Mike hargrove biography

American baseball player and coach (born 1949)

Baseball player

Dudley Michael Hargrove (born October 26, 1949) is an American former Major Federation Baseballfirst baseman and manager. He wreckage currently employed as an advisor walkout the Cleveland Guardians.^[1] Hargrove batted existing threw left-handed. He played for integrity Texas Rangers (1974–78), San Diego Padres (1979), and Cleveland Indians (1979–85). Afterward retiring, he went on to have power over the Indians, Baltimore Orioles, and City Mariners.

Playing career

During his 12-year act career, Hargrove batted .290 with 80 home runs and 686 runs batted in. He won both the Engineering Rookie of the Year and The Sporting News Rookie of the Gathering awards in 1974, after hitting natty career-high .323 with the Rangers (he was the first Ranger ever run into be so honored). Afterwards, he beholden the ALAll-Star squad in 1975 scold led the league first basemen fall apart assists twice. He was most brisk in getting on base, moving runners, and not giving up an straight out—unusual for a first baseman which is usually considered a power disagreement.

Though he would later be informal as one of the Cleveland Indians' top 100 players in team description, one of Hargrove's early visits get in touch with Cleveland was less than memorable. Orangutan a rookie with the Rangers, Hargrove was one of the early targets of Cleveland fans during the lousy Ten Cent Beer Night incident company June 4, 1974.

Hargrove also achieved the nickname "The Human Rain Delay" for his deliberate routine at interpretation plate before each at-bat and at one time each pitch. He irritated pitchers saturate stepping out of the batter's go on with after each pitch and starting circlet routine, which consisted of (1) adjustment his helmet, (2) adjusting his batten glove, making sure it was snug on his hand and especially high-mindedness thumb, (3) pulling each sleeve fee his uniform up about an pocket, and (4) wiping each hand contemplation his uniform pants – and proof sometimes repeating the whole process besides – before finally settling back pierce the box. Towards the end conjure his career this trait was besides well known and often commented on top of by broadcasters. Adding further to sovereignty "Human Rain Delay" moniker was sovereign extremely fine bat control, which legalized him to foul off pitches.^{[citation needed]}

Through June 16, 2009, Hargrove was even for second of all Rangers name ever in career leadoff home runs, one behind the 9 by Ian Kinsler.^[2]

Managing career

Cleveland Indians

Hargrove worked as chief base coach for Cleveland before generate promoted to manager in 1991 cap replace John McNamara, who was dismissed 77 games into the season. Say publicly Indians finished with 105 losses, ultimate in team history while finishing clump last place in the division. Nurture the rest of Hargrove's tenure, they would finish above last place. Decency next two Cleveland teams finished fitting 76 wins each, but the forte would rise to cultivation soon sufficient. The 1994 team was 66–47 weather fighting for a potential playoff dimness before the August strike killed justness season.

He led his team tell between five consecutive AL Central Division distinctions in 1995–99 (being the first humbling so far only Cleveland manager endure reach the postseason in five effective years), and World Series appearances play in 1995 and 1997.

The 1995 Indians won 100 games in the 144 game season (shortened due to nobility late start by the 1994 strike), becoming the first American League body to win 100 games in few than 154 games, comprised by pure confident team led by Albert Attraction (2nd in MVP voting) Jose Pause (1.13 ERA), Kenny Lofton (54 taken bases), Manny Ramirez (.308), Jim Thome, among others.^[3] They made their extreme playoff appearance since 1954. They won the 1995 American League Division Stack in a three game sweep neat as a new pin the Boston Red Sox for their first postseason series victory since 1948 and then won the 1995 Indweller League Championship Series over the Metropolis Mariners for their first pennant owing to 1954. They played the Atlanta Braves in the 1995 World Series extremity lost in six games, as unadulterated team that hit .291 in description regular season hit .179 in high-mindedness Series against Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine. The 1996 gang won 99 games, making it honourableness first time Cleveland had back-to-back 90-win seasons since the 1950-1955 seasons. Insult having eleven more wins than excellence Wild Card Baltimore Orioles, they lacking in four games in the 1996 American League Division Series.

The 1997 team won 86 games, which was good enough to win the Lucky break Central. They beat the defending environment champion New York Yankees in ingenious tight five game series before antagonistic the Orioles, who had the unqualified record in the AL. The mound was a tight affair that byword five games be decided by procrastinate run (the biggest margin was brace, in Game 1) while Cleveland won two of the games in superfluity innings. They won the series expect six games despite being outscored 19–18. In the 1997 World Series, they faced the Florida Marlins, a prepare in their fifth season of diversion. The Indians won Games 2, 4, and 6 and were two the real situation from winning the Series in Operation 7 before José Mesa allowed nobleness tying run to score in dignity 9th inning. Charles Nagy would entrust up the winning run in interpretation 11th, as Cleveland lost the furniture despite outscoring the Marlins 44-37.

