Doug Loman
Encyclopedia
Douglas Edward "Doug" Loman (born May 9, 1958 in Bakersfield, California
) is a retired professional baseball
player whose career spanned nine seasons, two of which were spent in Major League Baseball
(MLB) with the Milwaukee Brewers
. Loman began his professional career in 1978 with the Class-A Burlington Bees
in Milwaukee's minor league
organization. He made his MLB debut on September 3, 1984. Over his two-year major league career, Loman, an outfielder
, batted
.246 with seven doubles
, two triples
, two home run
s, and 19 runs batted in (RBIs) in 47 games played
. After playing in North America
for his first eight seasons, Loman went to Japan
to play in their professional baseball league. During his playing career, Loman was listed at a height of 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and a weight of 185 pounds (83.9 kg). He batted and threw left-handed.
, Loman was selected in the second round (33 overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers
out of Bakersfield Junior College. He began his professional career that season in Milwaukee's minor league
organization with the Class-A Burlington Bees
of the Midwest League
. With the Bees, Loman batted
.244 with 100 hits
, 23 doubles
, four triples
, 63 runs batted in (RBIs), and 14 stolen bases in 125 games played
. In 1979, Loman was assigned to the Class-A Stockton Ports
of the California League
. In 138 games played, he batted .276 with 144 hits, 22 doubles, nine triples, and nine home runs. He was tied for second in the league in triples.
Loman was promoted to the Holyoke Millers
of the Double-A Eastern League in 1980. With the Millers, he batted .261 with 123 hits, 20 doubles, nine triples, eight home runs, 62 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. Amongst league batters, he was tied for third in triples. In 1981, Loman split the season between the Double-A El Paso Diablos
, and the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians
. First with the Diablos, he batted .306 with 83 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 42 RBIs in 71 games played. He was then promoted to the Canadians, where in 62 games played, he batted .248 with 53 hits, eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 19 RBIs.
In 1982, Loman spent the entire season with the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians of the Pacific Coast League
. In 118 games, he batted 106 hits, 19 doubles, six triples, 14 home runs, and 64 RBIs. In addition to being the team's outfielder
, Loman was also the team's designated hitter
. Loman later commented that he contemplated quitting baseball after the 1982 season and becoming a juvenile counselor
. Loman was again a member of the Vancouver Canadians in 1983. He batted .262 with 122 hits, 20 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs, and 78 RBIs in 130 games played.
Loman started the 1984 season at the Triple-A level, with the Vancouver Canadians, batting .324 with 170 hits, 34 doubles, nine triples, and 18 home runs in 142 games played. He led the Pacific Coast League in hits, was fifth in doubles, tied for fifth in triples, and tenth in home runs. On September 3, 1984, the Milwaukee Brewers called Loman up to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut that day against the Boston Red Sox
, getting two hits in four at-bats. On September 23, against the Toronto Blue Jays
, Loman hit two home runs, the first two of his MLB career. In 23 major league games that season, he batted .276 with 13 runs scored, 21 hits, four doubles, two home runs, and 12 RBIs.
In 1985, Loman made the Brewers major league roster as a platooned
center fielder
. During spring training
that year, Brewers manager
George Bamberger
said, "[Loman] hasn't looked good, he's looked outstanding". That year, Loman gained the nickname "Piggy" due to his short and bulky frame. In 24 games played with the Brewers that season, he batted .212 with 10 runs scored, three doubles, two triples, and seven RBIs. On May 15, Loman was optioned to the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians. Ernest Riles
replaced Loman on the Brewers roster. With the Canadians that season, Loman batted .294 with 113 hits, 23 doubles, six triples, and 10 home runs. On September 27, 1985, he was released by the Brewers. In 1986, Loman signed with the Yokohama Taiyō Whales
of the Nippon Professional Baseball. As a member of Yokohama, Loman batted .291 with 137 hits, 26 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 126 games played.
at Summit Christian Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. Most recently, Loman served as an associate pastor at the Valley Bible Fellowship Church in Las Vegas
, Nevada
. In January 2011, his church was broken into by people seeking copper
. The theft was estimated anywhere from $100,000–$125,000 in losses for the church.
. He is a Christian
, and attributed his success in baseball to the religion. His son, Seth Loman, is a professional baseball
player in the Chicago White Sox
minor league organization.
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
) is a retired professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned nine seasons, two of which were spent 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...
(MLB) 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...
. Loman began his professional career in 1978 with the Class-A Burlington Bees
Burlington Bees
The Burlington Bees are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home is in Burlington, Iowa.-History:...
in Milwaukee's minor league
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...
organization. He made his MLB debut on September 3, 1984. Over his two-year major league career, Loman, an 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...
, batted
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 :...
.246 with seven 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....
, two 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....
, two 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 19 runs batted in (RBIs) in 47 games played
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,...
