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 January 20, 1963) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as 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.
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Cecil Espy's Baseball Journey
Cecil Espy began his baseball career with a lot of promise. He was a top pick in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft. The Chicago White Sox chose him as the eighth player overall. This meant many teams thought he had great potential.
Early Career and Trades
After being drafted, Espy was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1982. This trade happened before he played in a major league game. He made his big-league debut with the Dodgers on September 2, 1983. He was only 20 years old at the time. He played in 11 games that season.
Later, in 1985, Espy was part of another trade. He was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Dodgers. This trade involved a few players moving between the teams.
Playing for the Texas Rangers
Before he could play for the Pirates, the Texas Rangers selected Espy. This happened in the 1986 Rule 5 draft. This special draft allows teams to pick players from other teams' minor league rosters.
In 1987, Espy played in 14 games for the Rangers. He didn't get any hits that year. But in 1988, he played much more often. He appeared in 123 games. He had a batting average of .248. He also stole 33 bases. Stealing bases means running to the next base after a hit. He finished eighth in the voting for the American League Rookie of the Year award. This award goes to the best new player in the league.
His 1989 season with the Rangers was one of his best. He hit for a .257 average. He also stole a career-high 45 bases. However, he was caught trying to steal 20 times, which was the most in the league. After the 1990 season, Espy became a free agent. This means he could sign with any team he wanted.
Time with the Pirates and Reds
Espy then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for them in 1991 and 1992. The Pirates' manager, Jim Leyland, liked using Espy as a "role player." A role player is someone who comes off the bench when needed. Espy could be a pinch hitter (bat for another player), a pinch runner (run for another player), or a defensive replacement. He would fill in to help the team win.
After the 1992 season, the Pirates released Espy. He was then picked up by the Cincinnati Reds. He played 40 games for the Reds in 1993 before being released again. This was his last season in Major League Baseball.
Career Highlights
Over his eight seasons in MLB, Cecil Espy played in 546 games. He had a career batting average of .244. He scored 160 runs and hit 7 home runs. He also had 108 RBI (runs batted in). RBI means he helped other players score runs. Espy was also known for his speed, stealing 103 bases. As an outfielder, he had a good fielding percentage of .976. This means he made very few errors when catching or throwing the ball.
