Rob Deer: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 41: Line 41:
Deer was drafted by the [[San Francisco Giants]] in the 4th round of the 1978 amateur draft. Deer made his debut on September 4, 1984 at [[Candlestick Park]] against the [[Cincinnati Reds]]. As a pinch hitter facing [[Ted Power]] in the ninth inning, he flied out to end the game. <ref>https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN198409040.shtml</ref> He played 13 games that year, batting .167 while having three home runs and RBIs, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts. The following year, he played in 78 games, batting .185 while having eight home runs, 20 RBIs, 71 strikeouts, and 23 walks. On December 18, he was traded to the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] for two minor league prospects (Dean Freeland and Eric Plinkington).<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-19-sp-30527-story.html Brewers get Rob Deer in trade for 2 players]</ref>
Deer was drafted by the [[San Francisco Giants]] in the 4th round of the 1978 amateur draft. Deer made his debut on September 4, 1984 at [[Candlestick Park]] against the [[Cincinnati Reds]]. As a pinch hitter facing [[Ted Power]] in the ninth inning, he flied out to end the game. <ref>https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN198409040.shtml</ref> He played 13 games that year, batting .167 while having three home runs and RBIs, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts. The following year, he played in 78 games, batting .185 while having eight home runs, 20 RBIs, 71 strikeouts, and 23 walks. On December 18, he was traded to the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] for two minor league prospects (Dean Freeland and Eric Plinkington).<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-19-sp-30527-story.html Brewers get Rob Deer in trade for 2 players]</ref>


With Milwaukee, he had increased playing time. In 1986, he played in 134 games, hitting .232 while posting career highs with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs. He had 72 walks, but struck out 179 times. The following year, he played in 134 games while batting .238 with 28 home runs and 80 RBIs. He had 12 stolen bases and 86 walks, both career highs. The walks helped him post a respectable .360 on-base percentage in 1987, but he also led the majors with 186 strikeouts. Notably, he hit a game-tying home run on [[Easter Sunday]], <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/B04190MIL1987.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Milwaukee Brewers 6, Texas Rangers 4|accessdate=2007-06-25|publisher=[[Retrosheet]]}}</ref> to give the Milwaukee Brewers their 12th straight win to start the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Easter of '87 memories remain vivid; Sveum recalls role in keeping streak alive|date=April 9, 2007|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|page=5|first=Rick|last=Braun|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20070409/ai_n18995721}}</ref> The home run was featured on the cover of [[Sports Illustrated]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewerseaster87.html|title=A blast from Brewers history: Easter Sunday '87|last=Wagner|first=Andrew|accessdate=2007-06-25|date=2007-04-08|publisher=[[OnMilwaukee.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dynamic.si.cnn.com/si_online/covers/issues/1987/0427.html|title=Brewing Up a Storm|last=Newman|first=Bruce|accessdate=2007-06-25|date=1987-04-27|work=[[Sports Illustrated]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612074346/http://dynamic.si.cnn.com/si_online/covers/issues/1987/0427.html|archive-date=2007-06-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>
With Milwaukee, he had increased playing time. In 1986, he played in 134 games, hitting .232 while posting career highs with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs. He had 72 walks, but struck out 179 times. The following year, he played in 134 games while batting .238 with 28 home runs and 80 RBIs. He had 12 stolen bases and 86 walks, both career highs. The walks helped him post a respectable .360 on-base percentage in 1987, but he also led the majors with 186 strikeouts. Notably, he hit a game-tying home run on [[Easter Sunday]], <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/B04190MIL1987.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Milwaukee Brewers 6, Texas Rangers 4|accessdate=2007-06-25|publisher=[[Retrosheet]]}}</ref> helping the Milwaukee Brewers earn their 12th straight win to start the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Easter of '87 memories remain vivid; Sveum recalls role in keeping streak alive|date=April 9, 2007|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|page=5|first=Rick|last=Braun|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20070409/ai_n18995721}}</ref> The home run was featured on the cover of [[Sports Illustrated]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewerseaster87.html|title=A blast from Brewers history: Easter Sunday '87|last=Wagner|first=Andrew|accessdate=2007-06-25|date=2007-04-08|publisher=[[OnMilwaukee.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dynamic.si.cnn.com/si_online/covers/issues/1987/0427.html|title=Brewing Up a Storm|last=Newman|first=Bruce|accessdate=2007-06-25|date=1987-04-27|work=[[Sports Illustrated]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612074346/http://dynamic.si.cnn.com/si_online/covers/issues/1987/0427.html|archive-date=2007-06-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>


He shares the dubious honor of having the second-lowest <ref> https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/chris-davis-finishes-2018-with-the-worst-batting-average-in-mlb-history-after-orioles-shut-him-down/ </ref> official [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] while still qualifying for the batting title when he batted .179 in 1991, his first season with the [[Detroit Tigers]]. ([[Dan Uggla]] also hit .179 in 2013.) During that 1991 season, Deer had 41 extra-base hits and only 39 singles in 448 at-bats. He bounced back somewhat in 1992, hitting 32 home runs in only 110 games while posting the second-highest batting average of his career (.247). He is the only player since 1901 to have a batting average below .215 in at least four seasons of 400 or more at-bats.
He shares the dubious honor of having the second-lowest <ref> https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/chris-davis-finishes-2018-with-the-worst-batting-average-in-mlb-history-after-orioles-shut-him-down/ </ref> official [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] while still qualifying for the batting title when he batted .179 in 1991, his first season with the [[Detroit Tigers]]. ([[Dan Uggla]] also hit .179 in 2013.) During that 1991 season, Deer had 41 extra-base hits and only 39 singles in 448 at-bats. He bounced back somewhat in 1992, hitting 32 home runs in only 110 games while posting the second-highest batting average of his career (.247). He is the only player since 1901 to have a batting average below .215 in at least four seasons of 400 or more at-bats.