. After playing in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
for his first eight seasons, Loman went to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to play in their professional baseball league. During his playing career, Loman was listed at a height of 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and a weight of 185 pounds (83.9 kg). He batted and threw left-handed.
Professional career
During the January phase of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft1978 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :In 1978, four players made the jump from amateur baseball to the major leagues, including Arizona State third baseman Bob Horner, who was selected number one overall by the Atlanta...
, Loman was selected in the second round (33 overall) 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...
out of Bakersfield Junior College. He began his professional career that season in Milwaukee's minor league
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...
organization with the Class-A Burlington Bees
Burlington Bees
The Burlington Bees are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home is in Burlington, Iowa.-History:...
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...
. With the Bees, Loman batted
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 :...
.244 with 100 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....
, 23 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....
, four 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....
, 63 runs batted in (RBIs), and 14 stolen bases in 125 games played
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,...
. In 1979, Loman was assigned to the Class-A Stockton Ports
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a baseball team in Stockton, California. The Ports play in the Northern Division of the Class A – Advanced California League and are a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Their home field is Banner Island Ballpark which seats over 5,000 people and opened in...
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. In 138 games played, he batted .276 with 144 hits, 22 doubles, nine triples, and nine home runs. He was tied for second in the league in triples.
Loman was promoted to the Holyoke Millers
Holyoke Millers
The Holyoke Millers were a minor league baseball team located in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The team played in the Eastern League. Their home stadium was Mackenzie Stadium. The Millers played from 1977 to 1982 and was a farm team of the Milwaukee Brewers the first four years and the California...
of the Double-A Eastern League in 1980. With the Millers, he batted .261 with 123 hits, 20 doubles, nine triples, eight home runs, 62 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. Amongst league batters, he was tied for third in triples. In 1981, Loman split the season between the Double-A El Paso Diablos
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...
, and the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
. First with the Diablos, he batted .306 with 83 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 42 RBIs in 71 games played. He was then promoted to the Canadians, where in 62 games played, he batted .248 with 53 hits, eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 19 RBIs.
In 1982, Loman spent the entire season with the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. In 118 games, he batted 106 hits, 19 doubles, six triples, 14 home runs, and 64 RBIs. In addition to being the team's 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...
, Loman was also the team's designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
. Loman later commented that he contemplated quitting baseball after the 1982 season and becoming a juvenile counselor
School counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
. Loman was again a member of the Vancouver Canadians in 1983. He batted .262 with 122 hits, 20 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs, and 78 RBIs in 130 games played.
Loman started the 1984 season at the Triple-A level, with the Vancouver Canadians, batting .324 with 170 hits, 34 doubles, nine triples, and 18 home runs in 142 games played. He led the Pacific Coast League in hits, was fifth in doubles, tied for fifth in triples, and tenth in home runs. On September 3, 1984, the Milwaukee Brewers called Loman up to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut that day against the 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"...
, getting two hits in four at-bats. On September 23, against the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, Loman hit two home runs, the first two of his MLB career. In 23 major league games that season, he batted .276 with 13 runs scored, 21 hits, four doubles, two home runs, and 12 RBIs.
In 1985, Loman made the Brewers major league roster as a platooned
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
. During spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
that year, Brewers manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
George Bamberger
George Bamberger
George Irvin Bamberger was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the 1951–1952 New York Giants and the 1959 Baltimore Orioles. He later served as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets ....
said, "[Loman] hasn't looked good, he's looked outstanding". That year, Loman gained the nickname "Piggy" due to his short and bulky frame. In 24 games played with the Brewers that season, he batted .212 with 10 runs scored, three doubles, two triples, and seven RBIs. On May 15, Loman was optioned to the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians. Ernest Riles
Ernest Riles
Ernest Riles is a former shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1985 through 1993, Riles played for the Milwaukee Brewers , San Francisco Giants , Oakland Athletics , Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox...
replaced Loman on the Brewers roster. With the Canadians that season, Loman batted .294 with 113 hits, 23 doubles, six triples, and 10 home runs. On September 27, 1985, he was released by the Brewers. In 1986, Loman signed with the Yokohama Taiyō Whales
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
of the Nippon Professional Baseball. As a member of Yokohama, Loman batted .291 with 137 hits, 26 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 126 games played.
Later life
Loman served as a senior pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at Summit Christian Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Most recently, Loman served as an associate pastor at the Valley Bible Fellowship Church in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. In January 2011, his church was broken into by people seeking copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
. The theft was estimated anywhere from $100,000–$125,000 in losses for the church.
Personal
Loman was born on May 9, 1958 in Bakersfield, CaliforniaBakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
. He is a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, and attributed his success in baseball to the religion. His son, Seth Loman, is a professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player in 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...
minor league organization.