Willie Bloomquist

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name=Willie Bloomquist

| image=bloomquistwin.jpg

| caption=Bloomquist with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011

| position=Utility player

| bats=Right

| throws=Right

| birth_date={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1977|11|27}}

| birth_place=Bremerton, Washington, U.S.

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate=September 1

| debutyear=2002

| debutteam=Seattle Mariners

| finalleague=MLB

| finaldate=June 28

| finalyear=2015

| finalteam=Seattle Mariners

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label=Batting average

| stat1value= .269

| stat2label=Home runs

| stat2value= 18

| stat3label=Runs batted in

| stat3value= 225

| teams=

Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2002}}–{{mlby|2008}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2009}}–{{mlby|2010}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|2010}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2011}}–{{mlby|2013}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2014}}–{{mlby|2015}})

| module =

{{Infobox college coach

|embed=yes

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| current_title = Head coach

| current_team = Arizona State

| current_conference = Big 12

| current_record = 126–105

| contract = $380,000

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = Arizona State

| coach_years1 = 2022–present

| coach_team1 = Arizona State

| overall_record = 126–105

| tournament_record = NCAA: 1-2

| championships =

| awards =

Pac-10 Player of the Year (1999)
Baseball America All-American (1999)
ASU On Deck Circle Most Valuable Player (1999)

Dean Short Award

| coaching_records =

| CBASEHOF_year =

}}

William Paul "Willie" Bloomquist ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|l|uː|m|k|w|ɪ|s|t}}; born November 27, 1977) is an American baseball coach and former utility player, who is the current head baseball coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils. He played college baseball at Arizona State for coach Pat Murphy from 1997 to 1999 and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons from 2002 to 2015. In 2021, he returned to his alma mater, Arizona State.

The Seattle Mariners selected Bloomquist in the third round of the 1999 MLB draft. He played 14 years primarily an outfielder and shortstop, with Seattle from 2002 to 2008, the Kansas City Royals from 2009 to 2010, the Cincinnati Reds in 2010, the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2011 to 2013 before returning to Seattle from 2014 to 2015.

Early baseball career

=High school=

Bloomquist was All-State and all-league MVP in baseball at South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard, Washington and was an eighth round pick in 1996 MLB draft. He was a high school teammate with former MLB player Jason Ellison. He also played quarterback for South Kitsap. In his junior season, the team won the state AAA football championship {{cite news |last1=Graham |first1=Jeff |title=Football 2014: South Kitsap's 1994 team surprisingly reached new heights |url=http://archive.kitsapsun.com/sports/football-2014-south-kitsaps-1994-team-surprisingly-reached-new-heights-ep-593816926-355324581.html/ |access-date=May 15, 2020 |work=Kitsap Sun |date=September 2, 2015}}

=College=

He chose to accept a scholarship to Arizona State University. In 1998, Bloomquist tied a College World Series single-game record with five hits in a game with Long Beach State. He was honored as Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1999 and was named first-team All-American by Baseball America. He finished his college career with a .394 (256/649) average over three seasons and was named ASU On Deck Circle Most Valuable Player.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/willie-bloomquist-217100|title=Willie Bloomquist|website=MLB.com}}

Professional career

=Seattle Mariners=

File:Willie Bloomquist.jpg in {{mlby|2008}}]]

Bloomquist was drafted out of South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard, Washington by the Seattle Mariners in the eighth round (237th overall) of the 1996 MLB draft, but was not signed.

He was drafted again by the Mariners out of Arizona State University in the third round (95th overall) of the 1999 MLB draft and signed.

The Mariners signed Bloomquist to a contract extension through the {{mlby|2008}} season worth $1,875,000, in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2675363 |title=ESPN – Mariners sign Bloomquist to two-year, $1.875M deal |publisher=ESPN |date=November 27, 2006 |access-date=October 6, 2011}} On June 15, {{mlby|2007}}, he hit an inside-the-park home run in Minute Maid Park. On June 26, 2007, Bloomquist hit a lead-off home run in the second inning—on what was his 1,000th career at-bat.

