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Greg Gross

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Greg Gross
Gross with thePhiladelphia Philliesin 2011
Outfielder
Born:(1952-08-01)August 1, 1952(age 71)
Goldsboro, Pennsylvania,U.S.
Batted:Left
Threw:Left
MLB debut
September 5, 1973, for the Houston Astros
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1989, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
Batting average.287
Home runs7
Runs batted in308
Teams
As player
As coach
Career highlights and awards

Gregory Eugene Gross(born August 1, 1952) is an American formerprofessional baseballoutfielderandpinch hitterwho played 17 seasons inMajor League Baseball(MLB), primarily for thePhiladelphia Phillies.He was previously the Phillies'hitting coachand a former manager for theReno Aces,theArizona Diamondbacks'Triple-Aaffiliate.

Gross is perhaps best remembered for his clutchpinch hittingabilities, particularly during the Phillies'1980 World Championshiprun. He holds the team’s record in career pinch hits, with 117.[1]Gross also ranks fifth on MLB’s all-time list in career pinch hits, with 143.[2]Gross holds the MLB record for pinch hit walks with 117.[3]

Early life and education

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Born inYork, Pennsylvania,Gross graduated from Red Land High School inLewisberry,Pennsylvania.[4]

Career

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Early career

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On June 4,1970,Gross was selected by theHouston Astrosin the fourth round (79th overall) of the June Baseball draft.[5]He led the league in hits in 1970 while playing for Covington in theAppalachian League,batting.351. He also tied for the league lead in double plays by outfielders.

In 1971, Gross was promoted to theColumbus Astrosof theSouthern League,where he played outfield and first base. In 1972, Gross played most of the season at Columbus, then was promoted to theOklahoma City 89ers,which was the Astros' AAA farm club. In 1973, Gross started the season with theDenver Bears,which by that point had become the Astros' new AAA farm club.

Houston Astros

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The Astros decided to call up Gross late in 1973. On September 5,1973,Gross made his MLB debut with the Astros, going 0-for-1 (ground out to third basemanDenis Menke) as a pinch hitter against pitcherPedro Borbon,which was the last out of the ninth inning in a game that went extra innings and ended in a 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at theAstrodome.Gross finished the season going 9-for-39, for a.231 average.

In 1974, Gross became the Astros' starting right fielder and leadoff hitter, playing in 156 games and batting.314. Gross was namedThe Sporting News' National League Rookie Player of the Year and finished second in the voting forNational League Rookie of the Year.[6]Gross also finished the season with a.393 on-base percentage, giving him one of the highest on-base percentages of any rookie since 1970. In 1974, Gross also set a major league record for most times caught stealing in a rookie season with 20. In 1975 and 1976, Gross continued to be a starting outfielder for the Astros, hitting.294 and.286, respectively. The 1975 season saw him reach base in 52 straight games. Nearly half of his hits (142) and walks (63) in the season came during the streak, which saw him collect 70 hits and 30 walks from June 25 to August 18. The streak tiedJimmy Wynn(1969) for the longest on-base streak in franchise history, a record that stands as of 2022.[7][8][9]

Chicago Cubs

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Gross was traded from theAstrosto theCubsforJulio Gonzálezat theWinter Meetingson December 8,1976.[10]In 1977, Gross hit his first major-league home run, connecting a total of five times while hitting.322 in 115 games.

Philadelphia Phillies

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After a busy 1978 season, Gross was traded by the Cubs on February 23,1979to thePhiladelphia PhillieswithManny TrilloandDave RaderforJerry Martin,Barry Foote,Ted Sizemore,Derek BotelhoandHenry Mack.Gross established himself as a key platoon outfielder and first baseman for the Phillies, getting to play in the 1980National League Championship Series(he went 3-for-4—all pinch hits—with one RBI in four games), the1980 World Series(0-for-2 in four games), the1983 NL Championship Series(0-for-5 in four games with a run scored), and in the1983 World Series(0-for-6 in 2 games). Gross was an invaluable pinch hitter. In 1982, he led the league in pinch hits with 19.

Gross has said he had hoped to be a full-time player for the Phillies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but the team just had too many other talented outfielders, namelyBake McBride,Greg Luzinski,Garry Maddox,andLonnie Smith."I...didn't figure I should be playing part-time at that point in my career," Gross told theSan Diego Union-Tribunein an article that appeared on March 18, 1991. "But they had those three guys and I knew they should be playing ahead of me. Plus, they were winning and that changes your thinking a lot. Before, I was playing on second-division teams and we were out of it pretty early. But when you get your first taste of winning, when you're in the playoffs and the World Series, you want more of it."

