Joe Panik

Joseph Matthew Panik (born October 30, 1990) is an American professional baseball second baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays. Panik was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2016.

Joe Panik
Panik with the Giants in 2016
Free agent
Second baseman
Born: (1990-10-30) October 30, 1990
Yonkers, New York
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 21, 2014, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.269
Home runs39
Runs batted in240
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Panik was born in Yonkers, New York, to Paul and Natalie Panik, but the family lived in East Fishkill during his formative years. He attended John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction. He attended St. John's University, where he played college baseball for the St. John's Red Storm, competing in the Big East Conference.[1] After his sophomore season in 2010, Panik played collegiate summer baseball for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he batted .297 in 50 games,[2] was named the starting shortstop for the East Division All-Star team,[3] and received the league's sportsmanship award.[4]

During his junior season, Panik compiled a .398 batting average with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, and 57 runs batted in (RBI), ranking tenth among college baseball players with a .509 on-base percentage (OBP). Panik played the first ever game at Citi Field in a pre-season game between St. John's University and Georgetown on March 29, 2009.

Panik earned All-America honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Baseball America and Louisville Slugger. Panik was also a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, an honor given to the nation's top shortstop. He was also a first team ABCA All-Northeast Region honoree, a first team All-Big East selection, and the Red Storm Most Valuable Player.[5]

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

Out of St. John's, the Giants drafted Panik in the first round, with the 29th overall selection, of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.[6] Panik made his professional debut with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League. He led the league with a .341 batting average, 49 runs scored, 54 RBI and a .401 on-base percentage (OBP) for Salem-Keizer, winning the league's Most Valuable Player award.[7] He was rated the tenth best second base prospect prior to the 2012 season[8] and was invited to spring training.[7]

Panik with the Richmond Flying Squirrels in 2013

Panik spent the 2012 season with the San Jose Giants of the Class A-Advanced California League, batting .297 with 27 doubles, seven home runs, and 76 RBI in 130 games.[9] In 2013, Panik was promoted to the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League, where he was moved to second base and recorded a .333 on-base percentage and 27 doubles, four triples, four homers.[10] In 2014, Panik started the season with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he hit .321, with five home runs, 45 RBIs, and 50 runs scored in 74 games.[11]

2014–2015

Panik made his MLB debut on June 21, 2014, pinch-hitting for the pitcher in the 8th inning and drawing a walk against Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Matt Stites in a game the Giants won 6–4.[12] Panik's first Major League start came the next day, when he batted seventh and played second base. In his second at-bat in that game he registered his first MLB hit.[13] Panik hit his first home run on August 22, against Doug Fister of the Washington Nationals. It was a 3-run home run (one of Panik's 4 hits that night), which gave the Giants the lead in a game they eventually won 10–3.[14] On September 1, Panik pinch-hit in the resumption of a game against the Colorado Rockies that began on May 22 but was suspended due to rain. Per MLB bookkeeping policy, Panik's debut is formally recognized as May 22, 2014.

On October 16, in the 2014 National League Championship Series, Panik hit a two-run home run in Game 5 to help lead the Giants to an eventual 6–3 victory over the Cardinals to advance to the 2014 World Series against the Royals.[15] On October 29, in Game 7 of the World Series, the Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3–2 to win the series. In the bottom of the third inning with a runner on first, Panik made a diving stop on a ball up the middle and flipped the ball with his glove to shortstop Brandon Crawford to get the lead runner out. Crawford then threw to first to try to get a sliding Eric Hosmer out. Initially, Hosmer was called safe on the play but after a three-minute replay review, the call was overturned for the 4–6–3 double play. It was the first ever overturned call in the World Series since the replay review system was implemented,[16] and the double play was regarded by multiple sportswriters as one of the most spectacular plays in World Series history.[17][18][19][20]

In the 2014 regular season, Panik played in 73 games and recorded 269 at bats. He scored 31 runs and 82 hits. He had 10 doubles and 2 triples along with one home run. Panik also recorded 18 runs batted. He was walked 16 times and struck out 33 times. He did not steal any bases. He finished with a .305 average and an on base percentage of .343.[21]

Panik was named to the Giants' 2015 Opening Day 25-man roster.[22] On April 22, 2015, Panik hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3–2.[23] Panik hit another walk-off nine days later on May 1, a pinch-hit, bases-loaded single against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.[24] On May 3, in a 5–0 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Panik batted second and homered off of Jered Weaver right after Nori Aoki homered to start the game. It was the first time the Giants started off a game with consecutive home runs since 1964.[25] On July 6, Panik was selected as a reserve player for the 2015 All Star Game.[26]

On August 3, Panik was placed on the 15-day disabled list with lower back inflammation.[27] He returned for three games in September before he was shut down for the season.[28] For the 2015 season, Panik batted .312, with 8 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 59 runs scored.[29] After the season, Panik revealed that the "back inflammation" was actually a stress fracture of the L5 vertebra and that it had fully healed by December.[30]

2016–2019

Panik played in a career-high 127 games in 2016, hitting 10 home runs and 62 RBIs, although his batting average dipped to .239.[31] Panik missed most of July with concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a pitch from (future teammate) Matt Moore on June 18.[32] After the season, Panik was awarded a Gold Glove, becoming the first Giants second baseman to win since Robby Thompson in 1993.[33]

In 2017, Panik set a Giants franchise record, and tied the MLB record, with 12 hits in a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies from September 4–6.[34] He was the first major leaguer to accomplish the feat since Jerry Remy in 1981. For the season, he batted .288/.347/.421.

On Opening Day against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018, Panik hit a solo home run off of Clayton Kershaw, with the Giants winning the game 1–0.[35] The next evening, Panik hit a solo home run off of Kenley Jansen in the top of the ninth inning, again lifting the Giants to a 1–0 victory,[36] and becoming the first player in MLB history to homer for his team in back-to-back 1–0 victories.[37] He also hit a solo shot in the Giants' home opener against the Seattle Mariners, making him the first MLB player to score his team's first 3 runs in a season off solo home runs.[38] On July 7, he was placed on the disabled list. He was reactivated on July 30, 2018. For the season he batted .254/.307/.332 with 4 home runs in 358 at bats.[39]

On August 6, 2019, Panik was designated for assignment. He had been hitting .235/.310/.317, with an OPS of .627 and 3 home runs.[40] He was placed on release waivers on August 7.

New York Mets

On August 9, 2019, Panik signed with the New York Mets.[41] He tallied his first Mets hit as part of a ninth-inning rally on August 9, and recorded his first Mets RBI two days later. He batted .277/.333/.404, with 12 RBI's and 2 home runs, during his time with the Mets.[42] Panik became a free agent following the 2019 season.

Toronto Blue Jays

On January 18, 2020, Panik signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. He impressed in Spring Training and he was added to the 40-man roster on March 15. Overall with the 2020 Blue Jays, Panik batted .225 with one home run and 7 RBIs in 41 games.[43] In the AL Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, he went 1 for 6,[44] making the final out in both games as the Blue Jays were swept in the best-of-3 series.[45][46]

Personal life

Panik and his wife, Brittany (née Pinto), have known each other since they were children[47] and married in December 2016.[48] He has participated in a baseball clinic hosted by Matt Barnes at a Newtown, Connecticut Youth Academy for elementary school students in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[49] His brother, Paul Panik, is a college baseball head coach.[50]

