User:TrueCRaysball/sandbox/Joel Youngblood
| Joel Youngblood | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Outfielder | |||
| |||
| debut | |||
| April 13, 1976, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1989, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Career statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Hits | 969 | ||
| RBI | 422 | ||
| Teams | |||
| |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
| |||
Joel Randolph Youngblood III (born August 28, 1951 in Houston, Texas) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants from 1976 to 1989. Youngblood was a versatile player, who could play many different positions, as well as pinch hit. He is currently the outfield/baserunning coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Cincinnati Reds[change | change source]
Youngblood was drafted by the Reds out of Stephen F. Austin High School in the second round of the 1970 amateur draft. He made his debut with Cincinnati on April 13, 1976. He batted only .193 for the "Big Red Machine" the season they swept the play-offs and World Series, but he made his one and only appearance as a catcher that season. The following Spring training, he was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bill Caudill.
New York Mets[change | change source]
June 15, 1977, the New York Mets traded Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman, and Dave Kingman to the San Diego Padres for minor league pitcher Paul Siebert and Bobby Valentine. Somewhat more quietly that day, they also acquired Youngblood from the Cardinals for Mike Phillips. To make room for Youngblood on the Mets' active roster, Player/Manager Joe Torre retired as a player.[1]
With the Mets, Youngblood emerged as something of a "star" on the team that consistently finished last or close to it throughout his time in New York. He was the sole Mets representative on the National League team for the 1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In that strike-shortened season, Youngblood hit .350 in 143 at-bats.
MLB first[change | change source]
On August 4, 1982, Youngblood became the only player in history to get hits for two different teams in two different cities on the same day. After Youngblood had driven in two runs with a single in the third inning for the Mets in an afternoon game at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs,[2] he was replaced in center field by Mookie Wilson, and traded to the Montreal Expos for a player to be named later (On August 16, the Expos sent Tom Gorman to the Mets to complete the deal). Youngblood rushed to Philadelphia in order to be with his new team, and hit a seventh inning single.[3] Interestingly, the two pitchers he hit safely against, Ferguson Jenkins of the Cubs and Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies, are both in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
San Francisco Giants[change | change source]
Following the season, he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants. As a utility player, he appeared in 124 games for the 1983 Giants. In 1984, his role with the Giants became more defined as he made 117 appearances at third. His low fielding percentage (.887) at that position returned him to his utility role for the remainder of his Giants career. Youngblood signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds for 1989. After one season back with the Reds, Youngblood retired as a player.
| Games | AB | Runs | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | Avg. | Slg. |
| 1408 | 3659 | 453 | 969 | 180 | 23 | 80 | 422 | 60 | 55 | 332 | 589 | .265 | .392 |
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "The Top 50 Mets of All Time: #43 Joel Youngblood". Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ↑ "Mets 7, Cubs 4". Retrieved 1982-08-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Phillies 5, Expos 4". Retrieved 1982-08-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)
Other links[change | change source]
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
- Career stats and bio at The Baseball Encyclopedia
Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball right fielders Category:Major League Baseball infielders Category:Cincinnati Reds players Category:St. Louis Cardinals players Category:New York Mets players Category:Montreal Expos players Category:San Francisco Giants players Category:National League All-Stars Category:Major League Baseball players from Texas Category:People from Houston, Texas Category:Milwaukee Brewers coaches Category:Cincinnati Reds coaches