Tim Foli
Encyclopedia
Timothy John Foli nicknamed Crazy Horse, is a former shortstop
in Major League Baseball
who played for the New York Mets
, Montreal Expos
, San Francisco Giants
, Pittsburgh Pirates
, California Angels and New York Yankees
from to . At age 17, Foli was the first pick in the Major League Baseball Draft in and went on to be a member of the 1979 World Series
champion Pirates.
only 14 times, the lowest total ever for 150 or more games played
(Ozzie Guillén
broke Foli's notorious record three years later). His free swinging did not aim for the fences, however, as he averaged less than two home run
s per season. His lack of power, combined with a lack of running speed (averaging approximately a stolen base
every 20 games) resulted in Foli typically batting either second in the lineup or near the bottom. Although he accumulated few walks, Foli was also one of the most difficult to strikeout
, posting the league's best strikeout percentage three times and finishing in the top ten five times. Foli hit well when it counted most as he compiled a .333 batting average
in the 1979 postseason contributing to Pittsburgh's last World Championship. He was an accomplished bunter, finishing in the league top ten in sacrifice hits eight times including an American League
-leading 26 in 1982.
Defensively, Foli led league shortstops in fielding percentage
in and 1982. He led the National League
in double play
s twice, in total chances
twice, and in putout
s once. Foli's defensive low occurred on September 9, 1972 when he committed three errors
in one inning, leading to three runs in Montreal's 8–3 loss.
and attended Notre Dame High School
in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California
. He was a high school star in both baseball and football
and was offered a football scholarship
by the University of Southern California
. When the New York Mets made Foli the first overall draft pick
in 1968, he decided to forgo football for the major leagues.
At age seventeen, Foli started out poorly with the Marion Mets
of the Appalachian League
. The following year, while the Mets were on their way to winning the 1969 World Series
, Foli hit over .300 for their high single A minor league team, the Visalia Mets of the California League
. In , Foli posted decent numbers for the AAA Tidewater Tides and the Mets called the 19-year-old up to the majors on September 11. At the time, he was the fourth youngest player in the majors, behind César Cedeño
, Balor Moore
and Don Gullett. In his second game, Foli started at third base
, picked up two hits and drove in a late insurance run as the Mets defeated the St. Louis Cardinals
. The defending champions faded the rest of the way and missed the playoffs.
Foli spent all of with the Mets, fighting for playing time at second base
and third base. On May 9, he had an RBI triple
and a three-run double
in the first two innings for his first four-RBI
game. It would prove to be his last four-RBI game until . In 97 games, his batting average was .226, with both his on base percentage
and slugging average below .300.
and Mike Jorgensen
and sent them to the Montreal Expos for star outfielder
Rusty Staub
. Foli became a mainstay at shortstop in Montreal for the next five seasons. Although Foli, Singleton and Jorgensen played well in Montreal, the Expos never posted a winning record until after Foli was gone and even lost 107 games in .
Foli's offensive numbers in five seasons with Montreal were representative of his whole career. He batted between .238 and .264 each season, only once slugging over .300, and only once reaching .300 in on base percentage. was the only offensive season that stood out for Foli, as he posted career highs with 36 doubles (fifth-highest in the N.L.), six home runs and a .366 slugging average. On April 21, 1976, Foli hit a single
, double and triple against the Chicago Cubs
before the game was suspended. When the game was resumed the next day, Foli hit a home run to complete the first cycle
in Montreal Expos history. In addition, Foli's cycle was the first "natural cycle" (where the single, double, triple and home run are hit in that sequence) in almost a decade.
Foli was popular in Montreal, as evidenced on July 8, 1973, when Houston Astros
left fielder
Bob Watson slid hard into Foli at second base trying to break up a double play, breaking Foli's jaw. When Watson returned to left field in the next half-inning, the Montreal fans at Jarry Park
hurled debris at him. Foli missed the next month of the season.
. Foli, who was batting .175 at the time of the trade, hit only .228 for the Giants, who finished well out of playoff contention. Foli's Giants highlight was on July 22, when he had the only two-homer game of his career.
After the 1977 season, Foli's original team, the Mets, purchased his contract from San Francisco. was a typical season for Foli, who played 113 games and batted .257 while the Mets finished with the worst record in the National League
.