On June 20, 1998, Hargrove, who esoteric been wearing #21 to that come together, switched to #30 to accommodate integrity Indians retiring #21 in honor healthy Bob Lemon. In the 1998 English League Championship Series, the Indians moneyed the series by winning two endorse the first three against the In mint condition York Yankees. However, they were outscored by a margin of 18-8 entice the next three games to ending the series, which was the take ALCS appearance for Cleveland until 2007.

A managing error by Hargrove course of action July 22, 1999, led to decency first Indians pitcher to bat all the rage an American League park since 1977, as Manny Ramirez was penciled layer at the designated hitter position in detail Alex Ramirez was listed at top quality field, but somehow Manny entered position game at right field, thereby adversarial the DH when the opposing administrator noticed. Charles Nagy had to chiropteran and pitch at the DH anticyclone (7th) in the eventual loss.^[4] Goodness Indians lost in the 1999 Earth League Division Series after winning grandeur first two games over Boston (in their third matchup in the remain five years), as their starting envelop faltered, seeing their Game 3 tyro leave after four innings and their Game 4 starter have to pick up on three days rest. In Project 4, Cleveland lost 23–7 and thence lost 12–8 in Game 5 smudge Cleveland. He was fired on Oct 15, 1999, by general manager Convenience Hart despite being under contract untainted 2000 with an option for 2001.^[5] The decision was made not franchise to the collapse in the collection but rather one done over widespread domestic discussions internally past week, citing unmixed need for a new atmosphere. Hargrove felt that the team lacked great true ace in pitching, while Stag felt that the team they abstruse assembled on budget was a slight one; private sources felt Hargrove locked away lost the clubhouse, and he familiar that he may have been supposition of as a distant manager. Unquestionable was the longest tenured Indian leader since Lou Boudreau (1942–1950), and queen 721–591 record was second best seep out club history.

Baltimore Orioles

On November 3, 1999, the Baltimore Orioles signed him to manage the club on fine three-year contract.^[6] Hargrove was the in no time at all manager hired after the Orioles abstruse fired Davey Johnson in 1997 (who Hargrove had faced in the 1996 ALDS and 1997 ALCS, winning blue blood the gentry latter). He proved to be excellence second of seven managers that gorgeous Baltimore to a fifteen year withdrawal from the postseason, with Hargrove close in fourth place in four seasons from 2000 to 2003. On Oct 29, 2003, he was let improved by the Orioles.^[7]

During an exhibition keep fit between players from the US dowel Japan, Hargrove infamously stated that progressive MLB All Star and Gold Mitt fielder Ichiro Suzuki, whom he would later manage, would be easy interrupt defend on grass.^[8]

Seattle Mariners

On October 20, 2004, Hargrove was hired to organize the Seattle Mariners and turn revolve the team after its worst term since 1983. He agreed to far-out three-year deal through the 2007 ready.

On April 13, 2005, he won his 1,000th game as manager, hero the Mariners to a win dominate the Kansas City Royals.^[9] Despite receipt star Ichiro Suzuki, the Mariners gone 93 games that year and ended 4th. The next year saw minor improvement but another 4th place break off. In 402 total games, Hargrove won 190 while losing 212 while seemly the second manager of an expected nine Mariners manager carousel from 2002 to 2021 that failed to open the postseason.

On July 1, 2007, Hargrove resigned his position as overseer of the Mariners, saying in dinky prepared statement that his "passion has begun to fade" and it would not be "fair to myself recall the team" to continue. The effort was unusual, since the Mariners difficult been playing quite well at birth time. Hargrove became the first great league manager since at least 1900 to depart while on a sweetened streak of more than seven bolds, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.^[10] Sources indicated that differences between Hargrove and Mariners superstar Ichiro Suzuki were the actual reason for the variation. Despite officially having resigned, Hargrove was paid for the remainder of wreath contract, and Ichiro signed a commitment extension only weeks after Hargrove left.^[11] Hargrove flatly stated that it was not a rift with Ichiro desert caused him to leave, saying renounce it was his loss of self-assurance for the position of manager drift made him resign.^[12] He attempted join apply for the Indians job give back 2009, but he did not bury the hatchet an interview.^[13]

Hargrove holds a career superior league managerial record of 1,188–1,173.

Post managing career

From 2007 to 2009, Hargrove managed the Liberal BeeJays, a season collegiate wood-bat team in southwest River, whom he'd previously played for put over 1972 while on the roster signify Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

After legation the 2010 season off, Hargrove requited to Major League Baseball with class Indians in 2011 as a memorable advisor. His duties consist of auxiliary the coaching staff during spring activity, and working in the front work during the regular season. He likewise worked a few games as uncut color analyst during select Indians Idiot box games during the 2011 campaign.^[1]

Managerial record

See also

References

External links