July 20, 2009

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Former Longwood University All-American, United States Olympian, and 12-year Major League Baseball (MLB) player Michael Tucker signed a professional contract on July 14 to play with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League on June 25.  He has since played in four games while batting .375 (6-16) with one home run, two doubles, six RBI, three runs, a .688 slugging percentage, and a .474 on-base percentage.  Tucker last played in the major league with the New York Mets for 35 games at the end of 2006.  The Atlantic League features eight teams located in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.  The Blue Crabs are owned by former Baltimore Oriole and Baseball Hall of Fame member Brooks Robinson.
    
Tucker enjoyed a 12-year (1995-2006) MLB career with eight different teams, including Kansas City, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago (Cubs), San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington, and New York (Mets).  He played in Pawtucket during 2007, the class AAA franchise of the Boston Red Sox; finishing 2006 with the Mets after signing as a free agent on April 26.  Tucker spent most of 2006 in Norfolk with the Mets' class AAA Tides before the National League club called him up that August.  He had went through spring training that year with the Washington Nationals after signing as a free agent, but Washington had released him in late March.  Tucker was the 10th pick in the 1992 draft and played on the U.S. Olympic team that summer.
    
Tucker played in 1,417 games during his major league career, batting .256 (1,047-4,083) with 125 home runs, 208 doubles, 49 triples, 528 RBI, 625 runs, 114-170 stolen bases, 490 walks, a .339 on-base percentage, and a .423 slugging percentage (1,728 total bases).  He had a .984 career fielding percentage, including 2,263 total chances with 2,145 putouts, 82 assists, and only 36 errors.  Tucker was involved in 20 career double-plays from his mostly outfield positions over the years.
    
At Longwood (1990-92), Tucker was a two-time NCAA Division II 1st-Team All-American (1991, 1992), the 1992 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II Player of the Year, and the 1992 Baseball America Small College Player of the Year.  He won the 1992 Division II Triple Crown, hitting .489 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI, and still holds nine school-records, including career batting average (.428) and home runs (45).  Longwood honored Tucker on November 27, 2005 when the school inducted him into the inaugural Longwood Athletics Hall of Fame.
    
Tucker had resumed his playing career earlier this year with the Atlantic League's Newark Bears, playing in 16 games at the start of the season before being released on May 12.  He hit .273 with one home run, three doubles, six RBI, six runs, a .382 slugging percentage, and a .375 on-base percentage.

Former Lancer Derrick Ellison Also On Southern Maryland Roster
Former Longwood left-handed pitcher Derrick Ellison (1997-01) signed with the Blue Crabs on July 9, and has since pitched in five games with a 1-0 record, 0.00 ERA, 4.1 innings, four strikeouts, one walk, and only three hits allowed.  He had pitched in 19 games with the Milwaukee Brewers' AA Huntsville (Ala.) affiliate earlier this season with a 2-2 record, 4.45 ERA, 28.1 innings, 26 strikeouts, 15 walks, and 21 hits allowed.  Primarily as a relief pitcher during his professional career, Ellison has a professional career record of 20-14 with a 3.43 ERA, 276 strikeouts, and 11 saves.