In one of his rare starts, a 5-4 16-inning win at home against Montreal on August 21, he played first, second and third, but not short. But for a California dude to be discovered playing ball in a Canadian town better known for its annual Shakespeare festival than for baseball? Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. It's fair to say the Cardinals-Giants game at Candlestick Park on July 9, 1988, wasn't your run-of-the-mill Saturday afternoon at the yard. 3 Putt Powell, Speiers Heart Set for San Francisco, Amarillo Globe-Times, July 23, 1970. 1 Giants Rookie Speier Reminiscent of Pee Wee, The Gazette (Montreal), May 29, 1971. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Chris Speier Trades & Transactions. background-image:unset; Video Film Room Hub Statcast MLB Network MLB Originals Podcasts. With his new contract in hand, Speier decided to try becoming a switch-hitter. Justin had a 12-year career as a relief pitcher with seven teams. Prior to the 1976 season, Speier and his teammates had to deal with the distraction of a potential sale of the Giants by longtime owner Horace Stoneham to a group in Toronto. Do you have a blog? 1993 Speier converted to Catholicism after meeting his now ex-wife and became an activist in the pro-life movement. Speier won the 1987 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership during his second time with the Giants. Aleta not only brought his carefree bachelor days to an end, she also had a profound effect on him spiritually. Dusty gives us a little hint, here, at Speiers job description for 2020, but whatever his practical, traditional on-field coaching may end up being, know that general oversight will also be on his agenda. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. He knows hitting, knows fielding and knows everything there is to know. His overall playing strengths were his solid fielding and selective eye at the plate. Speier also played 185 games at third base, 138 games at second base and 2 games at first base. Remembering Jimmy Wynn, Houston Astros Toy Cannon, Whos On First? Personal touch and engage with his followers. Seeing him in uniform on road trips, though, seems to create a reasonable and advantageous compromise. High Schools: Alameda HS (Alameda, CA), Encinal HS (Alameda, CA), Schools: Laney College (Oakland, CA), University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA), Debut: Brad Mangin/Getty Images. Firova worked as the bullpen coach for the Nationals in 2016-17 when Baker managed the team. Expos pitcher Bill Gullickson then looked at the plate in preparation of throwing the next pitch when Speier, ball still in glove, tagged a wandering Smith for the third out of the inning. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. I think Im in the best mental and physical shape of my career.12. A sprained elbow ligament put him on the disabled list in late May. Yosemite breaks snow record; park closed indefinitely, The Bay Area is catching a break from winter storms. Draft: Drafted by the Washington Senators in the 11th round of the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft from Alameda HS (Alameda, CA) and the San Francisco Giants in the 1st round (2nd) of the 1970 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase from Laney College (Oakland, CA). He also filled in when manager Dusty Baker was hospitalized in Chicago in September 2012 this was when they clinched a playoff berth. Christopher Edward Speier (born June 28, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. That work ethic prompted some people to think he was a bit off his rocker. Help us build our profile of Chris Speier! Speier was drafted by the Giants as the second overall pick in the first round of 1970 Major League Baseball draft. Since beginning play on the West Coast in 1958, the Giants have had 10 players hit for the cycle: Yes, Speier who entered the day with that .191 average went 5-for-6 with five RBIs. Hes been in the game about as long as I have.. After a slow start, he reached the point where, by his own assessment, he was playing more consistently but needed to improve. Chris Speier is a 71 year old American Baseballer born on 28th June, 1950 in Alameda, CA. When Baker became the manager of the Washington Nationals before the 2016 season, Speier was named bench coach; his contract expired after the 2017 season.[5]. In Texas, they did it with an on-field person.. 13,104th in major league history) These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Speier was a coach on the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. Wiki Biography & Celebrity Profiles as wikipedia. Chris Speier was a Shortstop, Third Baseman and Second Baseman. His overall playing strengths were his solid fielding and selective eye at the plate. Speier was signed by the Cincinnati Reds on October 29, 2007, as an infield coach and served as the Reds' bench coach. During his first home stand as an Expo, the fans booed lustily after he went 0-for-10 in a doubleheader loss to the Cubs. Speier took full advantage of his introspection. [6] The school was not accredited by the state, nor was it affiliated with the local diocese. The score stood 3-2 Atlanta after two. Prior to 1975, the hot corner had scalded 44 other players since the Giants moved to San Francisco from New York. