Mike Fitzgerald
Encyclopedia
Michael Roy Fitzgerald (born July 13, 1960 in Long Beach, California
), is a former professional
baseball
player. He played as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
from to for the New York Mets
, the Montreal Expos
and the California Angels.
. He made his major league debut with the New York Mets on September 13, 1983
. Fitzgerald hit a home run
in his first major league at bat
, becoming the 57th player in major league history to accomplish the feat. In 1984
, he led National League
catchers in range factor
and fielding percentage
, becoming only the fourth catcher in major league history to win a fielding title in his rookie year. Fitzgerald was selected as the catcher for the Baseball Digest
Rookie All-Star team, and for the 1984 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
.
On December 14, 1984, the New York Mets traded Fitzgerald along with Hubie Brooks
, Herm Winningham
and minor league
pitcher
Floyd Youmans
to the Montreal Expos for catcher Gary Carter
. He became the Expos starting catcher, posting his best offensive year in 1986
with a .282 batting average
, 6 home runs and 37 runs batted in. In October 1991
, the Expos granted Fitzgerald free agency and in February of 1992
, he signed a contract to play for the California Angels. After one year as the Angels starting catcher, he retired as a player.
, accumulating 545 hits
in 2316 at bats for a .235 career batting average along with 48 home runs and 293 runs batted in. He ended his career with a .988 fielding percentage.
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
), is a former professional
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....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played as a catcher
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...
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 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 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 the California Angels.
Major League career
Fitzgerald was selected by New York Mets in the 6th round of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft1978 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :In 1978, four players made the jump from amateur baseball to the major leagues, including Arizona State third baseman Bob Horner, who was selected number one overall by the Atlanta...
. He made his major league debut with the New York Mets on September 13, 1983
1983 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1983 season was the 22nd regular season for the Mets. They went 68-94 and finished 6th in the National League East. They were managed by George Bamberger and Frank Howard...
. Fitzgerald hit a 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 his first major league 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...
, becoming the 57th player in major league history to accomplish the feat. In 1984
1984 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 1984 season was the 23rd regular season for the Mets. They went 90-72 and finished 2nd in the National League East. They were managed by Davey Johnson...
, he led National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
catchers in range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
and fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, becoming only the fourth catcher in major league history to win a fielding title in his rookie year. Fitzgerald was selected as the catcher for the Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
Rookie All-Star team, and for the 1984 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
.
On December 14, 1984, the New York Mets traded Fitzgerald along with Hubie Brooks
Hubie Brooks
Hubert Brooks, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. During his career, he played as a third baseman, shortstop and right fielder for the New York Mets , Montreal Expos , Los Angeles Dodgers , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .Brooks played varsity baseball...
, Herm Winningham
Herm Winningham
Herman Son Winningham is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball.Drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round of the 1981 amateur draft, Winningham made his major league debut with the Mets on September 1, , and appeared in his final game on October 3, .Winningham was a member of the...
and minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
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...
Floyd Youmans
Floyd Youmans
Floyd Everett Youmans is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is likely best remembered as one of the players dealt by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos for Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.-New York Mets:...
to the Montreal Expos for 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...
. He became the Expos starting catcher, posting his best offensive year in 1986
1986 Montreal Expos season
-Offseason:* October 24, 1985: Bill Laskey was traded by the Expos to the San Francisco Giants for George Riley and Alonzo Powell.* November 7, 1985: Mel Rojas was signed by the Expos as an amateur free agent....
with a .282 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 :...
, 6 home runs and 37 runs batted in. In October 1991
1991 Montreal Expos season
After several winning seasons, the Expos faltered in 1991, winning only 20 of its first 49 games. Manager Buck Rodgers was replaced as manager by Tom Runnells.-Offseason:* November 15, 1990: Scott Service was signed as a free agent by the Expos....
, the Expos granted Fitzgerald free agency and in February of 1992
1992 California Angels season
The California Angels 1992 season involved the Angels finishing 5th in the American League West with a record of 72 wins and 90 losses.-Offseason:*December 8, 1991: Ruben Amaro Jr...
, he signed a contract to play for the California Angels. After one year as the Angels starting catcher, he retired as a player.
Career statistics
In a 10 year career, Fitzgerald played in 848 gamesGames 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,...
, accumulating 545 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....
in 2316 at bats for a .235 career batting average along with 48 home runs and 293 runs batted in. He ended his career with a .988 fielding percentage.