Kevin Collins (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Kevin Michael Collins is a former Major League Baseball
infielder
with the New York Mets
, Montreal Expos
and Detroit Tigers
. He played primarily as a third baseman
and sometimes as a second baseman
. He also played a few games at other positions, including shortstop
, first baseman
and outfielder
.
Collins was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent on January 1, 1964 after a high school career at Springfield Tech High School. He began his professional career in 1964 with the Florida Mets, the Mets Rookie League minor league baseball
team. He played in 44 games that season, getting 118 at bat
s and posting a batting average
of .220.
In 1965, Collins made his major league debut with the Mets on September 1. He played in 11 games for the Mets in 1965, splitting time between third base and shortstop, getting 23 at bats and a batting average of .174. At 18 years old, he was the 4th youngest player to appear in the major leagues that season.
In 1966, Collins played the entire season in the minor leagues at the Mets class-AA affiliate, the Williamsport Mets
. Collins appeared in 122 games for Williamsport, almost entirely as a shortstop, and batted .251 with 6 home run
s in 411 at bats.
Collins was promoted to the Jacksonville Suns
, the Mets class-AAA affiliate in 1967. There, he played several infield positions, sharing time at second base with Ken Boswell
, at shortstop with Sandy Alomar
and at third base with Amos Otis
. In all, Collins played 119 games for Jacksonville in 1967, getting 420 at bats and 3 home runs, with a batting average of .248, a slugging percentage of .321 and an on-base percentage of .289. Collins also played in 4 games with the Mets in September 1967, getting one hit in ten at bats.
In 1968, Collins again started the year with Jacksonville. He played 28 games at Tidewater, batting .248 in 101 at bats before being promoted to the Mets. With the Mets in 1968, Collins played in 58 games, mostly as a third baseman. He batted .201 in 154 at bats. He also hit his first Major League home run that season, on August 6.
Collins began the 1969 season with the Mets. He played 16 games for the Mets, all at third base, getting 40 at bats but only batting .150. His last game with the Mets before being demoted to the Mets new class-AAA affiliate in Tidewater was on May 4. Collins played in 11 games for Tidewater, batting .250 in 32 at bats before being traded to the Montreal Expos
.
On June 15, 1969, Collins was traded to the Montreal Expos
aliong with Steve Renko
, Bill Carden and Dave Colon in exchange for Donn Clendenon
. This was a momentous trade in Met history, since Clendenon would go on to be the World Series Most Valuable Player
in 1969. Collins appeared in 52 games for the Expos in 1969, split between second base and third base. He batted .240 in 96 at bats.
After the 1969 season, Collins was sold by the Expos to the Detroit Tigers
. With the Tigers in 1970, Collins played only 25 games, mostly as a pinch hitter. He played in only one game in the field, his only career game at first base. He batted .208 in 24 at bats for the Tigers that season.
Collins only played in 35 games with the Tigers in 1971, and again only a few in the field. In 1971 he played some games at third base, second base and in the outfield. He batted .268 in 41 at bats, the highest batting average in his major league career.
After the 1971 season, Collins was traded by the Tigers along with Tom Timmermann
to the Cleveland Indians
in exchange for Ed Farmer
. Collins never played a game for the Indians, and in fact, never played a major league game after the trade.
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...
infielder
Infielder
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 the 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...
, 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...
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. He played primarily as a 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...
and sometimes 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 also played a few games at other positions, including 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...
, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and 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...
.
Collins was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent on January 1, 1964 after a high school career at Springfield Tech High School. He began his professional career in 1964 with the Florida Mets, the Mets Rookie League 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...
team. He played in 44 games that season, getting 118 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s and posting a 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 :...
of .220.
In 1965, Collins made his major league debut with the Mets on September 1. He played in 11 games for the Mets in 1965, splitting time between third base and shortstop, getting 23 at bats and a batting average of .174. At 18 years old, he was the 4th youngest player to appear in the major leagues that season.
In 1966, Collins played the entire season in the minor leagues at the Mets class-AA affiliate, the Williamsport Mets
Williamsport Mets
The Williamsport Mets were a former minor league double-A affiliate of the New York Mets from 1964 through 1967. Williamsport played in the Eastern League at Bowman Stadium in Williamsport, PA....
. Collins appeared in 122 games for Williamsport, almost entirely as a shortstop, and batted .251 with 6 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...
s in 411 at bats.
Collins was promoted to the Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
, the Mets class-AAA affiliate in 1967. There, he played several infield positions, sharing time at second base with Ken Boswell
Ken Boswell
Kenneth George Boswell is a former professional baseball player. He was a second baseman over parts of 11 seasons with the New York Mets and Houston Astros. Boswell was a member of the 1969 World Series champion Mets...
, at shortstop with Sandy Alomar
Sandy Alomar, Sr.
Santos "Sandy" Alomar, Sr., or in the Spanish naming system Santos Alomar Conde is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , California Angels , New York Yankees , and Texas Rangers . Alomar was a...
and at third base with Amos Otis
Amos Otis
Amos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....
. In all, Collins played 119 games for Jacksonville in 1967, getting 420 at bats and 3 home runs, with a batting average of .248, a slugging percentage of .321 and an on-base percentage of .289. Collins also played in 4 games with the Mets in September 1967, getting one hit in ten at bats.
In 1968, Collins again started the year with Jacksonville. He played 28 games at Tidewater, batting .248 in 101 at bats before being promoted to the Mets. With the Mets in 1968, Collins played in 58 games, mostly as a third baseman. He batted .201 in 154 at bats. He also hit his first Major League home run that season, on August 6.
Collins began the 1969 season with the Mets. He played 16 games for the Mets, all at third base, getting 40 at bats but only batting .150. His last game with the Mets before being demoted to the Mets new class-AAA affiliate in Tidewater was on May 4. Collins played in 11 games for Tidewater, batting .250 in 32 at bats before being traded to the 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...
.
On June 15, 1969, Collins was traded to the 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...
aliong with Steve Renko
Steve Renko
Steve Renko, Jr. is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox , Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .He helped the Angels win the 1982 American League Western...
, Bill Carden and Dave Colon in exchange for Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
. This was a momentous trade in Met history, since Clendenon would go on to be the World Series Most Valuable Player
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
in 1969. Collins appeared in 52 games for the Expos in 1969, split between second base and third base. He batted .240 in 96 at bats.
After the 1969 season, Collins was sold by the Expos to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. With the Tigers in 1970, Collins played only 25 games, mostly as a pinch hitter. He played in only one game in the field, his only career game at first base. He batted .208 in 24 at bats for the Tigers that season.
Collins only played in 35 games with the Tigers in 1971, and again only a few in the field. In 1971 he played some games at third base, second base and in the outfield. He batted .268 in 41 at bats, the highest batting average in his major league career.
After the 1971 season, Collins was traded by the Tigers along with Tom Timmermann
Tom Timmermann
Thomas Henry Timmermann is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for six seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians . Born in Breese, Illinois, Timmermann was a tall — — right-handed pitcher who attended Southern Illinois University...
to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in exchange for Ed Farmer
Ed Farmer
Edward Joseph Farmer is a former Major League relief pitcher with an 11-year career from - and -. He played for the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and Oakland A's, all in the American League, and the Philadelphia Phillies...
. Collins never played a game for the Indians, and in fact, never played a major league game after the trade.