Former Italian / American Player: Mickey Morandini (1990-2000)

-
Michael Robert Morandini was born on April 22nd 1966 in Kittanning, Pennsylvania. The five foot eleven second baseman, threw right but batted left handed.

After attending Indiana University at Bloomington, Minnesota he was a one of the top players in the 1987 International Cup Tournament. He was also a member of Team USA's champion Olympic Team in 1988. He was selected as a fifth round draft pick for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1988.

He got to the big leagues as a reserve infielder for the 1990 & 1991 seasons. In 1992 he became the Phillies main second baseman for the next six years.  On September 20th, 1992 he turned an unassisted triple play in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Jeff King as the batter. In the Phillies 1993 NL pennant season, he batted .247 with 9 triples (third in the NL) 3 HRs 13 stolen bases & 33 RBIs.

Post Season: In the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, he hit a two run triple in the final 6-3 Phillies clincher game at Veterans Stadium. In the World Series loss to The Toronto Blue Jays, he had just one start in favor of Mariano Duncan.

Morandini was not known for his hitting, but he did have some good seasons, batting over .290 twice. He was in the leagues top ten in triples four times, doubles & singles two times each. In 1995 he made the NL All Star team as well.

He was a solid second baseman, known as "the Dandy Glove Man", coming second in the league in fielding % four times & leading the league in that category in 1998, while with Chicago Cubs (.993%).

After eight seasons in Philadelphia he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1998 for Doug Glanville. Morandini only hit 32 career HRs in 4558 at bats, hitting a career best eight, while playing at Wrigley Field in 1988.

On July 1st 1999, he had a rare two HR game, in a wild 19-12 Cubs win over the Brewers at Wrigley Field.

After two seasons in Chicago, he closed out his career in 2000 playing for the Toronto Blue Jays & back with the Phils. In eleven seasons he hit .268 with 1222 hits 54 triples 32 HRs 209 doubles 597 runs scored & 351 RBIs. In 1245 games at second base he posted a .989 fielding % (12th all time best)  turning 669 double plays (91st all time).

Retirement: Morandini began coaching high school ball after his playing days. In 2011 he was manager of the A ball Williamsport Crosscutters in the Phillies organization. He then moved up to the Lakewood Blue Claws (2012-2013).

In 2014 he was named to the AAA Lehigh Valley coaching staff.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Bobby Ojeda's Tragic Boating Accident (1993)

-
Image
Steve Olin, Tim Crews & Bob Ojeda March 22 nd 1993: was an off day from Spring Training, for three Cleveland Indians pitchers; Former Mets 1986 World Champion pitcher; Bobby Ojeda, Tim Crews & Steve Olin. The three friends, took out an 18-foot open-air bass boat & went out fishing & gator hunting in the darkness of the evening on Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Tragedy struck, when the boat rammed into a private dock that jutted out some 250 feet into the still waters. Two other Cleveland Indians personnel had arrived to meet the fishing party just as the horror took place. They heard Bob Ojeda saying they needed help. The two men jumped into the water and called out for someone to call 911. 27 year old pitcher; Steve Olin was killed instantly. 31 year old pitcher; Tim Crews was alive but was struggling to breathe suffering from massive head wounds. Bobby Ojeda was in & out of shock, he was suffering from head lacerations but was coherent. The
Read more

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

-
Image
centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford
Read more

The Odd Couple TV Show's Beloved Supporting Cast

-
Image
On this the 45th Anniversary Season of when my favorite television show of all time The Odd Couple first debuted it's time to pay tribute to the great supporting  cast. Murray Greshler was a  big hit with fans as the simple minded bumbling NYPD Officer: Murray the Cop . Murray was a long time friend of Oscar Madison & usually becomes the subject of Oscar's jokes. Some great lines referenceing Murrays nose are "N ose' Feliciano" / "Tokyo Nose" & "Come inside Murray, your sucking up all the air in the hallway".  Even Felix chimed in asking him if the other army reserve soldiers made fun of him saying "when you look up it looks like a two car garage". Murray would become one of both Felix & Oscars best friends appearing 73 of the 114 Odd Couple episodes . Murray wouldn't think twice about double parking his patrol car double parked outside the Park Avenue or Central Park West building where Felix & Oscar
Read more

Remembering Roger Craig: Pitcher Who Started the First Game In Mets History & Teacher of the Split Finger Fastball (1962 - 1963)

-
Image
Roger Lee Craig was born February 17, 1930, in Durham, North Carolina. He was one of ten children to John & Irene Craig. The tall six-foot four right hander was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950. He spent two seasons in the minors winning 14 games each year & then went off for two years of Military Service during the Korean Way.  MLB Career: Craig arrived at Ebbett's Field in Brooklyn in July 1955 earning a complete game win in his debut against the Reds. He started out 3-0 that month with two complete games.  Overall, for 1955 Dodgers championship team he was 5-3 with two saves, posting a 2.78 ERA pitching in 21 games.  1955 World Series: In the 1955 World Series he got the win in Game #3 at Ebbett's Field, pitching six innings allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four. He gave up a 4th inning RBI single to Billy Martin & a 7th inning lead off HR to Bob Cerv. That year Brooklyn went wild as the Dodgers won their only World Series title whi
Read more

Fictional Mets Infielder Chico Escuela ( of SNL) Visits Mets Spring Training (1979)

-
Image
Bill Murray interviews (Garrett Morris) Chico Escuela In March 1979, original Saturday Night Live cast member; Garrett Morris joined the Mets at Miller Huggins Field for Spring Training. At the time the Mets were still holding Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida.  Morris was filmed being interviewed by his SNL cast mate, Bill Murray as the fictional Mets player: Chico Escuela who wore uniform #5 (cinque).  Escuela was famous for his spoof of the Latin players of the time, who did not speak much English. His famous quote "baseball been berry- berry good to me" began the previous year on SNL's weekend update. Bill Murray & Ed Kranepool It was said during the mock 1979 Spring Training interview, that Chico who was a nine time All Star second baseman, had given up his job at the Weekend Update Sports desk to make a comeback with the Mets at age 41.  Chico had fictionally written a tell all baseball book; "Bad Stuff About the Mets" which tick
Read more