Jim Dwyer (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jim Dwyer |
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Coach Dwyer signing autographs for Miracle fans
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 3, 1950 Evergreen Park, Illinois, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 10, 1973, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 21, 1990, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .260 | ||
| Home runs | 77 | ||
| Runs batted in | 349 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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James Edward Dwyer (born January 3, 1950) is an American former baseball player. He was an outfielder for 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Jim played for seven different teams between 1973 and 1990. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds. He batted and threw with his left hand.
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Jim Dwyer's MLB Journey
Jim Dwyer went to St. Laurence High School in Burbank, Illinois. After high school, he played baseball at Southern Illinois University. The St. Louis Cardinals chose him in the 1971 baseball draft.
Starting in the Big Leagues
Before joining the Cardinals, Jim played in their minor league teams from 1971 to 1973. He made his big league debut on June 10, 1973, with the Cardinals. Jim became known as a strong hitter against fastballs. He often played against right-handed pitchers. He could play all three outfield positions. He was usually a reserve player or filled in when needed.
Jim was traded a few times early in his career. In 1975, he went to the Montreal Expos. Then, in 1976, he joined the New York Mets. After a short time, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He played very well in the minor leagues for the Cubs in 1977. Later that year, he signed with the Cardinals again. He also played for the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox before signing with the Baltimore Orioles.
World Series Champion!
With the Baltimore Orioles, Jim became a key player for manager Earl Weaver. He was often used as a corner outfielder, designated hitter, or pinch-hitter. A pinch-hitter is a player who bats in place of another player.
Jim had a great season in 1982, hitting for a .304 batting average. His best year was 1983. He played in 100 games and hit .286. He also hit eight home runs and had 38 runs batted in (RBI). His strong play helped the Orioles reach the 1983 World Series. The Orioles won the World Series in five games!
In Game 1 of the 1983 World Series, Jim made history. He hit a home run in his very first World Series at-bat. This made him the 18th player ever to do that.
Grand Slams and Career Highs
On August 6, 1986, Jim hit a grand slam against the Texas Rangers. A grand slam is a home run hit with the bases loaded, scoring four runs. This game was special because it was the first MLB game with three grand slams. In 1987, Jim hit a career-high 15 home runs.
He was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1988. Jim finished his playing career with the Twins in 1990. He also had a brief return to the Montreal Expos in 1989.
Jim's Career Stats
Over his career, Jim Dwyer had a .260 batting average. He had 719 hits, 77 home runs, and 349 RBI in 1328 games. He also scored 409 runs, hit 115 doubles, and 17 triples. He stole 26 stolen bases. In four postseason games, he hit .333, with one home run and two doubles.
During the off-season, Jim played baseball in Puerto Rico from 1977 to 1980. After his MLB career, he also played for the Sun City Rays in 1990.
Career Highlights and Achievements
- In 1975, Jim was named the National League's Player of the Week. This was shortly after he joined the Expos. He had an amazing week, hitting .478.
- During the Orioles' exciting 1982 season, Jim reached base 13 times in a row over four games.
- In July 1983, Jim was one of the Orioles' best hitters. Even though he didn't play every game, he led the team with a .474 batting average that month. This helped the Orioles win many games.
- Jim was famous for being a great left-handed pinch hitter. He appeared in over 500 games in this role. He is currently 17th on the list of MLB's All-Time Pinch Hit Leaders. He had 103 career pinch hits, including 10 pinch-hit home runs.
- Even though he was picked later in the draft (246th overall), Jim's hard work and ability to play many positions helped him have an 18-year MLB career. A famous baseball historian, Bill James, even named Jim as one of "The Greatest Bench Players of All Time."
Life After Playing: Coaching Career
After his playing days, Jim Dwyer became a baseball coach.
- In 1991, he coached the Triple-A Portland Beavers.
- He then became a manager for the Kenosha Twins (1992) and Fort Wayne Wizards (1993–94).
- In 1995, he became the hitting coach for the New Britain Rock Cats. This team was part of the Minnesota Twins' organization.
- He stayed with the Twins' organization for the rest of his career. He worked as a minor league hitting coordinator from 1997 to 2005.
- From 2006, Jim was the hitting coach for the Fort Myers Miracle. He retired in 2016 after 11 years with the Miracle.
See also
