Don Baylor
From BR Bullpen
Don Edward Baylor
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.
- School Miami Dade College, Blinn College
- High School Austin (TX) High School
- Debut September 18, 1970
- Final Game October 1, 1988
- Born June 28, 1949 in Austin, TX USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Don Baylor played 19 years in the American League and hit 338 home runs. He was the 1979 American League MVP. He has also managed nine years in the majors.
A versatile player, Baylor finished as high as second in the league in home runs (1978) and as high as fourth in the league in stolen bases (1976). He led the league once in sac flies and eight times in hit-by-pitch. He is fourth on the all-time list for most hit-by-pitch, and until Craig Biggio passed him, Baylor held the modern record for the most hit-by-pitch. In 1986, Baylor logged a 30/30 season - 31 home runs and 35 HBP.
He is the only outfielder in major league history who never doubled off or doubled up a runner. His career double play total is zero. Everybody else in 500 or more games had at least two.
In the last three years of his career, Baylor appeared in the World Series each year, each time with a different team (Boston, Minnesota, and then Oakland).
After his playing days were over, Baylor was a Milwaukee Brewers coach in 1990 and 1991 and was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals staff in 1992. In 1993, he became manager of the expansion Colorado Rockies, a job he would hold for six years. After spending 1999 as an Atlanta Braves coach, he was skipper of the Chicago Cubs for two and a half seasons, beginning in 2000. He spent 2003 and 2004 on the New York Mets staff and was a Seattle Mariners coach in 2005. He rejoined the Rockies as hitting coach in 2009.
Baylor's cousin Pat Ballage played for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1970 Minor League Player of the Year, Rochester Red Wings, International League
- 1972 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- AL All-Star (1979)
- AL MVP (1979)
- 3-time AL Silver Slugger Award Winner (1983/DH, 1985/DH & 1986/DH)
- AL Runs Scored Leader (1979)
- AL RBI Leader (1979)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 9 (1975, 1977-1979 & 1982-1986)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 3 (1978, 1979 & 1986)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1979)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1978 & 1979)
- 50 Stolen Bases Seasons: 1 (1976)
- Won a World Series with the Minnesota Twins in 1987
- NL Manager of the Year Award (1995)
- Managerial Post-season appearance: 1 (1995 Wild Card)
| AL MVP | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Jim Rice | Don Baylor | George Brett |
| Preceded by N/A | Colorado Rockies Manager 1993-1998 | Succeeded by Jim Leyland |
| Preceded by Jim Riggleman | Chicago Cubs Manager 2000-2002 | Succeeded by Bruce Kimm |
[edit] Year-By-Year Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Colorado Rockies | National League | 67-95 | 6th | Colorado Rockies | ||
| 1994 | Colorado Rockies | National League | 53-64 | 3rd | Colorado Rockies | ||
| 1995 | Colorado Rockies | National League | 77-67 | 2nd | Colorado Rockies | Lost NLDS | |
| 1996 | Colorado Rockies | National League | 83-79 | 3rd | Colorado Rockies | ||
| 1997 | Colorado Rockies | National League | 83-79 | 3rd | Colorado Rockies | ||
| 1998 | Colorado Rockies | National League | 77-85 | 4th | Colorado Rockies | ||
| 2000 | Chicago Cubs | National League | 65-97 | 6th | Chicago Cubs | ||
| 2001 | Chicago Cubs | National League | 88-74 | 3rd | Chicago Cubs | ||
| 2002 | Chicago Cubs | National League | 34-49 | -- | Chicago Cubs | replaced by Rene Lachemann and Bruce Kimm on July 5 |
