Billy Smith (second baseman)
Encyclopedia
Billy Edward Smith is a former Major League Baseball
second baseman. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors between and . He also played one season in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes
in .
Smith was originally drafted by the California Angels
in . He played in their farm system for several years until making his debut early in the 1975 season. That year, he mainly played shortstop, batting just .203 in 59 games. After a brief stint in the majors in , he was let go by the Angels.
Smith was signed by the Baltimore Orioles
prior to the season, and in spring training he was chosen to replace Bobby Grich
as the Orioles' starting second baseman. As the year went on, however, he lost playing time to rookie Rich Dauer
, and he finished 1977 with a batting average of .215 with just 29 RBI in 367 at bats. In , Smith split time with Dauer again, and he boosted his average to .260. After backing up Dauer again during the Orioles' pennant-winning season in , Smith was released by the Orioles the following spring.
In June, Smith signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
, but never made it to the majors for them. He was purchased from the Phillies by the San Francisco Giants
in March 1981, but after hitting .180 in 36 games for the Giants his major league career was over.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
second baseman. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors between and . He also played one season in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
in .
Smith was originally drafted by the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in . He played in their farm system for several years until making his debut early in the 1975 season. That year, he mainly played shortstop, batting just .203 in 59 games. After a brief stint in the majors in , he was let go by the Angels.
Smith was signed by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
prior to the season, and in spring training he was chosen to replace Bobby Grich
Bobby Grich
Robert Anthony "Bobby" Grich is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles and California Angels of Major League Baseball...
as the Orioles' starting second baseman. As the year went on, however, he lost playing time to rookie Rich Dauer
Rich Dauer
Richard Fremont Dauer , is a former professional baseball player who played with the Baltimore Orioles primarily as an infielder from 1976-85. He played in two World Series with the Orioles....
, and he finished 1977 with a batting average of .215 with just 29 RBI in 367 at bats. In , Smith split time with Dauer again, and he boosted his average to .260. After backing up Dauer again during the Orioles' pennant-winning season in , Smith was released by the Orioles the following spring.
In June, Smith signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, but never made it to the majors for them. He was purchased from the Phillies by the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in March 1981, but after hitting .180 in 36 games for the Giants his major league career was over.