Cliff Pennington (baseball)

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Cliff Pennington

|image=Cliff Pennington on August 11, 2016.jpg

|width=240

|caption=Pennington with the Los Angeles Angels in 2016

|position=Shortstop / Second baseman

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1984|6|15}}

|birth_place=Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.

|bats=Switch

|throws=Right

|debutleague=MLB

|debutdate=August 12

|debutyear=2008

|debutteam=Oakland Athletics

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=April 25

|finalyear=2018

|finalteam=Cincinnati Reds

|statleague=MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.242

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=36

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=242

| teams =

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|2008}}–{{mlby|2012}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2013}}–{{mlby|2015}})
Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2015}})
Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|2016}}–{{mlby|2017}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|2018}})

}}

Clifton Randolph Pennington (born June 15, 1984) is an American former professional baseball infielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, and Cincinnati Reds between 2008 and 2018. In 2021 he was hired as the baseball recruiting coordinator for the Dallas Baptist Patriots.

Amateur career

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Pennington played college baseball for the Texas A&M Aggies baseball team under head coach Mark Johnson from 2003 to 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.myaggienation.com/am_news/today_in_aggie_history/june-former-a-m-infielder-cliff-pennington-is-born/article_c5da864c-1144-11e5-a455-c3fae6d4d0c7.html|title=June 15, 1984: Former A&M infielder Cliff Pennington is born|work=myaggienation.com|access-date=August 8, 2015}} In 2004, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named to the league's Hall of Fame in 2020.{{cite web|url=http://www.capecodbaseball.org/news/?article_id=2730 |title=2020 Hall of Fame Class Announced |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |date=June 13, 2020 |access-date=June 14, 2020}}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2004&T=Falmouth_Commodores |title=2004 Falmouth Commodores |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |date= |accessdate=July 20, 2021}}

Professional career

File:Cliff Pennington (7120233573).jpg]]

=Oakland Athletics=

Pennington was drafted in the first round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft by the Athletics. On August 12, {{mlby|2008}}, he was called up from the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and made his Major League debut that day against the Tampa Bay Rays going 0-for-3 in a 2–1 win for the Athletics.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK200808120.shtml|title=Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics Box Score, August 12, 2008|website=BaseballReference.com|access-date=2019-04-05}}

Pennington would end his 2008 season with a .280 batting average.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/cliff-pennington-460060|title=Cliff Pennington Stats, Highlights, Bio {{!}} MiLB.com Stats|website=Minor League Baseball|access-date=2017-01-13}}

Following the 2009 spring training camp, he was returned to the River Cats.[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/04/04/athletics.moves.ap/index.html Oakland's Young Studs Make Roster] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410021120/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/04/04/athletics.moves.ap/index.html |date=2009-04-10 }} SI.com, April 4, 2009

On July 31, 2009, Pennington was called back up by the Athletics. He hit his first major league home run on August 5, against the Texas Rangers. He finished the 2009 season with 4 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .249 batting average. He started the 2010 season in the starting role. He finished the season with 6 home runs and 46 RBI.

Pennington started slow in the 2011 season, averaging .160 in his first 10 games. On August 1, he left during a game against the Seattle Mariners, after having trouble moving his muscles in his face and moving his eyes. Later that day, Pennington was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, which paralyzes one side of the face and prevents him from controlling his muscles. Although Bell's palsy can last for days, weeks, or months, he was listed as day-to-day and only missed two games.{{cite web|url=http://bayarea.sbnation.com/oakland-athletics/2011/8/1/2310901/cliff-pennington-bells-palsy-diagnosis-oakland-athletics-injury-report|title=Oakland Athletics Injury Report: Cliff Pennington Diagnosed With Bell's Palsy|last=Kunnath|first=Avinash|publisher=SB Nation|date=August 1, 2011|access-date=January 30, 2013}}

Near the end of the 2012 season, Pennington had started playing second base after the Athletics acquired Stephen Drew from the Arizona Diamondbacks to play every day shortstop, also due to the demotion of second baseman Jemile Weeks. Pennington went to the post season for the first time in his career as the Athletics won the AL West in 2012. They were eliminated in the ALDS by the Detroit Tigers in five games.

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

On October 20, 2012, Pennington was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks with Heath Bell and cash considerations. Oakland received Chris Young and $500K from Arizona, and the Marlins received minor-league infielder Yordy Cabrera from Oakland.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121020&content_id=39953000&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|title=D-backs make deals for Bell and Pennington|last=Gilbert|first=Stev|work=MLB.com|date=October 20, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2013}} Pennington and the Diamondbacks agreed to a two-year contract worth $5 million on January 23, 2013. The contract was finalized on January 30.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=414837|title=Diamondbacks finalize $5M, 2-year deal with SS Pennington|publisher=TSN.ca|date=January 30, 2013|access-date=January 30, 2013}}

On April 13, 2013, Pennington was ejected for the first time in his MLB career for arguing a correctly ruled strike three call made by umpire Jim Reynolds."[http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/04/mlb-ejection-008-jim-reynolds-1-cliff.html MLB Ejection 008: Jim Reynolds (1; Cliff Pennington)]." Close Call Sports/Umpire Ejection Fantasy League. April 13, 2013. In an 18 inning game on 24–25 August 2013 at the Philadelphia Phillies, Pennington walked five times, one shy of the Major League record. Teammate Tony Campana also walked five times. The teams drew a combined 28 bases on balls, a National League record. The Diamondbacks' 18 walks tied the National League mark. The game lasted seven hours and six minutes, the longest in franchise history for both clubs.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=330824122|title=D-backs outlast Phillies in game lasting over 7 hours|date=August 25, 2013|work=ESPN|access-date=August 25, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_08_24_arimlb_phimlb_1&mode=wrap|title= Pennington's walk-up song is Cruise by Florida Georgia Line. Sprint helps bring D-backs' marathon to end|date=August 25, 2013|work=mlb.com|access-date=August 25, 2013}}The 2008 Complete Baseball Record Book

