Robby Hammock
Encyclopedia
Robert Wade Hammock is a retired Major League Baseball
catcher.
by the Florida Marlins
, in 1997
by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
, and in 1998
by the Arizona Diamondbacks
. He played five seasons at various minor league levels from to . In 2003, he played in 65 games for the major league club, batting
.282 and starting 28 games at catcher
. His numbers were good enough to earn him a place on the 2003 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
. Robby was the third catcher behind Chad Moeller
and Rod Barajas
for Arizona in 2003.
Along with Matt Kata
, Alex Cintron
, Brandon Webb
, and others, he was one of the "Baby Backs" who were called up when a surge of injuries hit Diamondbacks veteran players in 2003. The Baby Backs were popular and contributed to a winning season, but ultimately failed to make the playoffs.1
In , Hammock made two brief minor league stops before rejoining the Diamondbacks. He played in 62 games, starting 46 at catcher and hit .241 with 16 doubles
that season. On May 18, 2004, he caught Randy Johnson's perfect game
.
Hammock did not appear in a major league game in , and only played in three games for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders
. He was on the roster for the Sidewinders, in which he played multiple positions. He was called up after the Sidewinders won the Pacific Coast League
Championship game, and appeared in only one game.
Hammock was non-tendered following the season, and became a free agent
. On January 12, , he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training
with the Baltimore Orioles.
On February 1, 2010, Hammock signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies
. On April 3, 2010, Hammock was traded to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later
.
Hammock signed a minor league contract with the Diamondbacks for the 2011 season. He is currently the hitting coach for the Scottsdale Diamondbacks.
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...
catcher.
Career
Hammock was drafted three times: in 19951995 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign-Background:Outfielder Darin Erstad of the University of Nebraska was the first pick in the 1995 Rule 4 Draft. Erstad compiled a career .356 average in three seasons with the...
by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, in 1997
1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997...
by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, and in 1998
1998 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998...
by the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. He played five seasons at various minor league levels from to . In 2003, he played in 65 games for the major league club, batting
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 :...
.282 and starting 28 games at 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...
. His numbers were good enough to earn him a place on the 2003 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
. Robby was the third catcher behind Chad Moeller
Chad Moeller
Chad Edward Moeller [MOE-ler] is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Colorado Rockies organization. He is the cousin of former MLB first baseman Chris Cron.-College career:...
and Rod Barajas
Rod Barajas
Rodrigo Richard Barajas is a Mexican American professional baseball catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. He came up to the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks in...
for Arizona in 2003.
Along with Matt Kata
Matt Kata
Matthew John Kata is a Major League Baseball infielder who is currently in the Texas Rangers organization....
, Alex Cintron
Alex Cintrón
Alexander Cintrón is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. His last Major League game was in April 2009...
, Brandon Webb
Brandon Webb
Brandon Tyler Webb is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner.-High school:Webb attended Paul G...
, and others, he was one of the "Baby Backs" who were called up when a surge of injuries hit Diamondbacks veteran players in 2003. The Baby Backs were popular and contributed to a winning season, but ultimately failed to make the playoffs.1
In , Hammock made two brief minor league stops before rejoining the Diamondbacks. He played in 62 games, starting 46 at catcher and hit .241 with 16 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
that season. On May 18, 2004, he caught Randy Johnson's perfect game
Randy Johnson's perfect game
On May 18, 2004, Randy Johnson, who was a member of the Major League Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks at the time, pitched a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves. The game took place at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia in front of a crowd of 23,381 people...
.
Hammock did not appear in a major league game in , and only played in three games for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders
Tucson Sidewinders
The Tucson Sidewinders were a minor league baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona. The team, which played in the Pacific Coast League, was the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club....
. He was on the roster for the Sidewinders, in which he played multiple positions. He was called up after the Sidewinders won the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
Championship game, and appeared in only one game.
Hammock was non-tendered following the season, and became a 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....
. On January 12, , he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to 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...
with the Baltimore Orioles.
On February 1, 2010, Hammock signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. On April 3, 2010, Hammock was traded to the New York Yankees 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:...
.
Hammock signed a minor league contract with the Diamondbacks for the 2011 season. He is currently the hitting coach for the Scottsdale Diamondbacks.