Wayne Krenchicki
Encyclopedia
Wayne Richard Krenchicki is a former Major League Baseball
third baseman. He played all or part of eight seasons in the majors from until . He is currently the manager of the Evansville Otters
of the independent Frontier League
. He played college baseball at the University of Miami
.
with the 7th pick in the first round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft
. He made his major league debut with the Orioles in June 1979, then spending parts of the next two seasons with them.
Prior to the season, Krenchicki was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
for pitcher Paul Moskau
. That season, he backed up Johnny Bench
at third base for the Reds, batting .283. Midway through , Krenchicki was traded to the Detroit Tigers
for pitcher Pat Underwood
. His contract was sold back to the Reds after the season.
Over the next two seasons, Krenchicki returned to being the Reds backup at third base, behind Nick Esasky
in and Buddy Bell
in . He was traded to the Montreal Expos
the following offseason, and in he played mostly at first base for the Expos, backing up Andrés Galarraga
. After becoming a free agent at the end of the season, Krenchicki did not play in the majors again.
. After the league folded, he was brought in by the Milwaukee Brewers
organization. From until , Krenchicki served as a minor league manager for the Brewers, in the Arizona Fall League
in 1991, then for the Beloit Brewers of the Midwest League
for the next three seasons.
Since , Krenchicki has been managing in various independent minor leagues. In , he was hired by the Newark Bears
of the Atlantic League
. That season, he won his first league championship. He also managed for Newark in 2008. On December 16, 2008, he was named the manager of the Evansville Otters
.
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...
third baseman. He played all or part of eight seasons in the majors from until . He is currently the manager of the Evansville Otters
Evansville Otters
The Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana, in the United States. The Otters are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent Frontier League
Frontier League
The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
. He played college baseball at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
Major league career
Krenchicki was drafted by the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore 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...
with the 7th pick in the first round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft
1976 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The 1976 Arizona State University team, considered by many to be the best collegiate team ever, played a major role in the draft. Floyd Bannister was picked number one...
. He made his major league debut with the Orioles in June 1979, then spending parts of the next two seasons with them.
Prior to the season, Krenchicki was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for pitcher Paul Moskau
Paul Moskau
Paul Richard Moskau is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. He debuted on June 21, 1977 against the Philadelphia Phillies. After the 1981 season the Reds traded him to the Baltimore Orioles for Wayne Krenchicki...
. That season, he backed up Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench
Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
at third base for the Reds, batting .283. Midway through , Krenchicki was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for pitcher Pat Underwood
Pat Underwood
Patrick John Underwood was a Major League Baseball Pitcher from to .Underwood was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft, as the second pick overall....
. His contract was sold back to the Reds after the season.
Over the next two seasons, Krenchicki returned to being the Reds backup at third base, behind Nick Esasky
Nick Esasky
Nicholas Andrew Esasky , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and third baseman. During his career, which spanned just over seven-and-a-half years and was spent mostly with the Cincinnati Reds , the former first-round draft pick in 1978 hit .250 with 122 home runs and 427 runs batted...
in and Buddy Bell
Buddy Bell
David Gus "Buddy" Bell is a former third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. After an 18-year career with four teams, most notably the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, he managed the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals for three seasons each...
in . He was traded to the Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
the following offseason, and in he played mostly at first base for the Expos, backing up Andrés Galarraga
Andrés Galarraga
Andrés José Padovani Galarraga is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Colorado Rockies , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels...
. After becoming a free agent at the end of the season, Krenchicki did not play in the majors again.
Post-MLB
In and , Krenchicki played in the Senior Professional Baseball AssociationSenior Professional Baseball Association
The Senior Professional Baseball Association was a winter baseball league based in Florida for players age 35 and over . The league began play in 1989 and had eight teams in two divisions and a 72 game schedule...
. After the league folded, he was brought in by 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...
organization. From until , Krenchicki served as a minor league manager for the Brewers, in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
in 1991, then for the Beloit Brewers of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
for the next three seasons.
Since , Krenchicki has been managing in various independent minor leagues. In , he was hired by 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 &...
of the Atlantic League
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...
. That season, he won his first league championship. He also managed for Newark in 2008. On December 16, 2008, he was named the manager of the Evansville Otters
Evansville Otters
The Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana, in the United States. The Otters are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.