Southeastern Conference Baseball Player of the Year
Winners
Table:
Season

Player

School

Position

Reference

1993

Russ Johnson

LSU

Shortstop

[2]

1994

Todd Walker

LSU

Second baseman

[2]

1995

Todd Helton*

Tennessee

First baseman

[2]

1996

Eddy Furniss

LSU

First baseman

[2]

1997

Tim Hudson

Auburn

Pitcher

[2]

1998

Jeff Pickler

Tennessee

Second baseman

[2]

1999

Hunter Bledsoe

Vanderbilt

Third baseman

[2]

2000

Kip Bouknight*

South Carolina

Pitcher

[2]

2001

Chris Burke

Tennessee

Shortstop

[2]

2002

Yaron Peters

South Carolina

First baseman

[2]

2003

Aaron Hill

LSU

Shortstop

[2]

2004

Stephen Head
Jon Zeringue

Ole Miss
LSU

Pitcher
Outfielder

[2]

2005

Matt LaPorta

Florida

First baseman

[2]

2006

Ryan Strieby

Kentucky

First baseman

[2]

2007

Matt LaPorta (2)

Florida

First baseman

[2]

2008

Gordon Beckham

Georgia

Shortstop

[2]

2009

Kent Matthes

Alabama

Outfielder

[2]

2010

Hunter Morris

Auburn

First baseman

[2]

2011

Mike Zunino

Florida

Catcher

[2]

2012

Raph Rhymes

LSU

Outfielder

[1]

Consulting the tabular data plus the supporting evidence provided.

Solve the question: What is the school of the player who played in the major leagues for the Oakland Athletics ( 1999-2004 ) , the Atlanta Braves ( 2005-13 ) and the San Francisco Giants ( 2014-15 ) ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