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. He not only hit well and played solid defense, he infused the team with a youthful enthusiasm that even affected jaded veterans such as Willie Mays. It all depends on the person his background and skill set, the qualities he presents on a staff. The Expos and Phillies faced off in the National League East. [1] Required fields are marked *. He had gone 1-for-18 at the plate since the All-Star break and was getting an earful from Fox before the game when team player representative Steve Rogers intervened on Speiers behalf. A change of scenery and a reunion with an old friend beckoned. Their parents supported both of them from a young age, commuting with them between Boxford and Boston for their training and matches. He played primarily at shortstop (58 games) but he also played at third in more games (31) than he had in his entire career (25). Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Heres what first half of March looks like. He was also named to the National League All-Star team during the 1972, 1973 and 1974 seasons as a member of the Giants. Speier converted to Catholicism after meeting his now ex-wife and became an activist in the pro-life movement. A lot of times you arent given another opportunity.16, A more telling comment was offered by 10-year-old Justin Speier. With his large number of social media fans, he often posts many personal photos and videos to interact with his huge fan base on social media platforms. 2 The first pick, which belonged to the Senators, was career backup catcher Bill Fahey, who played 11 years for Washington/Texas, San Diego and Detroit. Speier was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 7, 1971, with the San Francisco Giants. It was easy for Detroit-area scouts to cross the border to look for players. Uniformed children assemble in a classroom. Famously known by the Family name Christopher Edward Speier, is a great Athlete. 4 Jack Hanley, Ifs Give Giants New Look This Year, The Times, (San Mateo, California), March 22, 1971. Speier played 19 seasons in the Major Leagues as a shortstop for the Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and briefly for the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins during the 1984 season. Baker took over in the wake of the firing of AJ Hinch after he was suspended for a year for his role in the team's sign-stealing scandal. The Expos in their Prime by Alain Usereau, Hitting for the Cycle, by Joseph G. Donner, SABR Research Journal archives. While there, his opportunity to try life above the 49th parallel came about when his college teams pitching coach, Rolf Scheel, invited him to join the Stratford Hoods of the Intercounty Baseball League, where Scheel went to pitch. [1], Speier was drafted by the Giants as the second overall pick in the first round of 1970 Major League Baseball draft. 1971 National League season? His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Chris Speier baseball stats page. Or write about sports? Chris Speier was born on Wednesday, June 28, 1950, in Alameda, California. Speier became a rarity among Expos players in that he didnt hightail out of town as soon as the season was over. Chris Speier Stats, Fantasy & News. Copyright The Runner Sports, LLC. Weve both experienced versions of that. Who is Chris Speier dating? Chris Speier on Baker's legacy. Chris Edward Speier was born on June 28, 1950 in Alameda, California. Speiers two goals for the 1973 season were for the Giants to win and to cut down on his career-high 92 strikeouts from the previous season. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. You can find out how much net worth Chris has this year and how he spent his expenses. As rejuvenating as the 1982 season was, 1983 proved the opposite for Speier. A respectable 19-year career was over. Chris received a Associate of Building Construction Technology degree from. April 7, 1971 Speier was a coach on the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. 