American baseball player (born 1960)
Baseball player
Andy Van Slyke
|
---|
Van Slyke as coach with the Seattle Mariners in 2014
|
Center fielder
|
Born:
(
1960-12-21
)
December 21, 1960
(age 63)
Utica, New York
, U.S.
|
Batted:
Left
Threw:
Right
|
|
June 17, 1983, for the St. Louis Cardinals
|
|
October 1, 1995, for the Philadelphia Phillies
|
|
Batting average
| .274
|
---|
Home runs
| 164
|
---|
Runs batted in
| 792
|
---|
|
---|
|
As player
As coach
|
|
|
Andrew James Van Slyke
(born December 21, 1960) is an American former
Major League Baseball
(MLB)
center fielder
and coach.
Early life
[
edit
]
Van Slyke earned All-American honors in baseball as a senior at New Hartford Central High school in
New Hartford, New York
.
Professional career
[
edit
]
Draft and minor leagues
[
edit
]
He was drafted in the first round (sixth overall pick) of the 1979 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the
St. Louis Cardinals
.
St. Louis Cardinals (1983?1986)
[
edit
]
Called up from the AAA
Louisville Redbirds
, he made his Major League debut with the Cardinals on June 17, 1983, collecting a
double
, a
run batted in
(RBI) and making three
putouts
in the outfield without an
error
.
[1]
The first two years of his career Van Slyke played
first base
,
third base
and all three
outfield
positions. He mostly played
right field
the next two years on the strength of his throwing arm, occasionally
platooning
with
Tito Landrum
, sometimes substituting for
Willie McGee
in
center field
. On September 21, 1986, he hit a rare
inside-the-park home run
.
[2]
Pittsburgh Pirates (1987?1994)
[
edit
]
During spring training 1987, he was traded to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
along with left-handed hitting catcher
Mike LaValliere
and minor league pitcher
Mike Dunne
for catcher
Tony Pena
. The trade occurred on April 1, with Van Slyke initially believing that it was an
April Fools' Day
joke.
[3]
In Pittsburgh, he mostly played center field alongside stars
Barry Bonds
and
Bobby Bonilla
.
During the 1991
Gulf War
, when MLB decreed all players would wear both the Canadian and U.S. flags on their batting helmets as a patriotic gesture, Van Slyke scraped the Maple Leaf off his helmet, stating "I guess the people in
Quebec
won't be upset because the last time we were there they booed [the Canadian] National Anthem".
MLB Commissioner
Fay Vincent
ordered that the Canadian flag decal be reinserted onto the helmet.
[4]
Van Slyke possessed one of the most accurate and powerful throwing arms in the majors, so much that the "Slyke Zone" was established at
Three Rivers Stadium
. From 1985 to 1994, he was frequently among the league leaders in outfield
assists
. From 1985 to 1988, he posted seasons of 13, 10, 11, and 12 assists, respectively. As center fielder for the Pirates, he won five consecutive
Gold Gloves
from 1988 to 1992. In 1988, Van Slyke set career highs with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs, led the majors with 15 triples and 13 sacrifice flies, and finished fourth in
National League MVP
voting. In 1992, Van Slyke led the National League in hits with 199 and doubles with 45 while finishing second with a .324 batting average.
Van Slyke played for four teams in his career: the St. Louis Cardinals (1983?1986), Pittsburgh Pirates (1987?1994),
Baltimore Orioles
(1995), and
Philadelphia Phillies
(1995). He played his final game on October 1, 1995. In his 13-year career, Van Slyke appeared in three All-Star games (1988, 1992, 1993), won five
Gold Glove Awards
, two
Silver Slugger Awards
, and ranked in the top 10 in many offensive categories in varying seasons.
Prior to the 2006 season, Van Slyke was named first base coach for the
Detroit Tigers
by manager
Jim Leyland
, under whom he had played in Pittsburgh. Van Slyke served in that capacity on Leyland's staff for four years through the
2009 season
.
When
Lloyd McClendon
was named the
Seattle Mariners
' manager prior to the
2014 season
, Van Slyke was hired to be the team's first base coach. He also worked as the assistant hitting coach and outfield instructor through the 2015 season.
