SHELTON, CHRIS  
 
Image of    Nickname:   N/A Position:   1B
Home: Salt Lake City, Utah Team:   Retired
Height: 6' 0" Bats:   R
Weight: 220 Throws:   R
DOB: 6/26/1980 Agent: N/A
Birth City: Salt Lake City, Utah Draft: Pirates #33 - 2001 - Out of Univ. of Utah
Uniform #: N/A  
 
YR LEA TEAM SAL(K) G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO OBP SLG AVG
2002 SAL HICKORY   93 332 72 113 27 2 17 65 0   47 74     .340
2003 CAR LYNCHBURG   95 315 71 113 24 1 21 69 1   68 67     .359
2003 EL ALTOONA   35 122 17 34 10 1 0 14 0   8 23     .279
2004 AL TIGERS $300.00 27 46 6 9 1 0 1 3 0 0 9 14 .321 .283 .196
2004 IL TOLEDO   18 62 5 21 2 0 0 7 0   10 13     .339
2005 IL TOLEDO   48 181 34 60 19 0 8 39 0   25 33     .331
2005 AL TIGERS $316.00 107 388 61 116 22 3 18 59 0 0 34 87 .360 .510 .299
2006 AL TIGERS $365.00 115 373 50 102 16 4 16 47 1 2 34 107 .340 .466 .273
2006 IL TOLEDO   28 109 20 29 6 2 3 14 1 0 18 37   .440 .266
2007 IL TOLEDO MUD HENS   139 498 75 134 31 1 14 65 4 2 83 141   .420 .269
2008 PCL OKLAHOMA   67 256 38 87 22 2 11 51 0 0 31 54   .570 .340
2008 AL RANGERS   41 97 14 21 5 0 2 11 1 0 17 33 .333 .330 .216
2009 AL MARINERS   9 26 1 6 2 0 0 4 0 0 2 11 .286 .308 .231
2009 PCL TACOMA   105 405 71 127 30 2 15 85 0 2 58 86 .396 .509 .314
2010 PCL ROUND ROCK   82 285 26 71 11 0 10 42 0 0 29 77 .320 .393 .249

      • December 15, 2003: The Tigers chose Shelton out of the Pirates' organization in the Rule five Draft.

        Why did the Pirates leave him exposed? There were a lot of questions about Shelton's lack of defensive ability. And some Pirates execs questioned his ability to hit for power.

      • Chris is nicknamed "Red Bull." He also has been called "Red Pop" and "Big Red." But the only one of those products he actually uses, though, is Big Red chewing gum.

        And early in the 2006 season, Fox Sports Net Detroit TV analyst Rod Allen gave Shelton the nickname, "Orange Crush."

      • He has been described as  a "Mickey Tettleton-type player with more speed."

      • Before 2006 Spring Training, Shelton intensified his workout program during the offseason. For several year, Chris had gotten a jump on Spring Training by working out with the baseball team at his alma mater, the University of Utah. But not with as much vigor.

        "I'm taking a lot of ground balls on a FieldTurf," Shelton said. "I'm there at all their practices. Their practices start at 1:30 and they go until 4:30, and I go there three hours a day, five to six times a week. I try to blend in with all the guys. I do everything they do as much as possible."

        Shelton, a Salt Lake City native, began weight training in November. In December, when many college teams began their preseasons, Shelton joined in with the Utes.

        It's a symbiotic relationship: The college guys learn from a Major League player, and Shelton gets access to Eccles Field House, an indoor football building converted into a state-of-the-art baseball facility in the winter, complete with full infields and batting cages.

        "He comes in and takes ground balls with our infielders," Utes coach Bill Kinneberg said. "We don't have to coach him, we just let him participate. He interacts with the team. They gravitate to him and want to be around him. We want our alumni to come back and share their passion for baseball with our guys." (Chris Lau-Detroit Free Press-2/02/06)

      • At home in Salt Lake City, Chris enjoys anonymity and movies, family, and hockey games -- watching them, that is. He used to play in them. He was a defenseman with travel teams as a kid.

