26-Year Old Breaks Through With Oakland
(BOSTON, MA) Oakland Athletics first baseman Tommy Everidge made his Major League debut Tuesday night in the A’s come-from-behind, 9-8, 11-inning victory against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The former Mankato MoonDog started at first base for the A’s and batted 7th going 1-for-6 in the game. His one hit was a big one as he opened the scoring in Oakland’s three-run 9th inning with a two-out RBI double high off the Green Monster in left-centerfield against Red Sox star closer Jonathan Papelbon. Everidge later scored on an infield single by Mark Ellis.
Everidge, who bats and throws right-handed, has steadily performed throughout his six years in the Athletics organization, but didn’t make it to Triple-A until June 9th of this year. Since then he’s been on a tear, batting .382 with nine home runs, and 32 RBI in 43 games for the Sacramento River Cats. He was called up on Tuesday to replace A’s first baseman Daric Barton who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring injury. In 689 career minor league games, Everidge hit .280 with 155 doubles, 105 home runs, and 495 RBI.
For the MoonDogs in 2002, the 6’0”, 240 pound Everidge played in 56 games predominantly at first base and DH. He finished his summer in the Northwoods League with a .197 batting average, eight doubles, two home runs, and 22 RBI. In 2004 he was drafted by the Athletics in the 10th round out of Sonoma State University in California where he starred for three seasons.
Everidge becomes the 56th Northwoods League player to make it to the big leagues and the fourth Mankato player to do so, but the first MoonDog. The previous three, Curtis Granderson, Jack Hannahan, and Paul McAnulty, were all Mankato Mashers.
The Northwoods League plays more games than, draws more fans than, and plays in venues superior to any Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America. The league is in the final three weeks of its 16th season of action. NWL Playoffs will begin on August 11th.
