Wayne Kirby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wayne Kirby |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Kirby with the Mets in 2023
|
|||
| Born: January 22, 1964 Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 12, 1991, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 17, 1998, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .252 | ||
| Home runs | 14 | ||
| Runs batted in | 119 | ||
| Teams | |||
As Coach
|
|||
Wayne Leonard Kirby (born January 22, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). After his playing career, he became a baseball coach.
Kirby worked as an outfield and base-running coach for the Texas Rangers from 2006 to 2010. He then coached for the Baltimore Orioles from 2011 to 2018. His younger brother, Terry Kirby, was a running back in the National Football League (NFL).
Contents
Wayne Kirby's Baseball Journey
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Wayne Kirby started his professional baseball career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was chosen by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the amateur draft in January 1983.
In 1983, Kirby played 60 games for the Gulf Coast League Dodgers. He had a good batting average of .292. He also had 13 runs batted in (RBI) and stole 23 bases.
The next year, Kirby played for three different minor league teams. These were the Great Falls Dodgers, Vero Beach Dodgers, and Bakersfield Dodgers. Across these teams, he batted .281 with one home run, 42 RBI, and 38 stolen bases in 119 games.
Kirby spent all of 1985 with the Vero Beach Dodgers. He played 122 games, batting .281 with 28 RBI and 31 stolen bases. He returned to Vero Beach in 1986, playing 114 games. His average was .261, with two home runs, 31 RBI, and 28 steals. This was also the first time he played a position other than outfield, appearing at second base in four games.
In 1987, Kirby played for both the Bakersfield Dodgers and the San Antonio Dodgers. He played 129 games in total. Between the two teams, he batted .264 with one home run, 43 RBI, and 62 stolen bases.
Kirby split 1988 between Bakersfield and San Antonio again. Most of his 112 games were with San Antonio. His overall batting numbers went down a bit. He batted .244 with 25 RBI and 35 stolen bases.
In 1989, Kirby played 122 games. He split his time between San Antonio and the Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes. Overall, he hit .302, drove in 37 runs, and stole 40 bases. Kirby stayed with Albuquerque in 1990. In 119 games, he batted .278 with 30 RBI and 29 stolen bases.
Playing for the Cleveland Indians
After the 1990 season, Kirby became a free agent and joined the Cleveland Indians. He played 118 games for the AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox. He had a .294 batting average, one home run, 39 RBI, and 29 stolen bases.
Kirby made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on September 12, 1991. He played 21 games for Cleveland and batted .209. In 1992, he spent most of the year with the Sky Sox again. He played 123 games, batting an impressive .345 with 11 home runs, 74 RBI, and 51 stolen bases.
Even with his success in the minor leagues, Kirby's hitting did not carry over to the big leagues that year. He batted only .167 with one home run and one RBI in 21 games for the 1992 Indians. However, his home run, RBI, hits, and batting average totals for the Sky Sox that season were the best of his minor league career.
Wayne Kirby as a Coach
Coaching the Baltimore Orioles
Wayne Kirby served as the first base coach for the Baltimore Orioles. He held this position from 2011 through 2018.
Coaching the San Diego Padres
On November 1, 2019, Kirby was hired by the San Diego Padres. He became their first base coach for the 2020 season. He worked under the new Manager Jayce Tingler. This move reunited him with former Orioles coaches and players. These included Bobby Dickerson and Ryan Flaherty, and former Orioles star Manny Machado.
Coaching the New York Mets
On January 5, 2022, Kirby was named the first base coach for the New York Mets. He continued coaching with the Mets through the 2023 season.
Personal Life and Education
Wayne Kirby went to Tabb High School in Tabb, Virginia. In July 2022, Kirby had surgery for a health issue.
Images for kids
-
Kirby with the Mets in 2023
-
Kirby with the Orioles in 2013
