Ian Kinsler

MLB (retired)
2B

Career highlights (through 2018)

Drafted twice by the Arizona Diamondbacks but did not sign (2001, 2002)
Selected by the Texas Rangers in the 17th round of 2003 draft (496th overall)
Went 1-for-2 with a single and a walk in his MLB debut (4/3/2006)
Four-time A.L. All-Star (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Two-time Gold Glove winner (2016, 2018)
One of only 12 players in baseball history to have two or more seasons in the 30/30 club — that is, hit at least 30 HRs and steal at least 30 bases (2009, 2011)
Went 6-for-6, hit for the cycle, doubled twice, drove in 4 runs, stole a base, and scored 5 runs in a 19-6 Texas Rangers win over the Baltimore Orioles (4/15/2009)
Twice stole 3 bases in a game (8/3/2006, 7/1/2008)
Has 13 multi-HR games
Has 19 games with four or more hits
Has first-inning, leadoff HRs in 47 games
Leads all Jewish players with 241 career stolen bases
Has five of the all-time top 20 stolen-base seasons among Jewish players

2016 highlights

Hit 200th home run
Won the A.L. Gold Glove award for second basemen
Became third active player (and one of only 40 in MLB history) to accumulate 200 home runs, 1,000 runs scored, 1,600 hits and 200 stolen bases

MLB career bests, by statistic

2014 highlights

Hit 3 doubles in a 7-2 Detroit Tigers win over his former Texas Rangers teammates (5/23/2014)
Went 4-for-5 in a 6-2 Tigers win over the Red Sox (5/18/2014)
Was the lone Jew to play in the All-Star Game
Homered in his first at-bat back at Rangers Ballpark since being traded to Detroit (6/24/2014)
Played in all but one of Detroit’s games and led the A.L. in at-bats (684) and plate appearances (726)
Ranked 5th in the A.L. with 100 runs scored
Ranked 4th in the A.L. with 40 doubles (tie)
Ranked 2nd among A.L. second basemen with 13 total zone runs, the number of runs above or below average a player is worth defensively
Was the 9th-hardest A.L. batter to strike out, with one whiff every 8.7 at-bats
Sporting goods manufacturer Wilson named Kinsler its defensive player of the year for second basemen, saying he led all peers with 20 defensive runs saved and ranked 2nd in Ultimate Zone Rating

2013 highlights

Nominated by the Texas Rangers for the 2013 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes community service
In the 4th inning of an 8-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Kinsler singled, stole second base, and then scored from second on an infield single (9/19/2013)
Went 4 for 5 in Texas’ 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners (8/27/2013)
Had first inside-the-park HR of his career, off Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale (8/23/2013)
Set an all-time record for Jewish players with his 163rd stolen base (7/22/2013)
Recorded his 500th career RBI
Recorded his 1,000th career hit
Played in his 1,000th career game

2012 highlights

2011 highlights

Rejoined the exclusive 30/30 club, with 32 HRs and 30 stolen bases
His 30 stolen bases was the 4th highest all-time among Jewish baseball players
Finished 11th in voting for the A.L. MVP award
Ranked second among World Series players in batting average (.360) and on-base percentage (.500)
2nd in runs scored, A.L. (121)
3rd in power-speed number (3rd)
5th in home runs, A.L. (32)
5th in walks, A.L. (89)
8th best in at-bats per strikeout, A.L. (8.7)
9th in stolen bases, A.L. (30)

2010 highlights

Played in career-low 103 games due to mid-season injury
Went 0/1 with a walk and flyout in All-Star game
10th in runs scored, A.L. (101)

2009 highlights

7^th in steals, AL (31)
Tied for 10^th in bunt hits, AL (5)
Tied for 12^th in extra-base hits, AL (67)
Had 5 two-home run games
Went 6-for-6 and hit for the cycle (single, double, triple and homer) on April 15
Went 1-for-5 in All-Star Game
Had career highs in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases
Became second player in Texas Rangers history with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in same season

On being Jewish

“Add Ian Kinsler to the names of Jewish major leaguers. A reader gave me a lead on the Texas rookie second baseman. My friend Shel Wallman, editor of Jewish Sports Review newsletter, ran with the lead and contacted Ian’s Jewish uncle. He told Shel that Ian, his brother’s son, had no problem being listed as a Jewish athlete in the Review even though Ian’s mother isn’t Jewish and Ian wasn’t raised in a faith..” (JWeekly.com, San Francisco; May 19, 2006)
Kinsler’s Jewish heritage is “‘something I’m very, very proud of.’ The son of a Catholic mother and Bronx-born Jewish father, young Ian was brought up in Tucson, Ariz., relatively non-religious, but celebrated all of the Jewish and Christian holidays. ‘We’d have Chrismas, and I’d be excited. Then we’d have Chanukah and I’d be excited, too…Then every year for Passover we’d have a seder, which I always looked forward to. I’m not a devoutly spiritual person, but I’m very into the cultural identity that comes with being Jewish. If there are Jewish kids out there who look up to me or see me as a role model of what’s possible, I embrace that proudly.'” (Sportsillustrated.cnn.com; June 12, 2009)

For more information

Career Batting

Jewish Baseball News