In addition, Gross acknowledged in an interview in 2007 the difficulty of being a starting player when he was neither fast nor a power hitter. "The cycle that baseball was in back then, with the AstroTurf and everything, centered on the stolen base or the home run, and I did neither of those," Gross toldThe Patriot-NewsofHarrisburgin an article that was published on April 8, 2007. "It was just a matter of survival. You made the best out of it. The big break for me was when I got onto a real good club."

Gross remained with the Phillies through the 1988 season, in which he hit just.203 in 133 at-bats but posted the unusual statistic of striking out just three times during the entire season. Over his entire career of 3,745 at-bats, Gross struck out just 250 times.

Later career

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On April 5,1989,Gross rejoined the Houston Astros as a free agent, hitting.200 largely in a pinch-hitting role.[5]Despite his historic success as a prolific pinch-hitter, Gross struggled in 1989, hitting just.184 (7-for-38). In October 1989, as part of a rebuilding movement, the Astros told Gross and many other veterans—includingBob Forsch,Rick Rhoden,Dan Schatzeder,Terry PuhlandHarry Spilman—that they would not negotiate new contracts with them before the free agent filing period, which was to begin after the1989 World Series,if at all. On November 2, 1989, Gross filed for free agency. Gross had hoped to be invited to a major-league club for a tryout in 1990. After a lockout by the owners in early 1990, Gross never received a single tryout, and he wound up sitting out the 1990 season.

Gross again tried to extend his baseball career. On February 7,1991,theSan Diego Padresannounced that they had invited Gross to spring training. Gross came to spring training at the recommendation of his old teammate and then-Phillies coachLarry Bowa,who had asked then-Padres managerGreg Riddochto invite Gross to camp. "I love this game so much," Gross told theLos Angeles Timesin an article that appeared on February 28, 1991. "I can't leave it alone. It's not the money. It's not the attention. It's just being around this game. And I'm not going to cheat myself from playing as long as someone will let me."

On March 30, 1991, theLos Angeles Timesreported that Gross had made the Padres as a pinch-hitter. However, on April 5, 1991, the Padres cut Gross, choosing instead to signMike Aldreteto its final roster spot. The move ended Gross' major-league career. Several weeks later, there was reported interest in Gross by theBoston Red Sox,according to a May 14, 1991 article inThe Boston Globe,but nothing ever materialized.

"I've enjoyed my career, I really have," Gross told theSan Diego Union-Tribunein March 1991. "There've been frustrations, sure, but the good times and being at this level of the game outweigh any of the negatives. I wanted to play every day, sure, but it didn't work out for me. But I found that niche and it worked out. Probably, if I'd been an everyday player, I wouldn't have lasted this long. I'd rather have the longevity."

Pitching

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Both in 1986 and in 1989, Gross was called to the pitcher's mound during blowouts. On June 8,1986,Gross pitched the final two-thirds of the eighth inning in a 12–0 Phillies loss to theMontreal Expos.Gross gave up a double toAndrés Galarraga,and then struck outCasey CandaeleandHerm Winninghamto end the rout.[11]And on May 21,1989,Gross took the mound in the ninth inning of what wound up being a 17-5 loss by the Astros to thePittsburgh Pirates.In that game, Gross had relieved shortstopCraig Reynolds,who had pitched the eighth inning. In the ninth inning, Gross gave up three hits and two earned runs. However, he also struck outJosé Lindswinging.[12]"The worst part is how close you are to the batter after you throw the ball," Gross toldthe Sporting Newsin its June 5, 1989 issue. "I throw batting practice, but you've got the screen. I was looking for a way to sneak the screen out there."

Coaching career

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After his baseball career ended, Gross worked as a color commentator for several games forSportsChannel Philadelphiain 1991. He dabbled in real estate and coached atMalvern PrepHigh School.[13]He returned to professional baseball on February 6,1995,when theColorado Rockiesannounced that Gross would make his debut as a professional coach with the Rockies' AANew Haven Ravensminor-league affiliate in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1995, Gross worked as a first-base coach for the Ravens, and then stayed with the club for the 1996 season as well. On October 24,1996,the Rockies promoted Gross to become the Rockies' roving minor-league hitting instructor. He served in that capacity in 1997 through 2000. Gross quit the Rockies at the end of the 2000 season to become a bench coach for thePhiladelphia Philliesin 2001. In 2002, Gross became the Phillies' hitting instructor. He remained the Phillies' hitting instructor through 2004.[14]

