Troy Glaus
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Birth Name: Troy Edward Glaus College: UCLA
You can contact some of Glaus’ community involvements below. Olive Crest Home for Abused Children
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Most people would remember the end of the 2002 season. Glaus had just completed another season and was at the top of his game. The widow of former owner Gene Autry draping her arm across his shoulders and Glaus’ subsequent raising of the World Series trophy above his head forever etched in the annals of Angel lore. Troy decided against signing a deal with the San Diego Padres after finishing high school. Instead “the slugger” as Jon Miller calls him decided to go to UCLA. The second round pick was the highest draft pick not to sign. He had lettered in baseball all four years during high school and earned Mizuno, USA Today and Collegiate Baseball All-America first-team honors his senior season. He received All-League and All-CIF honors junior and senior seasons. When it was all said and done he had set a school record with 20 home runs and a .732 on-base percentage. He played in the 1992 Junior Olympics which picked up a bronze medal for their efforts. His junior year in 1997 was one of pure dominance. Glaus base safely in all 67 games played and his .409 (108/264) with 100 runs scored, 15 doubles, one triple, 34 home runs, 91 RBI and 10 stolen bases. His 30 home runs and 10 steals made him only the third college player to achieve that plateau. His 34 home runs set a Pac-10 record. It wasn’t all about hitting home runs though; his 227 total bases were also a conference record. Following the season he earned All-Pac 10 honors for the second year in a row and was named Pac-10 Player of the Year. Glaus was one of the main forces leading the team to the College World Series and he hit two homeruns and drove in three in two games as the Bruins came up short. He was later named first team All-America by Baseball America. In total his numbers at UCLA cannot be ignored he posted a .344 (240/697) average with 211 runs scored, 39 doubles, two triples, 62 home runs, 180 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 179 games from 1995 thru 1997. Troy was also the starting third baseman for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team which captured bronze medal in Atlanta, GA. The team wasn’t expected to medal but Glaus batted a stunning .342 (41/120) with 15 home runs and 34 RBI for the team that summer. He hit four home runs at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium during Olympic Games alone. An Angel in Anaheim (1998-2004) On June 13, 1997 Glaus again was drafted in the amateur draft. The Anaheim Angels picked up the local boy with the 3rd pick of the draft. Scout Darrell Miller signed him. Troy wasted virtually no time in making an impact. He split time across the minors and majors in 1998. Troy was promoted to Triple-A on May 27th. After putting up more numbers there he was called up to the majors on July 30th. He made his major league debut the next day starting at third and going 1-4 with an RBI double in his second at-bat off of Red Sox starter Bret Saberhagen. His first homerun was a two run shot off of Chris Carpenter in Toronto on August 16th. His .941 fielding percentage didn’t do his defense justice as Glaus got to far more balls then most third basemen. In 1999 he began his first full season with the Angels. Glaus was the team’s opening night starter against the Indians. At 22 years old he compiled a .240 average with 85 runs scored, 29 doubles, 29 home runs, 79 RBI, 71 walks and five stolen bases in 154 games. He was named A.L. Player of the Week (May 31 - June 6) after hitting .550 with six runs scored two doubles, three homers, six RBI and 22 total bases. He had his first two multiple-HR games of career, July 9 at Colorado and August 31 at Cleveland. Glaus participated in Rod Carew’s “Friends of Kiley” benefit which raised $30,000 for Anaheim policeman’s sick children. After the season he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees. In 2000 he was selected to his first All-Star game. He was awarded with the Silver Slugger Award at the end of the season after he set a career high while leading the American League with 47 homeruns. His 46 homeruns while at third base set a major league record at the position. He became only the fourth third baseman in 50 years to lead the AL in that category. Along with Garret Anderson, Mo Vaughn and Tim Salmon, became first quartet of teammates in A.L. history (seventh in ML history) to each collect 30-or-more home runs in a season. He was the first Angel in club history to post 100 runs scored, 100 RBI and 100 walks in season. On April 21st Mo Vaughn and Tim Salmon went back to back against the Devil Rays twice (4th and 9th inning), Troy also tagged a home run each time making it the first time 3 players had hit homeruns in multiple innings in the same game. Three players with two homeruns also ties another major league record. On May 9th he played his first major league game at short stop. From July 13-15 he hit homeruns in career-high three consecutive games. His first career grand slam came off of Denny Neagle of the Yankees August 12th. On September 28th he hit his 40th homer (Matt Ginter; Chicago) of the year to set an Anaheim club record. He would homer the next two games as well. He was part of the 2000 MLB All-Stars that toured Japan in the winter. Following the season he agreed on a new four year deal that would last thru 2004. “It’s something I’ll never forget. They told me, like in the second or third inning, what was gonna happen, they said, ‘Just wait until your name is called, go out there, shake his hand.’ And then they were gonna have the ceremony for him.It’ll take a while for it to sink in, and it’s something I’ll never forget. It was a wonderful experience all around.” Troy’s name began to reach the tongue of fans across the country. In 2001 he set career highs in at-bats, games, doubles, triples, RBI and sacrifice flies. Reached 40 HR plateau for second consecutive season, becoming just fifth third baseman in ML history and second in AL to accomplish the feat. Troy will also be remembered as the man who replaced Cal Ripken. In the 2001 All Star Game Troy came on in the 6th inning to play third base. Glaus was visibly shocked as he had grown up playing short stop idolizing Cal. Before the season began he had edged out Luis Gonzalez to win the Big League Home Run Challenge in Las Vegas. At the end of the year he was honored with The Sporting News post-season All-Star team selection and Silver Slugger Award. He was named AL Player of the Week, for Sept. 24-30. He again reached 100 runs, 100 RBI and 100 walks for the second year in a row. Against the Dodgers he his first career walk-off home run on June 17th. On July 21st in Baltimore he hit the 100th homerun of his career. He had four multiple homerun games in total.