Rainiers’ Shelton has a knack for getting people across the plate

Photo by rick walter

HE KNOWS FIRST. Rainiers Chris Shelton, first in several hitting categories, has also handled infield duties with skill and versatility this season.

Imagine a player who starts out the year with a major league club by hitting two home runs on opening day, April 3, 2006. He would hit two more on April 6 and two again on June 18. In the team’s first 13 games, he hit nine home runs. In the first four games of the season, he hit five home runs – equaling an accomplishment done only twice before, by Lou Brock (1967) and Barry Bonds (2002).

You don’t have to imagine any further than the Rainiers’ third baseman, Chris Shelton.

In 2006 Shelton played the first 115 games at first base for the Detroit Tigers. Although his home-run barrage slowed down considerably before he was sent back to Triple-A Toledo on July 31, he still managed to bat .273.

Then, Shelton says, the Tigers decided to go in a different direction. He spent all of 2007 at Toledo before the Tigers cut him completely.

He split last year between the Rangers and their Triple-A team, the Oklahoma City RedHawks. He came to the Mariners’ organization in December as a minor league free agent.

Shelton currently leads Tacoma in the following offensive categories: batting average .321, 78 hits, 21 doubles, 52 runs batted in and 128 total bases. He is third in home runs with 10.

Shelton’s professional career began in 2001, when the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in the 33rd round out of the University of Utah.

While he played just baseball in high school and college, the 29-year-old Utah native said his other sport was recreational hockey which he has enjoyed playing for over 16 years.

He’s also concentrated mainly on infield positions, including first and third base and catcher.

“I used to catch,” Shelton said, “and I could still catch a couple of innings in an emergency.”       

Beginning in 2001 at Single A Williamsport in the New York-Penn League, Shelton’s career got off to a great start. He hit .305 his first year and was chosen to play in the mid-season all-star game. The next season he moved to the High-A South Atlantic League, playing for the Hickory Crawdads in North Carolina. Once again he was named an all star, both mid-season and post-season. He also ranked third among all minor leaguers with a .587 slugging percentage and was second in the league with a .340 batting average.

Shelton split the 2003 season between Single-A Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona.

The Pirates’ organization named him their Minor League Player of the Year, after he batted a combined .336 (second best among all-minor league first basemen). His .359 average at Lynchburg set a franchise record. For the third year in a row he was chosen to play in the all-star game.

In the spring of 2004 Detroit selected Shelton in the Rule V draft and moved him straight to the Show. He got his first major-league hit, a double, on April 20. Except for a short rehab stint with Triple-A Toledo, he spent the entire season at the major league level. Shelton’s numbers dropped dramatically, but he picked things up in 2005.

After beginning that season back at Toledo, he was recalled to Detroit on May 31. Shelton earned Tiger Player of the Month honors twice in 2005. In June he batted .338 with four home runs. In July, his average rose to .350 and he got 42 hits. This was the most by a Tiger in July since Rusty Staub had the same number in 1978.

As mentioned before, Shelton’s breakout year was 2006.

About the hot start he says, “I never considered myself a big home-run hitter. I didn’t plan to hit a home run every time I came to the plate, but it sure was exciting.”

He admitted that the attention was a little overwhelming, and said he would be better prepared if something similar happens again. He added that it was frustrating when the Tigers demoted him, but he has no hard feelings.

“I learned a lot every year, and I hope I can continue to share that with other teams and players.”

He said that 2006 was definitely the highlight of his eight-plus seasons as a professional. “The Tigers gave me a chance to experience big-league life, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”    

After high school, Shelton attended Salt Lake Community College for two years, then transferred to the University of Utah, where he majored in exercise and sports science. He doesn’t have his degree yet. But once he does, he hopes this major will be a way to help him get into coaching.

“Plus it benefits me now,” he added, “and I’m continuing to gain knowledge throughout my life.”

Shelton gives credit to his wife for doing an excellent job of helping him stay healthy. The Sheltons live in Utah during the off-season, but the family, which includes a 15-month old son, is together in Tacoma for the summer.

Before he became a Rainier, Shelton had never played in Cheney Stadium, so he’s still learning the little quirks that make it unique. As to whether his bigger contribution to the team chemistry will be his offense or his defense, Shelton says, “Everybody will say my offense because that’s what they see. But I like to think I can also share my knowledge with teammates, give them my perspective.”

Spoken like someone who imagines coaching – as well as hitting and fielding – in his future.

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