R. J. Harrison
Encyclopedia
Robert Joseph "R. J." Harrison (born March 14, 1954, at Long Beach, California
) is an American
front-office executive in Major League Baseball
. He has been director of amateur scouting of the Tampa Bay Rays
since and will begin his sixth campaign in that post in . He is the son of longtime Seattle Mariners
scout Bob Harrison.
R. J. Harrison is a former minor league
pitcher
and catcher
. He stood 6 feet 7 inches (2 m) tall, weighed 210 pounds (95 kg), threw right-handed and batted left-handed. He graduated from Robert A. Millikan Senior High School
of Long Beach in 1972 and attended Arizona State University
, where he played catcher on the Sun Devils' varsity baseball team from 1973-75.
Harrison turned professional with the St. Louis Cardinals
as a catcher in 1975, but by the middle of his second season in the Redbird farm system he had converted to pitcher. In he had his finest season as a professional, winning 14 games, with a 2.45 earned run average
and 16 complete games
with the St. Petersburg Cardinals of the Class A Florida State League
. But his pitching career was derailed by injuries. In he landed on the disabled list
of the Double-A Arkansas Travelers
for the last six weeks of the season, and was released by the Cardinals prior to the campaign.
After sitting out that season, he signed with the Mariners in and spent two seasons pitching for their Double-A Lynn Sailors
affiliate before beginning his post-playing career as manager of the Single-A Wausau Timbers
in . He managed in the minor leagues through 1987 for Seattle and the San Francisco Giants
, winning the 1987 California League
championship with the Fresno Giants, before becoming a scout. He joined the Tampa Bay organization in 1995, three years before its first MLB team played an official game.
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 an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
front-office executive 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...
. He has been director of amateur scouting of the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
since and will begin his sixth campaign in that post in . He is the son of longtime 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...
scout Bob Harrison.
R. J. Harrison is a former minor league
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...
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...
and 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...
. He stood 6 feet 7 inches (2 m) tall, weighed 210 pounds (95 kg), threw right-handed and batted left-handed. He graduated from Robert A. Millikan Senior High School
Millikan High School
Robert A. Millikan Senior High School is a high school in Long Beach, California administered by the Long Beach Unified School District. It is located near the intersection of Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue in East Long Beach on a campus approximately one square mile...
of Long Beach in 1972 and attended Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, where he played catcher on the Sun Devils' varsity baseball team from 1973-75.
Harrison turned professional with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
as a catcher in 1975, but by the middle of his second season in the Redbird farm system he had converted to pitcher. In he had his finest season as a professional, winning 14 games, with a 2.45 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and 16 complete games
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
with the St. Petersburg Cardinals of the Class A Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. But his pitching career was derailed by injuries. In he landed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
of the Double-A Arkansas Travelers
Arkansas Travelers
The Arkansas Travelers, also known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Major League club....
for the last six weeks of the season, and was released by the Cardinals prior to the campaign.
After sitting out that season, he signed with the Mariners in and spent two seasons pitching for their Double-A Lynn Sailors
Lynn Sailors
The Lynn Sailors were a class AA American minor league baseball team affiliated with the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates. They were a member of the Eastern League and played at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts from 1980-1983....
affiliate before beginning his post-playing career as manager of the Single-A Wausau Timbers
Wausau Timbers
The Wausau Timbers were a minor league baseball team.The team began as the Wausau Mets in 1978, but left the affiliation with the New York Mets and went co-op...
in . He managed in the minor leagues through 1987 for Seattle and 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....
, winning the 1987 California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
championship with the Fresno Giants, before becoming a scout. He joined the Tampa Bay organization in 1995, three years before its first MLB team played an official game.