Jendrick Speer

From BR Bullpen

Jendrick Speer

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 5' 10", Weight 176 lb.

Jendrick Speer has played over a decade for the German national team.

Speer started off with the national squad when he was only 16 years old. His youth showed as he was 2 for 20 in the 1997 European Championship in which Germany placed 10th of 12 teams. He drew 3 walks, scored 3 and drove in 3 while fielding .889. In 1998, Speer hit .415 for his Paderborn Untouchables, 6th in Bundesliga's Northern division. His OBP of .525 ranked fifth. Speer was much better in his second European Championship, hitting .320/.393/.320 for the best average among Germans in the 1999 European Championship. Germany again was 10th. He was named to the tournament All-Star team as the top shortstop. Speer also spent two weeks that year with the New York Mets in extended spring training. He did not get into a game in the Mets minor leagues.

Speer hit .281/.313/.306 in the 2001 European Championship as Germany moved up to 7th place. In 2002, Speer hit .360/.441/.440 for Paderborn, just missing the top 10 in Bundesliga North in numerous categories. He was perfect afield though, with 78 errorless chances at second base and shortstop.

Speer only batted .120/.185/.120 in the 2003 European Championship as Germany went winless for the first time in 43 years. In the 2003 Bundesliga campaign, he hit .333/.422/.435 and took part in 20 double plays, the best of a second baseman in the division. In the 2004 European Championship B-Pool, he hit .231/.281/.269 as Germany won. For Paderborn in the regular season, he produced at a .333/.444/.407 clip for a 23-1 team that won its fourth straight title.

In the 2005 European Championship, the infielder hit .231/.269/.281 with six runs in eight games as a quickly-improving German outfit finished 4th, just missing their first Medal in 30 years. In the Bundesliga season, Paderborn won its fifth pennant in a row; Speer batted .347/.422/.442, tied for 6th in RBI (24) and tied for third in doubles (9). In the 2005 European Cup, Speer hit .244/.409/.333 for the Untouchables.

Speer batted .325/.452/.410 for 2006 Paderborn, tying for second in Bundesliga North with 17 walks. He tied for 5th with 23 runs as well. In the 2007 season, he had one of his worst years to date, hitting .284/.382/.338 though his 61 assists led the League's shortstops. He got on base well in the 2007 European Championship (.174/.353/.261, 7 BB), as Germany duplicated their 4th-place finish of 2005. It would wind up earning them a spot in the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament. In the 2007 Baseball World Cup, Speer hit .174/.222/.217 while fielding perfectly, a feat that could not be accomplished by Gold Medal-winning Team USA's middle infielders Brian Bixler and Jayson Nix. Speer helped Germany get its first lead ever in a Baseball World Cup game after 27 games. He doubled against former AA pitcher Diegomar Markwell in the first inning against the Netherlands, then scored on a hit by Simon Gühring. He also had a chance to give Germany a tie or win against Australia, coming to bat with two men in scoring position and two outs in the 9th, down 4-2 against former major leaguer Brad Thomas. Speer failed to deliver, though, grounding out to Luke Hughes at second base to end the game.

Speer hit .238/.304/.333 and fielded perfectly at second base in the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament. In a 2-0 loss to Taiwan, Speer tried to start a rally in the 9th with a double off of Chia-Jen Lo but was stranded. He drove in Germany's only run in their 2-1 near-upset of tournament winner Canada. Down 1-0 in the 6th and facing Jamie Richmond, he doubled home Kai Gronauer. He almost scored on a single by Simon Gühring but was thrown out at home.

Through 2007, Speer ranks among the all-time German national team leaders in games (58, 4th), hits (41, tied for 5th), runs (34, tied with Gühring and Dominik Wulf for 3rd), walks (27, 2nd), strikeouts (36, 2nd), putouts (93, 10th), assists (167, 1st by 68 over Wulf) and errors (16, 6th).

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