. The trade sent Foli from the worst team in the league to one of the best. Pittsburgh was locked in a season-long battle with Montreal for first place, but took the lead for good in the final days of the season. Foli set career highs in batting average, RBI, runs, hits and on base percentage. He also struck out once every 38 at bats, a strikeout ratio which has not been bested since.
Pittsburgh went on to sweep the 1979 National League Championship Series
, with Foli driving in a run in all three games. In the World Series, Foli had a hit in six of the seven games, but the Pirates were trailing three games to one. Facing 23-game winner and 1979 Cy Young Award
winner Mike Flanagan
, Foli scored the tying run and drove in three insurance runs to keep the Pirates alive in Game 5. Foli then scored a run in Game 6 against Jim Palmer
and the Pirates forced a Game 7. In the next game, with Foli's immense help, the Pirates won the World Championship.
Foli posted typical numbers for him in and the strike-shortened season, but the Pirates, suffering from the decline of future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell
, as well as other intangibles, dropped from World Champions to mediocrity.
Brian Harper
. Foli was reunited with Gene Mauch
, his manager
from Montreal. He was slated to be a utility infielder
for the Angels, but when Rick Burleson
went down with a torn rotator cuff
in mid-April, Foli spent the season as the starting shortstop. A mid-September winning streak propelled the Angels into first place and into the 1982 American League playoffs
, but Foli managed only two hits and one RBI as the Angels lost to the Milwaukee Brewers
three games to two.
Foli played very little in the last third of the next season, finishing with only 88 games. Towards the end of the season, Foli was suspended by the team for not being in uniform after a September 11 rain delay. The Angels traded Foli to the New York Yankees for pitcher
Curt Kaufman
after the season. In 61 games, Foli played all four infield
positions for the Yankees, who traded him to his old stomping grounds in Pittsburgh after the season in a trade which brought 20-year-old Jay Buhner
to the Yankees.
Foli batted just .189 in 19 games with the Pirates in , before Pittsburgh released him on June 17 and he retired at age 34.
in and . During the off-season in early 1987, Foli was the manager of the Caguas, Puerto Rico
team in the Caribbean World Series
when his fiery personality made news. After losing the first two games to the Dominican Republic
, Caguas general manager
Felix Millan
fired Foli, claiming he had been disrespectful. Caguas recovered to win the championship.
On November 19, 1991, Foli was named the first base coach and infield coach for the Milwaukee Brewers
, re-joining fellow coach Duffy Dyer
, who had been a teammate of his while with the Mets. On September 29, 1995, Foli and Dyer were both let go by the Brewers. Foli spent as a coach with the Kansas City Royals
under manager Bob Boone
, who was Foli's teammate with the California Angels. He then managed the Rookie-level Kingsport Mets
of the Appalachian League
in and spent to with the New York Mets organization as an infield and base running coordinator.
On September 16, 2000, Foli began three tumultuous seasons as a coach with the Cincinnati Reds
, reunited with former Angels catcher Bob Boone
, who was the Reds' manager. Just a few months into his coaching job, Foli became embroiled in a physical confrontation with fellow coach, Ron Oester
, after a game. Foli required stitches. The turmoil in Cincinnati did not soon end, as Oester was let go after the season, the team's superstar, Ken Griffey, Jr.
was injured in four consecutive seasons, coach Ken Griffey, Sr.
resigned on bad terms,
and the Reds posted three consecutive losing seasons. As a result, Foli, Boone, the general manager and another coach were all fired on July 28, 2003.
After taking off, Foli was hired by the Washington Nationals
to be the manager of their AAA team, the New Orleans Zephyrs
for .
Brought back for , Foli left a game and took time off after suffering from apparent hyperthermia
on June 9, 2006.
Foli's son, Daniel Foli, is a pitcher, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
in the 31st round of the 2001 draft. He spent three seasons in the Cubs' organization before being released. Dan Foli spent and in the New York Mets organization, until his release in April . Since then, he has been in the Washington Nationals
organization with his father, including one game on his father's team in New Orleans. Dan Foli was moved to the AA Harrisburg Senators
on June 1, 2006.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played for the 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...
, Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, California Angels and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
from to . At age 17, Foli was the first pick in the Major League Baseball Draft in and went on to be a member of the 1979 World Series
1979 World Series
The 1979 World Series matched the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates against the American League's Baltimore Orioles , with the Pirates coming back from a three games to one deficit to win the Series in seven games...
champion Pirates.
