Phil Plantier
Encyclopedia
Phillip Alan Plantier is a former Major League Baseball
player who played in the major leagues primarily as an outfielder
from -. Plantier is most often remembered for his rookie
season performance.
Plantier was an 11th round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox
in the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
. He developed a knack for hitting home run
s in the minor leagues and skipped the Double-A level altogether. Plantier entered the major leagues after a midseason callup from the Pawtucket Red Sox
. In 53 games and 148 at-bats, he hit 11 home run
s and 35 RBI
while hitting
.331, for an average of a home run hit every 13.38 at-bats. As a result, Plantier finished 8th in Rookie of the Year
voting.
Plantier was unable to repeat his rookie performance in , and was traded to the San Diego Padres
the following season. He enjoyed his best full season in wherein he hit 34 home runs with 100 RBI, both career highs.
After an injury plagued 1994 season, Plantier was part of an eleven player trade between the Padres and the Houston Astros
that brought Ken Caminiti
to San Diego, among others.
Prior to the 1996 season, Plantier signed with the Detroit Tigers
. However, during spring training
he was traded to the Oakland Athletics
for infielder Fausto Cruz
and pitcher Ramon Fermin
. Plantier spent the 1996 season as a reserve outfielder and designated hitter for the A's.
Plantier signed with the San Diego Padres
for the 1997 season, his second stint with the team. He was traded mid-season to the St. Louis Cardinals
, where he again spent time as a reserve outfielder and finished out his major league career. Plantier signed as a free agent with Toronto Blue Jays
in 1998, but did not appear in any major league games with the club.
, he was the hitting coach for the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx in the Seattle Mariners
organization. On January 13, , he was named the manager
of the Diamond Jaxx.
In 2010, Plantier was the Minor League Hitting Coordinator for the Seattle Mariners.
In 2011, Plantier was named Hitting Coach, then assigned to Manager during mid-season for the Lake Elsinore Storm
, a Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
Plantier holds the MLB record for most career home runs by a player born in New Hampshire
.
Plantier was named hitting coach of the San Diego Padres on October 31, 2011.
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...
player who played in the major leagues primarily as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
from -. Plantier is most often remembered for his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season performance.
Plantier was an 11th round draft pick of 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 the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
. He developed a knack for hitting home run
Home 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 in the minor leagues and skipped the Double-A level altogether. Plantier entered the major leagues after a midseason callup from the Pawtucket Red Sox
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...
. In 53 games and 148 at-bats, he hit 11 home run
Home 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 35 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
while hitting
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 :...
.331, for an average of a home run hit every 13.38 at-bats. As a result, Plantier finished 8th in Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
voting.
Plantier was unable to repeat his rookie performance in , and was traded to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
the following season. He enjoyed his best full season in wherein he hit 34 home runs with 100 RBI, both career highs.
After an injury plagued 1994 season, Plantier was part of an eleven player trade between the Padres and 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...
that brought Ken Caminiti
Ken Caminiti
Kenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
to San Diego, among others.
Prior to the 1996 season, Plantier signed with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. However, during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
he was traded to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
for infielder Fausto Cruz
Fausto Cruz
Fausto Santiago Cruz is a former Dominican Major League Baseball infielder. He played for the Oakland Athletics during the and seasons and the Detroit Tigers during the season.-References:...
and pitcher Ramon Fermin
Ramón Fermín
Ramón Antonio Fermín Ventura is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in one game in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics during the 1995 season...
. Plantier spent the 1996 season as a reserve outfielder and designated hitter for the A's.
Plantier signed with the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for the 1997 season, his second stint with the team. He was traded mid-season to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. 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...
, where he again spent time as a reserve outfielder and finished out his major league career. Plantier signed as a free agent with 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 ....
in 1998, but did not appear in any major league games with the club.
, he was the hitting coach for the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx in 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. On January 13, , he was named the manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Diamond Jaxx.
In 2010, Plantier was the Minor League Hitting Coordinator for the Seattle Mariners.
In 2011, Plantier was named Hitting Coach, then assigned to Manager during mid-season for the Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
, a Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
Plantier holds the MLB record for most career home runs by a player born in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
.
Plantier was named hitting coach of the San Diego Padres on October 31, 2011.