Darin Erstad
Encyclopedia
Darin Charles Erstad (ˈdærən ˈɜrstæt; born June 4, 1974 in Jamestown, North Dakota
) is the Head Coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team
and a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
/first baseman
. Prior to , he had played with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
franchise (-) before signing with the Chicago White Sox
in 2007. He batted and threw left-handed
.
, North Dakota
. He was a kicker and punter on the school football team, logging a school-record 50-yard field goal. Erstad also played hockey (36 goals and 24 assists in 26 games) and participated in track and field (winning state titles in 110 and 300-meter hurdles).
Erstad played American Legion baseball
(Jamestown had no high school baseball team) and hit .492 with 18 home runs and 86 RBI for Jamestown in 1992. He was also 10-2 with a 2.18 ERA as a pitcher, and was named AP North Dakota Athlete of the Year in 1992.
there for three years and held the school record for career hits with 261. In his final year there, Erstad hit .410 with 19 home run
s and 79 RBIs, earning First-Team All-American status and was a finalist for the 1995 Golden Spikes Award
.
Darin started his junior campaign on a tear and never stopped hitting. He was at his best against the conference’s top team, Oklahoma
. In five games with the first-place Sooners, he batted .429 and blasted three home runs. Oklahoma lefty Mark Redman
— with whom Darin would share conference Player of the Year honors — was among his biggest victims. The Huskers
finished 35-23, and Darin led the Big Eight with a .410 average. He was the only batter in the conference to surpass 100 hits, and also led all players with seven triples. Named a First Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Darin set career highs with 19 homers and 76 RBIs.
Erstad was also the starting punter
on the Cornhuskers football
team and was part of their 1994 National Championship squad
, averaging 42.6 yards per punt, the 14th best mark in the country that year.
with 124 home run
s and 699 RBIs
in 1654 games
. He was selected to the American League All-Star
team twice (1998, 2000) and had eight game-ending, or "walk-off
," RBI in his career.
from the University of Nebraska. He made his major league debut the same year batting .284 over 57 games. He played his first full season in 1997, batting .299 with 16 home runs and 99 runs scored. Posting similarly solid statistics the next year, Erstad made his first of two All-Star
appearances before having a disappointing season in 1999.
Erstad had a career season in , when he finished eighth in the American League
in MVP voting. That year, he led the American League in hits
(240), singles
(170) and at-bats
(676); he was second in total bases
(366) and third in runs
(121). He also hit .355, finishing second in the batting race behind Nomar Garciaparra
(.372), became the first player in Major League history to record 100 RBIs as a leadoff hitter, and won the AL Silver Slugger Award.
On June 10, , Erstad hit a double
in the Angels' 10-3 win over Arizona
. With a major league-leading 100 hits in 61 games, he became the fastest to reach the 100-hit mark since Hall of Famer Heinie Manush
did it in 60 games for the 1934 Washington Senators. With three hits on Aug. 29, 2000, he reached 200 hits faster than any player in 65 years. Erstad was just 26 years old at the end of the season, an age at which many players enter their prime, leading many to believe more superstar seasons were ahead of him.
He is one of only five batters, through August 2009, to have hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game (having done so in 2000), the others being Billy Hamilton (1893), Victor Power
(1957), Reed Johnson
(2003), and Ian Kinsler
(2009).
Despite all this, Darin Erstad managed to be a vital part of the 2002 World Series
Champion Anaheim Angels. After batting .421 in the American League Division Series
against the New York Yankees
and .364 in the American League Championship Series
against the Minnesota Twins
, Erstad batted .300 in the seven-game series vs. the National League
Champion San Francisco Giants
. He hit a key home run in Game 6 of the series with the Angels trailing 5-3 in the eighth inning and facing elimination, and he also caught the final out of Game 7 hit by Kenny Lofton
off Troy Percival
into center field. When the Angels won the World Series in 2002, Erstad became just the second player hailing from North Dakota to be on a World Series winning roster. Roger Maris
was the first with the 1961 Yankees
and 1967 Cardinals
.
Throughout Erstad's Angels career, his defense remained exceptionally strong. He led all major league center fielders in range factor
(3.39) in 2002. Erstad won Gold Glove
awards in 2000, 2002, and 2004, when he made a transition from the outfield to first base. He was the only player in MLB history to have won Gold Gloves
as an infielder and outfielder and first to win the award at different positions, though all outfield Gold Gloves are voted on together until Placido Polanco
won an NL Gold Glove as a Third Basemen for the Philadelphia Phillies
.
Though he compiled a career high 21 game hit streak in 2005, he only played in 40 games in 2006, his last season with the Angels. In eleven years with the franchise, Erstad compiled a .286 batting average
and a cumulative .339 postseason average over three seasons. He currently ranks near the top of several franchise records.
on opening day 2007 off CC Sabathia. He finished the season having batted .248 with a .650 OPS over 87 games. He played the following two seasons with the Houston Astros
. Erstad found success in the first season batting .276, but struggled near the end of the second season as a role player, ending the season with a .194 batting average. Interestingly, when catcher Chris Coste
joined Erstad on the Astros roster in July 2009, they became the first two players born in North Dakota to play together on the same team in major league history.
