Juan Samuel
Encyclopedia
Juan Milton Samuel is a retired second baseman
who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB)
with the Philadelphia Phillies
(1983–1989), New York Mets
(1989), Los Angeles Dodgers
(1990–1992), Kansas City Royals
(1992, 1995), Cincinnati Reds
(1993), Detroit Tigers
(1994–1995) and Toronto Blue Jays
(1996–1998). A three-time National League (NL)
All-Star
, he appeared in the 1983 World Series
with the Phillies. He served as interim manager for the Baltimore Orioles
during the 2010 MLB season
. He is currently the third base coach for the Phillies.
with 161 home run
s and 703 RBI
in 1720 games
Samuel was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent
by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. A three-time All-Star
, Samuel earned National League
Rookie of the Year honors from The Sporting News
in , when he tied for the NL lead with 19 triples
and placed second with 72 stolen bases setting a MLB rookie record (broken by Vince Coleman
the following season).
In , Samuel became the first player in major league history to reach double figures in doubles
, triples, home runs and stolen bases in each of his first four major league seasons. A year later, he fell short by one triple to repeat this feat for a fifth consecutive year.
During his majors career, Samuel collected 1,578 hits
, 396 stolen bases, and also reached double figures in home runs nine times. A popular player in Philadelphia, he appeared in the 1983 World Series
, going 0-for-1 in three games. Samuel, an aggressive hitter who infrequently drew bases on balls was once quoted as saying, "You don't walk
off the Island (meaning his home country
). You Hit."
Samuel was sent to the New York Mets during the 1989 midseason
in the same transaction that brought Lenny Dykstra
and Roger McDowell
to Philadelphia. He also played two and a half seasons both for the Dodgers and Tigers, spent a year in Cincinnati, had two brief stints with the Royals, and provided three years of good services for Toronto, pinch-hitting
, serving as DH
, and playing at first base, second, third
, left field and right. He retired after the 1998 season.
Samuel holds the major league record for most at-bats
by a right-handed hitter in one season with 701, set in 1984. That mark was also the most for any National League batter in a single campaign, later surpassed by Jimmy Rollins
. He also tied an ML record for consecutive strikeout
titles with four (1984–87), shared with Hack Wilson
(1927–30) and Vince DiMaggio
(1942–45). Samuel is tied for 146th place in career triples.
for the Detroit Tigers in after having coached first base for the team since . He managed the Double-A Binghamton Mets
for the 2006 season, and was named the 3rd base coach for the Baltimore Orioles in October 2006, where he remained through the first part of 2010.
In August 2008, Samuel was inducted into the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame at Citizens Bank Park.
Samuel joined the Phillies coaching staff for the 2011 season
as 3rd base coach, with former 3rd base coach Sam Perlozzo
moving to 1st base coach.
of the Orioles
after Dave Trembley
's dismissal on June 4, 2010. He took over a ballclub that was in last place in the American League (AL) East
with the majors' worst record at 15–39. During his brief tenure, the team had a pair of four-game win streaks. The first one on June 24–27 was highlighted by a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals
at Camden Yards
. Its first four-game road sweep since 1995
was achieved after the vanquishing of the eventual AL champion Texas Rangers
at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington two weekends later and immediately prior to the All-Star
break. Beyond this, the Orioles showed little tangible improvement as they went 17–34 under Samuel, whose stint ended on August 1 with a 5–4 loss at Kauffman Stadium
, the third straight defeat to the Kansas City Royals
. Three days earlier on July 29, Buck Showalter
was announced as Samuel's successor on a full-time basis beginning on August 3. After declining an offer to return to his old third-base coaching job, Samuel accepted a position elsewhere in the organization as an evaluator for its Dominican Republic academy for the remainder of that season.
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB)
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...
with 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...
(1983–1989), New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1989), 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...
(1990–1992), Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1992, 1995), 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....
(1993), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1994–1995) and 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 ....
(1996–1998). A three-time National League (NL)
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...
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...
, he appeared in the 1983 World Series
1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
with the Phillies. He served as interim manager for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
during the 2010 MLB season
2010 Major League Baseball season
The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim...
. He is currently the third base coach for the Phillies.
Baseball career
In a 16-season playing career, Samuel was a .259 hitterBatting 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 161 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 703 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 1720 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,...
Samuel was originally signed as a non-drafted 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....
by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. A three-time 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...
, Samuel earned 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...
Rookie of the Year honors from The Sporting News
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1946 by The Sporting News .*In 1947-48, and again in 1950, a single award was given for all of Major League Baseball....
in , when he tied for the NL lead with 19 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 placed second with 72 stolen bases setting a MLB rookie record (broken by Vince Coleman
Vince Coleman
Vincent Maurice Coleman is an American former Major League Baseball player, best known for his years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Primarily a left fielder, Coleman played from to and set a number of stolen base records. He was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed.-Biography:Coleman attended...
the following season).
In , Samuel became the first player in major league history to reach double figures in 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....
, triples, home runs and stolen bases in each of his first four major league seasons. A year later, he fell short by one triple to repeat this feat for a fifth consecutive year.
