Scott Spiezio

Scott Edward Spiezio (born September 21, 1972) is an American former professional baseball infielder.

He made the All-Big 10 Team in baseball in 1992 and 1993.

In 1992, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and returned to the league in 1993 to play for the Cotuit Kettleers.

Spiezio was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 1993 player draft and signed later that year.

He made his debut with the 1996 A's and established himself as a classic utility player, making starts at first base, second base, and third base, and as a switch hitter with more power when batting left-handed.

Spiezio tied Sandy Alomar Jr..'s postseason record with 19 RBI in one postseason that was set in 1997.

Spiezio signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Angels ahead of the 2000 season.

During his years with the Angels, he made appearances in left field and right field, as well as first, second, and third base.

He is well known for his time as a member of the Anaheim Angels, when he hit a three-run home run in Game Six of the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, sparking the Angels to a dramatic come-from-behind victory.

He also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals, and is the son of former major leaguer Ed Spiezio.

In addition to Spiezio's pivotal moment helping the Angels win the World Series, 2002 was also his most productive full season, with a .807 OPS.

In 2002, he had a career year.

Playing every day, he set career highs in batting average, on-base percentage and RBI.

It was in the postseason that he had his greatest success.

Spiezio batted 18 for 55 (.327) for Anaheim in the playoffs that year.

In Game 6 of the 2002 World Series, with Anaheim trailing three games to two in the series, trailing 5–0 in the seventh inning of the game, and facing a Series loss, Spiezio hit a three-run homer off of Félix Rodríguez to pull his team to within two runs.

A lead off homer by Darin Erstad followed by a two-run double by Troy Glaus in the next inning won the game for the Angels by a 6–5 score, and the Angels would go on to win their first ever World Series championship 4–3.

Spiezio, used as a pinch hitter and all-around reserve player as well as the primary backup to Scott Rolen at third base, had his best season since 2002 for the 2006 Cardinals, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 52 runs despite only getting 276 at-bats.

He would have another dramatic moment in the playoffs.

After the 2003 season, Spiezio became a free agent and signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners.

The next two seasons were the worst of his career.

He tripped over a mound during 2004 spring training, resulting in a debilitating back injury.

At one point, there were concerns the injury could threaten his career and potentially leave him paralyzed.

He hit .215 that season and played only 29 games the next year (compiling an .064 average) before the Mariners released him on August 19, 2005.

Spiezio was a utility player on the St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Series championship team.

Spiezio attended Morris High School in Morris, Illinois, and was a letterman in baseball.

In baseball, he was named his league's MVP and was an All-State selection.

Spiezio played college baseball for the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

On February 18, 2006, Spiezio signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals with an invitation to the club's spring training.

Spiezio played well enough during the Cardinals' exhibition to secure a roster spot with the team as a reserve infielder entering the 2006 season.

This move would reunite Spiezio with his former Angels teammate, shortstop David Eckstein.

With the Cardinals trailing, 6–4, in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the 2006 National League Championship Series, Spiezio hit a two-run triple to tie the score.

The Cardinals went on to win the game and the series in seven games, then proceeded to win the 2006 World Series, earning Spiezio his second World Series ring.

On November 16, 2006, Spiezio signed a two-year contract to return to the Cardinals until the end of the 2008 season, with a club option for 2009.

The deal was worth an estimated $4.5 million.

On June 15, 2007, Spiezio took the mound as a relief pitcher in the bottom of the eighth inning of a lopsided loss against the Athletics.

His fastball was clocked as high as 87 mph. He pitched one inning, giving up one walk, no hits, no runs, and no strikeouts.

After having pitched in one game, Spiezio has played six positions in his career (seven counting designated hitter), missing catcher, shortstop, and center field.

On August 7, 2007, Spiezio received IV fluids.

He was described as being "irritable and anxious".