In 2007, Lowell Spinners
manager Gary DiSarcina
compared his ballplayer Ryan Kalish
to Erstad, noting their similar intensity.
On June 17, 2010, when asked if he would continue playing baseball, Erstad said that he was "done".
On June 2, 2011, after Anderson was fired, Erstad was hired as Nebraska Baseball's head coach.
in his hometown of Jamestown, North Dakota
. During Erstad's tenure with the Angels, his hometown carried all Angels games over the radio; most North Dakota stations only carry Minnesota Twins
games. As of July, 2009, he currently ranks second to Travis Hafner
in all-time home runs hit by a player born in North Dakota.
Jamestown, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
) is the Head Coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team
Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball
The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team is a member of the Big Ten Conference in the NCAA, and is currently coached by Darin Erstad. The program started in 1889....
and a former 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...
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...
/first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. Prior to , he had played with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
franchise (-) before signing with 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 2007. 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...
.
High school
Erstad graduated in 1992 from Jamestown High School in JamestownJamestown, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. He was a kicker and punter on the school football team, logging a school-record 50-yard field goal. Erstad also played hockey (36 goals and 24 assists in 26 games) and participated in track and field (winning state titles in 110 and 300-meter hurdles).
Erstad played American Legion baseball
American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
(Jamestown had no high school baseball team) and hit .492 with 18 home runs and 86 RBI for Jamestown in 1992. He was also 10-2 with a 2.18 ERA as a pitcher, and was named AP North Dakota Athlete of the Year in 1992.
College
Erstad attended the University of Nebraska, playing baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
there for three years and held the school record for career hits with 261. In his final year there, Erstad hit .410 with 19 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 79 RBIs, earning First-Team All-American status and was a finalist for the 1995 Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
.
Darin started his junior campaign on a tear and never stopped hitting. He was at his best against the conference’s top team, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners baseball
Oklahoma Sooners baseball is the NCAA Division I collegiate baseball team of the University of Oklahoma based in Norman, Oklahoma.The Oklahoma Baseball tradition is long and storied, with two National Championships in 1951 and 1994, along with numerous All-Americans...
. In five games with the first-place Sooners, he batted .429 and blasted three home runs. Oklahoma lefty Mark Redman
Mark Redman
Mark Allen Redman is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher.-Early career:...
— with whom Darin would share conference Player of the Year honors — was among his biggest victims. The Huskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball
The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team is a member of the Big Ten Conference in the NCAA, and is currently coached by Darin Erstad. The program started in 1889....
finished 35-23, and Darin led the Big Eight with a .410 average. He was the only batter in the conference to surpass 100 hits, and also led all players with seven triples. Named a First Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Darin set career highs with 19 homers and 76 RBIs.
Erstad was also the starting punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
on the Cornhuskers football
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
team and was part of their 1994 National Championship squad
1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska...
, averaging 42.6 yards per punt, the 14th best mark in the country that year.
Professional career
In his 14-season career, Erstad compiled a .282 batting averageBatting 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 124 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 699 RBIs
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 1654 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,...
. He was selected to the American League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team twice (1998, 2000) and had eight game-ending, or "walk-off
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
," RBI in his career.
1995-2000
The then-titled California Angels chose Erstad as the first pick overall in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft1995 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign-Background:Outfielder Darin Erstad of the University of Nebraska was the first pick in the 1995 Rule 4 Draft. Erstad compiled a career .356 average in three seasons with the...
from the University of Nebraska. He made his major league debut the same year batting .284 over 57 games. He played his first full season in 1997, batting .299 with 16 home runs and 99 runs scored. Posting similarly solid statistics the next year, Erstad made his first of two All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
appearances before having a disappointing season in 1999.
Erstad had a career season in , when he finished eighth 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...
in MVP voting. That year, he led the American League in 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....
(240), singles
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
(170) and at-bats
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...
(676); he was second in total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(366) and third in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(121). He also hit .355, finishing second in the batting race behind 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...
(.372), became the first player in Major League history to record 100 RBIs as a leadoff hitter, and won the AL Silver Slugger Award.
On June 10, , Erstad hit a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in the Angels' 10-3 win over Arizona
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. With a major league-leading 100 hits in 61 games, he became the fastest to reach the 100-hit mark since Hall of Famer Heinie Manush
Heinie Manush
Henry Emmett Manush , nicknamed "Heinie" due to his German heritage, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964....
did it in 60 games for the 1934 Washington Senators. With three hits on Aug. 29, 2000, he reached 200 hits faster than any player in 65 years. Erstad was just 26 years old at the end of the season, an age at which many players enter their prime, leading many to believe more superstar seasons were ahead of him.