William Russell Johnson ( born February 22 , 1973 ) is a former Major League Baseball infielder . He went to Louisiana State University and was drafted in the first round of the 1994 Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros . In 1997 , he was called up to the majors by the Astros , where he remained until 2000 . His best season in Houston was 1999 , when he hit .282 with four home runs and 33 RBI .
The LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I college baseball . The team participates in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference . It is one of the elite college baseball programs in the nation , ranking seventh all-time with 18 College World Series appearances and second all-time with six national championships ( 1991 , 1993 , 1996 , 1997 , 2000 , and 2009 ) . The Tigers play home games on LSU 's campus at Alex Box Stadium , Skip Bertman Field , and they are currently coached by Paul Mainieri .
Shortstop , abbreviated SS , is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base , which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions . Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who were typically poor at batting and were often placed at the bottom of the batting order . Today shortstops are often able to hit well and many are placed at the top of the lineup . In the numbering system used by scorers to record defensive plays , the shortstop is assigned the number 6 . More hit balls go to the shortstop than to any other position , as there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters , and most hitters have a tendency to pull the ball slightly . Like a second baseman , a shortstop must be agile , for example when performing a 4-6-3 double play . Also , like a third baseman , the shortstop fields balls hit to the left side of the infield , where a strong arm is needed to throw out a batter-runner before they reach the safety of first base .
Todd Arthur Walker ( born May 25 , 1973 ) is a former professional baseball infielder who played in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) from 1996 to 2007 . Listed at 6 feet 0 inches ( 1.83 m ) and 180 pounds ( 82 kg ) , he batted left-handed and threw right-handed . Walker played college baseball at Louisiana State University ( LSU ) and is an inductee of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame .
In baseball and softball , second baseman is a fielding position in the infield , between second and first base . The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet , needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly , and must be able to make the pivot on a double play . In addition , second basemen are usually right-handed ; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in Major League Baseball since 1950 . In the numbering system used to record defensive plays , the second baseman is assigned the number 4 . Good second basemen need to have very good range since they have to field balls closer to the first baseman who is often holding runners on , or moving towards the base to cover . On a batted ball to right field , the second baseman goes out towards the ball for the relay . Due to these requirements , second base is sometimes a primarily defensive position in the modern game , but there are hitting stars as well .
Todd Lynn Helton ( born August 20 , 1973 ) is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played his entire 17-year career for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . A five-time All-Star , four-time Silver Slugger , and three-time Gold Glove Award winner , Helton holds the Colorado Rockies club records for hits ( 2,519 ) , home runs ( 369 ) , doubles ( 592 ) , walks ( 1,335 ) , runs scored ( 1,401 ) , runs batted in ( RBI , with 1,406 ) , games played ( 2,247 ) , and total bases ( 4,292 ) , among others . Each season from 1999-2004 , Helton met or exceeded all of the following totals : .320 batting average , 39 doubles , 30 home runs , 107 runs scored , 96 RBI , .577 slugging percentage and .981 on-base plus slugging . In 2000 , he won the batting title with a .372 average , and also led MLB with a .698 slugging percentage , 59 doubles , 147 RBI and the National League with 216 hits . Helton amassed his 2,000th career hit against the Atlanta Braves on May 19 , 2009 , and his 2,500th against the Cincinnati Reds on September 1 , 2013 .
The Tennessee Volunteers baseball team represents the University of Tennessee in NCAA Division I college baseball . Along with most other Tennessee athletic teams , the baseball team participates in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference . The Volunteers play all on-campus home games at Lindsey Nelson Stadium .
First base , or 1B , is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner to score a run for that player 's team . A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base , and is responsible for the majority of plays made at that base . In the numbering system used to record defensive plays , the first baseman is assigned the number 3 . Also called first sacker or cornerman , the first baseman is ideally a tall player who throws left-handed and possesses good flexibility and quick reflexes . Flexibility is needed because the first baseman receives throws from the other infielders , the catcher and the pitcher after they have fielded ground balls . In order for the runner to be called out , the first baseman must be able to stretch towards the throw and catch it before the runner reaches first base . First base is often referred to as the other hot corner - the hot corner being third base - and therefore , like the third baseman , he must have quick reflexes to field the hardest hit balls down the foul line , mainly by left-handed pull hitters and right-handed hitters hitting to the opposite field . They often are power hitters who have a substantial number of home runs and extra base hits while maintaining a .270 plus batting average . [ citation needed ]
Wilburn Edward Eddy Furniss III ( born September 18 , 1975 ) is an American retired professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter . A standout college baseball player for Louisiana State University ( LSU ) , Furniss has been inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame , the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame , and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame . He is the 10th athlete , and 2nd baseball player , in LSU history to have his number retired . With the LSU Tigers , Furniss was a two-time College World Series champion and a two-time All-American . He won the Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball 's best player in 1998 , and set Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) records in numerous offensive categories , including home runs and runs batted in ( RBIs ) . He was among the National Collegiate Athletic Association 's all-time leaders in home runs and RBIs at the time he graduated from college . Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998 , Furniss played in their minor league system through 2000 . He played for the Oakland Athletics organization in 2001 and the Texas Rangers organization in 2002 . Unable to advance beyond Class AA , Furniss decided to retire from baseball and attend medical school . He graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and completed his residency at John Peter Smith Hospital . He practices family medicine in his native Nacogdoches , Texas .
