Rusty Greer
Encyclopedia
Thurman Clyde "Rusty" Greer III (born January 21, 1969 in Fort Rucker, Alabama) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Texas Rangers
. He currently works for Texas Wesleyan University
serving as the Assistant Head Coach under former teammate Mike Jeffcoat
.
before playing college baseball at the University of Montevallo
. (Montevallo was the only college interested in Greer prior to a senior-year all-star game where he finally drew attention from larger schools; however, he chose to remain at Montevallo since they initially offered him a scholarship.) While at Montevallo, Greer was a Resident Assistant in Napier Hall. The Rangers made him their tenth-round pick (271st overall) in the 1990 amateur draft, and he spent the rest of the season playing for their rookie-level minor league club in Butte, Montana
. He would spend all fifteen years of his professional baseball career in the Rangers organization, a feat that had become a rarity among professional ballplayers thanks to free agency
.
At Butte, he batted .345 with an OPS
of 1.032, which earned him a promotion to the Class A Florida State League
the following season. He finished 1991 with the Class AA Tulsa Drillers
in the Texas League
; he stayed with Tulsa through 1992 and most of 1993, before being called up to the Class AAA Oklahoma City 89ers
for eight games. He also started the 1994 season with the 89ers, batting .315 in 31 games, when he earned a call-up to the Rangers.
s in 80 games, including one in his second major-league at bat
. He's only the second Ranger to accomplish this feat. (Ruben Sierra
was the first on June 1, 1986 @ Kansas City) He also played an integral part in baseball history on July 28, 1994, when he made a diving catch to protect a perfect game
by Kenny Rogers
. Although that was one of the most significant catches he made in his career, he made many others like it, and his all-out style of play made him a fan favorite throughout his major-league career.
Greer cooled off slightly in his second season, batting .271. However, in 1996, he had one of the best seasons of his career, batting .332 (fifth in the American League
) and having his first of three 100-RBI seasons.
The 1997 season also proved successful for Greer. He finished seventh in the AL with a .321 batting average, played in a career-high 157 games, and he hit a career-high 26 home runs. In 1998, he had a career-high 108 RBI and a .306 batting average. The Rangers honored him for his contributions by granting him a new contract that paid him $3.3 million in 1999, up from $1,025,000 the previous season. In 1999, he batted an even .300 with 20 home runs, 101 RBI, and a career-high 96 walks
(to go with 67 strikeout
s). In the 2000 season, he was limited to 105 games due to injuries and posted a batting average of .297, with eight home runs.
In 2001, Greer was limited to only 62 games because of injuries, but he still hit seven home runs. Still a fan favorite, he was honored with a three-year, $21 million contract before the 2002 season. However, due to injuries he would only play 51 games with the Rangers in 2002.
. After first coming off of the disabled list in 2002, he was only able to play one more game, on July 11 of that year, before going back on the disabled list. On August 22, he had surgery to fuse the C5 and C6 vertebrae
in his neck; and in the offseason, he had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff
in his shoulder. He was then expected to miss the entire 2003 season. While rehabilitating from the rotator cuff surgery, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery
and an ulnar nerve transposition in July 2003. He actually was also supposed to receive operations on his right hip and right knee, but he decided against those. He also had surgery in the following offseason to remove scar tissue
that had built up in his elbow, and early in the 2004 season he had additional surgery to remove scar tissue from his shoulder.
Nevertheless, he was still determined to come back; and he and the Rangers expected to see him back on the field as a designated hitter
during the last month of their season. He worked out at the Rangers' spring training
facility in Surprise, Arizona
, with the intention of doing a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues shortly thereafter. However, his workout was cut short; he returned to Texas, where he had surgery to remove scar tissue on his forearm and was declared out for the season. The Rangers, not surprisingly, decided to buy out the option year on his contract; he actually made almost as much money during the two lost seasons as he did in the rest of his career combined.
Greer received invitations from the Rangers and the Minnesota Twins
to go to spring training as a non-roster invitee, but he decided that he would rather retire than move his family to another state. Thus, on February 20, 2005, he announced his retirement, officially ending his comeback attempt.
On August 11, 2007, the Rangers inducted Greer into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
Source MLB: http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/tex/y2007/m06/d21/c2040794.jsp
SportsRadio 1310 The Ticket's Great Game in Frisco, TX at the Dr Pepper Ballpark
.
Today, Greer resides in Colleyville.
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...
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...
for 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...
. He currently works for Texas Wesleyan University
Texas Wesleyan University
Texas Wesleyan University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university founded by the United Methodist Church in 1890. The main campus is located in the Polytechnic Heights Neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas, with branch campuses in Burleson and downtown Fort Worth.-History:Texas Wesleyan...
serving as the Assistant Head Coach under former teammate Mike Jeffcoat
Mike Jeffcoat
James Michael Jeffcoat , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1983–85, 1987–92, and 1994. He played college baseball for Louisiana Tech. He is now the head coach of the Texas Wesleyan University baseball team.-External links:...
.
Biography
Greer attended high school in Albertville, AlabamaAlbertville, Alabama
Albertville is a city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 21,160.- History :...
before playing college baseball at the University of Montevallo
University of Montevallo
The University of Montevallo is a four-year public university located in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1896, it is Alabama's only public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Programs are offered through the Michael E...
