Rich Amaral
Encyclopedia
Richard Louis Amaral is a former utility player in Major League Baseball
who played with the Seattle Mariners
(-), and Baltimore Orioles
(-). He batted and threw right-handed.
Drafted by the Chicago Cubs
in , Amaral was claimed by the Chicago White Sox
in the Rule 5 Draft
. After becoming a free agent
after the season, Amaral signed with the Seattle Mariners and made his major league debut on May 27, . Amaral played with the Mariners until 1998, signing as a free agent with the Orioles on December 21, 1998. Amaral was released by the Orioles on July 28, 2000, and signed with the Atlanta Braves
on August 25, 2000. Amaral played 7 games for their Triple-A affiliate, the Richmond Braves
and became a free agent after the season.
In his 10-year career, Amaral was a .276 hitter with 493 career hits
. He was a college standout at UCLA earning nod as second baseman
on the College All-American team. After being drafted in the second round by the Chicago Cubs, he spent his next nine years in Minor league baseball
, and it appeared that he might be a career minor leaguer. After hitting .346 in the minors in , Amaral got his chance to become a Major League player. Amaral was a versatile player, and after making it to the Majors he played at least 40 games at every position except catcher
and pitcher
.
Amaral was a baserunning guest instructor for the Mariners in spring training
of as part of Mariners manager
John McLaren
's offseason emphasis on baserunning.
Amaral's son Beau plays outfield for the UCLA Bruins baseball
team that went all the way to the 2010 College World Series
Championship games. Beau was named to the All Tournament Team.
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...
who played 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...
(-), and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(-). He batted and threw right-handed.
Drafted by 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...
in , Amaral was claimed by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. After becoming a free agent
Free 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....
after the season, Amaral signed with the Seattle Mariners and made his major league debut on May 27, . Amaral played with the Mariners until 1998, signing as a free agent with the Orioles on December 21, 1998. Amaral was released by the Orioles on July 28, 2000, and signed with 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....
on August 25, 2000. Amaral played 7 games for their Triple-A affiliate, the Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
and became a free agent after the season.
In his 10-year career, Amaral was a .276 hitter with 493 career 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....
. He was a college standout at UCLA earning nod as 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...
on the College All-American team. After being drafted in the second round by the Chicago Cubs, he spent his next nine years in 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...
, and it appeared that he might be a career minor leaguer. After hitting .346 in the minors in , Amaral got his chance to become a Major League player. Amaral was a versatile player, and after making it to the Majors he played at least 40 games at every position except 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...
and 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...
.
Amaral was a baserunning guest instructor for the Mariners in 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...
of as part of Mariners manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
John McLaren
John McLaren (baseball)
John Lowell McLaren is a former Major League Baseball coach and manager, best known for his brief tenure as manager of the Seattle Mariners, from July 1, to June 19,...
's offseason emphasis on baserunning.
Amaral's son Beau plays outfield for the UCLA Bruins baseball
UCLA Bruins baseball
UCLA Bruins baseball team represents the University of California, Los Angeles in the NCAA baseball competition. Having started playing in 1920, the team is a member of the Pacific-10 Conference and plays its home games at Jackie Robinson Stadium. It has produced many Major and Minor League...
team that went all the way to the 2010 College World Series
2010 College World Series
The 2010 College World Series began on June 19, 2010 and concluded on June 29 in Omaha, Nebraska at Rosenblatt Stadium. South Carolina won the championship after defeating UCLA. Rosenblatt has hosted the CWS since 1950, but 2010 will be the final College World Series to be played in the famed...
Championship games. Beau was named to the All Tournament Team.