Mackey Sasser
Encyclopedia
Mack Daniel Sasser is a former professional baseball catcher
, who played from to for the New York Mets
, the San Francisco Giants
, the Pittsburgh Pirates
, and Seattle Mariners
.
Sasser is known for the difficulty he regularly encountered in "double clutching" balls to the pitcher
that had been thrown to him, although he performed competently as a catcher otherwise. He appeared in 534 games in his career, getting 317 hits with sixteen home run
s, 156 RBI and a career .267 batting average
.
at Wallace Community College
- Dothan and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
by the San Francisco Giants
. He came up in the Major Leagues
with the Giants on July 17, 1987 playing in two games before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
with cash for pitcher Don Robinson
where he played 12 games for the remainder of the season.
with pitcher Tim Drummond
for former Mets prospect first baseman
, Randy Milligan
and a minor league player. With the Mets he was used as a backup for future Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter
for two seasons before playing 100 games in the season. That year he had 83 hits and a .307 batting average. After a serious collision with Jim Presley
of the Atlanta Braves
at home plate, Sasser began to hesitate and repeat his motion when returning the ball to the pitcher, a normally routine activity (he did not have this problem when throwing to second base on an attempted stolen base). In , he played 96 games for a .272 batting average and in he went back to a backup role where he played in 92 games for only 141 at-bats and a .241 batting average.
status after the season when he signed a two year contract with the Seattle Mariners
. He appeared in 83 games as a backup in the season where he hit for only a .218 batting average. Seattle demoted him to third-string backup catcher after that season, and he appeared in only three games with them in the season, going hitless in three games before getting released. Sasser then signed a contract with the San Diego Padres
on May 20, 1994 but was released a month later without ever playing a game with them. Sasser re-signed with the Pirates for the season but played in only fourteen games, getting four hits in 26 at-bats before being released in mid-May and retiring for good.
After his playing career he became a baseball coach at Wallace Community College
in Dothan, Alabama
. After experiencing difficulty throwing batting practice to his players, he was finally able to overcome the problem with help from psychotherapist, David Grand, PhD.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, who played from to for 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...
, 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....
, 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...
, and Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
.
Sasser is known for the difficulty he regularly encountered in "double clutching" balls to the pitcher
Pitcher
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...
that had been thrown to him, although he performed competently as a catcher otherwise. He appeared in 534 games in his career, getting 317 hits with sixteen 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, 156 RBI and a career .267 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 :...
.
Early career
Sasser played college baseballCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
at Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College , formally known as George C. Wallace State Community College, is a two-year institution of higher learning located in Dothan, Alabama. The college enrolls 3,958 students and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and...
- Dothan and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
by 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....
. He came up 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 Giants on July 17, 1987 playing in two games before being traded 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...
with cash for pitcher Don Robinson
Don Robinson (baseball player)
Don Allen Robinson , was a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, California Angels, and Philadelphia Phillies from 1978 through 1992. Nicknamed "The Caveman," Robinson's career record was 109-106 with a 3.79 ERA...
where he played 12 games for the remainder of the season.
Mets career
On March 26, 1988, Sasser was traded to the New York MetsNew 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...
with pitcher Tim Drummond
Tim Drummond (baseball)
Timothy Darnell Drummond is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during three seasons at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins. He was signed by the Pirates in the 12th round of the amateur draft...
for former Mets prospect 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...
, Randy Milligan
Randy Milligan
Randall Andre Milligan is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1987-1994. He is currently a scout with the Baltimore Orioles. Milligan is nicknamed "Moose".-External links:...
and a minor league player. With the Mets he was used as a backup for future Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter
Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
for two seasons before playing 100 games in the season. That year he had 83 hits and a .307 batting average. After a serious collision with Jim Presley
Jim Presley
James Arthur Presley is a former Major League Baseball infielder with an eight year career from 1984 to 1991. He played for the Seattle Mariners of the American League and the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres of the National League. He was primarily a third baseman but also saw some time...
of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
at home plate, Sasser began to hesitate and repeat his motion when returning the ball to the pitcher, a normally routine activity (he did not have this problem when throwing to second base on an attempted stolen base). In , he played 96 games for a .272 batting average and in he went back to a backup role where he played in 92 games for only 141 at-bats and a .241 batting average.
Later career
Sasser was granted free agentFree 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....
status after the season when he signed a two year contract with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He appeared in 83 games as a backup in the season where he hit for only a .218 batting average. Seattle demoted him to third-string backup catcher after that season, and he appeared in only three games with them in the season, going hitless in three games before getting released. Sasser then signed a contract with 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...
on May 20, 1994 but was released a month later without ever playing a game with them. Sasser re-signed with the Pirates for the season but played in only fourteen games, getting four hits in 26 at-bats before being released in mid-May and retiring for good.
After his playing career he became a baseball coach at Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College , formally known as George C. Wallace State Community College, is a two-year institution of higher learning located in Dothan, Alabama. The college enrolls 3,958 students and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and...
in Dothan, Alabama
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
. After experiencing difficulty throwing batting practice to his players, he was finally able to overcome the problem with help from psychotherapist, David Grand, PhD.