Paul Zuvella
Encyclopedia
Paul Zuvella is a former Major League Baseball
player and minor league baseball
manager. Primarily a shortstop
and second baseman
, he stood 6'0" tall, weighed 178 pounds, and batted and threw right-handed.
in Milpitas, California
, Zuvella matriculated at Stanford University
. The Milwaukee Brewers
selected him in the eleventh round of the June 1979 Major League Baseball Draft
, but he elected not to sign and returned to school for his senior year. After which, the Atlanta Braves
selected him in the fifteenth round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
.
Zuvella batted
.315 his first professional season with the Durham Bulls
. In , Zuvella batted .299 with eleven home runs for the Savannah Braves
, however, his .947 fielding percentage
was less than acceptable for a shortstop. His fielding improved considerably in , and at the end of the season, he received a September call-up to the Atlanta Braves.
Zuvella made his major league debut with the Braves on September 4, 1982, appearing as a pinch runner
in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Expos
. With All-Star Rafael Ramirez
firmly entrenched at short, Zuvella spent parts of the next four seasons on Atlanta's bench, appearing in a career-high 81 games in . In that season, his most successful, he batted .253 in 190 at bats.
's August 8, 1982 trade to the Texas Rangers
, the New York Yankees
had difficulty replacing him at short (with Roy Smalley, Bobby Meacham
, Dale Berra
, Tim Foli
and Andre Robertson
, among others, all having been given a shot at the position). When the Yankees acquired Zuvella on June 30, along with outfielder
Claudell Washington
for Ken Griffey, Sr.
and Andre Robertson, they believed that they finally found the man who would be able to hold down the position.
As it turned out, Zuvella got off to an extremely slow start with the Yankees, going hitless in his first 28 at-bats. By the end of the season, he was reassigned to the Yankees' triple A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
, and Wayne Tolleson
was given the starting shortstop job.
Zuvella split between the Yankees and Columbus as well, but his hitting did not improve any, and he was released at the end of the season. In two seasons with the Yankees, Zuvella batted .122 with two runs batted in, four runs scored and no home runs.
. He was reasonably productive serviing as Jay Bell
's and Félix Fermín
's back-up in 1988 and , respectively, but Cleveland released him during Spring training
in . Zuvella signed with the Kansas City Royals
immediately afterwards, spending the next two seasons with their triple A affiliate, the Omaha Royals
before retiring. He appeared in two games with Kansas City in the beginning of the season.
organization as a manager and instructor. From to , he was the manager of the Class AA New Haven Ravens. He has also returned to Stanford on several occasions to play in the school's annual Alumni Game.
Zuvella now sells real estate in California.
. In the film, the character "Mr. Rooney" is watching a game between the Braves and the Chicago Cubs
on a television in a bar. He sees batter Claudell Washington hit a foul ball, which is caught by the film's title character, who was supposedly sick at home from school. This footage was taken from a game played on June 5, 1985, and in the clip Zuvella is the runner on first base.
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...
player and 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...
manager. Primarily a 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...
and 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 stood 6'0" tall, weighed 178 pounds, and batted and threw right-handed.
Atlanta Braves
Following his graduation from Samuel Ayer High SchoolSamuel Ayer High School
Created in 1959, Samuel Ayer High School was the first high school in the City of Milpitas, California. It was located at 1395 E. Calaveras Blvd. Previous to its opening, Milpitas high school students attended James Lick High School in San Jose...
in Milpitas, California
Milpitas, California
Milpitas is a city in Santa Clara County, California. It is a suburb of the major city of San Jose, California. It is located with San Jose to its south and Fremont to its north, at the eastern end of State Route 237 and generally between Interstates 680 and 880 which run roughly north/south...
, Zuvella matriculated at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. 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...
selected him in the eleventh round of the June 1979 Major League Baseball Draft
1979 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1979 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 5-7, 1979, via conference call.-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :...
, but he elected not to sign and returned to school for his senior year. After which, 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....
selected him in the fifteenth round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
1980 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.- Compensation Picks :*William Erickson, was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, 31st pick overall. *Jeff Horne was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates,...
