Matthew Derrick "Matt" Williams (born November 28, 1965 in Bishop, California) is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and right-handed batter who played for the San Francisco Giants (1987-96), Cleveland Indians (1997) and Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2003).

Williams was selected by the Giants in the first round (3rd pick) of the 1986 amateur draft. Despite his several leg injuries and lower-back ailments, Williams was a dangerous hitter when he got the pitch he was looking for. As a third baseman, he had good reactions and excellent hands, then a quick release with an accurate and strong arm.

A hitter with exceptional power, six times he hit over 30 home runs with over 90 runs batted in, including his outstanding 1994 season when he hit a league-best 43 HRs with 96 RBI in a season shortened by nearly a full third due to a strike. He finished second in the league MVP vote behind Jeff Bagwell. Over a 162-game period in 1994-95, he hit 62 home runs - one more than Roger Maris had hit in his 162-game season in 1961.

In his career, Williams batted .268 with 378 home runs, 1218 runs batted in, 997 runs scored, 1878 hits, 338 doubles, and 35 triples in 1866 games.

Highlights

• 5-time All-Star (1990, 1994-96, 1999)
• 4-time Gold Glove winner (NL 1991, 1993-94; AL 1997)
• 4-time Top 10 NL MVP (1990, 1993-94, 1999)
• Led NL in HR (43, 1994)

External link

• Complete statistics at Baseball Reference

See also

• MLB players who have hit 30 or more home runs before the All-Star break