Chris Speier | |
---|---|
Shortstop | |
Born: Alameda, California, U.S. | June 28, 1950|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 7, 1971, for the San Francisco Giants | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 1, 1989, for the San Francisco Giants | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .246 |
Home runs | 112 |
Runs batted in | 720 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Christopher Edward Speier (born June 28,1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop,most notably for the San Francisco Giants and the Montreal Expos. He is known by the nickname "the Alameda Rifle" as a native of the San Francisco Bay Area city who possessed a strong arm during his days as an active player. [1]
Speier was drafted by the Giants as the second overall pick in the first round of 1970 Major League Baseball draft. [2] Speier played 19 seasons in the Major Leagues as a shortstop for the Montreal Expos,San Francisco Giants,Chicago Cubs and briefly for the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins during the 1984 season. In an exchange of starting shortstops,he was traded from the Giants to the Expos for Tim Foli on April 26,1977. [3]
Speier accrued a career .246 batting average and a .970 fielding percentage at shortstop. His overall playing strengths were solid fielding and a selective eye at the plate. He was also named to the National League All-Star team during the 1972,1973,and 1974 seasons as a member of the Giants. Speier won the 1987 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership during his second time with the Giants.
He hit for the cycle twice in his major league career,on July 20,1978,as a member of the Montreal Expos in a 7-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Montreal and nearly 10 years later on July 9,1988,as a member of the San Francisco Giants in a 21-2 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals at Candlestick Park.
2000 Milwaukee Brewers Third Base Coach Wearing #43
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks Third Base Coach Wearing #35
2004 Oakland Athletics Bench Coach Wearing #46
2005-2006 Chicago Cubs Third Base Coach Wearing #35
2008-2013 Cincinnati Reds bench coach wearing #35/interim third base coach in 2013 when Mark Berry was receiving treatment for throat cancer
2016-2017 Washington Nationals Bench Coach Wearing #35
2020 Houston Astros Quality Control Coach Wearing #36
Speier was a coach on the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. He was the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs from 2005 to 2006.
Speier was signed by the Cincinnati Reds on October 29, 2007, as an infield coach and served as the Reds' bench coach. He also filled in when manager Dusty Baker was hospitalized in Chicago in September 2012 – this was when they clinched a playoff berth. [4] He was replaced as the bench coach by Jay Bell when Baker was fired, but stayed on in the Reds organization as a Special Assistant to General Manager Walt Jocketty.
When Baker became the manager of the Washington Nationals before the 2016 season, Speier was named bench coach; his contract expired after the 2017 season. [5]
Years | Games | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | FLD% |
19 | 2260 | 8155 | 7156 | 770 | 1759 | 302 | 50 | 112 | 720 | 847 | 988 | .246 | .327 | .349 | .971 |
Speier also played 185 games at third base, 138 at second base, and 2 at first base. In the post-season covering 17 games (1971, 1981, 1987 NLCS) he batted .280 (14-for-50) with 8 runs, 1 home run, and 4 RBI.
Speier was born and raised in Alameda, California, also the hometown of Major Leaguers Willie Stargell, Dontrelle Willis and Jimmy Rollins. He graduated from Alameda High School.
Speier is the father of former MLB relief pitcher Justin Speier and the uncle of Gabe Speier.
Speier converted to Catholicism after meeting his now ex-wife and became an activist in the pro-life movement. In 1993, he was the principal of the religious Ville de Marie Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona. [6] The school was not accredited by the state nor was it affiliated with the local diocese.
Felipe Rojas Alou is a Dominican former Major League Baseball outfielder, first baseman, coach and manager. He managed the Montreal Expos (1992–2001) and the San Francisco Giants (2003–2006). The first Dominican to play regularly in the major leagues, he is the most prominent member of one of the sport's most notable families of the late 20th century: he was the oldest of the trio of baseball-playing brothers that included Matty and Jesús, who were both primarily outfielders, and his son Moisés was also primarily an outfielder; all but Jesús have been named All-Stars at least twice. His son Luis, in turn, managed the New York Mets.
Johnnie B "Dusty" Baker Jr. is an American retired professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for 19 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics. During his Dodgers tenure, he was a two-time All-Star, won two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove Award, and became the first NLCS MVP, which he received during the 1977 National League Championship Series. He also made three World Series appearances with the Dodgers, and was a member of the 1981 championship team.
Lawrence Robert Bowa is an American former professional baseball shortstop, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. Bowa went on to manage the San Diego Padres and Phillies, and is currently a senior advisor to the general manager of the Phillies.
The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world.
Rondell Bernard White is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and designated hitter. In addition to being a solid defensive player, White also had a batting average of .300 or higher for four consecutive seasons from 1998 to 2001.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1970 throughout the world.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1977 throughout the world.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1973 throughout the world.
Charles Francis Fox was an American manager, general manager, scout, coach—and, briefly, a catcher—in Major League Baseball. As manager of the National League West Division champion San Francisco Giants in 1971, he was named "Manager of the Year" by The Sporting News.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1976 throughout the world.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1969 throughout the world.
Bertram Ray Burris is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB), and the current rehabilitation pitching coordinator in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He played in MLB from 1973 through 1987 for seven different teams. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg), he threw and batted right-handed.
José Manuel Cora Amaro is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball player with an 11-year career in MLB spanning the years 1987 and 1989–1998 and current third base coach for the Detroit Tigers. He played for the San Diego Padres of the National League and the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians of the American League. He primarily played as a second baseman.
David Martinez is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is the manager for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs. He played in MLB for the Cubs, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Atlanta Braves from 1986 to 2001. Martinez had a .276 career batting average, 1,599 hits, 91 home runs, 795 runs scored, and 580 runs batted in.
Darren Joel Lewis is an American former professional baseball player who played center field in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics (1990), San Francisco Giants (1991–1995), Cincinnati Reds (1995), Chicago White Sox (1996–1997), Los Angeles Dodgers (1997) and Boston Red Sox (1998–2001); he played his final season in 2002 with the Chicago Cubs. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 31, 2002, but refused to report to the Pirates, choosing to retire instead.
Timothy John Foli is an American former professional baseball player, coach and minor league manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1985. At age 17, Foli was the first pick in the Major League Baseball Draft in 1968 and went on to be a member of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates. Foli was known as a fiery player who was a reliable fielder but only an average hitter. Foli was a free swinger, especially in 1982 when he walked only 14 times, the lowest total ever for 150 or more games played. His free swinging did not aim for the fences, however, as he averaged less than two home runs per season.
Thomas William Runnells is an American former infielder, coach and manager in Major League Baseball.
Joseph Paul Pettini is an American former Major League Baseball player and the former bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros.
The 1989 Major League Baseball season saw the Oakland Athletics win their first World Series title since 1974.
In the 1978 Major League Baseball season, the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win their second consecutive World Series, and 22nd overall, in a rematch of the prior season's Fall Classic. The Yankees overcame clubhouse turmoil, a mid-season managerial change, and a 14-game mid-July deficit in the American League East en route to the championship. All four teams that made the playoffs in 1977 returned for this postseason; none of the four returned to the postseason in 1979.