Kevin Bass
Encyclopedia
Kevin Charles Bass is a former outfielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Milwaukee Brewers
, Houston Astros
, San Francisco Giants
, New York Mets
, and Baltimore Orioles
.
Bass was originally drafted by the Brewers in the second round of the draft. His Major League debut was on April 9, 1982. His final Major League game was on October 1, 1995.
On August 30, 1982 Bass was traded to Houston from Milwaukee with P Frank DiPino
and P Mike Madden
for P Don Sutton.
Bass had his best year in for an Astros team that narrowly missed playing in the World Series
. Bass was named to the National League
All-Star
team, pacing the Astros with a .311 batting average, 20 homers, 22 steals, and sterling defensive play. Unfortunately for Bass, his career year did not have a storybook ending, as he struck out swinging with men on first and second in the 16th inning of the epic 1986 NLCS
Game 6, in which the Mets beat the Astros 7-6 to advance to the 1986 World Series
, which the Mets also won in dramatic fashion.
On August 3, 1987 versus the San Francisco Giants
, Bass became the 15th Switch Hitter
in Major League History to hit a Home Run
from each side of the plate in the same game.
1989 was a season to remember for Bass in the home run department. The Astros right fielder hit 2 grandslams
that year which contributed into two very important victories for the team. On August 20 against the Chicago Cubs
, Bass stunned the Cubs' closer Mitch Williams for a grandslam that broke up a 4-4 tie and gave the Astros an 8-4 victory. Then, on September 20 against the Atlanta Braves
, Bass connected for a second slam, this one in the 7th inning off reliever Mark Eichhorn
. It tied the game 6-6 and the Astros eventually went on to win it 7-6 in 14 innings.
Two of Bass' sons were selected in the 2007 MLB Draft. Garrett (Jacksonville College
) by the Washington Nationals
in the 42nd round, and Justin (Clements High School
) by the Los Angeles Angels in the 21st round.
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...
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...
who played for 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...
, Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, 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....
, 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...
, and 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...
.
Bass was originally drafted by the Brewers in the second round of the draft. His Major League debut was on April 9, 1982. His final Major League game was on October 1, 1995.
On August 30, 1982 Bass was traded to Houston from Milwaukee with P Frank DiPino
Frank DiPino
Frank Michael DiPino is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Kansas City Royals...
and P Mike Madden
Mike Madden
Mike Madden , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1983-1986 for the Houston Astros. Madden played college ball at University of Northern Colorado....
for P Don Sutton.
Bass had his best year in for an Astros team that narrowly missed playing 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...
. Bass was named to the 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...
All-Star
1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 1986 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the home of the...
team, pacing the Astros with a .311 batting average, 20 homers, 22 steals, and sterling defensive play. Unfortunately for Bass, his career year did not have a storybook ending, as he struck out swinging with men on first and second in the 16th inning of the epic 1986 NLCS
1986 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1986 at Astrodome in Houston, TexasGame 1 featured a pitching duel between eventual NLCS Most Valuable Player Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden. Scott allowed just five hits and walked one while striking out 14 in a complete-game effort as the host Astros prevailed 1–0...
Game 6, in which the Mets beat the Astros 7-6 to advance to the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
, which the Mets also won in dramatic fashion.
On August 3, 1987 versus 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....
, Bass became the 15th Switch Hitter
Switch Hitter
"Switch Hitter" is the 29th episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Plot:Michael schedules a meeting with Stan Sitwell, President of rival company Sitwell Housing Inc., at the house. Michael thinks that Sitwell sees that the company is in trouble and sees an opportunity whereas G.O.B...
in Major League History to hit a 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...
from each side of the plate in the same game.
1989 was a season to remember for Bass in the home run department. The Astros right fielder hit 2 grandslams
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
that year which contributed into two very important victories for the team. On August 20 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago 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...
, Bass stunned the Cubs' closer Mitch Williams for a grandslam that broke up a 4-4 tie and gave the Astros an 8-4 victory. Then, on September 20 against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Bass connected for a second slam, this one in the 7th inning off reliever Mark Eichhorn
Mark Eichhorn
Mark Anthony Eichhorn is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher best known for his tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays the late 1980s - early 1990s where he often served as a middle reliever/set-up man for All-Star closer, Tom Henke...
. It tied the game 6-6 and the Astros eventually went on to win it 7-6 in 14 innings.
Two of Bass' sons were selected in the 2007 MLB Draft. Garrett (Jacksonville College
Jacksonville College
Jacksonville College has the distinction of being one of only two private junior colleges in the state of Texas. Jacksonville College is fully accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, providing Associates Degrees in Science and Arts providing core-curriculum classes for almost...
) by the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in the 42nd round, and Justin (Clements High School
Clements High School
William P. Clements High School, more commonly known as Clements High School, is a public high school in First Colony and in Sugar Land within the U.S. state of Texas that is named after former Texas governor Bill Clements, and is a part of the Fort Bend Independent School District...
) by the Los Angeles Angels in the 21st round.
| G 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,... |
AB 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... |
H | 2B 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.... |
3B 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.... |
HR 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... |
R | RBI | SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... |
BB 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... |
SO 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.... |
AVG 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 :... |
OBP On base percentage In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes... |
SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,571 | 4,839 | 1,308 | 248 | 40 | 118 | 609 | 611 | 151 | 357 | 668 | .270 | .323 | .411 | .734 |