Ernest Riles
Encyclopedia
Ernest Riles is a former shortstop
and third baseman
in Major League Baseball
. From 1985 through 1993, Riles played for the Milwaukee Brewers
(1985–1988), San Francisco Giants
(1988–1990), Oakland Athletics
(1991), Houston Astros
(1992) and Boston Red Sox
(1993). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
with a good throwing arm and great bat speed, but a litany of injuries and ineffectiveness forced his retirement in 1995, at age 34. He was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1981 amateur draft
. In 1983, he led the Texas League
in batting average
(.349), on base percentage
(.450) and OPS
(.958), being promoted to Triple-A Pacific Coast League
the next year.
Riles debuted with the Brewers in the 1985 mid-season. In his first major league stint, he hit .286 and finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year
vote behind Ozzie Guillén
and Teddy Higuera
.
After frequent trips to the disabled list
, Riles was traded by Milwaukee to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder
Jeffrey Leonard
in the 1988 mid-season. Riles belted the 10,000th home run
in Giants history during a 21-2 rout of the Cardinals
.
Riles also played with Oakland and Houston, and ended his major league career with the Boston Red Sox in the 1993 season.
In a nine-season major league career, Riles was a .254 hitter with 48 home runs and 284 RBI
in 919 games played
.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in 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...
. From 1985 through 1993, Riles played for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1985–1988), 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....
(1988–1990), Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1991), Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(1992) and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1993). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Career
Riles was a promising infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
with a good throwing arm and great bat speed, but a litany of injuries and ineffectiveness forced his retirement in 1995, at age 34. He was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1981 amateur draft
1981 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*John Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1981 amateur draft...
. In 1983, he led the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
in batting average
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 :...
(.349), on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
(.450) and OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
(.958), being promoted to Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
the next year.
Riles debuted with the Brewers in the 1985 mid-season. In his first major league stint, he hit .286 and finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
vote behind Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
and Teddy Higuera
Teddy Higuera
Teodoro Higuera Valenzuela is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for nine years for the Milwaukee Brewers of the American League.-Early career:...
.
After frequent trips to the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
, Riles was traded by Milwaukee to the San Francisco Giants for 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...
Jeffrey Leonard
Jeffrey Leonard
Jeffrey N. Leonard is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball with a 14-year career from to...
in the 1988 mid-season. Riles belted the 10,000th home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in Giants history during a 21-2 rout of the Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
Riles also played with Oakland and Houston, and ended his major league career with the Boston Red Sox in the 1993 season.
In a nine-season major league career, Riles was a .254 hitter with 48 home runs and 284 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 919 games played
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,...
.
Post-Season Appearances
- 1989 NL Championship SeriesNational League Championship SeriesIn Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
- 1989 World Series1989 World Series†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
Facts
- Riles is one of three people to be from Cairo, GeorgiaCairo, GeorgiaCairo is a city in Grady County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,607. The city is the county seat of Grady County.-Syrup City:...
and play Major League Baseball. The others are Hall of Fame member Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
and infielderInfielderAn infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Willie HarrisWillie HarrisWilliam Charles Harris is a Major League Baseball outfielder and infielder. Harris is known for his quick feet and base-stealing abilities, with currently 94 career stolen bases. Harris was formerly a member of the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Boston Red Sox , Atlanta Braves , and...
who is his nephew. - Before being drafted, he attended Middle Georgia CollegeMiddle Georgia CollegeMiddle Georgia College is a publicly supported, residential,charter unit of the University System of Georgia, in the city Cochran in the U.S. state of Georgia. Founded in 1884, the school is the oldest two-year college in the United States. It is currently being transformed into a 4 year college...
, which also was home of future big leaguers as Andy AbadAndy AbadFausto Andres "Andy" Abad is a former professional baseball player. He is also known as "Tulile" in the Dominican Republic. Abad is of Cuban descent; his father escaped Cuba during the Fidel Castro revolution. Before being drafted, he graduated from Jupiter High School in Florida, and then...
, Kal DanielsKal DanielsKalvoski Daniels is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from 1986–1992. He spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs during his seven year career.Daniels was born on August 20, 1963 in Vienna, Georgia...
and Jody Davis.