Dave Concepción
Encyclopedia
David Ismael Concepción Benitez (born June 17, 1948), better known as Dave Concepción, is a former shortstop
in Major League Baseball
. He was born in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua State, Venezuela
. On August 25, 2007 the Cincinnati Reds
retired jersey number 13 in honor of Concepción's contributions to the team.
Concepción was signed by the Cincinnati Reds
as an amateur free agent
in 1967. Following the steps of his childhood heroes Chico Carrasquel
and Luis Aparicio
, Jr., Concepción, originally drafted as a pitcher, came out of Venezuela to become one of Cincinnati baseball's more popular shortstops, making his debut on April 6, 1970. In his first three seasons, Reds manager Sparky Anderson
played him part-time, sharing duties with Woody Woodward
and Darrel Chaney
.
In 1973 Concepción blossomed, both at bat and in the field, being named the starting shortstop. On May 9, in a Reds 9-7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies
, Johnny Bench
hit three home run
s and drove in seven runs against pitcher Steve Carlton
. It was the second time that Bench smashed three homers against Carlton in a game. However, a Concepción two-run tie-breaker homer in the ninth, off Barry Lersch
, was the game-winner. Concepción had been named to the NL All-Star
team, but on July 22, two days before the game he broke his ankle (sliding into 3rd base after moving from first base with Dennis Menke base hit against the Expos in the bottom of the 7th inning at Riverfront, fracturing the fibula of left leg) and missed the second half of the year. At this time he was batting
.287, with 8 HRs, 46 RBI
, 39 runs, 18 doubles
, three triples
and 22 tolen
Concepción returned in 1974 and played 160 games. He enjoyed his best overall season, batting .281, with 14 HR, 82 RBI, as well as winning his first Gold Glove Award
.
By 1975 Concepción joined Pete Rose
, Johnny Bench
, Joe Morgan
, Tony Perez
, Ken Griffey, Sr.
, George Foster and César Gerónimo
in the famous "Great Eight" starting lineup of The Big Red Machine
that would help the Reds win the next two World Series
titles. Even after Concepción had established himself in the major leagues as a star shortstop, he continued to play winter ball in Venezuela, helping to improve his batting. After his .274, 5, 49 totals in the 1975 season, Concepción posted marks of : .281, 9, 69 (1976) - .271, 8, 64 (1977) - .301, 6, 67 (1978) - .281, 16, 84 (1979) - .260, 5, 77 (1980) - .306, 5, 67 (1981) - .287, 5, 53 (1982).
On July 13, 1982, the first All-Star Game outside of the United States
was held at Montreal
's Olympic Stadium
. Concepción hit a two-run homer to help the National League to a 4-1 win (the NL's 11th straight victory and 19th in the last 20 contests). Concepción was named the game's Most Valuable Player
.
Later in his career, Concepcion worked with Tony Perez and perfected the one-bounce throw to first base. Concepcion was the first shortstop to use this method to take advantage of the speedy artificial turf at Riverfront Stadium and other parks in the National League.
Hampered by age, an elbow injury and shoulder surgery in 1982, Concepción had consecutive sub-par seasons (1983–84). Grooming Barry Larkin
as his successor, he became a dependable handyman at all four infield positions. Replaced by Larkin in 1986, Concepción was only 44 games away from Larry Bowa's NL record for shortstops.
Dave Concepción retired from baseball in 1988. Showing his overall versatility, during his last season late in a game under direction of manager Pete Rose, he pitched 1 1/3 innings in Dodger Stadium in a blow out game, giving up two hits, no runs, and striking out one batter.
On August 25, 2007, Concepción's number 13 was retired by the Reds before their game against the Florida Marlins
.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
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...
. He was born in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua State, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. On August 25, 2007 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....
retired jersey number 13 in honor of Concepción's contributions to the team.
Career
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....
as an amateur free agent
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....
in 1967. Following the steps of his childhood heroes Chico Carrasquel
Chico Carrasquel
Alfonso Carrasquel Colón, better known as Chico Carrasquel was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Kansas City Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles...
and Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
, Jr., Concepción, originally drafted as a pitcher, came out of Venezuela to become one of Cincinnati baseball's more popular shortstops, making his debut on April 6, 1970. In his first three seasons, Reds manager Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
played him part-time, sharing duties with Woody Woodward
Woody Woodward
William Frederick "Woody" Woodward is a retired player and general manager in Major League Baseball....
and Darrel Chaney
Darrel Chaney
Darrel Lee Chaney is an American former player/annnouncer in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves from 1969 to 1979. In the early 1980s he worked for the Braves as an announcer on their TV and radio broadcasts along with Ernie Johnson Sr., Skip Caray and Pete...
.
In 1973 Concepción blossomed, both at bat and in the field, being named the starting shortstop. On May 9, in a Reds 9-7 victory over 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...
