David Wilder (baseball)

Last updated

David Scott Wilder (born October 14, 1960) [1] is a former minor-league baseball player and a former major-league baseball executive.

Contents

Early life and education

Wilder attended Berkeley High School in Berkeley, California and Contra Costa College. He earned a bachelor's degree in management from St. Mary's College of California, completing his degree while in the minor leagues. [2]

Baseball career

An outfielder, Wilder played minor-league baseball in the Oakland A's and Chicago Cubs farm systems, but never advanced to the major leagues. He hit .267 in six seasons in the minors. [3] On April 3, 1987, the Chicago Cubs famously traded future Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley and infielder Dan Rohn to the A's for Wilder and two other players. "Hey, I could have been traded for Joe Blow," Wilder told the San Francisco Chronicle in an article that was published on July 26, 2004. "It's part of baseball history." [4] Wilder's playing career ended in 1988. After his career ended, he worked as a baseball coach for two years for the University of California.

Career as a baseball executive

Wilder began his management career with Oakland in 1990, working as a scout and as a coach at Class A Medford in the Northwest League. He later joined the Atlanta Braves as a West Coast regional scouting supervisor, becoming a baseball operations assistant in September 1994. He was named an assistant scouting director for the Braves in August 1995, making him the highest-ranking African-American at that time in the Braves' organization, other than Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

In January 1996, Wilder joined the Chicago Cubs organization, becoming director of minor-league operations, and rising to become assistant general manager. [2] In September 1999, the Milwaukee Brewers hired Wilder as vice president for player personnel, and he became the team's assistant general manager in 2001. In 2000, Wilder was on the selection committee for the United States Olympic baseball team. [2]

In 2004, Wilder joined the Chicago White Sox. He became director of player development during the team's World Series-winning season in 2005, and he was credited with being largely responsible for the team's acquisition of closer Bobby Jenks from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. [5]

In 2005, Wilder interviewed with the Boston Red Sox for the general manager's job that became available with the departure of Theo Epstein. [3]

In February 2007, the White Sox promoted Wilder senior director of player personnel. He continued to oversee the team's Latin American operations, as he had while previously serving as director of player development.

Scandal

On May 16, 2008, the White Sox fired Wilder and two scouts after an investigation in Latin America. Federal authorities were called in as well, and the baseball commissioner's office was investigating the parents of several Latin players about bonuses that they may have received from major-league baseball teams. [6] A major league baseball investigator confirmed to the Chicago Tribune that the investigation involved skimming and was limited only to the White Sox. [3]

On February 11, 2011, Wilder pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in federal court in Chicago. He was released on bond pending sentencing. [7]

On August 28, 2013, U.S. district judge Charles Ronald Norgle, Sr. sentenced Wilder to two years in federal prison. [8] He was ordered to begin serving his sentence on October 31, 2013. [8] He was released from federal prison on October 9, 2015. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Evers</span> American baseball player and manager (1881-1947)

John Joseph Evers was an American professional baseball second baseman and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1902 through 1917 for the Chicago Cubs, Boston Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies. He also appeared in one game apiece for the Chicago White Sox and Braves while coaching them in 1922 and 1929, respectively.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Gillick</span> American professional baseball executive (born 1937)

Lawrence Patrick David Gillick is an American professional baseball executive. He previously served as the general manager of four MLB teams: the Toronto Blue Jays (1978–1994), Baltimore Orioles (1996–1998), Seattle Mariners (2000–2003), and Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2008). He guided the Blue Jays to World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, and later with the Phillies in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Elia</span> American baseball player and manager (born 1937)

Lee Constantine Elia is an American former professional baseball infielder, who played only sparingly in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox (1966) and Chicago Cubs (1968). Following his playing career, he managed the Cubs (1982–1983) and Philadelphia Phillies (1987–1988), and served as a coach for the Phillies, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and Seattle Mariners. Elia was hired by the Atlanta Braves as a special assistant to general manager Frank Wren in November, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Kennedy</span> American baseball player, manager, and executive (1920-2005)

Robert Daniel Kennedy was an American professional baseball right fielder/third baseman, manager and executive in Major League Baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Green (baseball)</span> American baseball player and manager (1934-2017)

George Dallas Green was an American professional baseball pitcher, manager, scout and executive in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played big league baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators and New York Mets, from 1960 through 1967. A man of towering stature, at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall and 210 pounds (95 kg), Green achieved notoriety for his blunt manner. He possessed a booming voice and achieved many successes over a baseball career that lasted over 60 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Frey</span> American baseball manager (1931–2020)

