1,500 bond.

The Class A charge was later reduced to Class C following Rogers' completion of an anger management course.

With the Detroit Tigers in 2006, he won 17 regular season games, and excelled in the post-season with 23 straight scoreless innings over his 3 starts.

In 2008, he was the oldest baseball player in the American League.

Rogers is nicknamed "the Gambler" after a song made famous by the late singer who shares his name.

Rogers was born in Savannah, Georgia, and grew up on a 15 acre farm in Dover, Florida.

Rogers and his wife, Rebecca Lewis, reside in Westlake, Texas, with their two children.

He enjoys golf, fishing and building houses for Habitat for Humanity.

Rogers is one of only three pitchers in Rangers history through 2009 to win at least 17 games in 31 starts or fewer (set back in 1995), along with Scott Feldman (also in 2009) and Ferguson Jenkins (18 wins in 30 starts in 1978).

In addition to being known for his fielding (winning five Gold Glove Awards), he pitched the 14th perfect game in MLB history.