Benito Santiago Rivera is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played for 20 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2005,most prominently as a member of the San Diego Padres where he was a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner as well as a three-time Gold Glove Award winner. The five-time All-Star was considered the premier catcher in the National League (NL) during his tenure with the Padres. In 2015,Santiago was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.
Gregory Alan Maddux,also known as "Mad Dog" and "the Professor," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves over the Cleveland Indians. Maddux was the first pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995),matched by only one other pitcher,Randy Johnson. During those four seasons,Maddux had a 75–29 record with a 1.98 earned run average (ERA),while allowing less than one baserunner per inning.
Ryne Dee Sandberg,nicknamed "Ryno",is an American former professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He played sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies (1981) and the Chicago Cubs.
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett,also nicknamed "Old Tomato Face",was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher with the Chicago Cubs,from 1922 to 1940. He spent the final season of his career as a player-coach with the New York Giants in 1941. After his playing career,Hartnett continued his involvement in baseball as a coach and as a minor league manager.
Henry Ramón Blanco is a Venezuelan professional baseball coach and former player. He is currently the catching and strategy coach for the Washington Nationals. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 2013,appearing for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Colorado Rockies,Milwaukee Brewers,Atlanta Braves,Minnesota Twins,Chicago Cubs,San Diego Padres,New York Mets,Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,and Seattle Mariners. He later served as quality assurance coach for the Cubs. Although a light-hitting player,he was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in Major League Baseball.
Robert Earl Brenly is an American baseball sportscaster and a former professional baseball player,coach and manager. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher with the San Francisco Giants. After retiring as a player,Brenly worked as a broadcaster with the Chicago Cubs,then as a coach with the Giants,then as a broadcaster for Fox. He was hired to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2001 season,and won the franchise's only championship his first year,becoming the fourth rookie manager to win a World Series and first since 1961. In 2004,Brenly was released by the Diamondbacks and again became a broadcaster with the Cubs until 2012. He now serves as a color commentator for Diamondbacks broadcasts.
Johnny Lane Oates was an American professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles,Atlanta Braves,Philadelphia Phillies,Los Angeles Dodgers,and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1981. During his playing career,Oates was a light-hitting player who was valued for his defensive skills and played most of his career as a reserve player. It was as a big league manager that Oates experienced his greatest success,when,under his leadership,the Texas Rangers won three American League Western Division titles.
Alejandro Treviño Castro is a Mexican former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets,Cincinnati Reds,Atlanta Braves,San Francisco Giants,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Houston Astros from 1978 to 1990. Since 1996,Treviño has been a broadcaster for Astros games. He is the younger brother of MLB outfielder Bobby Treviño.
Bruce Edwin Benedict is an American former professional baseball player,coach and scout. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1989.
Cecil Randolph Hundley Jr. is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the San Francisco Giants,Chicago Cubs,Minnesota Twins,and the San Diego Padres. Hundley played the majority of his career with the Cubs and was considered their leader in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite being a light-hitter,Hundley was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era,and the best Cubs catcher since Gabby Hartnett in 1940.
Virgil Lawrence "Spud" Davis was an American professional baseball player,coach,scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals,Philadelphia Phillies,Cincinnati Reds,and Pittsburgh Pirates. Davis' .308 career batting average ranks fourth all-time among major league catchers.
Delbert Rice Jr. was an American professional baseball player,coach and manager. He played for 17 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1961,most notably for the St. Louis Cardinals. Although Rice was a relatively weak hitter,he sustained a lengthy career in the major leagues due to his valuable defensive abilities.
James Wren "Zack" Taylor was an American professional baseball player,coach,scout,and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher with the Brooklyn Robins,Boston Braves,New York Giants,Chicago Cubs,New York Yankees,and again with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although Taylor was not a powerful hitter,he sustained a lengthy career in the major leagues due to his valuable defensive abilities as a catcher. After his playing career,he became better known as the manager for the St. Louis Browns owned by Bill Veeck. His baseball career spanned 58 years.
Damon Scott Berryhill is an American former professional baseball catcher and former manager of the AAA Gwinnett Stripers. He played ten seasons for the Chicago Cubs,the Atlanta Braves,the Boston Red Sox,the Cincinnati Reds,and the San Francisco Giants of the Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 1997. He threw right and was a switch hitter.
James Kenneth O'Dea was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs (1935–38),New York Giants (1939–41),St. Louis Cardinals (1942–46),and Boston Braves (1946).
Timothy P. Blackwell is an American former professional baseball player,coach,and minor league manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1983 for the Boston Red Sox,Philadelphia Phillies,Chicago Cubs,and Montreal Expos. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. Blackwell was known as a light-hitting,defensive specialist with good pitch-calling skills and possessed a strong,accurate throwing arm.
Jason Alias Heyward,nicknamed "J-Hey",is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves,St. Louis Cardinals,and Chicago Cubs.
The 1987 Chicago Cubs season was the 116th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise,the 112th in the National League and the 72nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished sixth and last in the National League East with a record of 76–85,18½games behind the division and pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.
Antonio Francisco Peña Padilla is a Dominican former professional baseball player,manager and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates,St. Louis Cardinals,Boston Red Sox,Cleveland Indians,Chicago White Sox,and Houston Astros. After his playing career,Peña was the manager of the Kansas City Royals between 2002 and 2005. He was most recently the first base coach for the New York Yankees. A four-time Gold Glove Award winner,Peña was known for his defensive abilities as well as his unorthodox squat behind home plate.
Andrelton Alexander Simmons is a Curaçaoan former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves,Los Angeles Angels,Minnesota Twins,and Chicago Cubs. Drawing considerable attention for his defensive abilities,Simmons won four Rawlings Gold Glove Awards at shortstop,a Wilson MLB Overall Defensive Player of the Year Award,and six Fielding Bible Awards. As of the end of 2019 season,he ranked first in DRS and UZR against all shortstops played in the stats' respective eras.
