Kevin Rhomberg | |
---|---|
Left fielder | |
Born: Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. | November 22, 1955|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
June 9, 1982, for the Cleveland Indians | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 5, 1984, for the Cleveland Indians | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .383 |
Home runs | 1 |
Runs batted in | 3 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
Kevin Jay Rhomberg (born November 22,1955) is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Cleveland Indians of the American League in the 14th round of the 1977 amateur draft,and made his major league debut on June 9,1982. While Rhomberg's career consisted of just 41 games (his final game was on June 5,1984) he batted an impressive .383 with an on-base percentage of .423. Not known for his defense,Rhomberg was considered primarily an outfielder.
Rhomberg was known not just for his hitting,but also for his compulsions. His main compulsion was the need to touch back someone who had just touched him. [1] [2]
Rhomberg was born and raised in Dubuque,Iowa,where his father worked for a meatpacking company. He played basketball and baseball in high school and led his baseball team to the school's first state championship. It was during high school that he met Denice,his future wife.
In 1974,Rhomberg attended Lewis University in Illinois where he was a part of the NAIA World Series Championship baseball team. [3] In 1976 he transferred to the University of St. Francis,where he was selected in the 1977 draft by the Cleveland Indians.
By 1981,Rhomberg was playing with the Class AA Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League. That year he led the Southern League in hits (187),triples (14),stolen bases (74),batting average (.366) and on-base percentage (.457);he finished second in runs scored (104). [4] After the 1981 season,the Indians traded second baseman Duane Kuiper to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Ed Whitson. Indians vice president Phil Seghi named Rhomberg as one of two players likely to become the starting second baseman on the 1982 Indians. [5]
Rhomberg spent most of the 1982 season in Class AAA,and he was called up to the major leagues with the Indians in September of that year. In his major league debut on September 8,which Rhomberg said was the first birthday of his son Kevin Jr,Rhomberg hit a home run. [6] Several players shared the second base duties that year for the Indians;Rhomberg appeared in 16 games,mostly as a left fielder or pinch runner. [7] Before the 1983 season,the Indians sent Rhomberg back to the Class AAA Charleston Charlies. [8] He was called back up to the Indians in September 1983. [9] He finished his major league career with the 1984 Indians,playing in 13 games. Over his 41-game major league career,Rhomberg had 18 hits in 47 at bats for a .383 batting average. He retired after spending the 1985 season in Class AAA with the Phoenix Giants. [10]
Cleveland teammates,including former player and manager Mike Hargrove,called Rhomberg,"Touch Me,Touch Me",and it is reported that opposing players and teammates,loved nothing more than to touch Rhomberg and then run off,sending him into a near panic. According to one story,former Indians teammate Rick Sutcliffe once reached under a bathroom stall to touch Rhomberg on the toe. Not knowing who the culprit was,Rhomberg went around the clubhouse and touched each player. Brook Jacoby tagged Rhomberg with a ball in the minors,then threw it out of the stadium. Jacoby said that Rhomberg spent two hours looking for the ball before finding it. An umpire once halted play during a game in New York to tell Yankees players to stop touching Rhomberg. If a person eluded his return touch,Rhomberg would send a letter that said,"This constitutes a touch." [11]
Another compulsion was that Rhomberg refused to make any right-hand turns on the baseball field,reasoning that the allocation of the bases meant for players only to turn left. If the ball was hit to his right while playing in the outfield,Rhomberg would turn to the left and then make a full circle.
Following his playing career,Rhomberg was a scout for the Cleveland Indians. [12] He spent most of the 1990s as a college baseball head coach,first at Cleveland State University and then at Lakeland Community College. [13] Since then he owned,operated,and consulted for minor league baseball clubs. Rhomberg lives in Ohio and used to own the Lorain County Ironmen,a team in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League,a wood-bat league that gives college players the chance to play during the college off-season. The Ironmen were managed by Rhomberg's close friend,former Cleveland Indians teammate Joe Charboneau. Rhomberg's son,Joe Rhomberg,also used to be a member of the Ironmen coaching staff. The team plays its home games at the Pipe Yard in Lorain,Ohio. He also has a family in Ohio made up of his wife,four kids,and ten grandkids.
