Dave Wallace (baseball)
Encyclopedia
David William Wallace was the interim pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves
. He spent the majority of his career working for the Los Angeles Dodgers
and New York Mets
organizations.
, basketball
and football
. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies
as an amateur free agent
out of the University of New Haven
in 1970. A right-handed relief pitcher
, Wallace posted a 47-31 record with 60 saves in 355 career minor league
outings. In the majors, he made 13 appearances for the Phillies (1973–74) and Toronto Blue Jays
(1978) and went 0-1 with 12 strikeout
s and a 7.84 ERA
in 20 and 2/3 innings
. He concluded his playing career with Triple-A Pawtucket
(1979).
, Ramón Martínez, Pedro Astacio
, Darren Dreifort
, Hideo Nomo
, Chan Ho Park, Ismael Valdéz
and John Wetteland
. Wallace gained note when Orel Hershiser
credited him for his early success with the Dodgers in a Sports Illustrated article.
Since , Wallace has been a major league and minor league
coach and front office executive. He served as an interim General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had previously worked almost exclusively in the Dodgers
and Mets
organizations. He won a World Series
ring with the Boston Red Sox
in 2004. Wallace was hired as the new pitching coach by the Houston Astros
after serving in the same capacity for the Red Sox from 2003 through 2006. In October 2007 he was hired by the Seattle Mariners
organization as a special assistant to the general manager. On January 13, , he was named the Mariners minor league pitching coordinator. After completing the 2009 season
in this position, Wallace was hired by the Atlanta Braves
to serve as their Minor League
pitching coordinator.
On April 29, 2011 it was announced Wallace would serve as the Atlanta Braves' interim major league pitching coach while Roger McDowell was on administrative leave for inappropriate comments towards fans in San Francisco a week prior.
was named the interim pitching coach. On August 8, 2006, Wallace made his full-time return to his duties as Red Sox pitching coach.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. He spent the majority of his career working for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
organizations.
Playing career
A high school all-around athlete, Wallace played baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
out of the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
in 1970. A right-handed relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, Wallace posted a 47-31 record with 60 saves in 355 career minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
outings. In the majors, he made 13 appearances for the Phillies (1973–74) and Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1978) and went 0-1 with 12 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 7.84 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 20 and 2/3 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. He concluded his playing career with Triple-A Pawtucket
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
(1979).
Coaching career
As a pitching coach, Wallace is credited with helping develop the talents of pitchers Pedro MartínezPedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
, Ramón Martínez, Pedro Astacio
Pedro Astacio
Pedro Julio Astacio is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Colorado Rockies , Houston Astros , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Texas Rangers , the San Diego Padres and the Washington Nationals...
, Darren Dreifort
Darren Dreifort
Darren James Dreifort is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers whose career was cut short by numerous injuries.-Early career:...
, Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
, Chan Ho Park, Ismael Valdéz
Ismael Valdéz
Ismael Valdez Alvarez is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. His professional baseball career began at age 17 when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league organization. After a three year climb through the Dodgers farm system, Valdez made his major league debut at the age of 20...
and John Wetteland
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second...
. Wallace gained note when Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
credited him for his early success with the Dodgers in a Sports Illustrated article.
Since , Wallace has been a major league and minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
coach and front office executive. He served as an interim General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had previously worked almost exclusively in the Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
organizations. He won a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
ring with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in 2004. Wallace was hired as the new pitching coach by the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
after serving in the same capacity for the Red Sox from 2003 through 2006. In October 2007 he was hired by the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
organization as a special assistant to the general manager. On January 13, , he was named the Mariners minor league pitching coordinator. After completing the 2009 season
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
in this position, Wallace was hired by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
to serve as their Minor League
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
pitching coordinator.
On April 29, 2011 it was announced Wallace would serve as the Atlanta Braves' interim major league pitching coach while Roger McDowell was on administrative leave for inappropriate comments towards fans in San Francisco a week prior.
Health scare
In February 2006, Wallace became very sick while driving to Spring Training. Twelve years after having his hip replaced, Wallace discovered he was suffering from a severe infection in that replaced hip. He nearly died from the infection, and had it removed immediately. After the infection cleared up, Wallace had the hip replaced in June. Al NipperAl Nipper
Albert Samuel Nipper is an American professional baseball coach and a former Major League pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians...
was named the interim pitching coach. On August 8, 2006, Wallace made his full-time return to his duties as Red Sox pitching coach.