Bob Taylor (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Robert Lee Taylor is a retired American
professional baseball
player. An outfielder
, Taylor played for 17 pro seasons (1962–1978), including a dozen in minor league baseball
, four years in Nippon Professional Baseball, and one full season in the Major Leagues
with the San Francisco Giants
. Taylor batted left-handed
, threw right-handed, stood 5 in 9 in (1.75 m) tall and weighed 170 pounds (77.1 kg).
Taylor signed with San Francisco in 1962 and played eight years in their farm system, wining the 1964 California League
batting
title with a .364 average. Another productive campaign in 1969 — during which he batted
.331 for the Triple-A Phoenix Giants — earned him a spot on the 1970 Giants' 40-man spring training
roster. Wrote Baseball Digest
in its annual rookie scouting report: "Seldom swings at a bad pitch. Struck out
only 25 times in 438 at bats ... Spray hitter with little power but ready to step into a Major League uniform right now. Should make it with Giants."
The report was prescient: Taylor stayed with the Giants all season, getting into 63 games
, with an even 100 plate appearance
s and 84 official at bats. Of his 16 hits
, two were for extra bases
, but both were home runs against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers
, on May 27 against José Peña, and on July 3 in a pinch hitting
role against Don Sutton, a future member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Taylor returned to Phoenix in 1971 and 1972, and batted over .300 each season, giving him an opportunity to play Japanese baseball from 1973–1976. He then finished his pro career with two more seasons in the Giants' minor league system. All told, he collected 1,258 hits and batted .301 in his minor league career.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. An outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, Taylor played for 17 pro seasons (1962–1978), including a dozen in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, four years in Nippon Professional Baseball, and one full season in the Major Leagues
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...
with 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....
. Taylor batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
, threw right-handed, stood 5 in 9 in (1.75 m) tall and weighed 170 pounds (77.1 kg).
Taylor signed with San Francisco in 1962 and played eight years in their farm system, wining the 1964 California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
title with a .364 average. Another productive campaign in 1969 — during which he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.331 for the Triple-A Phoenix Giants — earned him a spot on the 1970 Giants' 40-man spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
roster. Wrote Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
in its annual rookie scouting report: "Seldom swings at a bad pitch. Struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
only 25 times in 438 at bats ... Spray hitter with little power but ready to step into a Major League uniform right now. Should make it with Giants."
The report was prescient: Taylor stayed with the Giants all season, getting into 63 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, with an even 100 plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
s and 84 official at bats. Of his 16 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, two were for extra bases
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
, but both were home runs against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, on May 27 against José Peña, and on July 3 in a pinch hitting
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
role against Don Sutton, a future member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Taylor returned to Phoenix in 1971 and 1972, and batted over .300 each season, giving him an opportunity to play Japanese baseball from 1973–1976. He then finished his pro career with two more seasons in the Giants' minor league system. All told, he collected 1,258 hits and batted .301 in his minor league career.