Gabe Kapler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gabe Kapler
Kapler with the Giants in 2023
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1975-07-31) July 31, 1975 (age 49) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: September 20, 1998, for the Detroit Tigers
NPB: April 1, 2005, for the Yomiuri Giants
Last appearance
NPB: May 25, 2005, for the Yomiuri Giants
MLB: August 14, 2010, for the Tampa Bay Rays
MLB statistics
Batting average	.268
Home runs	82
Runs batted in	386
Managerial record	456–411
Winning %	.526
NPB statistics
Batting average	.153
Home runs	3
Runs batted in	6
Teams
As player Detroit Tigers (1998–1999) Texas Rangers (2000–2002) Colorado Rockies (2002–2003) Boston Red Sox (2003–2004) Yomiuri Giants (2005) Boston Red Sox (2005–2006) Milwaukee Brewers (2008) Tampa Bay Rays (2009–2010) As manager Philadelphia Phillies (2018–2019) San Francisco Giants (2020–2023)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2004) NL Manager of the Year (2021)

Gabriel Stefan Kapler (born July 31, 1975), known as "Kap", is an American baseball executive. He is currently an assistant general manager for the Miami Marlins in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before this, he was a professional baseball outfielder and a manager in MLB.

Gabe Kapler was chosen by the Detroit Tigers in the 1995 MLB draft. While playing in the minor leagues, he was an All-Star three times. In 1998, he was even named Minor League Player of the Year by several national publications.

He played in the major leagues from 1998 to 2010 for teams like the Tigers, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Tampa Bay Rays. In 2005, he also played for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. After retiring as a player, Kapler coached the Israeli national baseball team in 2013. He also worked as the Director of Player Development for the Dodgers from 2014 to 2017.

Kapler managed the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, he became the manager of the San Francisco Giants. He led the Giants to an amazing 107 wins in 2021, which was a team record. For this success, he was named the 2021 National League Manager of the Year. In late 2023, the Giants decided to make a change and Kapler left the team. In December 2023, he joined the Miami Marlins as an assistant general manager.

Early Life and School Years

Gabe Kapler was born in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. He is Jewish. His father, Michael, was a classical pianist and music teacher. His mother, Judy, teaches young children at a Jewish preschool.

When he was eight, a car hit him, and he needed help to get over his fear of crossing streets. He grew up in Reseda, Los Angeles. He was the smallest player on his Little League team there.

Kapler went to William Howard Taft Charter High School. He played shortstop, second base, and third base for the baseball team. In his senior year, he hit for a .313 average. He graduated in 1993. During his four years in high school baseball, he never hit a home run.

College Baseball Career

Kapler first attended Cal State-Fullerton on a scholarship in 1993. After one semester, he transferred to Moorpark College in 1994. There, he was named First Team All-Western State Conference. He batted .337 with seven home runs and 52 RBIs. In 2008, he was honored by being inducted into the Moorpark College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Professional Baseball Journey

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Detroit Tigers picked Kapler in the 57th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft. He was signed for $10,000. In 1995, playing for the Jamestown Jammers, he hit .288.

In 1996, with the Fayetteville Generals, Kapler led the league in hits and doubles. He was second in home runs and RBIs. He hit .300 and was named a South Atlantic League All-Star. He then played in the Hawaiian Winter League, leading in home runs.

In 1997, playing for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, he led the league in doubles. He was also among the top players in hits, home runs, and RBIs. He was named an All-Star both mid-season and post-season.

In 1998, with the Jacksonville Suns, Kapler won the Class AA Southern League Most Valuable Player Award. He hit 28 home runs and had 146 RBIs, which was the most in the minor leagues that year. He set new league records for doubles, extra-base hits, and total bases. He was named the Minor League Player of the Year by several publications.

Playing in the Major Leagues

Kapler made his Major League debut in 1998 with the Detroit Tigers at age 22. In 1999, he hit his first career home run. He finished the season with 18 home runs, which was a career high for him.

In November 1999, he was traded to the Texas Rangers. In 2000, he hit two home runs on Opening Day for the Rangers. He also had a 28-game hitting streak, which was the longest in the major leagues that season. He batted .302 with 14 home runs and 66 RBIs. In 2001, he hit 17 home runs and stole 23 bases. He made only one error all season, showing his great defense.

In July 2002, Kapler was traded to the Colorado Rockies. He continued to hit well, batting .311 for the Rockies. Between Texas and Colorado in 2002, he had 10 outfield assists.

On June 28, 2003, the Boston Red Sox acquired Kapler. He batted .292 for the Red Sox. In 2004, he played a career-high 136 games. He helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series, their first championship in 86 years. He was on the field when they won.

After the World Series, Kapler decided to play for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan in 2005. He wanted to experience a new culture. However, he struggled there and returned to the Red Sox in July 2005. Later that year, he injured his Achilles tendon, which ended his season. In 2006, he returned from his injury and played error-free outfield.

Kapler announced his retirement from playing baseball on December 12, 2006.

Brief Retirement and Return to Play

After retiring, Kapler managed the Greenville Drive, a minor league team for the Red Sox, in 2007. However, he missed playing. On September 20, 2007, he announced he wanted to play in MLB again.

In 2008, Kapler signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. He started the season well, hitting four home runs in his first 26 at-bats. On August 16, he made an amazing catch against the Dodgers. He snagged a long fly ball as he fell into the left-field seats, saving a home run. This play won him the Play of the Year Award. He finished the year batting .301 with eight home runs.

In 2009, Kapler signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. He chose to add $18 to his salary because it represents "life" in Judaism. He hit home runs in four straight games in June, tying a team record. He almost broke up a perfect game on July 23, 2009, but his hit was caught by an amazing defensive play. He was known for hitting well against left-handed pitchers.