During his majors career, Samuel collected 1,578 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....
, 396 stolen bases, and also reached double figures in home runs nine times. A popular player in Philadelphia, he appeared in the 1983 World Series
1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
, going 0-for-1 in three games. Samuel, an aggressive hitter who infrequently drew bases on balls was once quoted as saying, "You don't walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
off the Island (meaning his home country
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
). You Hit."
Samuel was sent to the New York Mets during the 1989 midseason
1989 Major League Baseball season
-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers **Kevin Mitchell, San Francisco Giants *Cy Young Award**Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals **Mark Davis, San Diego Padres *Rookie of the Year...
in the same transaction that brought Lenny Dykstra
Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
and Roger McDowell
Roger McDowell
Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves and was a right-handed relief pitcher for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the Texas Rangers and...
to Philadelphia. He also played two and a half seasons both for the Dodgers and Tigers, spent a year in Cincinnati, had two brief stints with the Royals, and provided three years of good services for Toronto, pinch-hitting
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...
, serving as DH
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...
, and playing at first base, second, third
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, left field and right. He retired after the 1998 season.
Samuel holds the major league record for most 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...
by a right-handed hitter in one season with 701, set in 1984. That mark was also the most for any National League batter in a single campaign, later surpassed by Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
. He also tied an ML record for consecutive strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
titles with four (1984–87), shared with Hack Wilson
Hack Wilson
Lewis Robert "Hack" Wilson was an American professional baseball player who played 12 seasons with the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies...
(1927–30) and Vince DiMaggio
Vince DiMaggio
Vincent Paul "Vince" DiMaggio was a Major League Baseball center fielder. During a 10-year baseball career, he played for the Boston Bees , Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates , Philadelphia Phillies , and New York Giants...
(1942–45). Samuel is tied for 146th place in career triples.
Post-playing career
Since retiring from play, Samuel has coached at various levels and in various roles. He coached third baseThird Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
for the Detroit Tigers in after having coached first base for the team since . He managed the Double-A Binghamton Mets
Binghamton Mets
The Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club...
for the 2006 season, and was named the 3rd base coach for the Baltimore Orioles in October 2006, where he remained through the first part of 2010.
In August 2008, Samuel was inducted into the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame at Citizens Bank Park.
Samuel joined the Phillies coaching staff for the 2011 season
2011 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies 2011 season was the 129th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their fifth consecutive National League East championship, and also finished with the best record in baseball for the second straight year. The Phillies, at 3-1 odds, were the heavy-favorite...
as 3rd base coach, with former 3rd base coach Sam Perlozzo
Sam Perlozzo
Samuel Benedict Perlozzo is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, most recently with the Baltimore Orioles...
moving to 1st base coach.
Interim manager
Samuel was named interim managerManager (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...
of the Orioles
2010 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles' 2010 season was the 110th season in franchise history.-Offseason:The Orioles made many significant roster moves prior to the 2010 season. The team parted ways with several contributors from the 2009 season including Aubrey Huff, and Melvin Mora who was the team's longest...
after Dave Trembley
Dave Trembley
David Michael Trembley is a former manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Before managing the Orioles Trembley was a minor league manager for twenty seasons compiling a 1369–1413 record. He won two league titles and earned Manager of the Year awards in three leagues...
's dismissal on June 4, 2010. He took over a ballclub that was in last place in the American League (AL) East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
with the majors' worst record at 15–39. During his brief tenure, the team had a pair of four-game win streaks. The first one on June 24–27 was highlighted by a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals
2010 Washington Nationals season
The Washington Nationals' 2010 season was the sixth season for the American baseball franchise of Major League Baseball in the District of Columbia, and the 42nd since the original team was started in Montréal, Canada. It involved the Nationals attempting to win the National League East Division...
at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home field of the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most highly praised. The park was...
. Its first four-game road sweep since 1995
1995 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 71 wins and 73 losses.-Offseason:* November 18, 1994: Mark Lee was signed as a free agent by the Orioles....
was achieved after the vanquishing of the eventual AL champion Texas Rangers
2010 Texas Rangers season
The Texas Rangers’ 2010 season was the 50th in franchise history. The team, managed by Ron Washington, won their first division title since 1999 and reached the World Series for the first time in only their fourth playoff appearance. Washington would become only the second manager in franchise...
at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington two weekends later and immediately prior to the All-Star
2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
break. Beyond this, the Orioles showed little tangible improvement as they went 17–34 under Samuel, whose stint ended on August 1 with a 5–4 loss at Kauffman Stadium
Kauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
, the third straight defeat to the Kansas City Royals
2010 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals' season of 2010 was the 42nd for the Royals franchise. It was also the 25th anniversary of their first and only World Series championship , their last postseason appearance....
. Three days earlier on July 29, Buck Showalter
Buck Showalter
William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers...
was announced as Samuel's successor on a full-time basis beginning on August 3. After declining an offer to return to his old third-base coaching job, Samuel accepted a position elsewhere in the organization as an evaluator for its Dominican Republic academy for the remainder of that season.