John Vander Wal
Encyclopedia
John Henry Vander Wal is a former American
Major League Baseball
left-handed
hitter who played outfield
and first base for eight different teams over 14 seasons.
, attended Western Michigan University
and was drafted by the Montreal Expos
in the third round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
.
in 61 at-bats for a .213 batting average
.
Vander Wal played two more seasons in Montreal
before moving on to the Colorado Rockies
in , where he would spend all of four seasons and part of another, although he never recorded more than 151 at-bats or appeared in 105 games in any of those seasons. On August 31, , he was traded to the San Diego Padres
for a PTBNL
. He went on to appear in the World Series
with the Padres, recording two hits in five at-bats.
Vander Wal spent in San Diego before moving on to the Pittsburgh Pirates
in a trade that brought Al Martin
to the Padres. While playing for the Pirates, he posted his best season, appearing in 134 games, and batting .299 with 24 home run
s and 94 RBI
. In , Vander Wal was traded to the San Francisco Giants
, who later traded him to the New York Yankees
for Jay Witasick
. Vander Wal was a part-time performer for the Yankees in , before moving on to the Milwaukee Brewers
in , and the Cincinnati Reds
in , where he recorded just 6 hits in 51 at-bats for a .118 average.
Vander Wal played 14 seasons in the major leagues. 13 of these seasons were with National League
clubs, where the pinch-hitter is a much more widely used tactic in the absence of the designated hitter
.
On February 10, , Vander Wal was named a scout for the San Diego Padres.
' 212. Vander Wal was inducted into the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
John continues to contribute to baseball as a consultant but in 2007 joined long time friend and successful Grand Rapids entrepreneur Jim Cox in a business partnership called
Priority-HR
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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...
hitter who played outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
and first base for eight different teams over 14 seasons.
Early life
Vander Wal grew up in Hudsonville, MichiganHudsonville, Michigan
Hudsonville is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,160.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,160 people, 2,514 households, and 1,920 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,729.1 per square mile...
, attended Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
and was drafted by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the third round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
.
Major league career
Vander Wal made his major league debut with the Expos on September 6, , and finished his first season with 13 hitsHit (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....
in 61 at-bats for a .213 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 :...
.
Vander Wal played two more seasons in 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...
before moving on to the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
in , where he would spend all of four seasons and part of another, although he never recorded more than 151 at-bats or appeared in 105 games in any of those seasons. On August 31, , he was traded to 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...
for a PTBNL
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
. He went on to appear in the 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...
with the Padres, recording two hits in five at-bats.
Vander Wal spent in San Diego before moving on to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
in a trade that brought Al Martin
Al Martin
Albert Lee Martin is a former professional baseball left fielder. He played twelve seasons in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played one season in the Korea Baseball Organization.- Early life :Martin graduated from John A...
to the Padres. While playing for the Pirates, he posted his best season, appearing in 134 games, and batting .299 with 24 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 94 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...
. In , Vander Wal was traded to the 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....
, who later traded him to 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...
for Jay Witasick
Jay Witasick
Gerald Alphonse "Jay" Witasick, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his major league debut on July 7, as a member of the A's versus the California Angels...
. Vander Wal was a part-time performer for the Yankees in , before moving on to 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...
in , and 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....
in , where he recorded just 6 hits in 51 at-bats for a .118 average.
Vander Wal played 14 seasons in the major leagues. 13 of these seasons were with 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...
clubs, where the pinch-hitter is a much more widely used tactic in the absence of the 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...
.
On February 10, , Vander Wal was named a scout for the San Diego Padres.
Achievements
Vander Wal holds the modern Major League Baseball single-season record for pinch hits, with 28 in 1995 while playing for the Colorado Rockies. In his career, Vander Wal contributed 129 pinch hits, which is one of the highest totals of the modern era, behind Lenny HarrisLenny Harris
Leonard Anthony Harris is a former Major League Baseball utility infielder who is currently the hitting instructor for the Great Lakes Loons. He is best known for holding the record for the most pinch hits in a major league career...
' 212. Vander Wal was inducted into the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
John continues to contribute to baseball as a consultant but in 2007 joined long time friend and successful Grand Rapids entrepreneur Jim Cox in a business partnership called
Priority-HR