Kapler re-signed with the Rays for 2010. However, he battled injuries and played in only 59 games, hitting .210. After the season, he became a free agent. In 2011, he signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers but was released before the season started.

Life After Playing Baseball

Coaching and Media Work

In 2012, Kapler coached for the Israeli national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifier. Israel did not qualify for the main tournament.

From 2013 to 2014, Kapler worked as a baseball analyst for Fox Sports 1. He explained advanced baseball statistics and gave advice to young players. He also wrote for Baseball Prospectus, a website focused on baseball analysis.

Working for the Dodgers

On November 7, 2014, Kapler became the Dodgers' director of player development. In this role, he made sure all Dodgers minor league teams and the main team served healthy, organic food. He also worked to remove junk food from clubhouses.

In 2015, a situation arose involving a minor league player and an accusation. Kapler was involved in handling the initial report. He later apologized for how the situation was managed, emphasizing the importance of proper reporting and support.

Kapler was considered for the Dodgers manager job in 2016 but the team chose Dave Roberts instead.

Managing in Major League Baseball

Philadelphia Phillies Manager (2018–2019)

On October 30, 2017, the Philadelphia Phillies hired Kapler as their new manager. He was the 54th manager in the team's history. The Phillies had lost 96 games the year before. Kapler encouraged his team to "Be Bold." In his first 100 games, he had the second-most wins for a Phillies manager. The team finished the 2018 season with 80 wins and 82 losses.

In 2019, the Phillies finished with an 81–81 (.500) record, their best since 2012. After the season, Kapler was fired from the Phillies.

San Francisco Giants Manager (2020–2023)

In November 2019, the San Francisco Giants hired Kapler as their 37th manager. He took over a team that had a 77–85 (.475) record in 2019.

In 2020, Kapler hired young hitting coaches. The Giants' hitters improved a lot under his leadership. The team finished 8th in runs scored, much better than in previous years. Kapler often used pinch hitters and many different pitchers to gain an advantage. Both new and experienced players liked his calm and steady approach. In the shortened 2020 season, the Giants finished with a 29–31 (.483) record, which was better than expected. They just missed making the playoffs.

2021: National League Manager of the Year

In 2021, Kapler's Giants had an amazing season. They won 107 games, more than any other team in MLB that year. This was a new franchise record for the Giants. Kapler was one of only two managers who were not ejected from any games that season. He continued to use many pinch hitters and pitchers, showing his smart strategy.

Kapler's players praised him for always talking with them. He used the entire team roster, breaking MLB records for pinch-hit appearances.

For his great work, Kapler was named the 2021 National League Manager of the Year. He received almost all the first-place votes. He was also named the Sporting News 2021 NL Manager of the Year by his fellow managers. In November, the Giants gave Kapler a two-year contract extension.

2022 and 2023 Seasons

In 2022, Kapler continued to use more pinch hitters per game than any other manager.

In 2023, the Giants did not make the playoffs for the third time during Kapler's time as manager. The team had a tough stretch of games. Kapler said that everyone needed to "raise the bar" and expect to win every night. Three days later, the Giants decided to fire Kapler.

Managerial Record Overview

Kapler's total managerial record in MLB was 456 wins and 411 losses.

New Role in Front Office

Miami Marlins (2023–Present)

In December 2023, Kapler became an assistant general manager for the Miami Marlins. He will work under Peter Bendix, who was also with the Tampa Bay Rays when Kapler played there. Kapler's main job will be to focus on player development within the Marlins' system. He will also be involved in other baseball operations decisions.

Awards and Recognition

In 2006, Gabe Kapler was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Personal Life and Interests

Kapler used to live in Tarzana, California, with his wife, Lisa. They married in 1999 and have two sons. Later, the family moved to Philadelphia and then to San Francisco when he became a manager. He and his wife are now divorced.

Bob Ryan, a famous sports writer, nicknamed Kapler "The Body." This is because Kapler is an avid weightlifter. His body fat was very low, around 3.5%. He has been on the cover of fitness magazines. He also writes a blog about fitness, nutrition, health, and leadership.

Gabe and his wife co-founded the Gabe Kapler Foundation. This foundation works to teach people about domestic violence and help women in abusive relationships.

Kapler's father passed away in December 2020 from Parkinson's disease. Before the 2022 season, Kapler got a tattoo on his left hand to remember his father.

Jewish Heritage

Kapler is Jewish. To honor his background, he has a Star of David tattoo on his left calf. It says "Strong Willed, Strong Minded" in Hebrew. On his right calf, he has the post-Holocaust motto "Never Again" with a flame and the dates of the Holocaust. He says he is "culturally Jewish" and proud of his heritage, even though he doesn't practice religion.

Kapler has been nicknamed Hebrew Hammer because of his strong hits and his Jewish background. This nickname was later also given to Ryan Braun, another Jewish player who was Kapler's teammate. On August 8, 2005, Kapler, along with Kevin Youkilis and Adam Stern, set a record for the most Jewish players on the field at one time in American League history.

In 2008, Kapler's 69th home run placed him 9th all-time for home runs by Jewish major leaguers. He also won the 2008 Jewish Comeback Player of the Year award. Through 2018, he was among the top Jewish major league baseball players in career stolen bases and doubles.

In 2018, Kapler became the eighth Jewish manager in MLB history.

Images for kids

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  Kapler with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.

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  Kapler in 2019.

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  Kapler with the Giants in 2022.

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  Kapler with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009.

See also

• List of athletes who came out of retirement
• List of Jewish Major League Baseball players