Cecil Espy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cecil Espy |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 20, 1963 San Diego, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 2, 1983, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 13, 1993, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .244 | ||
| Home runs | 7 | ||
| Runs batted in | 108 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Cecil Edward Espy, born on January 20, 1963, is a former American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Espy played for several teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. His career spanned from 1983 to 1993.
Contents
Baseball Journey
Early Career and Draft
Cecil Espy was a top pick in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft. The Chicago White Sox chose him as the eighth player overall. This meant he was picked before other famous players like Kelly Gruber and Billy Beane.
In 1982, Espy was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This trade happened before he even played in a major league game.
Major League Debut
Espy made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on September 2, 1983. He was only 20 years old at the time. He played in 11 games that season. After his debut, he had to wait until 1987 to return to the major leagues.
Moving to New Teams
In 1985, Espy was part of a trade that sent him to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was traded along with Sid Bream for Bill Madlock. However, Espy did not play for the Pirates right away.
Before he could play for Pittsburgh, the Texas Rangers picked him in the 1986 Rule 5 draft. This draft allows teams to select players from other teams' minor league rosters.
Time with the Texas Rangers
Espy played 14 games for the Rangers in 1987. He did not get any hits that year. But in 1988, he played in many more games, appearing in 123. He had a batting average of .248 and stole 33 bases. He even finished 8th in the Rookie of the Year voting for the American League.
His 1989 season with the Rangers was one of his best. He stole a career-high 45 bases. After the 1990 season, Espy became a free agent.
Return to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati
Espy then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for them in 1991 and 1992. The Pirates' manager, Jim Leyland, often used Espy as a versatile player. He would come off the bench as a pinch hitter, pinch runner, or to play defense.
After the 1992 season, the Pirates released Espy. The Cincinnati Reds then claimed him. He played 40 games for the Reds in 1993 before being released again.
Career Totals
Over his eight seasons in MLB, Cecil Espy played in 546 games. He had a career batting average of .244. He hit 7 home runs and had 108 RBI (runs batted in). Espy also stole 103 bases. As an outfielder, he had a strong fielding percentage of .976.