In 1658 games over 13 seasons, Van Slyke compiled a .274
batting average
(1562-for-5711) with 835
runs
, 293
doubles
, 91
triples
, 164
home runs
, 792
RBI
, 245
stolen bases
, 667
walks
, 1063
strikeouts
, an
on-base percentage
of .349 and a
slugging percentage
of .443. He recorded a .987
fielding percentage
at all three outfield positions, first base and third base.
[5]
Transactions
[
edit
]
- June 5, 1979: Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round (6th pick) of the
1979 amateur draft
.
- April 1, 1987: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with
Mike Dunne
and
Mike LaValliere
to the Pittsburgh Pirates for
Tony Pena
.
- October 21, 1994: Granted
free agency
.
- April 21, 1995: Signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles.
- June 18, 1995: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Philadelphia Phillies for
Gene Harris
.
- November 3, 1995: Granted free agency.
[6]
Salaries
[
edit
]
- 1983
: St. Louis Cardinals: $35,000
- 1984
: St. Louis Cardinals: $40,000
- 1985
: St. Louis Cardinals: $170,000
- 1986
: St. Louis Cardinals: $335,000
- 1987
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $550,000
- 1988
#
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $825,000
- 1989
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $2,150,000
- 1990
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $1,200,000
- 1991
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $2,180,000
- 1992
#
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $4,350,000 (Including $100,000 earned bonus)
- 1993
#
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $4,900,000 (Including $250K signing bonus and $50K earned bonus)
- 1994
: Pittsburgh Pirates: $3,550,000 (Including $250K signing bonus)
- 1995
: Baltimore Orioles: $600,000 (including $50,000 earned bonus)
- 1995
: Philadelphia Phillies: Undetermined
#
=
MLB All-Star Game
selection
Hall of Fame candidacy
[
edit
]
Van Slyke became eligible for the
National Baseball Hall of Fame
in
2001
. 75% of the vote was necessary for induction, and 5% was necessary to stay on the ballot. Of the 32 total candidates,
[7]
Van Slyke received no votes and was eliminated from future
BBWAA
voting.
[8]
He still remains eligible for the Hall of Fame via the
Veterans Committee
.
Career after baseball
[
edit
]
After baseball, Van Slyke pursued a career as an author, focusing on books centered on baseball. In 2009, he authored
Tiger Confidential: The Untold Inside Story of the 2008 Season
(with co-author Jim Hawkins). In July 2010, he published
The Curse: Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Or Do They?
(with co-author
Rob Rains
), a book in the subgenre sports fiction about the
Chicago Cubs
finally breaking their one hundred year curse and playing in the World Series.
Personal life
[
edit
]
Van Slyke has four sons, three of whom played college or professional sports.
Scott Van Slyke
played for the
Los Angeles Dodgers
and the
Doosan Bears
of the
KBO league
;
[9]
Jared Van Slyke was a defensive back on the
University of Michigan
football team;
[10]
and A. J. Van Slyke played baseball for the
University of Kansas
and for four seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals' minor league system.
[11]
He attended New Hartford Central High School in New Hartford, New York, Class of 1979. His father was the school's principal.
[12]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
LeBar, Paul (June 19, 1983).
"Van Slyke gets chance"
.
Park City Daily News
. p. 14A
. Retrieved
June 8,
2010
.
- ^
Jim Tommey and Kip Ingle, ed. (1987).
St. Louis Cardinals 1987 Media Guide
. St. Louis National Baseball Club. p. 116.
- ^
"Bucs ship Pena to Cardinals for Van Slyke"
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Van Slyke vs. Canadian decal"
.
Meriden Record-Journal
.
- ^
"Andy Van Slyke Statistics and History"
.
Baseball Reference.com
. Retrieved
April 7,
2021
.
- ^
Van Slyke at Baseball-Reference
- ^
2001 HoF election
Archived
August 10, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
2001 MLB Hall of Fame voting
- ^
Baseball Reference: Scott Van Slyke
- ^
"Jared Van Slyke at Michigan"
. Archived from
the original
on June 22, 2017
. Retrieved
June 13,
2011
.
- ^
Baseball Reference: A.J. Van Slyke
- ^
Neff Rof, Amy (June 8, 2018).
"Van Slyke remembered as knowledgeable, fair"
.
Observer-Dispatch
. Utica, New York
. Retrieved
November 5,
2018
.
