Chris Smith (smithch05)

Christopher William Smith

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• School University of Southern California
• High School Bishop Montgomery High School
• Debut May 14, 1981
• Final Game October 2, 1983
• Born July 18, 1957 in Torrance, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Chris Smith had a brief major league career, appearing in a handful of games for the Montreal Expos in 1981 and 1982, and 22 for the San Francisco Giants in 1983. Overall, he hit .289.

He was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 11th round of the 1978 amateur draft, out of the University of Southern California, for whom he had appeared in the 1978 College World Series. In 1979, he hit .331 in 98 games for the Tulsa Drillers of the AA Texas League. Just as spring training was winding down in 1980, he was traded to the Expos along with IF LaRue Washington in return for Expos icon Rusty Staub. He played most of that season in AA with the Memphis Chicks of the Southern League where he hit .304 in 89 games before a late-season promotion to the AAA Denver Bears. He was mainly a third baseman at the time, although his fielding numbers were not particularly good.

In 1981, he started the year with Denver, but was called up to Montreal in mid-May, where he was used mainly as a pinch-hitter, going 0 for 7, with hi only appearance in the field being an inning at second base. He was on the Expos' roster when the 1981 strike hit, and as a result had to spend the next six weeks in limbo when he would have benefitted from regular playing time in Denver. As soon as the strike was settled, he was sent back to AAA, not to return that season even though the Expos called up a boatload of minor leaguers to help them out during the stretch run. He hit .303 in 38 games for Denver. He then spent almost all of 1982 with Montreal's new AAA affiliate, the Wichita Aeros of the American Association, and hit .326 with 14 homers in 115 games in a ballpark that was very favorable to hitters. He was called up to Montreal briefly, going 0 for 2 as a pinch-hitter.

It was clear that there was no place for him in Montreal, in spite of his solid hitting in the minors and on February 2, 1983, he was traded to the Giants in return for veteran OF Jim Wohlford. However, making it to the Show proved to be almost as a challenge on the West Coast. He appeared in four games with the Giants in June and early July, but otherwise the rest of his opportunities came as a September call-up. That is in spite of a great year with the AAA Phoenix Giants, during which he batted .379 with 21 homers and 102 RBIs. He played mainly as an outfielder in the minors that year, but with san Francisco, his main position was first base. He continued to hit there, batting .328 with an OPS+ of 151 in his 22 games.

One would think that some team would have been willing to give a player who had hit consistently well in the minors an extended look, but it was not the case. He was released by San Francisco after the 1983 season and headed to Japan, where he played two seasons with the Yakult Swallows of the Central League. He hit just.214 in 52 games in 1984, and in 1985 he fell to .158 and was let go after 16 games, his playing career over.

He managed the 1987 Salem Angels. His father Harry Smith was a long-time scout.

Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
1987	Salem Angels	Northwest League	34-41	4th	California Angels