Jeff Cirillo | |
---|---|
Third baseman | |
Born: Pasadena, California, U.S. | September 23, 1969|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 11, 1994, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 30, 2007, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .296 |
Home runs | 112 |
Runs batted in | 727 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Jeffrey Howard Cirillo (born September 23,1969) is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball. In a 14-season career,Cirillo was a .296 hitter with 112 home runs and 727 RBI in 1617 games. He was named an All-Star in 1997 and 2000. He shares the major league record of playing 99 consecutive errorless games at third base with John Wehner. He batted and threw right-handed.
Cirillo was born in Pasadena,California,to Howard Cirillo and Carol Grant. He has one step-brother,Adam Grant,who played baseball at UCSB. Cirillo attended Providence High School where he excelled in both baseball and basketball. Then,he enrolled at the University of Southern California after receiving little attention from colleges in his high school years. [1] As a Trojan,he started out as a pitcher;however,he was moved to third base later in his college career. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity there and graduated with a degree in communications.
Cirillo was drafted in the 11th Round by the Milwaukee Brewers. With the Brewers,Cirillo collected a .300 batting average or better for three seasons,including a career-high .326 in 1999. The same year,he added 198 hits (also a career-high) with 15 home runs and 88 RBI. His most productive season came in 2000 with the Colorado Rockies,when he posted career-highs in RBI (115),runs (111),and doubles (53);finished with 195 hits;and matched his personal-best .326 average.
On December 16,2001,the Rockies traded Cirillo to the Seattle Mariners for Denny Stark,Brian Fuentes,and JoséPaniagua. [2] Posting the lowest BABIP since his rookie season,he was ineffective with the bat but provided strong defensive contributions while in Seattle,ranked by UZR as the second best third baseman in the American League in 2002. [3] In 2003,he continued to provide above average defense but again posted the lowest BABIP of his career (.226 compared to a .320 career average). [4]
Cirillo was traded to the San Diego Padres before the 2004 season but was inactive most of the year with a wrist injury. He made history by becoming Randy Johnson's 4,000th strikeout victim on June 29,2004.
Rejoining the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005,Cirillo saw a resurgence in his stroke while continuing his solid defense posting wOBA's of .355 in 2005 and .344 in 2006.
Cirillo signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins in December 2006. He did not finish the season with the Twins and was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 3,2007. Cirillo stated that he would most certainly retire at the end of the 2007 season. He made the first pitching appearance of his career on August 20,2007,against Milwaukee. He pitched one inning and gave up two walks and no runs while striking out one player,former Diamondback Craig Counsell. "He's way nastier than I thought he would be," said Bill Hall,who worked one of the walks. "I was shocked when I got up there. He's got a knuckleball,a slider,he was throwing some changeups. Those pitches make 84,83 [mph fastballs] look pretty hard. I heard he was a better pitcher in college than he was a hitter."
Before the 2007 NLDS,Cirillo held one of baseball's most unwanted records. He had played in 1,617 regular season games but never in the postseason. When his team made the playoffs,the title was passed to Damion Easley of the New York Mets who finished the 2008 season having played 1,706 straight games without a playoff berth.
On April 2,2008,it was announced that Cirillo would join FSN Wisconsin as an analyst for Milwaukee Brewers broadcasts. His first appearance was on April 18,2008. He worked as a pre/post-game show for two years in 2008 and 2011.
Cirillo has worked as a part-time scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2009 and 2010). Cirillo was hired by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2012 as a scout.