He is one of only five batters, through August 2009, to have hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game (having done so in 2000), the others being Billy Hamilton (1893), Victor Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
(1957), Reed Johnson
Reed Johnson
Reed Cameron Johnson is an American professional baseball outfielder. He was born in Riverside, California-College career:...
(2003), and Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
(2009).
2001-2006
Since 2001, however, Erstad has never hit as high as .300, nor has hit over 10 home runs or slugged over .400 (2004) in any season. In some years he has been the least productive offensive regular at his position.Despite all this, Darin Erstad managed to be a vital part of the 2002 World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
Champion Anaheim Angels. After batting .421 in the American League Division Series
2002 American League Division Series
-Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins:-Game 1, October 1:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe game went back and forth with the Angels taking a 5–4 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning. Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia brought in Scott Schoeneweis to pitch to Jason Giambi, who tied the game...
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...
and .364 in the American League Championship Series
2002 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 2002 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaJoe Mays outdueled Kevin Appier as the Twins won Game 1. A.J. Pierzynski hit a sac fly to put the Twins out in front first, but the Angels tied it the next inning on an error by Cristian Guzmán. The Twins...
against 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...
, Erstad batted .300 in the seven-game series vs. the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Champion San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. He hit a key home run in Game 6 of the series with the Angels trailing 5-3 in the eighth inning and facing elimination, and he also caught the final out of Game 7 hit by Kenny Lofton
Kenny Lofton
Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
off Troy Percival
Troy Percival
Troy Eugene Percival is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1995-2009 for four different teams, pitching primarily with the California/Anaheim Angels...
into center field. When the Angels won the World Series in 2002, Erstad became just the second player hailing from North Dakota to be on a World Series winning roster. Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
was the first with the 1961 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...
and 1967 Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
Throughout Erstad's Angels career, his defense remained exceptionally strong. He led all major league center fielders in range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
(3.39) in 2002. Erstad won Gold Glove
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
awards in 2000, 2002, and 2004, when he made a transition from the outfield to first base. He was the only player in MLB history to have won Gold Gloves
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
as an infielder and outfielder and first to win the award at different positions, though all outfield Gold Gloves are voted on together until Placido Polanco
Plácido Polanco
Plácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers. He is a third baseman, but in the past has played second base and shortstop...
won an NL Gold Glove as a Third Basemen for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Though he compiled a career high 21 game hit streak in 2005, he only played in 40 games in 2006, his last season with the Angels. In eleven years with the franchise, Erstad compiled a .286 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 :...
and a cumulative .339 postseason average over three seasons. He currently ranks near the top of several franchise records.
White Sox and Astros
Having signed a $750,000 contract in the off-season, Erstad hit a home run in his first at-bat as a member of the Chicago White SoxChicago 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...
on opening day 2007 off CC Sabathia. He finished the season having batted .248 with a .650 OPS over 87 games. He played the following two seasons with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Erstad found success in the first season batting .276, but struggled near the end of the second season as a role player, ending the season with a .194 batting average. Interestingly, when catcher Chris Coste
Chris Coste
Christopher Robert Coste is an author and Major League Baseball catcher who is currently a free agent. Coste was on a Major League Baseball team for the first time in his career at age 33...
joined Erstad on the Astros roster in July 2009, they became the first two players born in North Dakota to play together on the same team in major league history.
In 2007, Lowell Spinners
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a...
manager Gary DiSarcina
Gary DiSarcina
Gary Thomas DiSarcina is a front office executive and a former shortstop in Major League Baseball. He was raised in Billerica, Massachusetts and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst. DiSarcina was drafted by the California Angels in the 6th round of the 1988 amateur draft...
compared his ballplayer Ryan Kalish
Ryan Kalish
Ryan Michael Kalish is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization.A standout high school baseball and football player, he was drafted by the Red Sox in 2006...
to Erstad, noting their similar intensity.
On June 17, 2010, when asked if he would continue playing baseball, Erstad said that he was "done".
Coaching career
On July 5, 2010, the Lincoln Journal Star reported that Erstad accepted a position to become a volunteer coach for the Nebraska baseball team. On July 8, Nebraska Baseball Head Coach Mike Anderson revealed Erstad as the college team's next hitting coach.On June 2, 2011, after Anderson was fired, Erstad was hired as Nebraska Baseball's head coach.
Personal and hometown
Erstad has three children, a daughter Jordan Elizabeth, a son Zack, and another son Adam, with his wife Jessica. He has a billboard in his honor off Interstate 94Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
in his hometown of Jamestown, North Dakota
Jamestown, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
. During Erstad's tenure with the Angels, his hometown carried all Angels games over the radio; most North Dakota stations only carry 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...
games. As of July, 2009, he currently ranks second to Travis Hafner
Travis Hafner
Travis Lee Hafner is a left-handed hitting designated hitter for the Cleveland Indians of the American League Central Division. His nickname, "Pronk", was given to him by former teammate Bill Selby during spring training of when people sometimes referred to him as "The Project" and other times...
in all-time home runs hit by a player born in North Dakota.