        Does he miss the sport where he runs into people? "At times, yeah," he admitted. "But I get enough time at second base breaking up double plays."

      • December 5, 2007: The Rangers sent OF Freddy Guzman to the Tigers, acquiring Shelton.

      • December, 2008: Chris signed with the Mariners organization.

      • December 8, 2009: Shelton signed with the Astros' organization.

      • February, 2011: Chris signed with the Mets organization.

      PERSONAL:
       

      • Shelton can flat-out rake. He doesn't have a hole in his swing, it seems. He has a balanced approach at the plate with a short, compact, downward cut. His swing is low-maintenance. He makes solid contact with it, hitting to all fields.

        His bat will have to carry him. Chris's ability to hit the ball for power to the opposite field is a blessing at Detroit's Comerica Park. His ability to hit for average by using the opposite field and hit for power down either line emerged well sooner than anyone expected.

        • "I just want to hit the ball hard, whether it goes to right field or left field," Shelton said. "Anywhere you put the ball in play hard here, you've got a chance. So far, the ball seems to be jumping a little farther [in right]." (Jason Beck-MLB.com-8/4/05)

      • “Chris isn’t the type of player who is going to get the scouts all excited,” Pirates farm director Brian Graham said. “He doesn’t have a great body and he isn’t the classic tools player. However, he knows how to hit. He’s just a baseball player. The more you watch him, the more you like him.”

      • In 2003, Shelton was the Carolina League MVP. Chris won the league batting title (.359) while breaking Lenny Dykstra’s 20-year-old Lynchburg record for batting average. He also led the CL with a .478 on-base percentage and a .641 slugging percentage.

      • He is very disciplined at the plate.

      • Chris swings a Zinger (brand) bat.

      • In 2005, Shelton hit .278 with 4 home runs in 97 at-bats vs. lefthanded pitchers, and .306 with 14 home runs in 291 at-bats against righthanders.

      • In April, 2006, Chris hit seven home runs in his first nine games with the Tigers -- a feat nobody had ever accomplished in the history of the American League, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

        For that matter, no AL player had homered seven times in the first 10 games. Only Mike Schmidt of the Phillies reached the 7-homer mark quicker. In 1976, he hit seven homers in seven games.

        But Shelton cooled off a lot after the hot April, with his power rate rapidly declining and his strikeout rate rising as pitchers increasingly sent him swinging at high fastballs out of the strike zone. His swing got too long.

        Chris was sent to Triple-A late in July, 2006 and worked with Mud Hens hitting coach Leon "Bull" Durham.

      • In 2006, Shelton hit .276 with 3 home runs in 98 at-bats against lefthanded pitching, and .273 with 13 home runs in 275 at-bats off righthanders.

      BATTING:
       

      • Shelton is a catcher/first baseman/third baseman/left fielder, but certainly doesn't thrive on defense at any spot, except first base. At first base, he is at least adequate.

      • Chris is not that good behind the plate but has worked so hard at it that he is now probably adequate back there. He has a decent arm and good throwing mechanics. (In 2003, he threw out 16 percent of Carolina League base-stealers). But he has since improved at receiving the ball, blocking the plate and calling a game.

      • Overall, Shelton has become an adequate first baseman and nearly adequate catcher. He never gave up on being a decent defensive player, working hard at it every day.

        Chris continues to progress defensively because he works hard at improving. He will never be the fleetest afoot so he lacks some range, but that is okay if he catches the balls he gets to.
      FIELDING:
       
      • Chris is slow on the bases and in the field.
      RUNNING:
       

      • May 31-July 9, 2004: Shelton was on the D.L. with plantar fascia problems in his right foot.

      • Mid-June, 2010: Chris was on the D.L. for 5 or 6 weeks.
      CAREER INJURY REPORT:
       
       
      Last Updated 5/9/2019 8:29:00 PM. All contents © 2000 by Player Profiles. All rights reserved.