Cirillo is a partner in Pacific Baseball Ventures,LLC,which owns the Walla Walla Sweets and the Yakima Valley Pippins. Both teams play in the West Coast League,a summer collegiate wood-bat league located in Walla Walla,Washington. [5]
Cirillo is also an assistant baseball coach for the Bellevue High School baseball team,where he has coached his sons Cole (class of 2016),Carson (class of 2018),and Connor (class of 2019).[ citation needed ]
Cirillo has three sons with his ex-wife Nancy:Cole (born 1997),Carson (born 1999),and Connor (born 2001). [6] The Cirillo family lived in Whitefish Bay,Wisconsin,during Jeff's time on the Milwaukee Brewers. His son,Cole,played football and basketball,as well as participating in track and field events,at Bellevue High School before graduating in 2016. [7] [8] He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California in 2020 and is currently a Management Consulting Associate at KPMG. [9] Carson,a 2018 graduate,played varsity baseball and golf at Bellevue High School,now attending the University of Puget Sound,and Connor,who played basketball and baseball,graduated in 2019 with the intention of attending the University of Southern California as well. [10]
Daniel Victor Klassen is a Canadian former professional baseball infielder. He played four seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks and one season with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Lyle Stefan Overbay is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,Pittsburgh Pirates,Atlanta Braves,New York Yankees,and Milwaukee Brewers from 2001 through 2014.
Craig John Counsell is an American former professional baseball infielder and current manager for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was previously the manager for the Milwaukee Brewers and holds the Brewers’franchise record for managerial wins. He led the team to five of their nine all-time postseason appearances,winning one playoff series.
Felipe López is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball infielder.
Stephen Oris Drew is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Oakland Athletics,Boston Red Sox,New York Yankees and Washington Nationals. His two brothers,outfielder J.D. and pitcher Tim,also played in MLB.
Turner Max Ward is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians,Toronto Blue Jays,Milwaukee Brewers,Pittsburgh Pirates,Arizona Diamondbacks,and Philadelphia Phillies from 1990 to 2001. He most recently served as the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2023 to 2024.
Micah Burton Owings is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres between 2007 and 2012. During his career,Owings was used as a pitcher and an occasional pinch-hitter;he also played outfielder in the minor leagues. While playing for the Diamondbacks in 2007,he was honored with a Silver Slugger Award as the top-hitting pitcher.
Mark Andrew Reynolds is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Baltimore Orioles,Cleveland Indians,New York Yankees,Milwaukee Brewers,St. Louis Cardinals,Washington Nationals,and two stints with the Colorado Rockies. A right-hander both when batting and throwing,Reynolds was known for his frequent and long home runs,high strikeout totals,and defensive versatility,having been primarily a third baseman before transitioning to first base while playing for the Orioles.
Christopher Michael Bando is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the 1980s,spending most of his career with the Cleveland Indians before playing for the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics. He managed the Texas AirHogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.
Joseph Stephen Koshansky is a former Major League Baseball first baseman.
Vernon Christopher Carter is an American professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics,Houston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers,and New York Yankees. In 2016,while playing for the Brewers,Carter led the National League in home runs,along with Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado,with 41.
Gerardo Enrique Parra is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder and current first base coach for the Washington Nationals. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Milwaukee Brewers,Baltimore Orioles,Colorado Rockies,San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals,as well for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Parra is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and won the 2019 World Series as a member of the Nationals.
Eduardo JoséEscobar is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox,Minnesota Twins,Arizona Diamondbacks,Milwaukee Brewers,New York Mets,and Los Angeles Angels.
Nolan James Arenado is an American professional baseball third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Arenado is widely recognized as one of the best defensive third basemen of all time. He is the only infielder to win the Rawlings Gold Glove Award in each of his first ten MLB seasons. He made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2013 and was traded to the Cardinals before the 2021 season.
Mitchell Evan Haniger is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants.
Cole Bryson Tucker is an American professional baseball shortstop and outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels.
Jake William Hager is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Isan Xavier Díaz is a Puerto Rican professional baseball second baseman for the Lancaster Stormers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins,San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers.
The 2017 Colorado Rockies season was the franchise's 25th in Major League Baseball. It was the 23rd season the Rockies played their home games at Coors Field. Bud Black became the new Rockies Manager after the resignation of Walt Weiss. Black in his first season was a finalist for the Manager of the Year award. The Rockies finished the season 87–75 in third place in the National League West,achieving their first winning season since 2010. 17 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. They did,however,receive the second wild card spot in the National League and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. In the NLWC Game,they lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Garrett Antony-Charles Mitchell is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Mitchell was selected 20th overall by the Brewers in the 2020 MLB draft.