Timothy Adam Hudson ( born July 14 , 1975 ) is an American former professional baseball pitcher of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . After spending his college years at Chattahoochee Valley Community College and Auburn University , Hudson played in the major leagues for the Oakland Athletics ( 1999-2004 ) , the Atlanta Braves ( 2005-13 ) and the San Francisco Giants ( 2014-15 ) . With the Giants , he won the 2014 World Series over the Kansas City Royals . During his 17-season career , Hudson established himself as one of baseball 's most consistent pitchers and until 2014 had never had a season where he suffered more losses than wins . Hudson was also named an All-Star four times : twice with Oakland , once with Atlanta , and once with San Francisco . Before retiring in 2015 , Hudson was the winningest active Major League pitcher , as well as one of four active pitchers with at least 200 career wins . With a win against the Oakland A 's on July 26 , 2015 , he has won a game against every team in the majors , the 15th pitcher to do so . Hudson is one of twenty-one pitchers in Major League history to win at least 200 games , strike out at least 2,000 batters and have a winning percentage above .600 . Of those twenty-one , fourteen are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame .
The Auburn Tigers baseball team represents Auburn University in NCAA Division I college baseball . Along with most other Auburn athletic teams , the baseball team participates in the Western division of the Southeastern Conference . The Tigers play their home games on campus at Plainsman Park , and they are coached by Butch Thompson .
In baseball , the pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher 's mound toward the catcher to begin each play , with the goal of retiring a batter , who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk . In the numbering system used to record defensive plays , the pitcher is assigned the number 1 . The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game , and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum . There are many different types of pitchers , such as the starting pitcher , relief pitcher , middle reliever , lefty specialist , setup man , and the closer . Traditionally , the pitcher also bats . Starting in 1973 with the American League and spreading to further leagues throughout the 1980s and 1990s , the hitting duties of the pitcher have generally been given over to the position of designated hitter , a cause of some controversy . The National League in Major League Baseball and the Japanese Central League are among the remaining leagues that have not adopted the designated hitter position .
Jeff Blaine Pickler ( born January 6 , 1976 ) is an American professional baseball coach . He is the game planning and outfield coach for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . He has also coached for the Minnesota Twins .
The Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team is an American National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) college baseball team , and the reigning Division I national champion . From Vanderbilt University in Nashville , Tennessee , the team participates in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) and plays its home games on campus at Hawkins Field . The Commodores are coached by three-time National Coach of the Year and three-time SEC Coach of the Year , Tim Corbin .
A third baseman , abbreviated 3B , is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base - the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run . In the scoring system used to record defensive plays , the third baseman is assigned the number ' 5 ' . The third baseman requires good reflexes in reacting to batted balls , as he is often the closest infielder ( roughly 90-120 feet ) to the batter . The third base position requires a strong and accurate arm , as the third baseman often makes long throws to first base . The third baseman sometimes must throw quickly to second base in time to start a double play . The third baseman must also field fly balls in fair and foul territory . Third base is known as the hot corner , because the third baseman is relatively close to the batter and most right-handed hitters tend to hit the ball hard in this direction . A third baseman must possess good hand-eye coordination and quick reactions in order to catch hard line drives sometimes in excess of 125 miles per hour ( 201 km/h ) . Third basemen often must begin in a position even closer to the batter if a bunt is expected , creating a hazard if the ball is instead hit sharply . As with middle infielders , right-handed throwing players are standard at the position because they do not need to turn their body before throwing across the infield to first base . Mike Squires , who played fourteen games at third base in 1982 and 1983 , is a very rare example of a third baseman who threw lefty . Some third basemen have been converted from middle infielders or outfielders because the position does not require them to run as fast .
Kip McKey Bouknight ( born November 16 , 1978 ) is an American professional baseball pitcher who most recently played with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball .
The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college baseball . South Carolina has perennially been one of the best teams in college baseball since 1970 , posting 32 NCAA Tournament appearances , 11 College World Series berths , 6 CWS Finals appearances and 2 National Championships : 2010 and 2011 . Carolina is one of six schools in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles . Since joining the Southeastern Conference in 1992 , the team has competed in the Eastern division . South Carolina owns a stellar 32-18 record at the CWS , holds the NCAA record for consecutive wins ( 22 ) in the national tournament and the longest win streak ever at the CWS ( 12 in a row from 2010 to 2012 ) in which the Gamecocks played for national titles all three years . The current head coach is Mark Kingston , with Chad Holbrook resigning on June 6 , 2017 . Holbrook took over for Ray Tanner , who was named athletics director at USC after the 2012 season . This follows a string of three consecutive appearances in the national championship series , including two consecutive national championships . During Tanner 's stint as head coach , the Gamecocks also captured three SEC titles , one SEC tournament title , six division titles , six College World Series appearances , and thirteen of their fifteen straight NCAA Tournaments ( longest streak in the SEC at the time ) . Between 2010 and 2012 the Gamecocks set two NCAA records for postseason success : the most consecutive NCAA tournament wins ( 22 ) and the most consecutive wins in the College World Series ( 12 ) . In 2013 , Carolina set the record for consecutive home NCAA tournament wins , with 29 . The team plays its home games at Founders Park , which opened on February 21 , 2009 .
Christopher Alan Burke ( born March 11 , 1980 ) is a former Major League Baseball player , playing primarily for the Houston Astros , though he also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres . He is best remembered for hitting a series-ending walk-off home run in Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series .
