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Mike Greenwell

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Mike Greenwell
Left fielder
Born:(1963-07-18)July 18, 1963(age 61)
Louisville, Kentucky,U.S.
Batted:Left
Threw:Right
Professional debut
MLB:September 5, 1985, for the Boston Red Sox
NPB:May 3, 1997, for the Hanshin Tigers
Last appearance
MLB:September 28, 1996, for the Boston Red Sox
NPB:May 11, 1997, for the Hanshin Tigers
MLB statistics
Batting average.303
Home runs130
Runs batted in726
NPB statistics
Batting average.231
Home runs0
Runs batted in5
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Michael Lewis Greenwell(born July 18, 1963) is an American formerleft fielderinMajor League Baseball(MLB) who played his entire MLB career with theBoston Red Sox(1985–1996). He played seven games for theHanshin TigersinJapan(1997), before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator". He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.[1]He was fourth inRookie of the Yearvoting in 1987. Greenwell was a leading contender for theAmerican LeagueMVPaward in 1988, but lost toJose Canseco,who had the first40 home run, 40 stolen baseseason in baseball history. Greenwellhit.325 with 22 home runs and 119RBIsin 1988, setting career highs in all three categories.

Early life

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Greenwell was born inLouisville, Kentucky.When he was five years old, his family relocated toFort Myers, Florida.He attendedNorth Fort Myers High School,where he played both baseball andfootball.

Baseball career

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Major League Baseball

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Greenwell was drafted in the third round of the1982 Major League Baseball Draftby the Red Sox, and was signed on June 9, 1982.[2]Throughout his Red Sox career, Greenwell suffered under the weight of lofty expectations for a Boston left fielder, as since 1940 the position had been occupied byTed Williams,Carl YastrzemskiandJim Rice— allMVPwinners, regulartriple crowncandidates, and eventual members of theBaseball Hall of Fame.Although his play rarely reached the level of his predecessors, he provided a solid and reliable presence in the team'slineupfor several seasons. Well respected, he also served as the team's player representative for a time.[3]Greenwell was runner-up for the 1988American League MVP AwardtoJose Cansecoof theOakland Athletics;years later, Canseco's admission ofsteroiduse led Greenwell to ask, "Where's my MVP?"[4]

On September 14, 1988, Greenwellhit for the cycle,[5]becoming the 17th player to do so in Red Sox franchise history.[6]On September 2, 1996, the Red Sox beat theSeattle Mariners9–8 in 10 innings at theKingdome,with Greenwell driving in all nine runs for the Sox,[7]a record for most runs driven in by one player accounting for all of that team's runs in a single game.[8]He also holds the American League record for mostgame-winning RBIsin a single season, with 23 in 1988;[9]the game-winning RBI has since been discontinued as an official statistic.[10]Greenwell was inducted to theBoston Red Sox Hall of Famein 2008.[11]

Career MLB statistics

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G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG TB SH HBP FLD%
1269 4623 657 1400 275 38 130 726 80 43 460 364 .303 .368 .463 2141 3 39 .981

"The Gator"

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Greenwell received his nickname during spring training inWinter Haven.He had captured analligator,taped its mouth shut, and put it inEllis Burks' locker.[3]

Nippon Professional Baseball

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Greenwell signed with theHanshin TigersofNippon Professional Baseballin 1997.[12]His career in the major leagues heightened expectations from Japanese fans, but he left the team duringspring trainingand returned to the United States; he had suffered aherniated discwhen diving for a ball.[13]He did not return to Japan until late April.[14]He played his first game on May 3, and hit an RBItriplein that game despite having missed spring training.[15]However, Greenwell suddenly announced his retirement after appearing in just seven games; he had fractured his right foot with a foul tip, and the injury would have prevented him from playing for at least four weeks.[16][17]

Coaching

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In 2001, Greenwell was hired during the offseason as aplayer-coachfor theCincinnati Reds'Double-Aaffiliate inChattanooga, Tennessee.[18]Greenwell was also the interim hitting coach for the Reds in 2001, filling in whenKen Griffey Sr.was given a medical leave of absence.[19][20]

Racing career

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Mike Greenwell
NASCARCraftsman Truck Seriescareer
2 races run over 1 year
Best finish69th (2006)
First race2006City of Mansfield 250(Mansfield)
Last race2006O'Reilly 200(Memphis)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0

Upon his retirement from baseball, Greenwell began drivinglate modelstock carsatNew Smyrna Speedway,winning the 2000Speedweekstrack championship.[21]In May 2006, he made hisCraftsman Truck Seriesdebut atMansfield Motorsports ParkforGreen Light Racing,starting 20th and finishing 26th. In 2010, Greenwell gave up racing.[3]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

(key) (Bold– Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics– Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Craftsman Truck Series
NASCARCraftsman Truck Seriesresults
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NCTC Pts
2006 Green Light Racing 08 Chevy DAY CAL ATL MAR GTY CLT MFD
26 		DOV TEX MCH MLW KAN KEN MEM
33 		IRP NSH BRI NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 69th 149