External links
[
edit
]
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- 1965
: DiFabio
- 1966
:
Lee
- 1967
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Simmons
- 1968
: Hairston
- 1969
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- 1972
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Larson
- 1973
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Edelen
- 1974
:
Templeton
- 1975
: Johnson
- 1976
:
Durham
- 1977
:
T. Kennedy
- 1978
: Hicks
- 1979
:
Van Slyke
- 1980
: Collins
- 1981
:
Meachem
- 1982
:
Worrell
- 1983
:
Lindeman
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:
Dunne
- 1985
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Magrane
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Alicea
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:
Carpenter
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:
Ericks
, DuVall,
Jordan
- 1989
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- 1990
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Osborne
,
Holbert
, Ellis
- 1991
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Young
,
Watson
,
Barber
, McKinnon, Cholowsky
- 1992
:
Lowe
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Benes
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Morris
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Looper
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A. Kennedy
- 1998
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Drew
,
Diggins
- 1999
: Caple, Stocks,
Duncan
- 2000
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- 2001
:
Pope
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:
None
- 2003
:
Barton
- 2004
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Lambert
- 2005
:
Rasmus
,
Greene
, McCormick,
Herron
- 2006
:
Ottavino
,
C. Perez
- 2007
:
Kozma
,
Mortensen
- 2008
:
Wallace
,
Lynn
- 2009
:
Miller
- 2010
:
Cox
,
Blair
,
Jenkins
- 2011
:
Wong
- 2012
:
Wacha
,
Ramsey
,
Piscotty
,
Wisdom
, Bean
- 2013
:
Gonzales
,
Kaminsky
- 2014
:
Weaver
,
Flaherty
- 2015
:
Plummer
- 2016
:
D. Perez
,
Carlson
,
Hudson
- 2017
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None
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:
Gorman
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Thompson
- 2020
:
Walker
- 2021
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McGreevy
- 2022
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Hjerpe
- 2023
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Davis
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- 1980:
Baker
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Dawson
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Hendrick
- 1981:
Baker
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Dawson
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Foster
- 1982:
Durham
,
Guerrero
,
Murphy
- 1983:
Cruz
,
Dawson
,
Murphy
- 1984:
Cruz
,
Gwynn
,
Murphy
- 1985:
McGee
,
Murphy
,
Parker
- 1986:
Gwynn
,
Parker
,
Raines
- 1987:
Davis
,
Dawson
,
Gwynn
- 1988:
Gibson
,
Van Slyke
,
Strawberry
- 1989:
Davis
,
Gwynn
,
Mitchell
- 1990:
Bonds
,
Bonilla
,
Strawberry
- 1991:
Bonds
,
Bonilla
,
Gant
- 1992:
Bonds
,
Van Slyke
,
Walker
- 1993:
Bonds
,
Dykstra
,
Justice
- 1994:
Alou
,
Bonds
,
Gwynn
- 1995:
Bichette
,
Gwynn
,
Sosa
- 1996:
Bonds
,
Burks
,
Sheffield
- 1997:
Bonds
,
Gwynn
,
Walker
- 1998:
Alou
,
Sosa
,
Vaughn
- 1999:
Guerrero
,
Sosa
,
Walker
- 2000:
Bonds
,
Guerrero
,
Sosa
- 2001:
Bonds
,
L. Gonzalez
,
Sosa
- 2002:
Bonds
,
Guerrero
,
Sosa
- 2003:
Bonds
,
Pujols
,
Sheffield
- 2004:
Abreu
,
Bonds
,
Edmonds
- 2005:
Cabrera
,
Jones
,
Lee
- 2006:
Beltran
,
Holliday
,
Soriano
- 2007:
Beltran
,
Holliday
,
Lee
- 2008:
Braun
,
Holliday
,
Ludwick
- 2009:
Braun
,
Ethier
,
Kemp
- 2010:
Braun
,
C. Gonzalez
,
Holliday
- 2011:
Braun
,
Kemp
,
Upton
- 2012:
Braun
,
Bruce
,
McCutchen
- 2013:
Bruce
,
Cuddyer
,
McCutchen
- 2014:
McCutchen
,
Stanton
,
Upton
- 2015:
C. Gonzalez
,
Harper
,
McCutchen
- 2016:
Blackmon
,
Cespedes
,
Yelich
- 2017:
Blackmon
,
Ozuna
,
Stanton
- 2018:
Markakis
,
Peralta
,
Yelich
- 2019:
Acuna Jr.