James Gottfried Frey was an American professional baseball manager, coach, general manager, and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) outfielder. In 1980, Frey led the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) to their first American League (AL) championship, in his first year with the team. In the World Series, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, who won their first World Series championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Trout</span> American baseball player

Steven Russell Trout is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Downs</span> American baseball player

Scott Jeremy Downs is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago White Sox. He has been a starter, reliever and closer during his baseball career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Corriden</span> American baseball player (1887-1959)

John Michael "Red" Corriden was an American player, coach, manager, and scout in Major League Baseball. A shortstop and third baseman in his playing days, Corriden appeared in 223 big league games with the St. Louis Browns (1910), Detroit Tigers (1912) and Chicago Cubs (1913–15), batting .205 with 131 hits. He was born in Logansport, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Williams (baseball)</span> American baseball player and executive (born 1964)

Kenneth Royal Williams is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball and a former Executive Vice President of the Chicago White Sox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Hendry</span> American baseball coach and executive

James Hendry is an American baseball coach and executive. He is a special assistant for New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, and is a former general manager of the Chicago Cubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Fletcher (baseball)</span> American baseball player (born 1958)

Scott Brian Fletcher is an American former professional baseball player who played shortstop and second base in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1995. Fletcher is related to Michael Barrett, who also played for the Chicago Cubs. Fletcher graduated from Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, in 1976.

Lawrence Austin Himes is an American former general manager (GM) for two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams: the Chicago White Sox (1986–1990); and the Chicago Cubs (1991–1994). Himes is likely best known for trading for Sammy Sosa during each tenure as GM. Prior to becoming a general manager, he was the California Angels scouting director (1981–1986). During his nine-year playing career (1961–1969), Himes was a catcher in eight minor league baseball farm systems, batting .251 in 725 games played.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Brumley (infielder)</span> American baseball player and coach (1963–2024)

Anthony Michael Brumley was an American professional baseball utility player in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played primarily as a shortstop. He played from 1987 through 1995 for the Chicago Cubs (1987), Detroit Tigers (1989), Seattle Mariners (1990), Boston Red Sox (1991–1992), Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics (1994). Brumley was a coach for the Mariners from 2010 to 2013 and for the Cubs in 2014. He was the son of the catcher Mike Brumley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Hemond</span> American baseball executive (1929–2021)

Roland A. Hemond was an American professional baseball executive who worked in Major League Baseball. He served as the scouting director of the California Angels, general manager of the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles, senior executive vice president of the Arizona Diamondbacks, executive advisor to the general manager of the White Sox, and special assistant to the president for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wid Matthews</span> American baseball player

Wid Curry Matthews was an American outfielder, scout and front office executive in Major League Baseball. Matthews served as general manager of the Chicago Cubs for seven full seasons and became one of the first front-office employees in the history of the New York Mets in 1961, the year before they began play in the National League. A native of Raleigh, Illinois, Matthews stood 5 ft, 81⁄2 in (174 cm) tall and weighed 155 pounds (70 kg) in his playing days. He threw and batted left-handed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">José Castro (baseball)</span> Cuban baseball player & coach (born 1958)

José Castro is a Cuban professional baseball coach. He was previously a coach for the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Schueler</span> American baseball player (born 1948)

Ronald Richard Schueler is an American former professional baseball pitcher, pitching coach, executive and scout. Over the course of his eight-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Schueler played for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Veal</span> American baseball player (born 1984)

Donald Tyrone Veal is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Veal played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, and Atlanta Braves. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft and is currently a minor league pitching coach for the White Sox.

References

  1. ↑ "Grim omens for Scott Brown's future". Politico .
  2. 1 2 3 Rozner, Barry (November 4, 2005). "White Sox' Wilder a hot commodity.(Sports)". Daily Herald .
  3. 1 2 3 Gonzalez, Mark; Phil Rogers (May 18, 2008). "Fired Sox scouting director was on fast track". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2008-05-23.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Working way up to be a footnote / Local players were traded for Eckersley". 26 July 2004.
  5. ↑ White Sox Press Release Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine , Official White Sox site, 14 February 2007, (accessed 3 March 2007)
  6. ↑ Gonzalez, Mark (May 16, 2008). "Sox fire player personnel director after probe". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  7. ↑ Sweeney, Annie (February 11, 2011). "Ex-Sox exec pleads guilty in kickback scheme". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  8. 1 2 "2 years for ex-White Sox exec in kickback scheme". Chicago Tribune. August 28, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Inmate Locator".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.