Pennington signed a one-year, $3.275 million deal in January 2014 and avoided arbitration.{{cite news|title=Pennington, Arizona agree at $3,275,000|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=12123839|access-date=January 6, 2015|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=January 5, 2015}}

=Toronto Blue Jays=

File:Cliff Pennington with the Blue Jays.jpg]]

On August 8, 2015, Pennington was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays along with cash considerations for minor league shortstop Dawel Lugo.{{cite web|url=http://m.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article/141936386|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811033316/http://m.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article/141936386|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 11, 2015|title=Blue Jays acquire veteran infielder Pennington|last=Chisholm|first=Gregor|work=MLB.com|date=August 8, 2015|access-date=August 8, 2015}} He batted .160 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI in 33 games played for the Blue Jays in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pennicl01.shtml|title=Cliff Pennington Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=October 5, 2015}} In game 4 of the 2015 American League Championship Series, with two out in the ninth, Pennington became the first position player in Major League Baseball history to pitch in a postseason game, giving up two hits but recording the final out in a 14–2 loss to the Kansas City Royals.{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2015/10/20/9579101/blue-jays-cliff-pennington-first-position-player-to-pitch|title=Blue Jays' Cliff Pennington becomes first position player to pitch in the postseason|first=Grant|last=Brisbee|work=SB Nation|date=October 20, 2015|access-date=October 21, 2015}}

=Los Angeles Angels=

On November 17, 2015, Pennington signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Angels/status/666754092782346241|title=Angels on Twitter|work=Twitter|date=November 17, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015}}

=Cincinnati Reds=

On February 15, 2018, Pennington signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds.{{Cite web | url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/reds-sign-cliff-pennington.html |title = Reds to Sign Cliff Pennington| date=15 February 2018 }} Pennington earned a spot on the Reds' Opening Day roster.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/reds-cliff-pennington-makes-opening-day-roster/|title=Reds' Cliff Pennington: Makes Opening Day roster|date=24 March 2018 |publisher=CBSSports.com|access-date=March 24, 2018}} On May 18, 2018, he asked for and was granted his release from the organization.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/05/reds-release-cliff-pennington.html|title=Reds Release Cliff Pennington|last=Todd|first=Jeff|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=May 18, 2018|access-date=May 18, 2018}}

=Texas Rangers=

On May 19, 2018, Pennington signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. In 61 games for the Triple–A Round Rock Express, hitting .204/.301/.282 with one home run and 13 RBI. Pennington elected free agency following the season on November 2.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2018/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2018|work=Baseball America|first=Matt|last=Eddy|date=November 6, 2018|access-date=November 12, 2018}}

=Oakland Athletics (second stint)=

On February 15, 2019, Pennington signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics that included an invite to Spring Training. Pennigton was one of 28 Athletics selected to go to Tokyo to play two regular season games against the Seattle Mariners. Pennington was released on March 30, 2019.

=New York Yankees=

On April 5, 2019, Pennington signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.{{cite news|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2019/04/yankees-sign-cliff-pennington-for-infielder-depth-what-it-means.html|title=Yankees sign Cliff Pennington for infielder depth — What it means|last=Miller|first=Randy|publisher=NJ.com|date=6 April 2019|access-date=28 April 2019}} He was released on June 4, 2019.

Coaching career

On July 17, 2019, he was hired as a student assistant coach by his alma mater, Texas A&M.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/Article/Cliff-Pennington-Texas-AM-baseball-student-assistant-133726658/|title=After 11-year MLB career, Pennington returns to A&M baseball|access-date=July 31, 2019|date=July 17, 2019|publisher=247Sports.com|last=Perroni|first=Brian}} Following the 2021 season, Pennington joined the coaching staff of the Dallas Baptist Patriots as recruiting coordinator. On June 4, 2025, Pennington was hired back by his alma mater, Texas A&M to coach infield defense as well as coach third base on offense{{Cite web |date=2025-06-04 |title=Earley adds Aggie legend Cliff Pennington to Texas A&M's coaching staff |url=https://texags.com/s/67647/earley-adds-aggie-legend-cliff-pennington-to-texas-ams-coaching-staff |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=TexAgs |language=en}}.

References

External links

{{Baseballstats |mlb=460060 |espn=29210 |br=p/pennicl01 |fangraphs=$08559 |brm=pennin001cli}}

[http://cliffpenningtonjr.com/ Pennington's official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522172717/http://cliffpenningtonjr.com/ |date=2009-05-22 }}

Category:1984 births

Category:Living people

Category:Baseball players from Corpus Christi, Texas

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:Oakland Athletics players

Category:Arizona Diamondbacks players

Category:Toronto Blue Jays players

Category:Los Angeles Angels players

Category:Cincinnati Reds players

Category:Major League Baseball second basemen

Category:Major League Baseball shortstops

Category:Texas A&M Aggies baseball players