=Kansas City Royals=

On January 9, 2009, Bloomquist signed a two-year deal with the Kansas City Royals.{{cite web|url=https://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090109&content_id=3738487&vkey=pr_kc&fext=.jsp&c_id=kc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314145004/http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090109&content_id=3738487&vkey=pr_kc&fext=.jsp&c_id=kc |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |title=Royals sign Willie Bloomquist to two-year deal |publisher=Kansascity.royals.mlb.com |access-date=October 6, 2011}} He played in 197 games with the Royals over parts of 2 seasons, hitting .265.

=Cincinnati Reds=

On September 13, 2010, Bloomquist was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later, or cash.{{cite web|url=http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/09/reds_acquire_bloomquist_from_k.html |title=Reds acquire Bloomquist from KC |publisher=Marksheldon.mlblogs.com |date=September 13, 2010 |access-date=October 6, 2011}} In 11 games with the Reds, he hit .333.

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

On January 18, 2011, Bloomquist signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.{{cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Steve |url=http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110118&content_id=16454148&vkey=news_ari&c_id=ari |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128203641/http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110118&content_id=16454148&vkey=news_ari&c_id=ari |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 28, 2011 |title=Heilman returns to D-Backs with eye on rotation |work=MLB.com |date=January 18, 2011 |access-date=January 19, 2011}} He hit .266 in 97 games with the Diamondbacks in 2011 and re-signed with the team after the season.

=Second stint with Mariners=

On December 5, 2013, Bloomquist signed a two-year deal to return to the Seattle Mariners.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/10083830/seattle-mariners-sign-willie-bloomquist-2-year-deal|title=Willie Bloomquist rejoins Mariners|publisher=ESPN|date=December 5, 2013|access-date=December 5, 2013}} On July 2, 2015, Bloomquist was designated for assignment, and shortstop Chris Taylor called up from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to take his roster spot.

On March 11, 2016, Bloomquist announced his retirement on Twitter.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/williebloom/status/708394578777255936|title=Willie Bloomquist on Twitter|work=Twitter|date=March 11, 2016|access-date=March 11, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/williebloom/status/708394578777255936|title=Make Your Last Swing Your Best Swing|work=Twitter|date=March 11, 2016|access-date=March 13, 2016}}

Coaching career

On June 11, 2021, Bloomquist was named the new head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils baseball team.{{Cite web|title=Willie Bloomquist Named Head Coach for Sun Devil Baseball|url=https://thesundevils.com/news/2021/6/11/willie-bloomquist-named-head-coach-for-sun-devil-baseball.aspx|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Arizona State University Athletics|language=en}}

=Head coaching record=

{{CBB yearly record start

| type = coach

| conference =

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Arizona State Sun Devils

| conference= Pac-12 Conference

| startyear = 2022

| endyear = 2024

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2022

| name = Arizona State

| overall = 26–32

| conference = 13–17

| confstanding = 8th

| postseason = Pac-12 Tournament

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2023

| name = Arizona State

| overall = 32–23

| conference = 16–13

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason = Pac-12 Tournament

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2024

| name = Arizona State

| overall = 32–26

| conference = 17–13

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason = Pac-12 Tournament

}}

{{CBB yearly record subtotal

| name = Arizona State

| overall =

| confrecord = 46–43

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Arizona State Sun Devils

| conference= Big 12 Conference

| startyear = 2025

| endyear =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2025

| name = Arizona State

| overall = 36–24

| conference = 18–12

| confstanding = T-4th

| postseason = NCAA Regional

}}

{{CBB yearly record subtotal

| name = Arizona State

| overall = 126–105

| confrecord = 18–12

}}

{{CBB yearly record end

| overall = 126–105

}}

Personal life

Bloomquist is married and has four daughters, Natalie, Ava, Layla and Sydney. He is Roman Catholic.[http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/importance-of-catholicism-hits-home-for-arizona-diamondbacks-player/ Importance of Catholicism Hits Home for Diamondbacks Player], National Catholic Register. April 24, 2012