Mike Gallego
 |
| Mike Gallego | |
|---|---|
 Gallego with the Oakland Athletics | |
| Infielder | |
| Born:October 31, 1960 Whittier, California,U.S. | |
Batted:Right Threw:Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 11, 1985, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 23, 1997, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .239 |
| Home runs | 42 |
| Runs batted in | 282 |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Michael Anthony Gallego(born October 31, 1960) is anAmericanformer professionalbaseballplayer and currentcoach.He played inMajor League Baseball(MLB) as aninfielderfrom 1985 to 1997, most notably as a member of theOakland Athleticsteam that won three consecutiveAmerican League pennantsand aWorld Serieschampionship in1989.He also played for theNew York Yankeesand theSt. Louis Cardinals.After his playing career, Gallego served as a major league coach.
Playing career
[edit]Gallego was born inWhittier, California,ofMexicandescent. Before playing professionally, he graduated fromSt. Paul High School,where he lettered in baseball and football, and then attended theUniversity of California, Los Angeles(1978–81, history major). Gallego played on theUnited States national baseball teamat the1979 Pan American Games.[1]
Gallego was the Athletics' startingsecond basemanduring their three-year run of AL championships from 1988 through 1990, which included aWorld Seriessweep in 1989 against theirBay Area rivals,theSan Francisco Giants.Throughout his career, he was known more for his glove than his bat. In 1990, he led the AL in sacrifice hits with 17. He had 28 hits without an extra-base hit in 1995, still the post-1912 non-pitcher record. Gallego's 12 home runs in 1991 set a career high.
While playing with the Yankees from 1992 to 1994, Gallego was the last player to wear the uniform number 2 prior to the Yankees'Hall of Fameshortstop,Derek Jeter.[2]Upon his return to the Oakland A's in 1987, Gallego refused to give up uniform number 9 thatReggie Jacksonhad worn previously with the A's, forcing Jackson to wear number 44 for his final season.[3]
Gallego closed out his career with the Cardinals in 1996 and 1997, where he once again played underTony La Russa,his manager while with the A's.
Coaching career
[edit]Gallego was named theColorado Rockiesthird base coachand infield coach in December 2004 and coached until October 7, 2008. He was hired as the A's third base coach and infield instructor during the 2008 offseason. He was dismissed on August 24, 2015.[4]
On November 25, 2015, Gallego was announced as director of baseball development for theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim.[5]He was promoted to third base coach for the 2019 season, and tobench coachprior to the 2020 season.[6]He remained with the Angels' major-league coaching staff through the 2022 season, then was reassigned within the organization.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Gallego and his wife Caryn have three children, Joe, Niko and Ali. His son Niko also played forUCLAbaseball and was signed with theArizona Diamondbacksin July 2010.[8]Niko helped theBruinsto the Championship Series of the2010 College World Series,where they lost to South Carolina for the national championship. Following his graduation from UCLA, Niko began playing for theVisalia Rawhideof theCalifornia League.[9]He is the uncle ofLos Angeles DodgerscatcherAustin Barnes.[10]He is of Mexican descent.[11]
References
[edit]- ^Adam, Dave (July 1, 1979)."U.S. baseball's face still competition in games".Arizona Daily Star.p. C3.RetrievedApril 1,2023– via newspapers.com.
- ^Callahan, Maureen (March 30, 2014)."Jeter's retirement marks end of Yanks' single-digit numbers".NY Post.RetrievedJuly 8,2014.
- ^Horton, Nathaniel."Jackson returns to Oakland to end career".baseballhall.org.
- ^Lee, Jane (August 24, 2015)."A's Name Washington 3B Coach; Gallego Dismissed".Major League Baseball. Archived fromthe originalon August 26, 2015.RetrievedAugust 24,2015.
- ^Gonzalez, Alden (November 25, 2015)."Angels name Black special assistant to GM".Major League Baseball. Archived fromthe originalon November 25, 2015.RetrievedNovember 25,2015.
- ^Maria Torres (October 31, 2019)."Joe Maddon's new Angels coaching staff is full of former Cubs".Orange County Register.RetrievedNovember 14,2019.
- ^Snider, Jeff J. (November 25, 2022)."Angels News: Phil Nevin Names New Third-Base Coach for 2023 Season".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedApril 1,2023.
- ^Angulo, Blair (July 14, 2010)."Baseball team's offseason heats up".ESPN Los Angeles.
- ^http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ros&cid=516
- ^"Austin Barnes and the tools of persistence".July 5, 2017.
- ^"'You don't assume he's Mexican.' Why Austin Barnes and Julio Urías will be teammates at the WBC ".Los Angeles Times.March 17, 2023.
External links
[edit]
- Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors)
- Mike Gallagoat Baseball Almanac
- 1960 births
- Living people
- Albany A's players
- American baseball players of Mexican descent
- American expatriate baseball players in Canada
- American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
- Baseball players at the 1979 Pan American Games
- Baseball coaches from California
- Colorado Rockies (baseball) coaches
- Edmonton Trappers players
- Fort Lauderdale Yankees players
- Los Angeles Angels coaches
- Louisville Redbirds players
- Major League Baseball bench coaches
- Major League Baseball second basemen
- Major League Baseball third base coaches
- Minor league baseball coaches
- Modesto A's players
- New York Yankees players
- Oakland Athletics coaches
- Oakland Athletics players
- Pan American Games competitors for the United States
- Potros de Tijuana players
- Baseball players from Whittier, California
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- St. Petersburg Cardinals players
- Tacoma Tigers players
- UCLA Bruins baseball players
- West Haven A's players
- St. Paul High School (Santa Fe Springs, California) alumni