BRAD FULLMER: PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER.Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer Every big-league baseball player remembers his first at-bat. For some, the memory is just a little more special than others. Brad Fullmer Bradley Ryan Fullmer is a major league baseball player who bats left handed and throws right handed. He was born January 17, 1975 in Chatsworth, California. Fullmer last played at the Major League level during the 2004 season with the Texas Rangers. is a case in point. The former Montclair Prep High star realized every kid's dream when he smashed a home run off Bret Saberhagen That homer did more than provide Fullmer with a lifelong memory. It also proved to the rest of the Expos that the newcomer was ready to contribute. With one swing, a shaky-legged rookie rookie a novice; often an athlete playing his first season as a member of a professional sports team. [Sports: Misc.] See : Inexperience became one of the guys. That is one of the reasons Fullmer is a face to watch in 1998. ``(The home run) helped me relax, and I was able to fit in with the team a little easier,'' he said. ``It was good to be accepted by the rest of the guys.'' Fullmer hopes to build on that experience next year as the Expos' everyday first baseman. The job is his to lose after a productive month in Montreal to end last season and the departure of David Segui David Vincent Segui (born July 19 1966 in Kansas City, Kansas) was primarily a first baseman with the Baltimore Orioles (1990-93 and 2001-04), New York Mets (1994-95), Montreal Expos (1995-97), Seattle Mariners (1998-99), Toronto Blue Jays (1999), Texas Rangers (2000) and Cleveland , who started at first base last year. ``I still have to make the team out of spring training, but my goal is to play first,'' Fullmer said. ``I expect a lot out of myself, and if I work hard, all the other stuff will take care of itself.'' Playing in the Montreal organization has its advantages. Unlike more financially stable teams that sign big-name free agents and hang on to their own home-grown stars with lucrative contracts, the cash-strapped Expos always are trading away expensive players in favor of youngsters from their minor-league system. In the whole scheme of things, that doesn't bode bode 1 v. bod·ed, bod·ing, bodes v.tr. 1. To be an omen of: heavy seas that boded trouble for small craft. 2. well if winning the World Series is the goal. But for a young player like Fullmer, the chance to get to the big leagues faster than somebody from the Yankees or Braves is quite a benefit. Fullmer helped his chances for rapid progression with four solid years in the minor leagues. When the Expos called him up in September, he wanted to make an impact. He did so by hitting .300 with three home runs and eight RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in in just 40 at-bats. Vitals vi·tals pl.n. 1. The vital body organs. 2. The parts that are essential to continued functioning, as of a system. NAME: Brad Fullmer. AGE: 23. PROFESSION: Professional baseball player. HOME: Chatsworth; graduated from Montclair Prep in 1993. GOAL FOR 1998: To be the everyday first baseman for the Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (French: Les Expos de Montréal) were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until 2004. After the 2004 season, the franchise relocated to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals. . CAPTION(S): Photo, box Photo: (color) no caption (Brad Fullmer) Box: VITALS (See Text) 8brad fullmer; biography; series; sports; baseball; expos; athlete |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion