2009 highlights

• Hit .295 in 36 games as backup catcher
• Hit .333 with runners in scoring position

Career highlights (as of 2009)

• Selected by the New York Yankees in the 48^th round of the 1987 amateur draft (1,152^nd overall)
• Went 1-for-3 with a walk in MLB debut with the San Diego Padres (1993)
• MLB All-Star (1999/AL)
• Gold Glove winner, Catcher (2001, 2002, 2006)
• Had just one error in 134 games as catcher in 2005
• Tied for 8^th among catchers in MLB history for most games played (1,917)
• Has never been on disabled list in 17 years of MLB play (UPDATE: Ausmus was placed on disabled list for first time on 4/9/2010 and later underwent surgery to repair a repair a herniated disk in his back)
• Has had ten 4-hit games
• Five-time league leader in fielding percentage among catchers
• Two-time league leader in percentage of runners caught stealing
• Ranked 3^rd-best Jewish catcher in MLB history by Baseball Talmud  

MLB career bests, by statistic

• AVG: .293 (1995)
• 2B: 25 (1997, 1999, 2000)
• HR: 9 (1999)
• RBI: 54 (1999)
• BB: 69 (2000)
• OBP: .365 (1999)
• SLG: .415 (1999) 

On being Jewish

• “As a child with a Protestant Christian father and a Jewish mother, he celebrated Jewish holidays with his mother’s family, but didn’t really identify as a Jew. ‘I wasn’t raised with the Jewish religion, so in that sense I don’t really have much feeling toward it. But, however, in the last 10 or so years, I have had quite a few young Jewish boys who would tell me that I am their favorite player or they love watching me play or they feel like baseball is a good fit for them because it worked for me or it worked for Shawn Green or other Jewish players at the Major League level. It has been a sense of pride. If you can have a positive impact on a kid, I’m all for it.” (Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles; May 22, 2009)

For more information about Brad Ausmus

• Jewish Baseball News articles 

MLB stats