Aaron Walter Hill ( born March 21 , 1982 ) is an American former professional baseball second baseman . Hill was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round ( 13th overall ) of the 2003 MLB draft and made his Major League Baseball ( MLB ) debut with them in 2005 . He also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants . Hill is one of only five players in MLB history to hit for the cycle twice in one season .
Stephen A . Head ( born January 13 , 1984 ) , is a former American professional baseball infielder and outfielder for the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies organizations . Head became a volunteer assistant with the Ole Miss Rebels baseball team in 2012 .
The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team represents the University of Mississippi in NCAA Division I college baseball . The team participates in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . They are currently coached by Mike Bianco .
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball , farthest from the batter . These defenders are the left fielder , the center fielder , and the right fielder . As an outfielder , their duty is to catch fly balls and/ ground balls then to return them to the infield for the out or before the runner advances , if there is any runners on the bases . As an outfielder , they normally play behind the six players located in the field . By convention , each of the nine defensive positions in baseball is numbered . The outfield positions are 7 ( left field ) , 8 ( center field ) and 9 ( right field ) . These numbers are shorthand designations useful in baseball scorekeeping and are not necessarily the same as the squad numbers worn on player uniforms . Outfielders named to the MLB All-Century Team are Hank Aaron , Ty Cobb , Joe DiMaggio , Mickey Mantle , Willie Mays , Stan Musial , Pete Rose , Babe Ruth , Ted Williams and Ken Griffey Jr .
Matthew Vincent LaPorta ( born January 8 , 1985 ) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and left fielder . LaPorta played college baseball for the University of Florida . He was drafted 7th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers .
The Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of baseball . Florida competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association ( NCAA ) , and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . They play their home games in Alfred A. McKethan Stadium on the university 's Gainesville , Florida campus , and are currently led by head coach Kevin O'Sullivan . In the 105-season history of the Florida baseball program , the team has won 15 SEC championships and has appeared in 12 College World Series tournaments . The Gators won their first national championship in 2017 .
Ryan Kristoffer Strieby ( born August 9 , 1985 ) is an American former professional baseball first baseman .
The Kentucky Wildcats baseball team represents the University of Kentucky in NCAA Division I college baseball and competes in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . The current head coach of the Wildcats is Nick Mingione . Kentucky is the only member of the 14-team SEC never to reach the College World Series . Arkansas and South Carolina , both of which joined the SEC in 1992 , have made multiple trips to Omaha since coming aboard , with the Gamecocks claiming back-to-back championships in 2010 and 2011 . In 2013 , the newest members , Missouri and Texas A & M , both made appearances as members of other conferences .
James Gordon Beckham III ( born September 16 , 1986 ) is an American professional baseball infielder for the San Diego Padres organization . He previously played in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Chicago White Sox , Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim , Atlanta Braves , San Francisco Giants , Seattle Mariners , and Detroit Tigers .
The Georgia Bulldogs baseball team represents the University of Georgia in NCAA Division I college baseball . Along with most other Georgia athletic teams , the baseball team participates in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference . Georgia won the College World Series in 1990 . The Bulldogs play their home games on UGA 's campus in Foley Field , and are coached by head coach Scott Stricklin .
The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team represents the University of Alabama in NCAA Division I college baseball . Along with most other Alabama athletic teams , the baseball team participates in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference . The team plays its home games on campus at Sewell-Thomas Stadium .
Jeffrey Hunter Morris ( born October 7 , 1988 ) is an American college baseball coach and former professional baseball first baseman . He is the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Tennessee at Martin . Morris played college baseball at Auburn University from 2008 to 2010 for head coach John Pawlowski before pursing a professional baseball career .
Michael Accorsi Zunino ( born March 25 , 1991 ) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . He previously played for the Seattle Mariners . Before beginning his professional career , Zunino played college baseball at the University of Florida , where he won the Dick Howser Trophy , Golden Spikes Award , and Johnny Bench Award in his junior year . The Mariners selected Zunino with the third overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft . He made his MLB debut in 2013 .
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player . When a batter takes his/her turn to hit , the catcher crouches behind home plate , in front of the ( home ) umpire , and receives the ball from the pitcher . In addition to this primary duty , the catcher is also called upon to master many other skills in order to field the position well . The role of the catcher is similar to that of the wicket-keeper in cricket , but in cricket , wicketkeepers are increasingly known for their batting abilities . Positioned behind home plate , the catcher can see the whole field , and is therefore in the best position to direct and lead the other players in a defensive play . The catcher typically calls for pitches using hand signals . The calls are based on the pitcher 's mechanics and strengths , as well as the batter 's tendencies and weaknesses . Foul tips , bouncing balls in the dirt , and contact with runners during plays at the plate are all events to be handled by the catcher , necessitating the use of protective equipment . This includes a mask , chest and throat protectors , shin guards , and a heavily padded catcher 's mitt . Because the position requires a comprehensive understanding of the game 's strategies , the pool of former catchers yields a disproportionate number of managers in both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball , including such prominent examples as Connie Mack , Steve O'Neill , Al López , Mike Scioscia , and Joe Torre . The physical and mental demands of being involved on every defensive play can wear catchers down over a long season , and can have a negative effect on their offensive output . Because of the strategic defensive importance of catching , if a catcher has exceptional defensive skills , teams are often willing to overlook their relative offensive weaknesses .
Raphael Ray Rhymes ( born October 22 , 1989 ) is a professional baseball outfielder . He played for the LSU Tigers baseball team .