Floyd Rayford
Encyclopedia
Floyd Kinnard Rayford is a retired professional baseball player who played for seven seasons in the Major leagues
. He primarily played third base
and catcher
during his career. He served as batting coach for two seasons with the Rochester Red Wings
of the International League
until his firing on Sept. 9, 2011.
in the fourth round of the amateur draft
by the California Angels
. He spent the 1975 through 1979 seasons in the Angels' minor league system, spending the 1979 season at the Triple-A level playing for the Salt Lake City Gulls
. In his first Triple-A season, he batted .294 with 13 home runs while playing third base.
in exchange for Larry Harlow
. In 1980, Rayford made his major league debut for the Orioles; over the course of the season he played in 8 games for the Orioles while spending most of the year with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
. He spent the entire 1981 season with the Red Wings, during which he played on the losing side of the longest game in baseball history. In 1982, he returned to the Major League with the Orioles, but he hit
only .132 in 34 games.
When Cal Ripken, Jr.
began his streak of 2,632 consecutive games played
in 1982, Rayford was the player who Ripken replaced in the lineup. Rayford had been given a day off in the second game of a doubleheader and Ripken started at third base in his place.
He again returned to Rochester in 1983, and hit .371 in 42 games with the Red Wings.
in exchange for a player to be named later
, which became outfielder Tito Landrum
. He was the backup third baseman behind Ken Oberkfell
that year and hit .212 in 56 games for the Cardinals.
s and 48 runs batted in, all career highs. His numbers fell in 1986 when he batted .176 and was sent back to Rochester. He split the 1987 season between Baltimore and Rochester and batted .220 at the Major League level in what would prove to be his final major league season.
, playing in 81 games with the club over the three-year span. During the latter two seasons, Rayford served as a player-coach, starting a long tenure as a minor league coach. Since 1990, he has coached eight separate minor league teams, and in 1996, he spent his only season to date as a minor league manager, doing so for the Batavia Clippers. He has been a member of the Rock Cats' coaching staff since 2005.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He primarily played third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
during his career. He served as batting coach for two seasons with the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
until his firing on Sept. 9, 2011.
Early career
Rayford's professional baseball career began in 1975, when he was drafted as a catcher out of Manual Arts High SchoolManual Arts High School
Manual Arts High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California. When founded, Manual Arts was a vocational high school, but later converted to a traditional curriculum.-History:...
in the fourth round of the amateur draft
1975 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft..Many baseball draft experts consider the 1975 draft to be the weakest in MLB history.- External links :*- References :...
by the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He spent the 1975 through 1979 seasons in the Angels' minor league system, spending the 1979 season at the Triple-A level playing for the Salt Lake City Gulls
Salt Lake City Gulls
leftThe Salt Lake City Gulls, a former member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, were based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were a minor league affiliate of the California Angels from 1975 to 1981, and of the Seattle Mariners from 1982 to 1984...
. In his first Triple-A season, he batted .294 with 13 home runs while playing third base.
Baltimore Orioles (first stint)
After playing one season for the Gulls, Rayford was traded, along with an undisclosed amount of money, from the Angels organization to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in exchange for Larry Harlow
Larry Harlow (baseball)
Larry Duane Harlow is a retired professional baseball player who played 6 seasons for the Baltimore Orioles and California Angels of Major League Baseball. Most of his career highs came during the season when he scored 67 runs scored, recorded 112 hits, and 14 stolen bases...
. In 1980, Rayford made his major league debut for the Orioles; over the course of the season he played in 8 games for the Orioles while spending most of the year with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
. He spent the entire 1981 season with the Red Wings, during which he played on the losing side of the longest game in baseball history. In 1982, he returned to the Major League with the Orioles, but he hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
only .132 in 34 games.
When Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
began his streak of 2,632 consecutive games played
MLB consecutive games played streaks
Listed below are the 15 longest consecutive games played streaks in Major League Baseball history. To compile such a streak, a player must appear in every game played by his team...
in 1982, Rayford was the player who Ripken replaced in the lineup. Rayford had been given a day off in the second game of a doubleheader and Ripken started at third base in his place.
He again returned to Rochester in 1983, and hit .371 in 42 games with the Red Wings.
St. Louis Cardinals
During the 1983 season, the Orioles traded Rayford to the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in exchange for a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
, which became outfielder Tito Landrum
Tito Landrum
Terry Lee Landrum , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1980-1988....
. He was the backup third baseman behind Ken Oberkfell
Ken Oberkfell
Kenneth Raymond Oberkfell is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman and ex-coach for the New York Mets. He played from 1977-1992 for six different teams. Oberkfell primarily played third base but was also known to play second base and both corner outfield positions...
that year and hit .212 in 56 games for the Cardinals.
Baltimore Orioles (second stint)
Less than a year after trading Rayford, the Orioles purchased his contract from the Cardinals before the 1984 season. He served primarily as a backup catcher in his first year back with the Orioles, and his hitting numbers improved, with his average reaching .256 in 1984. Sharing time as the regular third baseman in 1985, Rayford had a career year, hitting .306 with 18 home runHome run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 48 runs batted in, all career highs. His numbers fell in 1986 when he batted .176 and was sent back to Rochester. He split the 1987 season between Baltimore and Rochester and batted .220 at the Major League level in what would prove to be his final major league season.
Minor league career
Before retiring as a player, Rayford played parts of three seasons, from 1989 to 1991, with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red BaronsScranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
, playing in 81 games with the club over the three-year span. During the latter two seasons, Rayford served as a player-coach, starting a long tenure as a minor league coach. Since 1990, he has coached eight separate minor league teams, and in 1996, he spent his only season to date as a minor league manager, doing so for the Batavia Clippers. He has been a member of the Rock Cats' coaching staff since 2005.