Dave Hansen (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
David Andrew Hansen in Long Beach, California
, is a former Major League Baseball
player, specializing as a pinch hitter
. He is currently the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
in the 2nd round of the 1986 MLB Draft out of Rowland High School in California. He made his Major League debut for the Dodgers on September 16, 1990 against the Cincinnati Reds
, striking out as a pinch hitter. His first career hit was in his first career start, in the last game of the season, October 3, against the San Diego Padres
. He hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Padres starter Eric Show
. He remained with the Dodgers through the 1996 season, playing third base
and first base but mostly appearing as a pinch hitter
.
as a free agent prior to the 1997 season. In 90 games with the Cubs, he hit .311.
On April 10, 1997, he broke up a no-hitter at Wrigley Field that was being thrown by the Florida Marlins' Alex Fernandez
with a one-out pinch single in the ninth inning. The Chicago Tribune
called Hansen's hit a "wicked one-out one-hopper."
prior to the 2003 season. After one season with the Padres, where he hit .244 in 110 games, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners
(along with Wiki Gonzalez
, Kevin Jarvis
and minor leaguer Vince Faison) for Jeff Cirillo
, Brian Sweeney
and cash. He appeared in 57 games with the Mariners, hitting .282 before they traded him back to the Padres on July 30, 2004 for Jon Huber
. He was signed by the Cubs as a free agent for 2005 but was released at the end of spring training and returned to the Mariners.
Hansen retired at the end of the 2005 season. He told Baseball Digest
magazine that he describes pinch-hitting not as a position, not as a role, but "a state of mind."
As of , Hansen ranked sixth all-time in Major League Baseball
career pinch hits with 138 http://www.tireball.com/behindthedugout/profiles/dave-hansen/.
, the Arizona Diamondbacks
Double-A affiliate in . On September 26, 2007, Hansen was named the Diamondbacks minor league hitting coordinator.
On November 22, 2010 he was announced as a secondary hitting instructor by the Los Angeles Dodgers
. On July 20, 2011, he was named interim hitting coach by the team. He had the interim tag removed when he was retained for the job in 2012.
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, is 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...
player, specializing as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. He is currently the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Hansen was drafted by the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the 2nd round of the 1986 MLB Draft out of Rowland High School in California. He made his Major League debut for the Dodgers on September 16, 1990 against 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....
, striking out as a pinch hitter. His first career hit was in his first career start, in the last game of the season, October 3, against the 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...
. He hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Padres starter Eric Show
Eric Show
Eric Vaughn Show was a Major League Baseball player who played for most of his career with the San Diego Padres. On September 11, 1985, Show gave up Pete Rose's record-breaking 4,192nd career hit...
. He remained with the Dodgers through the 1996 season, playing third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and first base but mostly appearing as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
.
Chicago Cubs
Hansen signed with the Chicago CubsChicago 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...
as a free agent prior to the 1997 season. In 90 games with the Cubs, he hit .311.
On April 10, 1997, he broke up a no-hitter at Wrigley Field that was being thrown by the Florida Marlins' Alex Fernandez
Alex Fernandez (baseball)
Alexander Fernandez is a Cuban American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 11-year baseball career, he pitched for the Chicago White Sox and Florida Marlins...
with a one-out pinch single in the ninth inning. The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
called Hansen's hit a "wicked one-out one-hopper."
Los Angeles Dodgers (2nd stint)
Hansen re-signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in 1999. In 2000, he set a Major League record with seven pinch-hit home runs.San Diego Padres/Seattle Mariners
He signed with the San Diego PadresSan 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...
prior to the 2003 season. After one season with the Padres, where he hit .244 in 110 games, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(along with Wiki Gonzalez
Wiki González
Wiklenman Vicente "Wiki" González is a former Major League Baseball player. González's MLB career was with the San Diego Padres , the Seattle Mariners , and the Washington Nationals ....
, Kevin Jarvis
Kevin Jarvis
Kevin Thomas Jarvis is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently a scout for the San Diego Padres....
and minor leaguer Vince Faison) for Jeff Cirillo
Jeff Cirillo
Jeffrey Howard Cirillo is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. In a 14-season career, Cirillo was a .296 hitter with 112 home runs and 727 RBI in 1617 games. He was named an All-Star in and . He is the Brewers all-time career leader in batting average at .306...
, Brian Sweeney
Brian Sweeney
Brian Edward Sweeney is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the New York Mets organization.Sweeney graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains in 1992...
and cash. He appeared in 57 games with the Mariners, hitting .282 before they traded him back to the Padres on July 30, 2004 for Jon Huber
Jon Huber
Jonathon Lloyd "Jon" Huber is a professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Huber has played in professional baseball since 2000. Huber has played in the San Diego Padres organization, the Seattle Mariners organization, the Atlanta Braves organization, and the Los Angeles Dodgers...
. He was signed by the Cubs as a free agent for 2005 but was released at the end of spring training and returned to the Mariners.
Hansen retired at the end of the 2005 season. He told Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
magazine that he describes pinch-hitting not as a position, not as a role, but "a state of mind."
As of , Hansen ranked sixth all-time 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...
career pinch hits with 138 http://www.tireball.com/behindthedugout/profiles/dave-hansen/.
Coaching career
Hansen was the hitting coach for the Mobile BayBearsMobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are a minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league club. The BayBears play in Hank Aaron Stadium, named after baseball's former all-time home...
, the Arizona Diamondbacks
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...
Double-A affiliate in . On September 26, 2007, Hansen was named the Diamondbacks minor league hitting coordinator.
On November 22, 2010 he was announced as a secondary hitting instructor by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. On July 20, 2011, he was named interim hitting coach by the team. He had the interim tag removed when he was retained for the job in 2012.