Troy O'Leary
Encyclopedia
Troy Franklin O'Leary is a former left fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played with the Milwaukee Brewers
(-), Boston Red Sox
(-), Montreal Expos
and Chicago Cubs
and also in the Australian Baseball League for the Daikyo Dolphins
. He batted and threw left-handed
.
In an 11-season career, O'Leary posted a .274 batting average
with 127 home run
s and 591 runs batted in
in 1198 games
.
A 13th-round pick in , O'Leary enjoyed a great season at Double-A
El Paso
, winning the Texas League
batting title with a .334 average and stealing
28 bases. O'Leary had batted over .330 twice before. He was promoted to Milwaukee a year later, and after two seasons, he was selected off waivers by the Red Sox.
O'Leary hit his first career home run September 1, 1994 off San Diego Padres
reliever Adam Clark.
From -, he collected at least 80 RBI in each season, batting .308 in 1995 and a career-high .309 in .
Troy enjoyed the best year of his career statistically in 1999. He led the team with 28 home runs in the regular season, was second on the team to Nomar Garciaparra
in RBI (103), and finished with a .280 batting average. He played in 157 of the 162 regular season games and finished with 596 at bats, leading the team in both categories. Troy also posted 84 runs (3rd on team), 167 hits (3rd on team), 36 doubles (4th on team), and a .495 slugging percentage (3rd on team).
O'Leary's greatest moment of his Major League career took place on October 11, 1999, in the deciding game 5 of the ALDS versus the Cleveland Indians
. Boston was trailing 5-2 going into the top of the third inning. With runners on second and third, Indians starter Charles Nagy
chose to intentionally walk Garciaparra, who had homered in the first, to load the bases for O'Leary. O'Leary responded by roping the ball over the right field fence, for the first grand slam in Red Sox post-season history. When the seventh inning began, the game was tied 8-8. The Indians again, chose to intentionally walk Garciaparra to get to O'Leary, this time with Paul Shuey
on the mound. O'Leary responded with a very similar swing to his grand slam in the 3rd inning, hitting a line drive shot over the right field fence for a 3 run home-run to help seal the victory and advance to the ALCS against the New York Yankees
.
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
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...
who played with 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...
(-), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(-), 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...
and 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...
and also in the Australian Baseball League for the Daikyo Dolphins
Daikyo Dolphins
The Daikyo Dolphins were formerly the Gold Coast Clippers, a foundation team in the now defunct Australian Baseball League. The Clippers changed their name to the Daikyo Dolphins following the signing of a major sponsorship deal with Japanese real estate development company Daikyo to create one of...
. He batted and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
.
In an 11-season career, O'Leary posted a .274 batting average
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 :...
with 127 home run
Home 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 and 591 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1198 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
A 13th-round pick in , O'Leary enjoyed a great season at Double-A
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...
El Paso
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
, winning 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...
batting title with a .334 average and stealing
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
28 bases. O'Leary had batted over .330 twice before. He was promoted to Milwaukee a year later, and after two seasons, he was selected off waivers by the Red Sox.
O'Leary hit his first career home run September 1, 1994 off San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
reliever Adam Clark.
From -, he collected at least 80 RBI in each season, batting .308 in 1995 and a career-high .309 in .
Troy enjoyed the best year of his career statistically in 1999. He led the team with 28 home runs in the regular season, was second on the team to Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
in RBI (103), and finished with a .280 batting average. He played in 157 of the 162 regular season games and finished with 596 at bats, leading the team in both categories. Troy also posted 84 runs (3rd on team), 167 hits (3rd on team), 36 doubles (4th on team), and a .495 slugging percentage (3rd on team).
O'Leary's greatest moment of his Major League career took place on October 11, 1999, in the deciding game 5 of the ALDS versus the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland 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...
. Boston was trailing 5-2 going into the top of the third inning. With runners on second and third, Indians starter Charles Nagy
Charles Nagy
Charles Harrison Nagy is an American former Major League Baseball All-Star right-handed pitcher who played for 14 seasons in the major leagues from to , mostly with the Cleveland Indians, and currently serves as the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Early life and amateur career:Nagy...
chose to intentionally walk Garciaparra, who had homered in the first, to load the bases for O'Leary. O'Leary responded by roping the ball over the right field fence, for the first grand slam in Red Sox post-season history. When the seventh inning began, the game was tied 8-8. The Indians again, chose to intentionally walk Garciaparra to get to O'Leary, this time with Paul Shuey
Paul Shuey
Paul Kenneth Shuey , is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who last played for the Baltimore Orioles....
on the mound. O'Leary responded with a very similar swing to his grand slam in the 3rd inning, hitting a line drive shot over the right field fence for a 3 run home-run to help seal the victory and advance to the ALCS against 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...
.