On January 3,2005,Gross became the hitting instructor for the Phillies' Class-ABatavia Muckdogsminor league team.[15]On December 22, 2005, Gross was named the 2006 hitting coach for the Phillies' high-AClearwater Threshersminor-league team.[16]On November 28,2006,Gross was named the hitting coach for the Phillies'Reading Philliesminor-league team.[17]Then, on December 13,2007,Gross was named the 2008 hitting coach for the Phillies' Triple-ALehigh Valley IronPigsminor league team.[18]On July 22, 2010, it was announced he would take over as hitting coach for the Philadelphia Phillies. On October 3, 2012, Gross was fired from his position of hitting coach by the Philadelphia Phillies when they decided not to renew his contract for the 2013 season.[19]

Gross joined theArizona Diamondbacksorganization as the Triple AReno Aceshitting coach for the 2013 season.[20]In 2017, whenJerry Narronwas named interim bench coach of the Diamondbacks, Gross became interim manager of the Aces.[21]He returned as manager for the 2018 season,[22]before being named as part ofChris Cron's coaching staff for the 2019 season.[23]Although expected to return for the 2020 season,[24]Gross essentially retired from coaching onceMinor League Baseballannounced the season's cancellation due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[25]

Personal life

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Gross is twice married and has two children with his first wife.[26][27]He lives inWest Chester, Pennsylvania.[28]

Gross is honored annually by the AGA with the Greg Gross Open (GGO) golf tournament held at the Anetsberger Golf Club inNorthbrook, Illinois.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"2009 Phillies Wall of Fame candidate".mlb.mlb.
  2. ^"Home - Baseball Prospectus".Baseball Prospectus.June 24, 2007.
  3. ^"Greg Gross Stats".Baseball-Reference.
  4. ^"High School Baseball - The Baseball Cube".thebaseballcube.
  5. ^ab"Greg Gross Stats - Baseball-Reference".Baseball-Reference.
  6. ^"1980 Phillies- #23 Greg Gross OF".Archived from the original on July 29, 2009.RetrievedOctober 9,2010.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^"Greg Gross 1975 Batting Game Logs".
  8. ^"Yordan joins Biggio, Bagwell, Bregman, and others with 40-game on-base streak".May 17, 2023.
  9. ^"NL on-base streak record".
  10. ^Chass, Murray. "Scott Trade to Red Sox May Be Off,"The New York Times,Thursday, December 9, 1976.Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  11. ^"Philadelphia Phillies at Montreal Expos Box Score, June 8, 1986 - Baseball-Reference".Baseball-Reference.
  12. ^"Pittsburgh Pirates at Houston Astros Box Score, May 21, 1989 - Baseball-Reference".Baseball-Reference.
  13. ^"IronPigs Baseball Official Website: Coaching Staff".
  14. ^IronPigs Baseball Official Website: IronPigs NewsArchivedJanuary 12, 2008, at theWayback Machine
  15. ^Welcome to Comcast SportsNet[permanent dead link]
  16. ^"TRANSACTIONS".The New York Times.December 22, 2005.
  17. ^"The Official Site of The Eastern League - easternleague Homepage".Eastern League.
  18. ^Transactions | The San Diego Union-TribuneArchived2013-02-05 atarchive.today
  19. ^Pat Gallen (October 3, 2012)."Perlozzo, Mackanin, Gross All Fired by Phillies".PhilliesNation.RetrievedJuly 17,2014.
  20. ^"Reno Aces Roster".milb.Minor League Baseball.RetrievedJuly 17,2014.
  21. ^"Greg Gross Named Interim Manager For Reno Aces".milb.Minor League Baseball. February 20, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
  22. ^"GREG GROSS RETURNS AS FIELD MANAGER FOR 2018 SEASON".milb.Minor League Baseball. December 6, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
  23. ^Ritenhouse, Duke (January 8, 2019)."Reno Aces name Chris Cron as new manager; Gross stays on staff".Reno Gazette Journal.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
  24. ^Ritenhouse, Duke (January 8, 2019)."Back for more: Chris Cron, entire Reno Aces' staff will return to lead team in 2020".Reno Gazette Journal.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
  25. ^"2020 Minor League Baseball Season Cancelled".milb.Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
  26. ^Silary, Ted (May 1, 1982)."HE'S THERE IN A PINCH".Daily News.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024– via tedsilary.
  27. ^Francis, Bill (November 18, 2016)."FORMER PINCH-HITTING SPECIALIST GREG GROSS ENJOYS HISTORY AT HALL OF FAME".Baseball Hall of Fame.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
  28. ^McClure, Jim (October 29, 2008)."Ex-York countian, ex-Phillie Greg Gross: 'I'm jealous not to be sitting there in the dugout with them'".York Daily Record.RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.
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