References
  1. "Joe Panik's parents recall 'surreal' MLB trip". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  2. "Joe Panik – Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  3. "Cape League announces All-Star team". capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  4. "Y-D's Panik honored with Sportsmanship Award". capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  5. "Francona & Hall Of Fame Guests Highlight Sixth Annual Baseball Bullpen Winter Banquet – ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". Redstormsports.com. January 31, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  6. John Shea (June 6, 2011). "SF Giants draft St. John's shortstop Joe Panik". Sfgate.com. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  7. "Top Draft picks Gary Brown, Joe Panik among Giants' non-roster Spring Training invitees | SFGiants.com: News". Sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  8. Mayo, Jonathan (January 20, 2012). "Prospect Watch: Top 10 second basemen | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  9. Ritzo, Joe (October 16, 2014). "A Look Back: When They Were San Jose Giants". MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  10. Pavlovic, Alex (September 4, 2014). "Giants' Joe Panik's quick rise from prospect to rising star". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  11. "Giants call up top prospect Joe Panik". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 22, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  12. "Giants end season-high six-game skid in win over Diamondbacks". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 21, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  13. "Bumgarner dominates, Giants beat Diamondbacks 4–1". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 22, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  14. Haft, Chris (August 23, 2014). "Panik's huge night helps Giants halt Nats' surge". Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  15. Haft, Chris (October 17, 2014). "Giants among men: SF walks off to win NL pennant". Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  16. Silva, Drew (October 29, 2014). "Giants manager Bruce Bochy wins first replay challenge overturn in World Series history". NBCSports.com.
  17. Shea, John (December 27, 2014). "Joe Panik's Series-saving flip echoed Jeter's". San Francisco Chronicle.
  18. Gardner, Steve (October 30, 2014). "Giants' Joe Panik makes game-saving play of World Series". USA TODAY.
  19. Schoenfield, David (October 29, 2014). "Joe Panik with the play of the Series". ESPN.com.
  20. Neyer, Rob (October 31, 2014). "Anatomy of The Biggest Double Play". FOX Sports.
  21. "Joe Panik Stats". mlb.com. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  22. "Giants set 2015 Opening Day roster" (Press release). SFGiants.com. April 5, 2015.
  23. Espinoza, Alex; Haft, Chris (April 22, 2015). "Panik caps eventful 9th with walk-off vs. Dodgers". MLB.com.
  24. Gonzalez, Alden; Haft, Chris (May 1, 2015). "Giants edge Angels on Panik's walk-off single". MLB.com.
  25. Gilmore, Eric (May 3, 2015). "Aoki, Panik power Giants to quick advantage". MLB.com.
  26. Brisbee, Grant (July 6, 2015). "Brandon Crawford, Joe Panik, and Madison Bumgarner make 2015 National League All-Star team". McCovey Chronicles. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  27. Haft, Chris (August 3, 2015). "Panik goes on DL; Pagan to rest ailing knee". MLB.com. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  28. Baggarly, Andrew (September 16, 2015). "Giants' Panik done for season". San Jose Mercury News.
  29. Martelli, A.J. (September 16, 2015). "Joe Panik placed on 60-day DL, season finished". Poughkeepsie Journal.
  30. Baggarly, Andrew (February 22, 2016). "Joe Panik's back injury last season was no mystery — and he'll get extra protection in the MLB rulebook this season". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  31. Howard, Harrison (October 24, 2016). "San Francisco Giants season review: second baseman Joe Panik". OutsidePitchMLB.
  32. Baggarly, Andrew (July 28, 2016). "Giants activate Joe Panik from concussion DL". Bay Area News Group.
  33. Schulman, Henry (November 8, 2016). "3 Giants — Posey, Panik, Crawford — win Gold Glove awards". San Francisco Chronicle.
  34. Haft, Chris (September 7, 2017). "Joe Panik hits way into Giants' record books". MLB.com.
  35. "Giants blank Dodgers on Opening Day, win on Joe Panik home run". sfgate.com. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  36. "Panik in Los Angeles, Giants' second baseman delivers game-winning blow again". mercurynews.com. March 31, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  37. Schwartz, Nick (March 31, 2018). "Giants' Joe Panik makes history with back-to-back game winning homers". usatoday.com. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  38. Chesterton, Eric. "Joe Panik's splash landing was his third dinger of the season and also the Giants' third run of 2018". MLB.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  39. Joe Panik Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
  40. Pavlovic, Alex. "Joe Panik DFA'd by Giants few days after trade for Scooter Gennett". nbcsports.com. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  41. Langs, Sarah (August 9, 2019). "Mets make it official with Panik, DFA Hechavarria". MLB.com.
  42. "Joe Panik Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  43. "Joe Panik Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  44. "Joe Panik Postseason Batting Game Logs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  45. "2020 American League Wild Card Series (ALWC) Game 1, Blue Jays at Rays, September 29". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  46. "2020 American League Wild Card Series (ALWC) Game 2, Blue Jays at Rays, September 30". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  47. Haft, Chris (February 13, 2015). "Bow Bridge connects Panik, fiancee after proposal". giants.mlb.com. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  48. Cosman, Ben (December 4, 2016). "A few Giants players looked their snazziest for Joe Panik's wedding". MLB.com.
  49. Healey, Tim (December 1, 2014). "Barnes' baseball clinic benefits Newtown youth: Red Sox prospect started the event following Sandy Hook tragedy". MLB.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  50. Mike Harrington (October 23, 2014). "Brotherly love pushes Giants' Panik". www.buffalonews.com. The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.