.
Zuvella batted
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 :...
.315 his first professional season with the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
. In , Zuvella batted .299 with eleven home runs for the Savannah Braves
Savannah Braves
The Savannah Braves, were a baseball team that existed from 1971 to 1983 in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, they played in the Southern League and played their home games at Grayson Stadium...
, however, his .947 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...
was less than acceptable for a shortstop. His fielding improved considerably in , and at the end of the season, he received a September call-up to the Atlanta Braves.
Zuvella made his major league debut with the Braves on September 4, 1982, appearing as a pinch runner
Pinch 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...
in a 4-1 loss 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...
. With All-Star Rafael Ramirez
Rafael Ramírez (baseball)
Rafael Emilio Ramírez Peguero , is a former professional baseball player who played in the major leagues primarily as a shortstop from 1980-1992...
firmly entrenched at short, Zuvella spent parts of the next four seasons on Atlanta's bench, appearing in a career-high 81 games in . In that season, his most successful, he batted .253 in 190 at bats.
New York Yankees
Following Bucky DentBucky Dent
Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...
's August 8, 1982 trade to the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
had difficulty replacing him at short (with Roy Smalley, Bobby Meacham
Bobby Meacham
Robert Andrew Meacham is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who spent his entire six year career with the New York Yankees...
, Dale Berra
Dale Berra
Dale Anthony Berra , is a former Major League Baseball player who primarily played as an infielder from through . He is the son of Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra.-Early years:...
, Tim Foli
Tim 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 Andre Robertson
Andre Robertson
Andre Levett Robertson is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the New York Yankees. He was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 4th round of the amateur draft...
, among others, all having been given a shot at the position). When the Yankees acquired Zuvella on June 30, along with 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...
Claudell Washington
Claudell Washington
Claudell Washington is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics , Texas Rangers , Chicago White Sox , New York Mets , Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees and California Angels...
for Ken Griffey, Sr.
Ken Griffey, Sr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He currently serves as Manager for the Bakersfield Blaze, the Reds' Single A minor league affiliate. He is the father of former professional outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. and former minor leaguer Craig Griffey. He and his...
and Andre Robertson, they believed that they finally found the man who would be able to hold down the position.
As it turned out, Zuvella got off to an extremely slow start with the Yankees, going hitless in his first 28 at-bats. By the end of the season, he was reassigned to the Yankees' triple A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
, and Wayne Tolleson
Wayne Tolleson
Jimmy Wayne Tolleson is a former Major League Baseball player. A switch hitter who threw right-handed, Tolleson was listed at 5'9" tall and 160 pounds during his playing career.-Western Carolina University:...
was given the starting shortstop job.
Zuvella split between the Yankees and Columbus as well, but his hitting did not improve any, and he was released at the end of the season. In two seasons with the Yankees, Zuvella batted .122 with two runs batted in, four runs scored and no home runs.
Cleveland Indians
Prior to the start of the season, Zuvella signed with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland 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...
. He was reasonably productive serviing as Jay Bell
Jay Bell
Jay Stuart Bell is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets .He played his high school baseball at J.M...
's and Félix Fermín
Felix Fermin
Félix José Fermín Minaya is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs ....
's back-up in 1988 and , respectively, but Cleveland released him during Spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in . Zuvella signed with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
immediately afterwards, spending the next two seasons with their triple A affiliate, the Omaha Royals
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
before retiring. He appeared in two games with Kansas City in the beginning of the season.
Post-playing career
After his retirement as a player, Zuvella worked in the Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
organization as a manager and instructor. From to , he was the manager of the Class AA New Haven Ravens. He has also returned to Stanford on several occasions to play in the school's annual Alumni Game.
Zuvella now sells real estate in California.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Game footage of Zuvella appears in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day OffFerris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
. In the film, the character "Mr. Rooney" is watching a game between the Braves and the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on a television in a bar. He sees batter Claudell Washington hit a foul ball, which is caught by the film's title character, who was supposedly sick at home from school. This footage was taken from a game played on June 5, 1985, and in the clip Zuvella is the runner on first base.