, 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...
hit three 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 drove in seven runs against pitcher Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
. It was the second time that Bench smashed three homers against Carlton in a game. However, a Concepción two-run tie-breaker homer in the ninth, off Barry Lersch
Barry Lersch
Barry Lee Lersch was an American Major League Baseball player who played pitcher from -. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1969–1973 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974....
, was the game-winner. Concepción had been named to the NL 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, but on July 22, two days before the game he broke his ankle (sliding into 3rd base after moving from first base with Dennis Menke base hit against the Expos in the bottom of the 7th inning at Riverfront, fracturing the fibula of left leg) and missed the second half of the year. At this time he was batting
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 :...
.287, with 8 HRs, 46 RBI
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...
, 39 runs, 18 doubles
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....
, three triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 22 tolen
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...
.
By 1975 Concepción joined Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, 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...
, Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
, Tony Perez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
, Ken Griffey, Sr.
Ken Griffey, Sr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He currently serves as Manager for the Bakersfield Blaze, the Reds' Single A minor league affiliate. He is the father of former professional outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. and former minor leaguer Craig Griffey. He and his...
, George Foster and César Gerónimo
César Gerónimo
César Francisco Gerónimo Zorrilla , known as César Gerónimo, is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, who was a member of the famed Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s. He batted and threw left-handed....
in the famous "Great Eight" starting lineup of The Big Red Machine
The Big Red Machine
The Big Red Machine is the nickname given to the Cincinnati Reds baseball team which dominated the National League from 1970 to 1976, recognized as among the best in baseball. Over that span, the team won five National League Western Division titles, four National League pennants, and two World...
that would help the Reds win the next two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
titles. Even after Concepción had established himself in the major leagues as a star shortstop, he continued to play winter ball in Venezuela, helping to improve his batting. After his .274, 5, 49 totals in the 1975 season, Concepción posted marks of : .281, 9, 69 (1976) - .271, 8, 64 (1977) - .301, 6, 67 (1978) - .281, 16, 84 (1979) - .260, 5, 77 (1980) - .306, 5, 67 (1981) - .287, 5, 53 (1982).
On July 13, 1982, the first All-Star Game outside of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was held at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
. Concepción hit a two-run homer to help the National League to a 4-1 win (the NL's 11th straight victory and 19th in the last 20 contests). Concepción was named the game's Most Valuable Player
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
.
Later in his career, Concepcion worked with Tony Perez and perfected the one-bounce throw to first base. Concepcion was the first shortstop to use this method to take advantage of the speedy artificial turf at Riverfront Stadium and other parks in the National League.
Hampered by age, an elbow injury and shoulder surgery in 1982, Concepción had consecutive sub-par seasons (1983–84). Grooming Barry Larkin
Barry Larkin
Barry Louis Larkin is a retired Major League Baseball player. Larkin played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1986 to 2004 and was one of the pivotal players on the 1990 Reds' World Series championship team...
as his successor, he became a dependable handyman at all four infield positions. Replaced by Larkin in 1986, Concepción was only 44 games away from Larry Bowa's NL record for shortstops.
Dave Concepción retired from baseball in 1988. Showing his overall versatility, during his last season late in a game under direction of manager Pete Rose, he pitched 1 1/3 innings in Dodger Stadium in a blow out game, giving up two hits, no runs, and striking out one batter.
On August 25, 2007, Concepción's number 13 was retired by the Reds before their game against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
.
Quotation
"The best shortstop in baseball during the 1970s, Concepcion was a graceful fielder who made himself into a fine hitter and used his speed well on the base paths. He and Joe Morgan formed one of the finest all-around double play combinations in history. In nineteen seasons -all with the Reds- Concepcion played more than 2,100 games at the shortstop position. He was one of the last of the "Big Red Machine" everyday players to retire." – The Baseball PageBooks sections
- The Greatest Shortstops Of All Time, by Donald Honig - p. 80, 6 page(s). Dubuque, Ia: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1992
- Baseball's Dream Team., by John Thorn - Dave Concepción: "Senor Slick" - p. 40, 10 page(s). New York: Ace Tempo Books, 1982
Articles
- Reds' Brass Excited Over Concepcion, Fast-Rising Infield Whiz. The Sporting News, by Earl Lawson - November 8, 1969 (Vol. 168, Issue 17) -- p. 39
- The Making of Dave Concepción. Baseball Digest, by Si Burick - August, 1974 (Vol. 33, Issue 8) -- p. 40, 3 page(s)
- Friday the 13th. Sports Illustrated, by Robert H. Boyle - June 23, 1980 (Vol. 52, Issue 26) -- p. 13, 14
- Dave Concepción Best in the Business. Boys' Life, by Jim Brosnan - September, 1975 (Vol. 65, Issue 9) -- p. 20, 4 page(s)
See also
- List of NL Gold Glove Winners at Shortstop
- List of Gold Glove middle infield duos
- List of MLB players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- Players from Venezuela in MLB
- Tigres de AraguaTigres de AraguaThe Tigres de Aragua are a baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.Founded in 1965, they play at the Estadio José Perez Colmenares in Maracay...
External links
- Davidconcepcion - Official web site