Personal life

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Greenwell operates several businesses, including "Big League Builders", a general construction company. Greenwell owns an 890-acre (3.6 km2) ranch inAlva, Florida,which, as a developer and county commissioner himself, he has rezoned in 2023 for land development to include new housing and commercial units.[22]He owned an amusement park inCape Coral, Florida,called "Mike Greenwell's Bat-A-Ball & Family Fun Park", which opened in February 1992. He recently sold the park, which is now known as Gator Mike's.[23]

Greenwell's wife Tracy is a nurse, and they have two sons, both of whom Greenwell coached.[3][24]Bo was drafted as an outfielder in the sixth round of the2007 MLB Draft;he spent a total of eight years in theminor leagues,in thefarm systemsof theCleveland Indians(2007–2013) and the Red Sox (2014).[25][26][27]First baseman Garrett started atSanta Fe Collegein 2011 before transferring toOral Roberts Universityin 2013.[28]Greenwell is the uncle ofJoey Terdoslavich,[29]who played for theAtlanta Braves(2013–2015).

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Sortable Player Stats".Major League Baseball.RetrievedJuly 27,2017.
  2. ^"Mike Greenwell Stats - Baseball-Reference.com".Baseball-Reference.com.RetrievedJuly 27,2017.
  3. ^abcdGrossfeld, Stan (June 29, 2010)."Bo knows".The Boston Globe.
  4. ^"Greenwell makes case for '88 MVP".ESPN.February 17, 2005.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018.
  5. ^"Boston Red Sox 4, Baltimore Orioles 3",Retrosheet,September 14, 1988
  6. ^Smith, Christopher (June 17, 2015)."List of the 20 Boston Red Sox players who have hit for the cycle starting with Brock Holt".masslive.com.RetrievedOctober 19,2017.
  7. ^"Boston Red Sox 9, Seattle Mariners 8",Retrosheet,September 2, 1996
  8. ^"RBI Records / Runs Batted in Records".Baseball Almanac.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018.
  9. ^"Game Winning Runs Batted In Records".Baseball Almanac.RetrievedDecember 10,2010.
  10. ^"Baseball Prospectus - Wezen-Ball: The Drawbacks and Demise of a Stat".February 16, 2012.RetrievedJuly 27,2017.
  11. ^Dzen, Gary (February 25, 2008)."Eight selected to Red Sox Hall of Fame".Boston.com.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018.
  12. ^"Greenwell Is Going To Play in Japan".New York Times.December 18, 1996.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  13. ^Miller, Glenn (February 26, 1997)."Injured Greenwell comes back home".The News-Press.Fort Myers, Florida.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018– via newspapers.com.
  14. ^"Greenwell's Back".The News-Press.Fort Myers, Florida.May 1, 1997.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018– via newspapers.com.
  15. ^"Greenwell triples in Japanese debut".Hartford Courant.Hartford, Connecticut.Associated Press.May 4, 1997.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018– via newspapers.com.
  16. ^Dorsey, David (May 15, 1997)."Greenwell calls it a career".The News-Press.Fort Myers, Florida.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018– via newspapers.com.
  17. ^"Struggling Greenwell calls it quits".South Coast Today.May 15, 1997.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  18. ^"Greenwell will attempt comeback".reds.enquirer.com.RetrievedJuly 27,2017.
  19. ^"Greenwell Promoted".The News-Press.Fort Myers, Florida.June 19, 2001.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018– via newspapers.com.
  20. ^"Griffey Sr. gets acupuncture".Lubbock Avalanche Journal.Associated Press. July 3, 2001.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  21. ^"Former Boston OF Greenwell slated for NASCAR trucks debut".USA Today.Associated Press.May 23, 2006.RetrievedAugust 31,2015.
  22. ^"Lee County commissioner's Alva land rezoned for major development".Wink News.RetrievedFebruary 10,2024.
  23. ^"Mike Greenwell's Bat-A-Ball & Family Fun Park".www.greenwellsfamilyfunpark.com.RetrievedJuly 27,2017.
  24. ^Krasner, Steven (1998)."No diamond, but Greenwell's life still a gem".Providence Journal.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  25. ^"Bo Greenwell Minor Leagues Statistics & History".Baseball-Reference.com.RetrievedJanuary 6,2018.
  26. ^Lauber, Scott (March 2, 2014)."Family reunion: Carl Yastrzemski in Red Sox camp, may get to watch grandson play for Orioles".Boston Herald.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  27. ^Dorsey, David (March 27, 2014)."Red Sox fans know the Greenwell name".The News-Press.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  28. ^"Garrett Greenwell Profile and Statistics".The Baseball Cube.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.
  29. ^Laurilla, David (May 24, 2013)."Q&A: Joey Terdoslavich, Future Braves Basher".Fangraphs.RetrievedJanuary 10,2016.

Further reading

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Achievements
Preceded by Hitting for the cycle
September 14, 1988 		Succeeded by
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