. (Montevallo was the only college interested in Greer prior to a senior-year all-star game where he finally drew attention from larger schools; however, he chose to remain at Montevallo since they initially offered him a scholarship.) While at Montevallo, Greer was a Resident Assistant in Napier Hall. The Rangers made him their tenth-round pick (271st overall) in the 1990 amateur draft, and he spent the rest of the season playing for their rookie-level minor league club in Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
. He would spend all fifteen years of his professional baseball career in the Rangers organization, a feat that had become a rarity among professional ballplayers thanks to free agency
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....
.
At Butte, he batted .345 with an OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
of 1.032, which earned him a promotion to 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...
the following season. He finished 1991 with the Class AA Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
in the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
; he stayed with Tulsa through 1992 and most of 1993, before being called up to the Class AAA Oklahoma City 89ers
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
for eight games. He also started the 1994 season with the 89ers, batting .315 in 31 games, when he earned a call-up to the Rangers.
Major league career
Greer continued his successful run at Oklahoma when he was called up to Texas, where he batted .314 with ten home runHome 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 in 80 games, including one in his second 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...
. He's only the second Ranger to accomplish this feat. (Ruben Sierra
Rubén Sierra
Rubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio....
was the first on June 1, 1986 @ Kansas City) He also played an integral part in baseball history on July 28, 1994, when he made a diving catch to protect a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
by Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers (baseball player)
Kenneth Scott Rogers is a former American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 20-year baseball career, he pitched from 1989-2008 for six different teams. In addition to being known for his fielding , he pitched the fourteenth perfect game in major league baseball history...
. Although that was one of the most significant catches he made in his career, he made many others like it, and his all-out style of play made him a fan favorite throughout his major-league career.
Greer cooled off slightly in his second season, batting .271. However, in 1996, he had one of the best seasons of his career, batting .332 (fifth in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
) and having his first of three 100-RBI seasons.
The 1997 season also proved successful for Greer. He finished seventh in the AL with a .321 batting average, played in a career-high 157 games, and he hit a career-high 26 home runs. In 1998, he had a career-high 108 RBI and a .306 batting average. The Rangers honored him for his contributions by granting him a new contract that paid him $3.3 million in 1999, up from $1,025,000 the previous season. In 1999, he batted an even .300 with 20 home runs, 101 RBI, and a career-high 96 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(to go with 67 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s). In the 2000 season, he was limited to 105 games due to injuries and posted a batting average of .297, with eight home runs.
In 2001, Greer was limited to only 62 games because of injuries, but he still hit seven home runs. Still a fan favorite, he was honored with a three-year, $21 million contract before the 2002 season. However, due to injuries he would only play 51 games with the Rangers in 2002.
Injuries and attempted comeback
Greer's aggressive style of play took a severe toll on his body, and he spent the remainder of his baseball career undergoing and recovering from surgeriesSurgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
. After first coming off of the disabled list in 2002, he was only able to play one more game, on July 11 of that year, before going back on the disabled list. On August 22, he had surgery to fuse the C5 and C6 vertebrae
Cervical vertebrae
In vertebrates, cervical vertebrae are those vertebrae immediately inferior to the skull.Thoracic vertebrae in all mammalian species are defined as those vertebrae that also carry a pair of ribs, and lie caudal to the cervical vertebrae. Further caudally follow the lumbar vertebrae, which also...
in his neck; and in the offseason, he had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
in his shoulder. He was then expected to miss the entire 2003 season. While rehabilitating from the rotator cuff surgery, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
and an ulnar nerve transposition in July 2003. He actually was also supposed to receive operations on his right hip and right knee, but he decided against those. He also had surgery in the following offseason to remove scar tissue
Granulation tissue
Granulation tissue is the perfused, fibrous connective tissue that replaces a fibrin clot in healing wounds. Granulation tissue typically grows from the base of a wound and is able to fill wounds of almost any size it heals...
that had built up in his elbow, and early in the 2004 season he had additional surgery to remove scar tissue from his shoulder.
Nevertheless, he was still determined to come back; and he and the Rangers expected to see him back on the field as a designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
during the last month of their season. He worked out at the Rangers' 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...
facility in Surprise, Arizona
Surprise, Arizona
Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. The population was 30,848 at the 2000 census; however, rapid growth has boosted the city's population to 117,517 at the 2010 census, an increase of 281%...
, with the intention of doing a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues shortly thereafter. However, his workout was cut short; he returned to Texas, where he had surgery to remove scar tissue on his forearm and was declared out for the season. The Rangers, not surprisingly, decided to buy out the option year on his contract; he actually made almost as much money during the two lost seasons as he did in the rest of his career combined.
Greer received invitations from the Rangers and the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
to go to spring training as a non-roster invitee, but he decided that he would rather retire than move his family to another state. Thus, on February 20, 2005, he announced his retirement, officially ending his comeback attempt.
On August 11, 2007, the Rangers inducted Greer into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
Source MLB: http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/tex/y2007/m06/d21/c2040794.jsp
Charity work
On May 8, 2008, Rusty served as the honorary manager of Team Hardline in the KTCKKTCK
KTCK , is a sports talk radio station based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The station, currently owned by Cumulus Media, has been made popular by the incorporation of humor alongside the sports talk....
SportsRadio 1310 The Ticket's Great Game in Frisco, TX at the Dr Pepper Ballpark
Dr Pepper Ballpark
Dr Pepper Ballpark is the home ballpark of the Frisco RoughRiders Class AA minor league baseball club. Located in Frisco, Texas in the United States, the stadium has a capacity of 10,600...
.
Today, Greer resides in Colleyville.