Overview
Foli was known as a fiery player who was a reliable fielder, but only an average hitter. Foli was a free swinger, especially in when he walkedBase on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
only 14 times, the lowest total ever for 150 or more games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
(Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
broke Foli's notorious record three years later). His free swinging did not aim for the fences, however, as he averaged less than two 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 per season. His lack of power, combined with a lack of running speed (averaging approximately a stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
every 20 games) resulted in Foli typically batting either second in the lineup or near the bottom. Although he accumulated few walks, Foli was also one of the most difficult to 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....
, posting the league's best strikeout percentage three times and finishing in the top ten five times. Foli hit well when it counted most as he compiled a .333 batting average
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 :...
in the 1979 postseason contributing to Pittsburgh's last World Championship. He was an accomplished bunter, finishing in the league top ten in sacrifice hits eight times including an American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
-leading 26 in 1982.
Defensively, Foli led league shortstops in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in and 1982. He led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s twice, in total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
twice, and in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s once. Foli's defensive low occurred on September 9, 1972 when he committed three errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in one inning, leading to three runs in Montreal's 8–3 loss.
Early life & career
Tim Foli was born in Culver City, CaliforniaCulver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
and attended Notre Dame High School
Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks)
Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, is a co-ed Catholic college preparatory high school founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1947. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Notre Dame is known for an outstanding college-prep academic program,...
in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California
Sherman Oaks is an affluent district in the San Fernando Valley area of the city of Los Angeles, California. In contrast to much of the Valley, the area is relatively urbanized, with commercial skyscrapers along Ventura Boulevard as well as scattered throughout...
. He was a high school star in both baseball 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...
and was offered a football scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
by the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. When the New York Mets made Foli the first overall draft pick
Draft (sports)
A draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
in 1968, he decided to forgo football for the major leagues.
At age seventeen, Foli started out poorly with the Marion Mets
Marion Mets
The Marion Mets were a minor league baseball team based in Marion, Virginia that played in the Appalachian League from 1965 to 1976. They were affiliated with the New York Mets and played their home games at the Marion High School baseball field....
of the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
. The following year, while the Mets were on their way to winning the 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
, Foli hit over .300 for their high single A minor league team, the Visalia Mets of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. In , Foli posted decent numbers for the AAA Tidewater Tides and the Mets called the 19-year-old up to the majors on September 11. At the time, he was the fourth youngest player in the majors, behind César Cedeño
César Cedeño
César Cedeño Encarnación is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Houston Astros , Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers . He batted and threw right-handed....
, Balor Moore
Balor Moore
Balor Lilbon Moore is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first player drafted by the expansion Montreal Expos in the 1969 Major League Baseball Draft .-Expos phenom:...
and Don Gullett. In his second game, Foli started at 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...
, picked up two hits and drove in a late insurance run as the Mets defeated 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...
. The defending champions faded the rest of the way and missed the playoffs.
Foli spent all of with the Mets, fighting for playing time at second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and third base. On May 9, he had an RBI triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and a three-run double
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....
in the first two innings for his first four-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...
game. It would prove to be his last four-RBI game until . In 97 games, his batting average was .226, with both his on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
and slugging average below .300.
Montreal
Before the season, on April 5, the Mets packaged Foli with fellow young prospects Ken SingletonKen Singleton
Kenneth Wayne Singleton is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, and Baltimore Orioles.-Baseball career:Born in Manhattan, New York...
and Mike Jorgensen
Mike Jorgensen
Michael Jorgensen is a former Major League Baseball player drafted by the New York Mets in the fourth round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft...
and sent them to the Montreal Expos for star 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...
Rusty Staub
Rusty Staub
Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
. Foli became a mainstay at shortstop in Montreal for the next five seasons. Although Foli, Singleton and Jorgensen played well in Montreal, the Expos never posted a winning record until after Foli was gone and even lost 107 games in .
Foli's offensive numbers in five seasons with Montreal were representative of his whole career. He batted between .238 and .264 each season, only once slugging over .300, and only once reaching .300 in on base percentage. was the only offensive season that stood out for Foli, as he posted career highs with 36 doubles (fifth-highest in the N.L.), six home runs and a .366 slugging average. On April 21, 1976, Foli hit a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, double and triple against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
before the game was suspended. When the game was resumed the next day, Foli hit a home run to complete the first cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
in Montreal Expos history. In addition, Foli's cycle was the first "natural cycle" (where the single, double, triple and home run are hit in that sequence) in almost a decade.
