Clark enjoying resurgence with D-Backs
This was supposed to happen a long time ago, and it was certainly supposed to happen long before his 33rd birthday. The way Tony Clark envisioned his career playing out, he'd still be the everyday first baseman in Detroit, and his 200th career home run -- a milestone he reached Saturday -- would have been a distant memory by now.
Clark averaged 31 homers and nearly 100 RBIs a year in his first four years in the Majors with the Tigers, establishing himself as a promising first baseman.
"I had visions of grandeur because I never knew what I was capable of. Ironically enough, no matter how things have turned out, until I hang my uniform up, I will always believe I'm capable of more," Clark said. "So did I think it was going to come sooner? I don't know if I thought it was going to come sooner as much as I didn't see the road that I've taken happening. I honestly thought I was going to be in Detroit for 15 years and ride off into the sunset."
Early on, it looked as if his career would play out that way. But Clark endured an injury-riddled 2000 season, landing on the DL three times. He was named to the All-Star team in 2001, but his numbers at the end of the year belied the selection and Clark was placed on waivers after the season.
Boston snapped him up, beginning Clark's transition from an everyday player to a journeyman with a limited role. Clark's production dropped off a ledge the size of the Green Monster, and his average barely hovered above the Mendoza Line.
"When I was having to call for an opportunity just to get to a big-league camp after the '02 season, the realization came that everybody had somebody at first base and if I was going to get an opportunity, it wasn't going to be as an everyday player," Clark said. "That realization prompted me to look in the mirror and decide what it was I wanted to do. My decision was that if that was the case, I would swallow my pride and become the best player I could in whatever role or capacity it is."
Clark made stops with the Mets and Yankees the next two seasons, building a reputation as a timely hitter and a calming clubhouse presence before signing with Arizona in January.
With the Diamondbacks, Clark has enjoyed an unmatched level of success -- albeit in a limited role. Clark, who has never hit higher than .291, is batting at a .352 clip so far in 2005.
But it's when those hits have come that has made Clark's season so special. He's hitting .478 as a pinch-hitter.
Clark is batting .333 with the bases empty, but put a runner on base, and that average climbs nearly 35 points. Put some runners in scoring position, and it goes up another 35 points.
"I know how this game works, rather than getting tied up in the outcome, even when things are going well," Clark said. "I simply try to take each at-bat as it comes and hope you get a good at-bat -- Lord willing the ball will find a hole."
Tony Clark / 1B
Born: 06/15/72
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 245 lbs
Bats: S / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
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But lately the ball hasn't been finding the holes; it's been finding the seats. Clark is blasting home runs at an even better pace than during his best days with Detroit.
The switch-hitter has become so dependable that manager Bob Melvin is often hesitant to insert Clark in the starting lineup so that he can have him available at any time instead of risking Clark being trapped in the wrong part of the lineup when he is most needed.
Clark was Melvin's wild card, the weapon the manager had at his disposal at any time to turn an offensive liability into a dangerous power hitter with a flare for the dramatic. Such was the case when Melvin called Clark's number in the eighth inning on June 7 against Minnesota and Clark promptly swatted a three-run blast to tie the score.
It was Clark's league-leading third pinch-hit home run -- matching the total number of homers he hit in that dismal 2002 season. Clark has been swinging such a hot bat, though, that Melvin has decided he'd rather get him four or five at-bats a game instead of one well-timed appearance.
"One of the things about being prepared is understanding where the game's going and when you may be used, and Tony -- this isn't his first day at the ballpark -- he understands where you are in a particular game," Melvin said. "He has the foresight to understand when he's going to be used and prepares accordingly."
Don't be fooled by the numerous Major League stops and his thinning silver hair. Clark turned 33 on Thursday -- the night he hit home run No. 202 -- meaning he probably still has a few more productive years in him.
"I'm thankful the Lord's blessed me with the health to play long enough to get [to 200 home runs]," Clark said. "But more than anything else, I'm hopeful that I've still got a little left in the tank."
