Bob Kearney | |
---|---|
Catcher | |
Born: San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | October 3, 1956|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 25, 1979, for the San Francisco Giants | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 20, 1987, for the Seattle Mariners | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .233 |
Home runs | 27 |
Runs batted in | 133 |
Teams | |
Robert Henry Kearney (born October 3, 1956), is an American former professional baseball player. [1] He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners from 1979 to 1987. [1]
Kearney was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the fourteenth round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft out of the University of Texas. [2] He made his major league debut with the Giants late in the 1979 season, but returned to the minor leagues for the following season. [1] Kearney was drafted by the Oakland Athletics from the Giants in the 1980 minor league draft. [3] Kearney's strong throwing arm was made evident in a game against the Tacoma Indians in 1981 when, he threw out five baserunners attempting to steal second base. [4] He was selected as the catcher for the 1981 Pacific Coast League Northern Division All-Star team. [5]
Kearney began the 1982 season with the Athletics when regular catchers Mike Heath and Jeff Newman were sidelined by injuries but, would later be sent back to the minor leagues. [6] In September, he was recalled to the major leagues after hitting for a .253 batting average in Tacoma. [7] He shared catching duties with Heath in 1983, posting a .255 batting average with 8 home runs and 32 runs batted in. [8] Kearney was named as the catcher for the 1983 Topps All-Star Rookie Team and was also named the Baseball Digest All-Star Rookie Catcher Of The Year. [9] [10]
Kearney was traded to the Seattle Mariners before the 1984 season, replacing Rick Sweet as their starting catcher. [3] [11] Despite his strong throwing arm, he developed a reputation for poor pitch-calling skills. [12] During the 1984 season, Mariners pitchers Salomé Barojas and Mike Moore both demanded to have Orlando Mercado as their catcher. [13] This lack of pitch-calling skills along with his light-hitting caused the Mariners to trade for veteran catcher Steve Yeager before the 1986 season. [12] Yeager was expected to catch the majority of the Mariners' games however, he had a disappointing season and Kearney would eventually lead the team's catchers by appearing in 81 games. [14] In 1987, he was displaced by Scott Bradley as the Mariners' starting catcher and was released in July of that year after posting a .170 batting average in 51 games. [1] [3]
In an eight-year career, Kearney played in 479 games, accumulating 316 hits in 1356 at bats for a .233 career batting average along with 27 home runs and 133 runs batted in. [1] He ended his career with a .987 fielding percentage. [1] Kearney led American League catchers in 1984 with 823 putouts, and in 1985, he led the league in fielding percentage with a .995 average, committing only three errors in 108 games. [15] [16]
Bob Kearney | |
---|---|
Catcher | |
Born: San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | October 3, 1956|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 25, 1979, for the San Francisco Giants | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 20, 1987, for the Seattle Mariners | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .233 |
Home runs | 27 |
Runs batted in | 133 |
Teams | |
Robert Henry Kearney (born October 3, 1956), is an American former professional baseball player. [1] He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners from 1979 to 1987. [1]
Kearney was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the fourteenth round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft out of the University of Texas. [2] He made his major league debut with the Giants late in the 1979 season, but returned to the minor leagues for the following season. [1] Kearney was drafted by the Oakland Athletics from the Giants in the 1980 minor league draft. [3] Kearney's strong throwing arm was made evident in a game against the Tacoma Indians in 1981 when, he threw out five baserunners attempting to steal second base. [4] He was selected as the catcher for the 1981 Pacific Coast League Northern Division All-Star team. [5]
Kearney began the 1982 season with the Athletics when regular catchers Mike Heath and Jeff Newman were sidelined by injuries but, would later be sent back to the minor leagues. [6] In September, he was recalled to the major leagues after hitting for a .253 batting average in Tacoma. [7] He shared catching duties with Heath in 1983, posting a .255 batting average with 8 home runs and 32 runs batted in. [8] Kearney was named as the catcher for the 1983 Topps All-Star Rookie Team and was also named the Baseball Digest All-Star Rookie Catcher Of The Year. [9] [10]
Kearney was traded to the Seattle Mariners before the 1984 season, replacing Rick Sweet as their starting catcher. [3] [11] Despite his strong throwing arm, he developed a reputation for poor pitch-calling skills. [12] During the 1984 season, Mariners pitchers Salomé Barojas and Mike Moore both demanded to have Orlando Mercado as their catcher. [13] This lack of pitch-calling skills along with his light-hitting caused the Mariners to trade for veteran catcher Steve Yeager before the 1986 season. [12] Yeager was expected to catch the majority of the Mariners' games however, he had a disappointing season and Kearney would eventually lead the team's catchers by appearing in 81 games. [14] In 1987, he was displaced by Scott Bradley as the Mariners' starting catcher and was released in July of that year after posting a .170 batting average in 51 games. [1] [3]
In an eight-year career, Kearney played in 479 games, accumulating 316 hits in 1356 at bats for a .233 career batting average along with 27 home runs and 133 runs batted in. [1] He ended his career with a .987 fielding percentage. [1] Kearney led American League catchers in 1984 with 823 putouts, and in 1985, he led the league in fielding percentage with a .995 average, committing only three errors in 108 games. [15] [16]