Foli was popular in Montreal, as evidenced on July 8, 1973, when 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...
left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Bob Watson slid hard into Foli at second base trying to break up a double play, breaking Foli's jaw. When Watson returned to left field in the next half-inning, the Montreal fans at Jarry Park
Jarry Park Stadium
Jarry Park Stadium is a former baseball stadium in Montreal which served as home to the Montreal Expos, Major League Baseball's first Canadian franchise, from 1969–1976. It served as a temporary home until the domed Olympic Stadium was finished and made available to the Expos...
hurled debris at him. Foli missed the next month of the season.
Journeyman
was the beginning of Foli's time as a major league journeyman. In his final nine seasons, Foli spent seven different stints with six different franchises. His travels began on April 22, 1977 when he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for shortstop Chris SpeierChris Speier
Christopher Edward Speier is a former Major League Baseball player and current bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds. He was drafted second overall in the January secondary 1970 Major League Baseball Draft.-Playing career:...
. Foli, who was batting .175 at the time of the trade, hit only .228 for the Giants, who finished well out of playoff contention. Foli's Giants highlight was on July 22, when he had the only two-homer game of his career.
After the 1977 season, Foli's original team, the Mets, purchased his contract from San Francisco. was a typical season for Foli, who played 113 games and batted .257 while the Mets finished with the worst record in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
.
Pittsburgh Championship
After playing just three games for the Mets in , Foli and a minor league player were traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for shortstop Frank TaverasFrank Taveras
Franklin Crisostomo Taveras Fabian , is a former Major League shortstop from - for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets and Montreal Expos.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
. The trade sent Foli from the worst team in the league to one of the best. Pittsburgh was locked in a season-long battle with Montreal for first place, but took the lead for good in the final days of the season. Foli set career highs in batting average, RBI, runs, hits and on base percentage. He also struck out once every 38 at bats, a strikeout ratio which has not been bested since.
Pittsburgh went on to sweep the 1979 National League Championship Series
1979 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1979 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioBoth sides threw their aces in Game 1 as fourteen-game winner John Candelaria started for the Pirates, and Tom Seaver started for the Reds. After Omar Moreno grounded out to start the game, a 45-minute rain delay stalled the...
, with Foli driving in a run in all three games. In the World Series, Foli had a hit in six of the seven games, but the Pirates were trailing three games to one. Facing 23-game winner and 1979 Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner Mike Flanagan
Mike Flanagan (baseball player)
Michael Kendall Flanagan was an American left-handed pitcher, front office executive, and color commentator. With the exception of four years with the Toronto Blue Jays , he was with the Baltimore Orioles for his entire career in Major League Baseball .Flanagan was a starting pitcher for the...
, Foli scored the tying run and drove in three insurance runs to keep the Pirates alive in Game 5. Foli then scored a run in Game 6 against Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
and the Pirates forced a Game 7. In the next game, with Foli's immense help, the Pirates won the World Championship.
Foli posted typical numbers for him in and the strike-shortened season, but the Pirates, suffering from the decline of future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, as well as other intangibles, dropped from World Champions to mediocrity.
Final years
After the 1981 season and shortly after his 31st birthday, Foli was traded yet again, moving from Pittsburgh to the California Angels in exchange for 22-year-old catcherCatcher
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...
Brian Harper
Brian Harper
Brian David Harper is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career and is currently the manager of the Chicago Cubs' AA club, the Tennessee Smokies.-Minor leagues:Harper was drafted by the California Angels in...
. Foli was reunited with Gene Mauch
Gene Mauch
Gene William Mauch was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , Boston Braves , St...
, his 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...
from Montreal. He was slated to be a utility infielder
Utility infielder
A utility infielder is a baseball player, usually one who does not have a regular starting role on the team and who is capable of playing more than one of the four defensive infield positions: second base, third base, shortstop, and less typically first base...
for the Angels, but when Rick Burleson
Rick Burleson
Richard Paul Burleson is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. "Rooster," as he was nicknamed was a famously intense ballplayer...
went down with a torn rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
in mid-April, Foli spent the season as the starting shortstop. A mid-September winning streak propelled the Angels into first place and into the 1982 American League playoffs
1982 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1982 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, CaliforniaThe Angels jumped to a 1–0 lead in the first when Brian Downing scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Don Baylor. Milwaukee came back to take a 3–1 lead with a two-run homer by Gorman Thomas in the second and a run...
