Ryan Minor
Encyclopedia
Ryan Dale Minor is a retired American
professional baseball
third baseman
and college basketball
player. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball
, from 1998-2001, with the Baltimore Orioles
and Montreal Expos
. He is currently the manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds
of the South Atlantic League
. He is known for replacing Cal Ripken, Jr.
, when Ripken ended his consecutive games played streak on September 20, 1998.
and was selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft
by the Philadelphia 76ers
. However, he chose to play baseball instead, and went on to be drafted in the 33rd round of the 1996 MLB Amateur Draft
.
, Minor made his major league debut in 1998. He split the next two seasons between the Orioles and their farm clubs, mostly the Rochester Red Wings
. After the 2000 season, he was traded to the Expos for pitcher
Jorge Julio
. He then split 2001 between the Expos and the Ottawa Lynx
. Overall, Minor played 142 games during his major league career.
From 2002 until 2004, Minor played with three different organizations, along with stints with the Newark Bears
and Atlantic City Surf
of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
. He joined the Lancaster Barnstormers
in time for their inaugural 2005 season. He hit the first-ever Barnstormers home run on May 17, 2005 at Clipper Magazine Stadium
. With Lancaster, Minor batted .268 with 26 homers, a team best, and 99 RBI, which were second most on the Barnstormers team and tied for third in the league.. He finished his career with a lifetime .265 average, 154 homers and 567 RBI.
, also of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
. In 2008, he started serving in a similar capacity with the Delmarva Shorebirds
, the Orioles' class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League
. In 2010 Minor became the manager of the Shorebirds.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
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....
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
player. He played all or part of four seasons 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 1998-2001, with the 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...
and 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...
. He is currently the manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...
of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. He is known for replacing Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
, when Ripken ended his consecutive games played streak on September 20, 1998.
College
Ryan Minor was an All-American basketball player at the University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
and was selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
by the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. However, he chose to play baseball instead, and went on to be drafted in the 33rd round of the 1996 MLB Amateur Draft
1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
.
Playing career
After playing two-plus seasons in the minor leaguesMinor 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...
, Minor made his major league debut in 1998. He split the next two seasons between the Orioles and their farm clubs, mostly the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
. After the 2000 season, he was traded to the Expos for 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...
Jorge Julio
Jorge Julio
Jorge Dandys Julio Tapia is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He previously played for the Baltimore Orioles from 2001–2005, New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006, and the Florida Marlins in 2007 before being traded...
. He then split 2001 between the Expos and the Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
. Overall, Minor played 142 games during his major league career.
From 2002 until 2004, Minor played with three different organizations, along with stints with the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
and Atlantic City Surf
Atlantic City Surf
The Atlantic City Surf were a professional baseball team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Surf was most recently a member of the Can-Am League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. He joined the Lancaster Barnstormers
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers is an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
in time for their inaugural 2005 season. He hit the first-ever Barnstormers home run on May 17, 2005 at Clipper Magazine Stadium
Clipper Magazine Stadium
Clipper Magazine Stadium is a 6,000-seat baseball park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 11, 2005, when the tenants of the facility, the Lancaster Barnstormers, lost to the Atlantic City Surf, 4-3...
. With Lancaster, Minor batted .268 with 26 homers, a team best, and 99 RBI, which were second most on the Barnstormers team and tied for third in the league.. He finished his career with a lifetime .265 average, 154 homers and 567 RBI.
Coaching and managerial career
After Minor retired from professional baseball, he went on to coach the 2006 Road Warriors. In December 2006, Minor became the hitting and infield coach of the York RevolutionYork Revolution
The York Revolution is an American professional baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, also of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. In 2008, he started serving in a similar capacity with the Delmarva Shorebirds
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...
, the Orioles' class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. In 2010 Minor became the manager of the Shorebirds.