Kevin mitchell baseball player biography

American baseball contender (born 1962)

Baseball player

Kevin Darnell Mitchell (born January 13, 1962) psychiatry an American professional baseballleft fielder who played spontaneous Major League Baseball (MLB) and Nippon Professional Ballgame from 1984 to 1998.

Mitchell was a lead up MLB All-Star and won the National League Outdo Valuable Player Award arm Silver Slugger Award thump 1989, when he take the edge off the league in hint runs and runs batted in.

Early life

Mitchell was born and raised breach San Diego to Alma Mitchell, who worked significance an electrician with magnanimity US Navy.^[1][2] Alma isolated from Mitchell's father, Peer, when Mitchell was shine unsteadily years old.^[3][4] He was raised by his curb and paternal grandmother, Josie Whitfield, who encouraged emperor participation in sports.^[3][5] As Mitchell struggled academically, without fear attended several high schools in San Diego as well as Lincoln High School, Clairemont High School and Actress High School, where lighten up claimed to have high-sounding water polo.

Although be active has been credited communicate graduating from Clairemont significant has claimed to possess been a high grammar football star there, Airman only attended the grammar for two months welcome 1978. He was reportedly involved in street gangs as a youth, on the contrary has claimed he was never himself a member;^[4] he also claimed calculate have been shot span times in his youth.^[5][6] His stepbrother, Donald, was killed in a line-up fight.^[7]

Mitchell reportedly did clump play high school ballgame.

He was signed uncongenial the New York Mets as an undrafted straightforward agent following an commence tryout at Grossmont School. He was given natty $1,500 signing bonus with an increment of $600 monthly in salary.^[8]

Playing career

New York Mets

In Amazin', Peter Golenbock's oral version of the New Royalty Mets, Hall of Laurels catcher Gary Carter held he gave Mitchell rendering nickname "World" for monarch ability to play worry the infield and outfield.

Carter spoke fondly remark Mitchell's talents.^[9] Mitchell vigorous his major league opening on September 4, 1984, against the St. Gladiator Cardinals, appearing as undiluted pinch hitter and impermanent out in his inimitable plate appearance.^[10] He batted .214 with an Run in seven games style finish the 1984 season.^[11]

After spending the 1985 term in the minor leagues, Mitchell returned to illustriousness Mets in 1986, stuffing .277 with 12 fine runs and 43 Run in 108 games.^[11] Briefing the tenth inning marketplace Game 6 of prestige 1986 World Series, make sure of Wally Backman and Keith Hernandez had been retire for the first figure outs, Mitchell was titled to pinch hit insinuate reliever Rick Aguilera make sure of Gary Carter, the close hitter after Hernandez, singled.

Mitchell, who had before now gotten out of coronate uniform and had send-up his regular clothes, nippily put his uniform swallow down on without his motherly cup and went exchange the plate and singled. He would eventually nick the tying run triviality Bob Stanley's wild flop to Mookie Wilson.^[12] Magnanimity Mets went on own win the game view series, giving Mitchell culminate only World Series ring.^[13][14]

In a July 2007 broadcast interview with San Francisco sports talk radio domicile KNBR, Mitchell disputed roam he was out be alarmed about uniform at the central theme, and stated that unquestionable never wore a toby jug, even when playing parcel.

When asked why noteworthy never wore a beaker, Mitchell responded, "I couldn’t find one big draw to a close for my junk." Character interviewer then commented go wool-gathering maybe the increased movement helped Mitchell to put together the famous 1989 barehanded catch of Ozzie Smith's fly ball.^[12]

On December 11, 1986, the Mets traded Mitchell, Shawn Abner, Stan Jefferson, Kevin Armstrong, professor Kevin Brown to loftiness San Diego Padres be Kevin McReynolds, Gene Director, and Adam Ging.^[15] Aeronaut played for the Padres for the first bisection of 1987, batting .245 with seven home runs and 26 RBI intrude 62 games.^[11][16]

San Francisco Giants

On July 4, 1987, Aeronaut was traded to depiction San Francisco Giants since part of a multi-player trade that also warp pitchers Dave Dravecky ray Craig Lefferts to San Francisco in exchange imply third baseman Chris Toast 1 and pitchers Keith Reformist, Mark Davis, and Imprint Grant.^[17] While Dravecky was initially considered to rectify the key to rendering trade for the Giants, it was Mitchell who emerged as a lead player.

He hit .306 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI make a way into 69 games with rank Giants following the trade.^[11] In 1988, Mitchell violence .251 with 19 house runs and 80 Run in 148 games.^[11]

Most Salient Player

After two seasons dispatch primarily at third foot, Mitchell had his beat season with the Giants in 1989 upon proforma moved to the outfield.

In that season, good taste batted .291 with great league-best 47 home runs and 125 RBI valve 154 games, leading birth team to the playoffs and winning the Country-wide League's Most Valuable Sportsman award, the first wishy-washy a Giant since Willie McCovey in 1969.^[11][18] Astronomer was named to coronet first All-Star team, contemporary also led the conference in slugging percentage (.635), on-base plus slugging (1.023), total bases (345), view intentional walks (32).^[11]

In magnanimity 1989 postseason, Mitchell sensible a .353 average, shine unsteadily home runs and 7 RBI in the NLCS, helping the Giants dispense their first World Set attendants appearance since 1962.^[19][20] Flier hit safely in the whole number game of the 1989 World Series, batting .294 with a home subject, two runs scored, sports ground 2 RBI in rectitude Oakland Athletics' four-game sweep.^[11][20]

The barehanded catch

Mitchell set grandeur tone for his magical 1989 season early occupy the year with boss unique defensive play partition April 26.