,
Bellinger
,
Yelich
- 2020:
Acuna Jr.
,
Betts
,
Soto
- 2021:
Castellanos
,
Harper
,
Soto
- 2022:
Betts
,
Schwarber
,
Soto
- 2023:
Acuna Jr.
,
Betts
,
Soto
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- 1958:
Aaron
,
Mays
,
Robinson
- 1959:
Aaron
,
Brandt
,
Mays
- 1960:
Aaron
,
Mays
,
Moon
- 1961:
Clemente
,
Mays
,
Pinson
- 1962:
Clemente
,
Mays
,
Virdon
- 1963:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Mays
- 1964:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Mays
- 1965:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Mays
- 1966:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Mays
- 1967:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Mays
- 1968:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Mays
- 1969:
Clemente
,
Flood
,
Rose
- 1970:
Agee
,
Clemente
,
Rose
- 1971:
Bo. Bonds
,
Clemente
,
W. Davis
- 1972:
Cedeno
,
Clemente
,
W. Davis
- 1973:
Bo. Bonds
,
Cedeno
,
W. Davis
- 1974:
Bo. Bonds
,
Cedeno
,
Geronimo
- 1975:
Cedeno
,
Geronimo
,
Maddox
- 1976:
Cedeno
,
Geronimo
,
Maddox
- 1977:
Geronimo
,
Maddox
,
Parker
- 1978:
Maddox
,
Parker
,
Valentine
- 1979:
Maddox
,
Parker
,
Winfield
- 1980:
Dawson
,
Maddox
,
Winfield
- 1981:
Baker
,
Dawson
,
Maddox
- 1982:
Dawson
,
Maddox
,
Murphy
- 1983:
Dawson
,
McGee
,
Murphy
- 1984:
Dawson
,
Dernier
,
Murphy
- 1985:
Dawson
,
McGee
,
Murphy
- 1986:
Gwynn
,
McGee
,
Murphy
- 1987:
E. Davis
,
Dawson
,
Gwynn
- 1988:
E. Davis
,
Dawson
,
Van Slyke
- 1989:
E. Davis
,
Gwynn
,
Van Slyke
- 1990:
Ba. Bonds
,
Gwynn
,
Van Slyke
- 1991:
Ba. Bonds
,
Gwynn
,
Van Slyke
- 1992:
Ba. Bonds
,
Van Slyke
,
Walker
- 1993:
Ba. Bonds
,
Grissom
,
Walker
- 1994:
Ba. Bonds
,
Grissom
,
Lewis
- 1995:
Finley
,
Grissom
,
Mondesi
- 1996:
Ba. Bonds
,
Finley
,
Grissom
- 1997:
Ba. Bonds
,
Mondesi
,
Walker
- 1998:
Ba. Bonds
,
Jones
,
Walker
- 1999:
Finley
,
Jones
,
Walker
- 2000:
Edmonds
,
Finley
,
Jones
- 2001:
Edmonds
,
Jones
,
Walker
- 2002:
Edmonds
,
Jones
,
Walker
- 2003:
Cruz
,
Edmonds
,
Jones
- 2004:
Edmonds
,
Finley
,
Jones
- 2005:
Abreu
,
Edmonds
,
Jones
- 2006:
Beltran
,
Cameron
,
Jones
- 2007:
Beltran
,
Jones
,
Francoeur
,
Rowand
- 2008:
Beltran
,
McLouth
,
Victorino
- 2009:
Bourn
,
Kemp
,
Victorino
- 2010:
Bourn
,
Gonzalez
,
Victorino
- 2011:
Ethier
,
Kemp
,
Parra
- 2012:
Gonzalez
,
Heyward
,
McCutchen
- 2013:
Gomez
,
Gonzalez
,
Parra
- 2014:
Heyward
,
Lagares
,
Yelich
- 2015:
Heyward
,
Marte
,
Pollock
- 2016:
Heyward
,
Inciarte
,
Marte
- 2017:
Heyward
,
Inciarte
,
Ozuna
- 2018:
Dickerson
,
Inciarte
,
Markakis
- 2019:
Bellinger
,
Cain
,
Peralta
- 2020:
Betts
,
Grisham
,
O'Neill
- 2021:
Bader
,
Duvall
,
O'Neill
- 2022:
Betts
,
Grisham
,
Happ
- 2023:
Doyle
,
Happ
,
Tatis Jr.
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