Frank Taveras
Encyclopedia
Franklin Crisostomo Taveras Fabian (born December 24, 1949 in Las Matas de Santa Cruz
, Dominican Republic
), is a former Major League
shortstop
from - for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, New York Mets
and Montreal Expos
.
for Willie Stargell
in the fifteenth inning
of an extra inning marathon with the New York Mets (won 2-1 by the Mets in the bottom of the 15th). After only four appearances, mostly as a late inning defensive replacement in , and spending the entire season in the minors, Taveras made the Pirates for good in . On August 5, , he hit an inside-the-park
grand slam
in the second inning of the second game of a doubleheader
at Cincinnati
.
and minor leaguer Greg Field on April 19. During his first season with the Mets, he hit his only career home run
that actually went over the wall against Mike LaCoss
. Coincidentally, it too was in Cincinnati. Taveras managed to play in 164 regular season games that year.
Steve Ratzer prior to the start of the season. With Montreal
, Taveras made his Major League debut as a second baseman
. He was released on August 13 after compiling only a .161 batting average
in 48 games.
Las Matas de Santa Cruz
Las Matas de Santa Cruz is a the largest city in the Monte Cristi province of the Dominican Republic.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
), is a former Major League
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...
shortstop
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...
from - for 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...
, New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Taveras signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent January 8, , and made his major league debut on September 25, as a pinch runnerPinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
for Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
in the fifteenth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
of an extra inning marathon with the New York Mets (won 2-1 by the Mets in the bottom of the 15th). After only four appearances, mostly as a late inning defensive replacement in , and spending the entire season in the minors, Taveras made the Pirates for good in . On August 5, , he hit an inside-the-park
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in the second inning of the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
at Cincinnati
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
New York Mets
Eleven games into the season, Taveras was traded to the New York Mets for Tim FoliTim Foli
Timothy John Foli , nicknamed Crazy Horse, is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels and New York Yankees from to...
and minor leaguer Greg Field on April 19. During his first season with the Mets, he hit his only career 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...
that actually went over the wall against Mike LaCoss
Mike LaCoss
Michael James LaCoss , is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:LaCoss was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the third round of the 1974 amateur draft. He played for the Cincinnati Reds , Houston Astros , Kansas City Royals , and San Francisco Giants...
. Coincidentally, it too was in Cincinnati. Taveras managed to play in 164 regular season games that year.
Montreal Expos
The Mets traded Taveras to the Montreal Expos for pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Steve Ratzer prior to the start of the season. With Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Taveras made his Major League debut as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. He was released on August 13 after compiling only a .161 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 :...
in 48 games.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions