Pete Orr

{{about|the Major League Baseball player|the NASCAR driver|Pete Orr (racing driver)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name=Pete Orr

| image=PeteOrr.jpg

| caption=Orr with the Braves in June 2007

| position=Infielder

| number=

| bats=Left

| throws=Right

| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1979|6|8}}

| birth_place=Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate=April 5

| debutyear=2005

| debutteam=Atlanta Braves

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 26

| finalyear = 2013

| finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label=Batting average

| stat1value=.257

| stat2label=Home runs

| stat2value=3

| stat3label=Runs batted in

| stat3value=46

| teams=

Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2007}})
Washington Nationals ({{mlby|2008}}–{{mlby|2009}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2011}}–{{mlby|2013}})

|show-medals=no

|medaltemplates=

{{Medal|Country | {{bb|CAN}} }}

}}

Peterson Thomas "Pete" Orr (born June 8, 1979) is a Canadian former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies.

Amateur career

=High school=

Orr attended Newmarket High School in Newmarket, Ontario{{cite web| url = http://www.yorkregion.com/article/88629| title = York Region Breaking News - York Region's Online Newspaper {{!}} YorkRegion.com}} while playing baseball for the Ontario Blue Jays.{{cite web |url=http://www.ontariobluejays.com/alumni/ |title=ontariobluejays.com: Alumni |website=www.ontariobluejays.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220154442/http://ontariobluejays.com/alumni/ |archive-date=2009-02-20}}

=College=

Orr attended Galveston Community College in Galveston, Texas.{{cite news |title=Beijing 2008 |page=14 |work=Markham Economist and Sun |date=August 9, 2008 }} He was a 39th round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in {{Baseball year|1998}} (1187th overall), spending one year there before signing with the Atlanta Braves on July 3, {{Baseball year|1999}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/o/orrpe01.shtml |title=Pete Orr Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=April 1, 2011}}

Professional career

=Atlanta Braves=

Orr spent his first professional season with Short-Season Jamestown Jammers of the New York–Penn League in {{Baseball year|2000}}, hitting .242 with two homers, 15 RBIs and 40 runs scored in 69 games.

He hit .233 with four homers, 23 RBIs and 38 runs scored in 92 games with the Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Carolina League in {{Baseball year|2001}}.

In {{Baseball year|2002}} spent most of the season with the Double-A Greenville Braves of the Southern League, hitting .249 with two homers, 36 RBIs and 36 runs scored in 89 games. He also hit .392 with eight RBIs in 17 games with Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach.

Orr spent the {{Baseball year|2003}} season with Double-A Greenville, batting .226 with two homers and 31 RBIs in 98 games. He was named a Southern League Baseball America Double-A All-Star.

He established career highs in average, .320, hits, 147, doubles, 16, triples, 10, stolen bases, 24 and runs scored 69. His .320 batting average and 24 stolen bases led the Triple-A Richmond Braves in {{Baseball year|2004}}. He was selected to play in the International League All-Star game. He was named International League April Player of the Month, posting a .381 batting average with four doubles, one triple and five RBIs. He ranked fifth in the IL and fourth among Braves Minor Leaguers in average, tied second in the IL and led Braves Minor Leaguers in triples, tied for sixth in the IL and led Braves Minor Leaguers in hits and tied for seventh among Braves Minor Leaguers in stolen bases. Orr won the Bill Lucas Award as the player who best represents the Braves organization on and off the field by the 400 Club. He was also part of Team Canada who finished in fourth place at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Orr made his Major League debut for the Braves on April 5, {{Baseball year|2005}}. He proved to be a versatile player, playing second base, third base, and various outfield positions during the 2005 season. Orr also played for Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Orr was optioned to Triple-A Richmond on July 5, {{Baseball year|2007}}, when the Braves called up Jo-Jo Reyes from Triple-A Richmond to make his Major League debut. He was brought up again on August 27.

Orr was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves on November 20, 2007,{{cite news |title=Atlanta Braves Promote Three Pitchers But Release Pete Orr |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2007/11/20/117429/Atlanta-Braves-Promote-Three-Pitchers.aspx |access-date=November 25, 2020 |work=The Chattanoogan |date=November 20, 2007}}{{cite news |title=Braves promote three, drop Orr from 40-man |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/article/20071121/SPORTS/311219963 |access-date=November 25, 2020 |work=Augusta Chronicle |date=November 21, 2007}} and was released on November 28, 2007.

=Washington Nationals=

In December 2007, Orr signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals and on June 21, {{Baseball year|2008}}, his contract was selected by the Nationals along with right-handed pitcher Steven Shell.

On October 30, 2008, Orr rejected his assignment to AAA and became a free agent. However, he returned to the team two weeks later, signing a minor league deal, playing with the Syracuse Chiefs in the International League, with a chance to earn a spot on the team in the spring.{{cite web |author=Bill Ladson |url=http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081114&content_id=3679811&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was |title=Nationals sign Orr to Minor League deal |work=mlb.com |access-date=April 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527151152/http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081114&content_id=3679811&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was |archive-date=May 27, 2011 }}

=Philadelphia Phillies=

File:Pete Orr on September 15, 2011.jpg]]

On November 11, 2010, Orr signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. During spring training play, he led the major leagues in triples, with 5,{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?statType=1&teamPosCode=All&c_id=mlb§ion1=1&timeFrame=1&baseballScope=mlb&statSet1=1&timeSubFrame=23&&sortByStat=3B |title=Major League Baseball Stats: Sortable Statistics |work=mlb.com |access-date=April 1, 2011}} subsequently becoming a member of the team's Opening Day roster. After spending the {{baseball year|2011}} season with both the Phillies and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, their AAA affiliate, he became a free agent on October 18.

On November 3, Orr re-signed a minor league contract with the Phillies, receiving an invite to spring training. He was again included on the team's Opening Day roster at the onset of the {{baseball year|2012}} season. He elected free agency on October 8.

=Milwaukee Brewers=

Orr signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers on January 27, 2014,{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/pete-orr-signs-free-agent-contract-with-brewers-1.2512964 |title=Pete Orr signs free-agent contract with Brewers |date=January 27, 2014 |access-date=June 8, 2015 |work=CBC Sports |first=Doug |last=Harrison}} and spent the 2014 season with their Triple-A affiliate Nashville Sounds.

Orr signed another minor league contract with the Brewers on November 7, 2014.{{cite web |url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/07/pete-orr-signs-with-the-brewers/ |title=Pete Orr signs with the Brewers |first=Craig |last=Calcaterra |work=NBC Sports |date=November 7, 2014 |access-date=June 8, 2015}} He started the 2015 season with Milwaukee's new Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.{{cite news |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2015/05/12/pete-orr-plays-for-the-love-of-the-game |first=Jack |last=Etkin |newspaper=Toronto Sun |title=Pete Orr plays for the love of the game |access-date=June 8, 2015 |date=May 12, 2015}}

Orr was hired by Milwaukee Brewers in October 2016 to be pro baseball scout.