Rhomberg was named one of the Top 10 Most Superstitious Athletes by Men's Fitness . [14]
Tristram Edgar Speaker,nicknamed "the Gray Eagle",was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder from 1907 to 1928. Considered one of the greatest players in the history of Major League Baseball,he compiled a career batting average of .345. His 792 career doubles represent an MLB career record. His 3,514 hits are fifth in the all-time hits list. Defensively,Speaker holds career records for assists,double plays,and unassisted double plays by an outfielder. He held the major league career record for putouts by a center fielder (6,592) until he was surpassed by Willie Mays in 1971. His fielding glove was known as the place "where triples go to die."
Joseph Chris Carter is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs,Cleveland Indians,San Diego Padres,Toronto Blue Jays,Baltimore Orioles,and San Francisco Giants. Carter hit a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Blue Jays,their second consecutive championship. Carter is one of only two players to end a World Series with a home run,the other being Bill Mazeroski.
Joseph Charboneau is an American former professional baseball left fielder and designated hitter who played three seasons with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 1980s.
Leo Ernest Whitt is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),including twelve for the Toronto Blue Jays,and was the last player from the franchise's inaugural season of 1977 to remain through 1989. Whitt was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Víctor Jesús Martínez,also known by his nickname "V-Mart",is a Venezuelan former professional baseball designated hitter and catcher. Martínez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians,Boston Red Sox,and Detroit Tigers. After joining the Tigers,he played mostly as a designated hitter.
James Gorman Thomas III is an American former professional baseball player. He played Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder and right-handed hitter. Thomas played in the American League (AL) with the Milwaukee Brewers,Cleveland Indians (1983) and Seattle Mariners (1984–86).
Albert Jojuan Belle,known until 1990 as Joey Belle,is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from 1989 to 2000,most notably for the Cleveland Indians. Known for his taciturn personality and intimidating stature,Belle was one of the leading sluggers of his time,and in 1995 became the only player to ever hit 50 doubles and 50 home runs in a season,despite the season being only 144 games. He was also the first player to break the $10 million per year compensation contract in Major League Baseball.
Kevin Lee Seitzer is an American former professional baseball third baseman who is currently the hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals,Milwaukee Brewers,Oakland Athletics,and Cleveland Indians. He has also served as the hitting coach for the Royals,Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,and Atlanta Braves.
Jeffrey Lynn Newman is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. Newman was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 26th round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his MLB debut in 1976. He was an All Star in 1979. He served as the interim manager of the Oakland Athletics in 1986.
Brandon Douglas Moss is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,Pittsburgh Pirates,Philadelphia Phillies,Oakland Athletics,Cleveland Indians,St. Louis Cardinals,and Kansas City Royals.
James Michael Hegan was an American professional baseball player,who later worked as a sports commentator. In Major League Baseball (MLB) he was a first baseman and outfielder,and played for three different American League (AL) franchises between 1964 and 1977. He was the son of longtime Cleveland Indians catcher Jim Hegan.
Howard Rodney "Doc" Edwards was an American professional baseball catcher,manager,and coach,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Cleveland Indians,Kansas City Athletics,New York Yankees,and Philadelphia Phillies,over parts of five seasons,spanning nine years. Edwards also managed the Indians,for parts of three seasons (1987-1989).
Arnold Ray McBride,nicknamed "Shake 'n Bake" and "the Callaway Kid",is an American former professional baseball outfielder,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals,Philadelphia Phillies,and Cleveland Indians between 1973 and 1983. He had the most success with the Phillies teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Michael Ray Bourn is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies,Houston Astros,Atlanta Braves,Cleveland Indians,Arizona Diamondbacks,and Baltimore Orioles between 2006 and 2016. He also played internationally for the United States national baseball team.
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.
Daniel Ray Spillner is an American former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1985. He played for the San Diego Padres,Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. He led the Padres pitching staff in strikeouts in 1975.
Michael Charles Brantley Jr.,is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and the Houston Astros. The son of former MLB player and hitting coach Mickey Brantley,he is a left-handed batter and thrower.
Kevin Michael Collins was a Major League Baseball infielder with the New York Mets,Montreal Expos and Detroit Tigers. He played primarily as a third baseman and sometimes as a second baseman. He also played a few games at other positions,including shortstop,first baseman and outfielder.
Lonnie David Chisenhall is an American former professional baseball third baseman and outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians. He made his MLB debut with the Indians in June 2011 while playing third base. Chisenhall transitioned to right field later in his career.
Bradley Clarke Zimmer is an American professional baseball center fielder who is a free agent. He attended the University of San Francisco,and played college baseball for the San Francisco Dons baseball team. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft and made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with them in 2017. He has also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.