Craig Grebeck
From BR Bullpen
Craig Allen Grebeck
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 7", Weight 148 lb.
- School California State University, Dominguez Hills
- Debut April 13, 1990
- Final Game June 2, 2001
- Born December 29, 1964 in Johnstown, PA USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Craig Grebeck, signed as an undrafted free agent in 1988, went on to have a 12-year career as a utility player with five major league teams.
After the Chicago White Sox signed him in 1988, out of Cal State Dominguez Hills, he spent the next 3+ years in the minors, moving up the chain. His batting average was decent, and he showed an above average ability to draw walks.
His first chance in the majors was in 1990 at the age of 25, when he hit .168 in 119 at-bats. He played mostly third base, but also short, second, and one game at DH. Although the average wasn't impressive, the Sox kept him and played him more the next season.
In 1991, he played what was to be the most games in his career in a single season, 107. He put up averages of .281/.386/.460, and had his peak of 6 home runs. He hit his only career grand slam on September 15, 1991 against Kyle Abbott of the California Angels
1992 was similarly satisfactory, with .268/.341/.387. It clearly sufficed for an all-purpose back-up infielder to hit that well.
The White Sox won their division in each of 1993 and 1994. Grebeck slumped to .226 in 1993, but hit .309 in 1994. In 1995, his last season with the White Sox, he hit .260.
The rest of his career was as a journeyman, playing for four teams in six years. He was with Toronto for three of the seasons, with a peak average of .363 in 1999 in 34 games.
All his teams from 1996 to the end of his career finished at least 3rd in the division.
He ended up with not quite 2000 at-bats in the majors, and an average of .261, not bad at all for a multi-position infielder who hadn't even been drafted out of college.
The most similar player, according to similarity scores, is Alex Arias, a contemporary of Grebeck who also had a lifetime average around .260 while playing the infield positions. He is also a very similar player to Craig Counsell, though Counsell has been a starting player more than Grebeck was.
In 2005 he served as the hitting coach of the AZL Angels. In 2006 he moved up to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League and will return to RC in 2007.
[edit] Other Information
In 2000, Grebeck was making a run at hitting .400-at least until late May and early June. By May 25th, he already had an 11 game hitting streak-one of his hits included a game ending single against the Chicago White Sox.
His brother, Brian Grebeck, played several seasons in the minors.
[edit] Quotes
"He's a good little player, whether you ask him to play daily at one position or to help out at a second position,"-Carlton Fisk