Revision as of 18:09, 28 October 2020

Rob Deer
Right fielder
Born: (1960-09-29) September 29, 1960 (age 63)
Orange, California
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 4, 1984, for the San Francisco Giants
Last MLB appearance
August 5, 1996, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics
Batting average.220
Home runs230
Runs batted in600
Teams

Robert George Deer (born September 29, 1960) is an American former baseball player.

Early life

Deer attended Canyon High School in Anaheim and Fresno City College.

Baseball career

Deer was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 4th round of the 1978 amateur draft. Deer made his debut on September 4, 1984 at Candlestick Park against the Cincinnati Reds. As a pinch hitter facing Ted Power in the ninth inning, he flied out to end the game. [1] He played 13 games that year, batting .167 while having three home runs and RBIs, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts. The following year, he played in 78 games, batting .185 while having eight home runs, 20 RBIs, 71 strikeouts, and 23 walks. On December 18, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for two minor league prospects (Dean Freeland and Eric Plinkington).[2]

With Milwaukee, he had increased playing time. In 1986, he played in 134 games, hitting .232 while posting career highs with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs. He had 72 walks, but struck out 179 times. The following year, he played in 134 games while batting .238 with 28 home runs and 80 RBIs. He had 12 stolen bases and 86 walks, both career highs. The walks helped him post a respectable .360 on-base percentage in 1987, but he also led the majors with 186 strikeouts. Notably, he hit a game-tying home run on Easter Sunday, [3] helping the Milwaukee Brewers earn their 12th straight win to start the season.[4] The home run was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.[5][6]

He shares the dubious honor of having the second-lowest [7] official batting average while still qualifying for the batting title when he batted .179 in 1991, his first season with the Detroit Tigers. (Dan Uggla also hit .179 in 2013.) During that 1991 season, Deer had 41 extra-base hits and only 39 singles in 448 at-bats. He bounced back somewhat in 1992, hitting 32 home runs in only 110 games while posting the second-highest batting average of his career (.247). He is the only player since 1901 to have a batting average below .215 in at least four seasons of 400 or more at-bats.

Deer held the American League record for strikeouts in a season (186 strikeouts in 1987) until being passed by Jack Cust in 2008, and had at least 140 strikeouts on seven occasions.[8] Deer averaged a strikeout every 2.75 at-bats.[9]

Deer has also gained some notoriety among studiers of baseball statistics due to his propensity for the Three True Outcomes (defined as a strikeout, home run, or bases on balls).[10] Because of his ability to hit home runs and take walks and better-than-average fielding ability, he remained a valuable player despite his inability to hit for average, as evidenced by his career 13.7 Wins Above Replacement.[11]

His final major league appearance was in the bottom of the eighth inning of a Padres-Cardinals game on August 5, 1996, replacing Greg Vaughn in left field. He caught a flyball to end the inning for the Padres, who lost 8-2. [12]

Since his playing days, Deer has had a career in drag racing, sprint car racing and has served as a roving hitting instructor for the San Diego Padres minor league system and is currently the owner of Viz-U-Bat.[13] On November 26, 2012, Deer was named the assistant hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs, under his friend Dale Sveum, manager of the Cubs. They were Milwaukee Brewers teammates from 1986–1990. He is also very close friends with former Brewers teammates Chris Bosio (the Cubs pitching coach) and Robin Yount.

While with the Brewers, he worked for his father's construction firm.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN198409040.shtml
  2. ^ Brewers get Rob Deer in trade for 2 players
  3. ^ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Milwaukee Brewers 6, Texas Rangers 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  4. ^ Braun, Rick (April 9, 2007). "Easter of '87 memories remain vivid; Sveum recalls role in keeping streak alive". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 5.
  5. ^ Wagner, Andrew (2007-04-08). "A blast from Brewers history: Easter Sunday '87". OnMilwaukee.com. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  6. ^ Newman, Bruce (1987-04-27). "Brewing Up a Storm". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  7. ^ https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/chris-davis-finishes-2018-with-the-worst-batting-average-in-mlb-history-after-orioles-shut-him-down/
  8. ^ "Single Season Leaders for Strikeouts in the American League". Baseball-Almanac.com. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  9. ^ Spatz, Lyle (2007). TheSABR Baseball List & Record Book – Baseball's Most Fascinating Records and Unusual Statistics. United States: Simon & Schuster. p. 496. ISBN 9781416532453.
  10. ^ "Doctoring the Numbers". Baseball Prospectus. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  11. ^ "Rob Deer >> Statistics >> Batting". Fangraphs Baseball. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  12. ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN199608050.shtml
  13. ^ "Rob Deer Visz-U-Bat".
  14. ^ ""Rob Works for His Father's Construction Firm" - NotGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rob_Deer&oldid=985912902"