Morgan Ensberg

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**Morgan Ensberg**

Free Agent — No. --
Infielder
Born: August 26, 1975 (1975-08-26) (age 32) Hermosa Beach, California
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
September 20, 2000 for the Houston Astros
Selected MLB statistics (through June 9, 2008)
Batting average	.263
Home runs	110
Runs batted in	347
On-base plus slugging	.830
Teams
Houston Astros (2000-2007) San Diego Padres (2007) New York Yankees (2008)

Morgan Paul Ensberg (born August 26, 1975 in Hermosa Beach, California) is an infielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. Ensberg bats and throws right-handed.

He was previously a member of the San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees.

1 School Years
2 College career
3 Professional career
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] School Years

Ensberg attended Redondo Union High School (Redondo Beach, California) and starred in baseball and basketball.

During his junior year, he was selected into the all-league second team, and first team during his senior year for basketball.

[edit] College career

Ensberg attended the University of Southern California and played third base for the 1998 National Champions. Former Astros Jason Lane and Eric Munson also played on that team. Ensberg is the only Trojan who has compiled 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season. While attending USC, Ensberg joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

[edit] Professional career

Ensberg was drafted in the 9th round of the Amateur Draft in 1998. Ensberg played his entire career with the Houston Astros until being traded to the San Diego Padres in 2007.

In spring training of 2000, Ensberg and five of his teammates were in their hotel room when two gunmen burst in. Aaron Miles, who is now with the St. Louis Cardinals, was in the next room and wrestled one of the gunmen to the ground before the other one fled. The other players involved were, Derrek Nicholson, Keith Ginter, Mike Rose, and Eric Cole.

Ensberg enjoyed a stellar 2005 season, and was among the league leaders in home runs.

Ensberg was named to the National League All-Star team at the last minute in 2005, replacing the injured Scott Rolen. Ensberg had a career year in 2005, batting .283 while hitting 36 home runs and compiling a career high 101 RBI.

During the 2006 season, Ensberg's numbers fell and Ensberg began platooning third base with newly acquired Aubrey Huff and occasionally Mike Lamb.

Other than Barry Bonds, Morgan Ensberg was the only major league player to record at least 100 walks and have fewer hits than walks in 2006.

After disappointing seasons for the Astros in 2006 and 2007, the team designated Ensberg for assignment on July 29, 2007, ending Ensberg's six year tenure with the club.^[1]

On July 31, 2007, the Astros traded Ensberg to the San Diego Padres. This was only days after the Astros traded pitcher Dan Wheeler to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for third baseman Ty Wigginton. The Astros paid the remainder of Ensberg's $4.35 million dollar salary. He is a Southern California native and recently bought a house near San Diego. [1] Ensberg hit two home runs and a single in his Padres debut [2]

Ensberg was not offered a new contract by the Padres and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. On January 31, 2008 he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees with an invitation to spring training, anticipating to compete for the first base position.^[2] On March 22, Ensberg was added to the Yankees 40-man roster.^[3]

In 2008, Ensberg hit .235 with a home run and 4 runs batted in for the Yankees. The Yankees designated him for assignment on June 1, and released on June 8.