Rod Craig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rod Craig |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 12, 1958 Los Angeles, California |
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| Died: August 17, 2013 (aged 55) Los Angeles, California |
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| debut | |||
| September 11, 1979, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 5, 1986, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .256 | ||
| Home runs | 3 | ||
| Runs batted in | 27 | ||
| Games played | 145 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Rodney Paul Craig (January 12, 1958 – August 17, 2013) was a talented Major League Baseball player. He played as an outfielder for four seasons. Rod was born in Los Angeles, California. He played for several teams during his career. These included the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox.
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Early Life and Sports Beginnings
Rod Craig was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in the same area. He went to Narbonne High School. His friends and teammates said he was a very good running back in football. However, he decided to leave the football team. He felt that unfair treatment was limiting his playing time.
After leaving football, Rod focused on baseball. He played baseball at San Jacinto College in Texas. This is where he continued to develop his skills.
Rod Craig's Baseball Career
Rod Craig was signed by the Seattle Mariners in 1977. This team was new at the time. In 1979, he made history for the Mariners. He became the first player signed by their organization to reach the major leagues.
First Major League Games
In 1979, Rod played in 16 games for the Mariners. He had a great start, batting .385. This means he got a hit in almost 38.5% of his turns at bat. He was very consistent, getting a hit in 14 of those 16 games.
Playing Time and Trades
In 1980, Rod Craig started the season as a main outfielder. A sports writer, Peter Gammons, mentioned his strong potential. However, injuries limited Rod to only 70 games that season.
In March 1981, the Mariners traded Rod to the Cleveland Indians. He did not play in the major leagues in 1981. In 1982, he played in 49 games for the Indians.
Later Career Years
After 1982, Rod Craig spent several years playing in the minor leagues. He returned to the major leagues briefly in 1986. He played ten games for the Chicago White Sox.
After his time in Major League Baseball, he played in the Mexican League. He also played a few games for the Salinas Spurs in 1990. This was part of the California League.
Later Life
Rodney Paul Craig passed away on August 17, 2013.