, but Foli managed only two hits and one RBI as the Angels lost to the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
three games to two.
Foli played very little in the last third of the next season, finishing with only 88 games. Towards the end of the season, Foli was suspended by the team for not being in uniform after a September 11 rain delay. The Angels traded Foli to the New York Yankees for pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Curt Kaufman
Curt Kaufman
Curt Gerard Kaufman was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the New York Yankees and the California Angels in the 1980s....
after the season. In 61 games, Foli played all four infield
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
positions for the Yankees, who traded him to his old stomping grounds in Pittsburgh after the season in a trade which brought 20-year-old Jay Buhner
Jay Buhner
Jay Campbell Buhner , nicknamed "Bone", is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He was among the most recognizable players of his day, noted for his shaved head, thick goatee, and patch of pine tar on the right hip of his uniform...
to the Yankees.
Foli batted just .189 in 19 games with the Pirates in , before Pittsburgh released him on June 17 and he retired at age 34.
Post-retirement
After retirement as a player, Tim Foli turned to coaching. He was the third base coach and infield coach for the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in and . During the off-season in early 1987, Foli was the manager of the Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
team in the Caribbean World Series
Caribbean World Series
The Caribbean Series , also called the Caribbean World Series is the highest baseball tournament at club level in Latin America. The league winners from the Winter Leagues of Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela participate in the tournament...
when his fiery personality made news. After losing the first two games to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Caguas general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Felix Millan
Félix Millán
Félix Bernardo Millán Martínez is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:Millán, nicknamed "The Kitten" , born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, made his major league debut on June 2, 1966 with the Atlanta Braves, and played for Atlanta until 1973. Millan was primarily a second...
fired Foli, claiming he had been disrespectful. Caguas recovered to win the championship.
On November 19, 1991, Foli was named the first base coach and infield coach for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, re-joining fellow coach Duffy Dyer
Duffy Dyer
Donald Robert "Duffy" Dyer is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates , Montreal Expos , and Detroit Tigers .-Playing career:Dyer played alongside Sal Bando and Rick Monday as a member of...
, who had been a teammate of his while with the Mets. On September 29, 1995, Foli and Dyer were both let go by the Brewers. Foli spent as a coach with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
under manager Bob Boone
Bob Boone
Robert Raymond Boone is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and...
, who was Foli's teammate with the California Angels. He then managed the Rookie-level Kingsport Mets
Kingsport Mets
The Kingsport Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Kingsport, Tennessee, United States. The team, which plays in the Appalachian League, is a Rookie League affiliate of Major League Baseball's New York Mets....
of the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
in and spent to with the New York Mets organization as an infield and base running coordinator.
On September 16, 2000, Foli began three tumultuous seasons as a coach with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, reunited with former Angels catcher Bob Boone
Bob Boone
Robert Raymond Boone is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and...
, who was the Reds' manager. Just a few months into his coaching job, Foli became embroiled in a physical confrontation with fellow coach, Ron Oester
Ron Oester
Ronald John Oester is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. Bill James described him as "a quiet, efficient player who was always overlooked"....
, after a game. Foli required stitches. The turmoil in Cincinnati did not soon end, as Oester was let go after the season, the team's superstar, Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
was injured in four consecutive seasons, coach Ken Griffey, Sr.
Ken Griffey, Sr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He currently serves as Manager for the Bakersfield Blaze, the Reds' Single A minor league affiliate. He is the father of former professional outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. and former minor leaguer Craig Griffey. He and his...
resigned on bad terms,
and the Reds posted three consecutive losing seasons. As a result, Foli, Boone, the general manager and another coach were all fired on July 28, 2003.
After taking off, Foli was hired by the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
to be the manager of their AAA team, the New Orleans Zephyrs
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
for .
Brought back for , Foli left a game and took time off after suffering from apparent hyperthermia
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is an elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation. Hyperthermia occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate...
on June 9, 2006.
Foli's son, Daniel Foli, is a pitcher, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in the 31st round of the 2001 draft. He spent three seasons in the Cubs' organization before being released. Dan Foli spent and in the New York Mets organization, until his release in April . Since then, he has been in the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
organization with his father, including one game on his father's team in New Orleans. Dan Foli was moved to the AA Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
on June 1, 2006.