PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 18, 2020
KEIZERTIMES.COM
TOP 20 Volcanoes
players of all time
20
Courtesy HOUSTON CHRONICLE/Julio Cortez
By MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
Matt Downs starts off
the Keizertimes list of the 20
greatest Volcanoes players of
all time. Downs spent four
years in the big leagues as an
infi elder for the San Francisco
Giants and Houston Astros.
Being born and raised
Alabama, Downs stayed in
the area to play his college
ball. He attended Shelton
State Community College
in 2003, then fi nished out
the fi nal three years of his
college career playing at the
University of Alabama.
From his freshman through
junior seasons, Downs was
mostly used as a pitcher.
In his fi rst two years with
the Crimson Tide, Downs
went 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA.
But in 2006, Downs was
used exclusively as a hitter/
infi elder, which is when his
potential began to
show.
Downs
batted
.298
his
senior
season with seven
homers and 62 RBIs
as he helped Alabama
win the Southeastern
Conference
(SEC)
title.
After his fi nal
season
with
the
Crimson Tide, Downs
was drafted in the 36th
round of the 2006
Major League Baseball
(MLB)
Amateur
Draft. He started his
professional career later
that summer in the
Arizona Rookie League
and began to show his
ability, batting .310 with
34 runs scored 52 hits,
16 double—which was
second in the league—
and 29 RBIs.
In 2007, Downs played
a crucial role in one of
the greatest seasons in
Volcanoes history.
Downs
led
the
Northwest League (NWL)
in runs scored (68) and
doubles (33), and was
second in the league in
batting average (.338) and
hits (97). He also had eight
homers, 48 RBIs and was
named the league’s co-MVP.
The Volcanoes fi nished the
season with a 57-19 record,
won the NWL championship
and were named the National
Minor League Team of the
Year.
Downs spent the fi rst part
of 2008 in Advanced-A ball
with the San Jose Giants
and continued to experience
success. In 109 games, he
batted .304 with 74 runs
scored, 133 hits, 30 doubles,
17 homers and 75 RBIs.
He fi nished the season with
the Fresno Grizzlies, San
Francisco’s Triple-A affi liate.
While he attended the
Giants
spring
training,
Downs began the regular
season in Fresno. But on June
16, 2009, Downs got the call
to the show, replacing former
Volcano Emmanuel Burriss
as the San Francisco second
baseman. The day after his
debut, Downs recorded his
fi rst two big league hits in a
4-3 loss to the Los Angeles
Angels.
Downs had his fair share of
struggles with the Giants in
2009 and was optioned back
to minors multiple times
throughout the season. He
also started 2010 in Fresno,
but was called back up in
LEFT: Matt Downs batting for the Houston Astros in 2011. BELOW. Downs fi elding a ball during the Volcanoes NWL
Championship season in 2007. LOWER LEFT: Topps released Downs’ rookie card in 2010.
#
20
Submitted photo
April to be a reserve player.
In 29 games with the Giants
in 2010, he batted .244
with six runs scored, 19 hits,
seven doubles, one home
run, and seven RBIs. But
in late August, Downs was
designated for assignment —
where he would be claimed
off waivers by the Houston
Astros.
Downs was barely used for
the remainder of the 2010
season by the Astros. But in
2011, he would have by far
the best season of his career.
Downs made the Astros
Opening Day roster and was
an unexpected bright spot
for Houston throughout
the season. Downs had four
game-winning hits for the
Astros in 2011 and batted
.349 as a pinch-hitter —
which was the fi fth best mark
in the league. He also led the
majors with three pinch-hit
homers and 15 pinch-hit
RBIs.
In 106 games that season,
Downs batted .276 with 29
runs scored, 55 hits, 18
doubles, 10 homers and 41
RBIs.
However,
Downs
couldn’t create that same
magic in the following
season. He
received
occasional starts at a
multitude of different
positions,
including
the outfi eld, but was
optioned down to Triple-A
in August of 2012 before
being recalled in September.
Downs fi nished the season
batting .202 with eight
homers and 16 RBIs.
Downs was a part of the
Miami Marlins organization
in 2013, but spent the entirety
of the season in Triple-A
before being released.
After the 2013 season,
Downs retired from playing
and returned home to
Alabama to become the head
baseball coach at Marion
Military Institute.
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