Darryl Brinkley
Encyclopedia
Darryl Maurice Brinkley is an American
former professional baseball
player and manager. He played one season in the Korea Baseball Organization
for the Hyundai Unicorns in 2000. In 2007, he became the first player in Northern League history to bat
.400. A journeyman minor leaguer
, his one chance at playing in the majors was prevented by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks
.
in 1991, however was not drafted by any Major League Baseball
team despite batting .528 in his senior year. Brinkley instead played in the Netherlands
and Italy for three years before signing with the Winnipeg Goldeyes
of the independent Northern League. Brinkley had an outstanding winter season playing in the Mexican Pacific League in 1996 where he was named Baseball America
's Winter Player of the year, as well as MVP of the Caribbean Series.
Brinkley's winter success attracted the attention of the San Diego Padres
, who signed him for the 1997 season at the age of 27. Assigned to the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
, Brinkley batted .363 and was named a California League
All-Star. After spending two seasons in the Padres organization, Brinkley was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates
, where he played for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
, and then the Rochester Red Wings
of the Baltimore Orioles
organization.
It was with the Orioles organization in 2001 that Brinkley nearly reached the major leagues. When he was not recalled by the Orioles when the roster expanded on September 1, 2001, Brinkley flew to Australia
at the conclusion of the International League
season. The Orioles recalled Brinkley on September 10; however, Brinkley was stranded in Australia due to the September 11, 2001 attacks. By the time Brinkley was able to return to the United States, the Orioles had instead recalled Tim Raines, Jr.
in his place. Brinkley would not get another opportunity to play in the majors despite playing in the Triple-A All-Star game in 2002. Brinkley would be granted free agency
by the Orioles following the 2002 season.
Since 2003, Brinkley has bounced around Independent league baseball, playing in the Northeast League, Can-Am League, Atlantic League
and Northern League, where he landed with the Calgary Vipers
in 2006. Brinkley's greatest success to date came with the Vipers in 2007, where he became the first player in Northern League history to finish the season with a .400 batting average. Brinkley also led the league in runs
and on-base percentage, while his 150 hits
also set a league record. Brinkley was also named Baseball America's 2007 Independent League Player of the Year.
Through 2007, Brinkley is a career .329 hitter, having played in over 1,500 games. Brinkley is in his third season with the Vipers, now playing in the Golden Baseball League
for the 2008 season, his 15th professional season. In 2009, Brinkley signed a contract with the Edmonton Capitals
of the Golden Baseball League
.
In 2010, he served as manager of the Yuma Scorpions
in the Golden Baseball League.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former 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 and manager. He played one season in the Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
for the Hyundai Unicorns in 2000. In 2007, he became the first player in Northern League history to bat
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 :...
.400. A journeyman minor leaguer
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...
, his one chance at playing in the majors was prevented by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
Career
Brinkley graduated from Sacred Heart UniversitySacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University is a Roman Catholic university located in suburban Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. Sacred Heart was founded in 1963 by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart University was the first Catholic university in...
in 1991, however was not drafted by any Major League Baseball
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...
team despite batting .528 in his senior year. Brinkley instead played in the Netherlands
Honkbal Hoofdklasse
The Honkbal Hoofdklasse is the highest level of professional baseball in the Netherlands. It is an eight-team league that plays a 42-game schedule and is overseen by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation . Games are played principally on weekends...
and Italy for three years before signing with the Winnipeg Goldeyes
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 1994 to 2010, the team was a member of the Northern League.The...
of the independent Northern League. Brinkley had an outstanding winter season playing in the Mexican Pacific League in 1996 where he was named Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
's Winter Player of the year, as well as MVP of the Caribbean Series.
Brinkley's winter success attracted the attention of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, who signed him for the 1997 season at the age of 27. Assigned to the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a minor league baseball team in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA. They are a Class A – Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers, their third major league affiliate in team history....
, Brinkley batted .363 and was named a 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...
All-Star. After spending two seasons in the Padres organization, Brinkley was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, where he played for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
, and then the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
of 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...
organization.
It was with the Orioles organization in 2001 that Brinkley nearly reached the major leagues. When he was not recalled by the Orioles when the roster expanded on September 1, 2001, Brinkley flew to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the conclusion of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
season. The Orioles recalled Brinkley on September 10; however, Brinkley was stranded in Australia due to the September 11, 2001 attacks. By the time Brinkley was able to return to the United States, the Orioles had instead recalled Tim Raines, Jr.
Tim Raines, Jr.
Timothy Raines, Jr. is a professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the Newark Bears of the Can-Am League, who are managed by his father, Tim Raines. He was with the Baltimore Orioles organization through , playing for the Orioles in and -. He played for the New Orleans Zephyrs and...
in his place. Brinkley would not get another opportunity to play in the majors despite playing in the Triple-A All-Star game in 2002. Brinkley would be granted free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Orioles following the 2002 season.
Since 2003, Brinkley has bounced around Independent league baseball, playing in the Northeast League, Can-Am League, Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
and Northern League, where he landed with the Calgary Vipers
Calgary Vipers
The Calgary Vipers were a professional baseball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were part of the Western Division of the independent North American League. The Vipers have played all of their home games at Foothills Stadium. Previously, the Vipers played in the Northern League from...
in 2006. Brinkley's greatest success to date came with the Vipers in 2007, where he became the first player in Northern League history to finish the season with a .400 batting average. Brinkley also led the league in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and on-base percentage, while his 150 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....
also set a league record. Brinkley was also named Baseball America's 2007 Independent League Player of the Year.
Through 2007, Brinkley is a career .329 hitter, having played in over 1,500 games. Brinkley is in his third season with the Vipers, now playing in the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
for the 2008 season, his 15th professional season. In 2009, Brinkley signed a contract with the Edmonton Capitals
Edmonton Capitals
The Edmonton Capitals are a professional baseball team based in Edmonton, Alberta. Known originally as the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, they began play in the Northern League in 2005 before switching to the Golden Baseball League in 2008. The team was sold to Daryl Katz in 2009, after which the team was...
of the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
.
In 2010, he served as manager of the Yuma Scorpions
Yuma Scorpions
The Yuma Scorpions are a professional baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, in the United States. The Scorpions are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League. From the 2005 season to the present, the Scorpions have played their home games at Desert Sun Stadium at the...
in the Golden Baseball League.