Kelly Stinnett is a former professional baseball player who played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on February 14, 1970, in Lawton, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana, where he played college baseball.
Stinnett began his professional career in 1989 when he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the eleventh round of the MLB draft. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Indians in 1994. Stinnett played for the Indians for two seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1996.
Stinnett played for the Pirates for two seasons before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998. He played for the Diamondbacks for four seasons and was a member of the team that won the National League Championship in 2001. Stinnett played in the World Series that year, but the Diamondbacks lost to the New York Yankees.
After leaving the Diamondbacks, Stinnett played for several other teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers, the Kansas City Royals, the New York Mets, and the St. Louis Cardinals. He also played for the Yokohama BayStars in Japan in 2005.
Stinnett was known for his defensive skills as a catcher, and he was a reliable backup catcher throughout his career. He was also known for his ability to handle pitchers and call a good game. Stinnett was not a prolific hitter, but he did hit 47 home runs and had a career batting average of .234.
Stinnett retired from baseball in 2007 after playing for the Cardinals. He finished his career with a .234 batting average, 47 home runs, and 196 runs batted in (RBIs) in 802 games played. After retiring, Stinnett became a coach and instructor, working with young players to help them develop their skills.
In conclusion, Kelly Stinnett was a reliable backup catcher who played for several teams during his MLB career. He was known for his defensive skills and ability to handle pitchers, and he played in the World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. Stinnett retired in 2007 and became a coach and instructor after his playing career ended.
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