Donnie Lamont Sadler is single...graduated from Valley Mills (Texas) High School in 1994, where he was an all-state shortstop.
Also participated in football, basketball and track at Valley Mills.
Selected by the Red Sox in the 11th round of the 1994 June Free Agent Draft...was signed by Red Sox scout Ray Crone.
2001
Sadler was obtained from Cincinnati in exchange for Minor League LHP Cary Ammons on June 20.
Hit a combined .162 (30-for-185) in 93 games on the season...tied a career high with 30 hits during the 2001 campaign and set a career best with 7 stolen bases.
Batted .129 (13-for-101) with 3 doubles and 2 RBI in 54 games for the Royals...made 33 starts in the Kansas City lineup (13 at 2nd, 8 at 3rd, 2 at shortstop, 2 in left, 1 in center and 7 in right field).
Played in 39 games and made 17 starts for the Reds before the trade, hitting .202 (17-for-84)...played all 3 outfield positions for Cincinnati and also saw action at 1st base, 2nd base and shortstop.
Set a career high with 4 hits in Cincinnatibs 4-3 loss to Houston on May 13...finished with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored.
Was designated for assignment on June 15.
Made his debut with the Royals against Cleveland on June 22...struck out as a pinch hitter in the 8th and stayed in the game at 3rd base.
Collected 3 hits, a season high with the Royals, vs. Detroit on June 28...doubled and tied a career best with 3 runs scored.s
Had a 0-for-16 slump from July 5-31 and finished the season hitless in his last 6 at bats.
Career Notes
Sadler was named the best defensive second baseman in the International League in Baseball Americabs bBest Tools Surveyb in 1997.
Was an Arizona Fall League All-Star in 1996 and was named to the Midwest League All-Star Team in 1995.
2000
Spent most of the season at Pawtucket (AAA), where he hit .201 with 5 homers, 23 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 91 games.
Appeared in 49 games for the Red Sox and hit .222...finished the season with a career-high 6-game hitting streak.
Tied a career high with 3 RBI on Sept. 30 at Tampa Bay.
1999
Spent most of the season with Boston, where he hit .280 in 49 games, while playing 6 defensive positions.
Began the season with the Red Sox and appeared in 15 games before he was optioned to Class AAA Pawtucket on May 9...hit .291 in 43 games for the PawSox.
Was promoted on July 27 and finished the season by playing in 34 more games for Boston (10 games at 2B, 9 at 3B, 14 at SS, 1 in LF, 6 in CF and 1 in RF).
Appeared in 4 playoff games with the Red Sox...doubled and scored a run in the A.L.D.S. against Cleveland and went 0-for-2 in the A.L.C.S. vs. New York.
1998
Made his Major League debut as Bostonbs starting 2nd baseman on Opening Day at Oakland.
Appeared in 6 games for Boston (0-for-11, 1 RBI), before he was optioned to Pawtucket (AAA) on April 10...was recalled on June 30.
Recorded 1st Major League hit, a triple off Jason Bere on July 3 vs. the White Sox.
Hit his 1st Major League homer at Detroit on July 18 (off Frank Castillo).
Recorded a career-high 7 total bases on Aug. 9 at Texas (HR, triple).
Turned in 3 RBI and 3 hits vs. Minnesota on Aug. 14...also had 3 hits in a 3-2 win at Baltimore on Sept. 17, in which he hit a 2-out, game-tying, 2-run HR off Mike Mussina in the seventh inning.
Saw action in 3 playoff games against the Cleveland Indians, but did not get an at bat.
Appeared in 50 games at 2nd base and 4 at shortstop...was placed on D.L. twice, 1st with a dislocated left ring finger (May 4-June 3) and then with a concussion (June 15-30).
Hit .221 in 36 games at Class AAA Pawtucket.
Minor League Notes
Sadler led the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 1994 with 32 stolen bases, 52 runs, 6 triples and 23 walks...ranked 3rd in the GCL in steals and was tied for 3rd in triples and runs scored...appeared in 43 games at shortstop, 6 at third base and 1 at second...played in the Florida Instructional League following the season.
Led Michigan (A) with 103 runs scored, 124 hits, 79 walks, 8 triples and an organization-best 41 stolen bases in 1995...ranked 2nd on the club with 25 doubles, 3rd with 118 games and 4th with 55 RBI...among Midwest League leaders, he ranked 1st in runs scored, tied for 2nd in triples and 3rd in walks.
Played in the Florida Instructional League following the 1995 season.
Hit .267 with 34 stolen bases in 115 games at Class AA Trenton in 1996...led all Red Sox Minor Leaguers with 8 triples and ranked 2nd in the farm system in stolen bases...was tied for 2nd among Eastern League leaders in triples and 4th in steals.
Appeared in his first 11 games at shortstop before going to instructional league to play outfield on April 19...returned to Trenton on April 23 and appeared in 28 of his next 30 games in the outfield...became the starting shortstop again on June 16 and made only 2 more outfield appearances.
Was a 1996 Arizona Fall League All-Star for Mesa (.294, 13 stolen bases, 35 games)...ranked among AFL leaders in steals (2nd) and hitting (10th).
Hit .212 with 20 stolen bases in 125 games at Pawtucket in 1997, his 1st season at the Triple-A level...played 78 games at 2nd base and 46 games at shortstop.
Led the PawSox with 481 at bats and ranked 2nd in steals...played 36 consecutive games without an error in June and July...put together a 17-game hitting streak from July 1-23, the longest by a Pawtucket batter all season.
Played for Ponce in the Puerto Rican Winter League following the 1997 season, hitting .137 with 4 stolen bases.
