Graham Koonce Signs With San Diego Surf Dawgs

May 23, 2006 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
San Diego Surf Dawgs News Release


(Pleasanton, CA. March 21, 2006) Graham Koonce has played a combined 1309 games between the Minor Leagues and Independent Baseball, but has only seen eight Major League at-bats. The San Diego Surf Dawgs are just thrilled to have such a cleanup hitter. Koonce, 30, has hit 178 home runs in his baseball career, and at 6-4, 220 lbs., it should come as no surprise.

Koonce's career began slowly, and it didn't help that he was selected in the 60th round of the 1993 draft out of UCLA. After three tough years in the Tigers' system, he was released. However, two stints in Independent Baseball revived his career. In two years for Tri-City and Chico of the Western League, Koonce hit .306 along with 13 homers. The Padres were sold, and grabbed Graham at the age of 23. In two seasons for Rancho Cucamonga of the California League, Koonce hit 37 homers and hit .290. But in his second year, his impressive plate discipline rose to the forefront. Koonce walked 107 times in 2000, a then-career high that boosted his on-base percentage to .425. In 2001, the Padres finally moved Koonce up to Class AA Mobile, where he continued to put up a .429 on-base percentage.

That December, the Athletics selected the former Bruin in the Rule 5 minor league draft, and sent him to Class AA Midland. Graham took advantage of the warm weather, and became one of the best batters in the Texas League. He led the league with a .440 OBP, 24 homers, 96 runs batted in, and walks with 133. That led him to become a DH for the Texas League All-Star Game, but he wasn't done. For Class AAA Sacramento in 2003, Koonce never bothered to cool off his torrid hitting. With incredible power numbers, Graham earned another trip to an All-Star game, and was named 2003 Pacific Coast League MVP at the end of the year. For the second straight year, he had led an entire league in home runs (34) and RBIs (115). That performance earned a call-up in September, where his first Major League hit was a double.

Koonce spent one more year with AAA Sacramento, and continued on to his fourth Major League organization with Pittsburgh's AAA team in 2005 while stroking another 45 home runs in the last tw years. Now Koonce will spend time with his second San Diego team, in a second attempt to resurrect an already successful baseball career.

"Any time you add a player like Graham, your team is going to get a lot better pretty fast," Manager Terry Kennedy said. "I'm looking forward to his veteran leadership and defensive skills along with his bat to drive us to back-to-back league titles."

San Diego begins its quest to repeat as Golden Baseball Champions on June 1st against Yuma. Their home opener is on Monday, June 5th versus the Yuma Scorpions. Tickets, merchandise, and sponsor opportunities are all still available at www.goldenbaseball.com/SanDiego/



Golden Baseball League Stories from May 23, 2006


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