Lloyd Moseby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lloyd Moseby |
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Moseby at bat during a game in September 1985
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: November 5, 1959 Portland, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: May 24, 1980, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| NPB: April 21, 1992, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 6, 1991, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| NPB: August 28, 1993, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .257 | ||
| Home runs | 169 | ||
| Runs batted in | 737 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .289 | ||
| Home runs | 29 | ||
| Runs batted in | 84 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2018 | ||
Lloyd Anthony Moseby, born on November 5, 1959, is a former American Major League Baseball player. He was a talented center fielder and a great all-around athlete. People called him "Shaker" because he was so good at getting past players when he played basketball.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Lloyd Moseby was born in Portland, Arkansas. He went to Oakland High School in Oakland, California. In high school, his main sport was basketball. He didn't really focus on baseball until his second year. Moseby was so good at basketball that 75 schools offered him scholarships to play in college. He was planning to play for St. Mary's before he decided to sign with a baseball team.
Playing Career Highlights
Joining the Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays picked Moseby as the second overall player in the 1978 amateur draft. He played his first major league game on May 24, 1980. Even though he had some challenges when he first started, Moseby became a very skilled player. He was good at batting, fielding, and running bases.
Key Seasons and Achievements
Moseby helped his team by hitting in almost 100 runs in three different seasons: 1984, 1986, and 1987. He also stole more than 30 bases regularly. He was even considered for the Most Valuable Player Award in the American League twice, in 1983 and 1984.
In the mid-1980s, Moseby was part of a strong outfield group for the Blue Jays. They were known as the "Killer B's." He played center field between two other great players, George Bell and Jesse Barfield. On April 19, 1983, Moseby hit a special home run called a walk-off home run. This two-run home run helped the Blue Jays win 9-7 against the Cleveland Indians.
Unique Play and Later Career
On August 16, 1987, Moseby was involved in a very unusual play while running the bases. He tried to steal second base, and the catcher threw the ball into center field. When Moseby saw the ball in the center fielder's hands, he ran back to "steal" first base. The center fielder then tried to throw the ball to the first baseman, but the throw was wild. This mistake allowed Moseby to race all the way to second base.
After the 1989 season, Moseby joined the Detroit Tigers. He played for the Tigers for two seasons. Then, he went to Japan and played for the Yomiuri Giants in 1992 and 1993.
Career Statistics and Legacy
Throughout his career, Moseby scored 869 runs, hit 169 home runs, and had 737 runs batted in. He also stole 280 stolen bases. His career batting average was .257. In 1984, he led the American League in triples. He was also chosen as an All-Star in 1986.
As of 2018, Lloyd Moseby is still among the top 10 players in Toronto Blue Jays history for many important stats. These include games played, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and runs batted in. He is also the franchise leader in stolen bases.
After Playing Baseball
After his playing days, Moseby worked as the first base coach for the Blue Jays in 1998 and 1999. In 2018, Lloyd Moseby was honored by being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. As of June 2018, Moseby was living in Toronto.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