5 Joe Sargis, Making Giants Go, Independent Journal, (San Rafael, California) May 14, 1971. With Smith on second and one out, Willie McGee flied out to center fielder Andre Dawson who threw the ball back to Speier. He hit for the cycle twice in his major league career, on July 20, 1978, as a member of the Montreal Expos in a 7-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Montreal and nearly 10 years later on July 9, 1988, as a member of the San Francisco Giants in a 21-2 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals at Candlestick Park. June 28, 1950 making a donation to Baseball Almanac : in Alameda, CA Speier has had jobs with various organizations in baseball since retiring as a player, including the Athletics, Cubs and Reds. Phone: 602.496.1460 At one point in June, he was briefly moved to second base and replaced at shortstop by Bruce Miller. The Untold Truth Of Amy Pietz - Family, Husband, N Who is KiaraaKitty? Speier accrued a career .246 batting average and a .970 fielding percentage at shortstop. He then proved that you can go home again by playing in 111 games splitting time between second, third and short. The Houston Astros have added quality control coach Dan Firova and assistant pitching coach Bill Murphy to their staff under manager Dusty Baker, while 70-year-old Chris Speier will retire. Speier had already seen this scenario in San Francisco, and when his playing time in 1984 was limited to 25 games and his average mired at .150, it was hardly a surprise when the Expos traded him to St. Louis on July 1, where he didnt count on much playing time behind Smith. He comes to Houston after spending the last five seasons as a pitching coach and coordinator in the team's minor league system. Hes a great baseball guy, the 70-year-old Baker told The Houston Chronicle this week. Contribute. .avia-section.av-k6v62xgq-c0812a68936ee67ed4883eaa9d35be9b{ Just a typical 21-2 victory for the Giants. But it won't last long. Chris Speiers exact duties may ultimately evolve into a fluid amalgam of communication, analytics, fundamentals, player development, and possibly more or others. I re-evaluated myself during the winter, Speier said, and tried to put my priorities in order. Speier won the 1987 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership during his second time with the Giants. Speier played in only 88 games that season, again batting .257, but with only two home runs and 22 RBIs. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. The staff includes assistant coach Michael Collins, hitting coaches Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker, first base coach Omar Lopez, pitching coach Brent Strom and third base coach Gary Pettis. Still in active triage mode, at least from a PR standpoint, the Houston Astros added new manager Dusty Baker 's longtime right-hand man, Chris Speier, to the team's staff as a quality control coach, February 13. document.write(update); Speier is the father of former MLB relief pitcher Justin Speier and the uncle of Gabe Speier. Heres what the first half of Is Californias drought finally over? Copyright 1999- He played in 82 games in 1988 with three home runs and 18 RBIs, and had two ribbies and a .243 average in 44 at-bats in 1989. Himself - Montreal Expos Shortstop (5 episodes, 1981), Himself 1 episode, 1972, Himself - San Francisco Giants Shortstop (4 episodes, 1971). Although he played on Opening Day and in the early part of the season, he spent most of July on the disabled list. He also played in local leagues, one time going 6-for-7 in a game for the Alameda Athletic Association with two doubles and five RBIs. Controversy preceded Speiers accomplishment. One of them, the Giants Herman Hannah, saw Speier and convinced the Giants to draft him. Exceeded rookie limits during 1971 season, View Player Bio But it was Expos shortstop Chris Speier who gave the visiting Philadelphia Phillies headaches that night, driving in eight runs in an 11-4 Expos win. If you can help us improve this players biography,contact us. pizza favorite shuts down after 13 years, plus more closings, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Chris Speier was born on Wednesday, June 28, 1950, in Alameda, California. He wanted to come to Montreal because he loved the city and saw the team as an up-and-coming contender. us. If you put Tim Foli and Chris Speier in a room and asked me to choose the man that I think would help us the most to become winners, Id choose Speier, said Fox. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Speier was most recently Bakers bench coach with the Washington Nationals in 2016 and 2017. Houston Astros 2020 Rotation Under Construction: Beware Of Falling Expectations, New York Jitters? The school was not accredited by the state, nor was it affiliated with the local diocese. We will update Chris Speier's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. When Baker managed the team 's minor League system an end, also! Team as an Expo, the Gazette ( Montreal ), May 29,.! Born June 28, 1950 in Alameda, California a typical 21-2 victory the! Spent most of July on the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 knows! 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Old American Baseballer born on Wednesday, June 28, 1950 in Alameda, California May...