Shane Spencer

Michael Shane Spencer (born February 20, 1972) is an American former professional baseball outfielder.

He played a total of 538 games in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets, compiling 438 hits, 59 home runs, and 242 runs batted in.

He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hanshin Tigers.

Spencer attended Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California.

The New York Yankees selected him in the 28th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball draft.

He was a replacement player during spring training in, crossing the picket line during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike.

The Yankees promoted Spencer to the major leagues in at the age of 26.

He first played briefly in April, then hit 10 home runs in 67 major league at bats in September, including three grand slams in a ten day span.

He was on the front cover of the October 1998 edition of Sports Illustrated.

In the postseason, Spencer hit a solo home run in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium and a three-run shot on the road during the 1998 American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers.

The Yankees went on to win the World Series.

Spencer was squeezed out of a regular role on the 1999 team when the Yankees decided to platoon Ricky Ledée and Chad Curtis in left field.

He was soon demoted to Triple-A in order to get regular playing time.

In May, Spencer voiced his frustration with the organization.

He was up and down with the team throughout the season, even going on the disabled list with an irregular heartbeat.

Spencer was ultimately left off the World Series roster.

He publicly discussed his frustration with his role on the team with the media.

In 2000, he eventually won back playing time to become the team's starting left fielder.

However, Spencer tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in July, ending his season.

The Yankees acquired Glenallen Hill from the Cubs just a few days later.

After rehabbing his knee in the minors to start the 2001 season, Spencer returned to the big leagues in June and homered on his first game back.

Spencer homered in the team's first game at Yankee Stadium following the attack on the World Trade Center.

Spencer managed to win more playing time in the World Series, edging out Chuck Knoblauch for at-bats.

Following Paul O'Neill's retirement, Spencer was the Yankees starting right fielder to begin the 2002 season.

However, by June, he had lost his starting job to rookie Juan Rivera.

Spencer instead filled in at the corner outfield spots as needed.

After reaching free agency for the first time, he signed with Cleveland for the season.

In July, Cleveland traded Spencer to the Texas Rangers for outfielder Ryan Ludwick.

In 2004, Spencer signed with the New York Mets.

In March, during spring training, Spencer and teammate Karim García were involved in an altercation with a pizza deliveryman outside a bar near.

No charges were filed, but both players were fined.

Spencer went on the disabled list in July, after he cut his foot stepping on broken glass in a bar.

While rehabbing the injury in Port St. Lucie, Spencer was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence.

He was suspended by the team then released from the organization.

The Yankees signed him to a minor league deal.

In 2005, Spencer signed with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League, appearing in 108 games and hitting 9 homers.

In 2006, he continued to play for the Tigers, but was cut.

After his playing career ended, Spencer's career turned to coaching.

This was a record for major league rookies, until it was broken by Alexei Ramírez in 2008.

Additionally, Spencer was nicknamed Roy Hobbs in reference to the protagonist in The Natural, because he hit many home runs and was older than most rookies when brought up to the majors.