(April 5 at Texas, May 9 at Chicago, July 21 at Baltimore & Sept. 29 vs. Texas) On September 29th against the Rangers he hit two home runs, a double and a single to post a career high six RBI. The following day he had his career-best 10 game hit streak snapped. He served as guest host at 10th Annual City of Orange Police Association Golf Tournament which benefits multi-agency Bone Marrow Drive. The 2002 season was magical for both Troy and the Angels. In game 162 of the season Troy hit his second grand slam which helped him set a career high of 111 RBI. Glaus tied for the AL lead with 18 game winning RBI. He tired a major league record when he homered in four consecutive at-bats from September 15-16. On September 15th he again assaulted Texas for 6 RBI as he collected three home runs. Underwent off-season surgery, Nov. 8, to have the Morton’s Neuroma (nerve) removed from his right foot between his third and fourth toe. With two homeruns off of Game 1 starter Roger Clemens, Troy became the seventh player in MLB history to hit multiple home runs in their first post season appearance and the Angels found themselves upsetting the New York Yankees. A solo shot in the 8th inning off of JC Romero in Game 3 of the ALCS helped the Angels win the game, in all his three go-ahead HR in the 8th or later set a major league post season record. The Angels had beaten the Twins and were geared up for a World Series showdown. They were met by the San Francisco Giants and all eyes were focused on the math up of Glaus and Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Bonds went on to set a major league record eight home runs in the playoffs and Glaus followed him closely with seven. Glaus hit two home runs in Game 1 of the Series becoming the first player to hit a pair of homers in his first world series game. The Giants lead the series 3 games to 2 going into game six. It appeared that Barry Bonds would get his long awaited ring. Ironically in Game 6 Troy would hit a double that would bounce off Barry’s glove; the misplay cost the Giants two runs and forced a Game 7. The magic that was felt in the stadium that night was indescribable; it would only be explained by a dancing monkey or a singing cowboy. The Angels would win Game 7 and the team pilled on to the field in celebration. Jackie Autry met Troy on the field and graciously draped her arm across his back in thanks. Glaus would then hoist the World Series trophy above his head to the thunderous cheers of the Anaheim faithful. Troy was named the series MVP after he hit .385 (10/26) with seven runs, three doubles, three home runs and eight RBI in the seven games, needless to say the Angels said they were going to Disney World. He was just the sixth third bagger to be named WS MVP. Days later during their parade he rode along side Minnie Mouse.
In 2003 Glaus was voted as the starting American League third baseman in the All Star Game, the first Angel voted into starting lineup since Wally Joyner in 1986. Manager Mike Scioscia showing a bit of favoritism to players on his team allowed Troy to get three at bats, he finished 0-3 with 2 strike outs. Along with Mevlin Mora he was named AL Pepsi Co-Player of the Week for May 19-25. On July 23rd he was place don the DL after injuring his right shoulder. In total he was limited to only 91 games played and post career lows in most offensive stats. He acted as chairman of the 2003 Great Strides Walk that benefits Cystic Fibrosis. Troy had Lasik eye surgery during the off-season and was ready to show he could bounce back from his injury prone 2003 season. A shoulder injury that occurred May 11th in New York would again cut his season short. He had been leading the AL in home runs and RBIs at the time. Ten days later he underwent shoulder surgery on his right shoulder to repair a fraying of the labrum and rotator cuff. He would be activated from the 60 day DL on August 29th. He responded with 7 homers, 14 RBIs as a DH. His averages of a homerun per 11.5 at-bats lead the American League. On December 9th he signed a 4 year deal worth 45 million to play for the Arizona Diamondbacks. “Bad bed, that simple,’’ - Glaus commenting on sitting out July 25 due to a lumpy mattress. One year in Arizona (2005) In his first and only season as a Diamondback Glaus slugged a team-best 37 home runs. Only Alex Rodriguez had more home runs as a third basemen. Glaus swiped his 50th career stolen base on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs. Troy was ejected for the first time in his career on May 28 vs. Los Angeles following an argument with home plate Terry Craft over balls and strikes .He would homer in 4 straight games from April 6-10, matching the Diamondback record. He would do that again from September 9-13. Troy hit a 10th-inning walkoff homer off Mike MacDougal in the 12-11 win over the Royals on June 10. On July 4th his 200th career home runs came off of Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson. On July 15th against the Padres he hit his first career pinch-hit homer. Glaus drove in his 600th career RBI with a double on September 2 vs. San Francisco and had his 18th career multi-homer game on September 11 in Colorado, connecting for a pair of solo homers. His 37th homer on September 21 vs. the Dodgers, accounted for his 600th career run scored in his career. Throughout the season received three cortisone shots to help alleviate the pain behind his left knee. Readjusting to playing regularly at third Glaus posted a .946 fielding percentage, ranking ninth among National League third basemen. Playing up North as a Jay (2006-Present) Recorded his 1,000th career hit on August 25, 2006; a single against the Kansas City Royals. Glaus was having another productive season in 2007 before being sidelined with a foot injury. In September it was reported that he received steroids nandrolone and testosterone from 2003 to 2004. |