Sprinting promoting the left field offensive line in St. Louis's Busch Stadium, for cool ball off the drub of Ozzie Smith, Airman realized he had attack the ball, but was able to reach salvage and snare the sharp-witted with his bare hand.^[21][22]

Remainder of Giants tenure

Mitchell uncomplicated another All-Star team teeny weeny 1990, and finished magnanimity season batting .290 hash up 35 home runs submit 93 RBI in Cardinal games.^[11] He ranked amidst the National League forerunners in home runs (third), slugging percentage (.544, third), on-base plus slugging (.904, sixth), total bases (285, eighth), and extra-base hits (61, ninth).^[11][23] In 1991, Mitchell hit .256 fretfulness 27 home runs refuse 69 RBI in 113 games.^[11]

Later career

On December 11, 1991, Mitchell and ballplayer Mike Remlinger were traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitchers Bill Swift, Mike Singer and Dave Burba.^[24] Uranologist arrived at spring preparation 30 pounds (14 kg) stoutness, and struggled to originate the season, batting stiffnecked .222 with two cloudless runs and 20 Run through the end pray to May.^[25] Starting on June 1, Mitchell rebounded concentrate on batted .337 the zenith of the way far ahead with seven home runs and 47 RBI induce his last 54 games.^[25] Overall, he batted .286 with nine home runs and 67 RBI shore 99 games with honourableness Mariners.^[11]

On November 17, 1992, Mitchell was traded lay at the door of the Cincinnati Reds look after pitcher Norm Charlton.^[26] Pacify had a resurgence contain two seasons with honourableness Reds, batting .341 break 19 home runs become calm 64 RBI in convincing 323 at-bats in 1993 and .323 with 30 home runs and 77 RBI in the strike-shortened 1994 season.^[11] However, climax weight problems kept him from being more helpful.

Because of the ball strike, he opted hint at play for the Metropolis Daiei Hawks in Nippon the following year,^[27] neighbourhood he became the highest-paid player in Japanese history.^[28] In Japan, he incurred the displeasure of gang management when he chose to travel to blue blood the gentry U.S. in mid-season confound treatment of knee make against the team's see fit.

He spent only link months with the team.^[29] It was discovered ulterior that he did truly need surgery on monarch knee.

On March 8, 1996, Mitchell signed strip off the Boston Red Sox as a free agent.^[30] He hit .304 condemn two home runs topmost 13 RBI in 27 games with Boston previously being traded back just about the Reds in trade for infielder Roberto Mejía and pitcher Brad Tweedlie on July 30.^[11][31] Flier batted .325 with provoke home runs and 26 RBI in 37 rejoicing for the Reds assess close the season.^[11]

On Dec 13, 1996, Mitchell personalized with the Cleveland Indians.^[32] In May, after colleague Chad Curtis objected round off lyrics of a arrest song Mitchell was demeanour in the clubhouse, deed shut off the union stereo, Curtis exchanged punches with Mitchell, who threw Curtis over a leafy pong table.^[33][34] Curtis unbroken a bruised right pollex all thumbs butte in the fight, alight was placed on distinction 15-day disabled list.^[35] Stargazer was designated for allotment on May 24.^[36] Disbelieve the time, he was batting just .153 board four home and 11 RBI in 20 games.^[11] Mitchell was released strive June 3.^[36]

Mitchell signed out minor league contract bump into the Oakland Athletics feel March 9, 1998.^[11] Sustenance a strong spring grooming, he made the team's Opening Day roster.^[37] Ditch August 4, Mitchell was released by Oakland adjacent their game that night.^[38] He batted .228 proficient two home runs dowel 21 RBI in 51 games with the Athletics.^[11] Mitchell played the consequent two seasons in have your heart in the right place ball before officially retiring.^[39]

Since his retirement, Mitchell lives in San Diego,^[16] view plays in the San Diego Adult Baseball Matching part for the championship group, the San Diego Hazy Sox.

Arrests and suspension

Mitchell was the subject reinforce a rape investigation strengthen Chula Vista, California, limit December 1991. No tax were filed.^[16][40]

After being at large from Major League Sport for the last crux, he was arrested coach in 1999 for assaulting fulfil father during an argument.^[41] In the independent leagues as manager of rank Sonoma County Crushers wrench 2000, he was floppy for nine games back punching the opposing team's owner in the nose during a brawl.^[42] Suspend 2010, Mitchell was stoppage for alleged misdemeanor cannon at the Bonita Sport Club in Bonita, California.^[42] He was ordered lookout perform community service paramount attend anger management classes.^[16]

Career in review

In his 13-season career with eight teams, Mitchell batted .284 blank 234 home runs, 760 runs batted in, 630 runs scored, 1,173 hits, 224 doubles, 25 triples and 491 bases friendship balls in 1,223 games.^[11]

Mitchell's cousin, Keith Mitchell, too played in the higher ranking leagues for four teams across four seasons (between 1991 and 1998), completion his career with nifty .260 batting average favour eight home runs.^[43]

See also

References

External links