He may no longer be Tony the Tiger, but if this season's any indication, Clark still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Source: http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/
Clark averaged 31 homers and nearly 100 RBIs a year in his first four years in the Majors with the Tigers, establishing himself as a promising first baseman.
"I had visions of grandeur because I never knew what I was capable of. Ironically enough, no matter how things have turned out, until I hang my uniform up, I will always believe I'm capable of more," Clark said. "So did I think it was going to come sooner? I don't know if I thought it was going to come sooner as much as I didn't see the road that I've taken happening. I honestly thought I was going to be in Detroit for 15 years and ride off into the sunset."
Early on, it looked as if his career would play out that way. But Clark endured an injury-riddled 2000 season, landing on the DL three times. He was named to the All-Star team in 2001, but his numbers at the end of the year belied the selection and Clark was placed on waivers after the season.
Boston snapped him up, beginning Clark's transition from an everyday player to a journeyman with a limited role. Clark's production dropped off a ledge the size of the Green Monster, and his average barely hovered above the Mendoza Line.
"When I was having to call for an opportunity just to get to a big-league camp after the '02 season, the realization came that everybody had somebody at first base and if I was going to get an opportunity, it wasn't going to be as an everyday player," Clark said. "That realization prompted me to look in the mirror and decide what it was I wanted to do. My decision was that if that was the case, I would swallow my pride and become the best player I could in whatever role or capacity it is."
Clark made stops with the Mets and Yankees the next two seasons, building a reputation as a timely hitter and a calming clubhouse presence before signing with Arizona in January.
With the Diamondbacks, Clark has enjoyed an unmatched level of success -- albeit in a limited role. Clark, who has never hit higher than .291, is batting at a .352 clip so far in 2005.
But it's when those hits have come that has made Clark's season so special. He's hitting .478 as a pinch-hitter.
Clark is batting .333 with the bases empty, but put a runner on base, and that average climbs nearly 35 points. Put some runners in scoring position, and it goes up another 35 points.
"I know how this game works, rather than getting tied up in the outcome, even when things are going well," Clark said. "I simply try to take each at-bat as it comes and hope you get a good at-bat -- Lord willing the ball will find a hole."
Tony Clark / 1B
Born: 06/15/72
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 245 lbs
Bats: S / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
Team Site | Shop
But lately the ball hasn't been finding the holes; it's been finding the seats. Clark is blasting home runs at an even better pace than during his best days with Detroit.
The switch-hitter has become so dependable that manager Bob Melvin is often hesitant to insert Clark in the starting lineup so that he can have him available at any time instead of risking Clark being trapped in the wrong part of the lineup when he is most needed.
Clark was Melvin's wild card, the weapon the manager had at his disposal at any time to turn an offensive liability into a dangerous power hitter with a flare for the dramatic. Such was the case when Melvin called Clark's number in the eighth inning on June 7 against Minnesota and Clark promptly swatted a three-run blast to tie the score.
It was Clark's league-leading third pinch-hit home run -- matching the total number of homers he hit in that dismal 2002 season. Clark has been swinging such a hot bat, though, that Melvin has decided he'd rather get him four or five at-bats a game instead of one well-timed appearance.
"One of the things about being prepared is understanding where the game's going and when you may be used, and Tony -- this isn't his first day at the ballpark -- he understands where you are in a particular game," Melvin said. "He has the foresight to understand when he's going to be used and prepares accordingly."
Don't be fooled by the numerous Major League stops and his thinning silver hair. Clark turned 33 on Thursday -- the night he hit home run No. 202 -- meaning he probably still has a few more productive years in him.
"I'm thankful the Lord's blessed me with the health to play long enough to get [to 200 home runs]," Clark said. "But more than anything else, I'm hopeful that I've still got a little left in the tank."
He may no longer be Tony the Tiger, but if this season's any indication, Clark still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Source: http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/
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