Damon Thames

Paul Damon Thames

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 170 lb.

• School Rice University, San Jacinto College
• High School Humble High School

• Born November 15, 1976 in Dallas, TX USA

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Damon Thames was named the top player in NCAA Division I but peaked professionally in AA.

Thames hit .358 in high school, sixth in school history, and finished in the top five in steals, doubles, total bases and hits. Out of junior college, the Colorado Rockies took him in the 50th round of the 1996 amateur draft but he did not sign. Transferring to Rice University, he hit .424 with 36 doubles, 7 triples, 26 home runs, 88 runs and 115 RBI. He led the Western Athletic Conference in runs, hits (120), doubles, triples, home runs and RBI and was named All-WAC at SS as well as WAC Player of the Year. Nationally, he tied for 21st in average, tied Willie Bloomquist and Brian Cox for 9th in runs, led in hits (5 over Jeff Ryan), tied B.J. Barns for 6th in slugging, led in total bases (248, 17 more than Ryan), led in doubles, tied Casey Bookout for 10th in home runs and led in RBI (10 over Ryan). He was picked as the All-American shortstop by both Collegiate Baseball and the American Baseball Coaches Association, while Baseball America went with Adam Everett but picked Thames as the first-team DH. He won the ABCA Player of the Year for Division I, though Pat Burrell got the Golden Spikes Award and Jeff Austin the Baseball America College Player of the Year. The New York Yankees took him in the 10th round of the 1998 amateur draft but he returned for his senior year.

As a senior in 1999, Thames again was All-WAC, hitting .377 with a conference-best 86 runs, 118 hits and 24 doubles, but his other numbers were down (11 HR, 72 RBI) and Royce Huffman was picked as the WAC Player of the Year. Nationally, he still tied Joe Inglett for 10th in runs and was third in hits (8 behind leader Marshall McDougall). He homered twice in Rice's last game in the 1999 College World Series to end his amateur career with a bang. He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the 1999 amateur draft.

Damon was assigned to the New Jersey Cardinals to start his pro career; he hit .227/.271/.267 in 47 games and made 25 errors, fielding .887 at SS, with more errors than runs (22) or RBI (16). His defense improved (.929) in 2000 as did his offense, hitting .232/.277/.318 in 82 games for the Peoria Chiefs and .260/.274/.481 in 30 games for the Potomac Cannons. In 2001, he was with Potomac (.190/.228/.250 in 44 G) and the New Haven Ravens (.200/.257/.323 in 34 G), now as a utility infielder. He had hit .226/.266/.318 with 82 runs and 73 RBI in 237 games as a pro. He had 12 homers and 26 steals in 36 tries, while fielding .918 at SS and .924 overall.

Thames then retired from baseball to work in real estate.

Sources

• 1999-2000 Baseball Almanacs
• The Humble Observer newspaper
• Colvill Real Estate