Mike Devereaux
Encyclopedia
Michael Devereaux 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...

 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...

. He was drafted 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...

 in the fifth round of the amateur draft and made his debut on September 2, 1987. Along with the Dodgers, Devereaux played 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...

 in two separate stints, and 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...

, 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....

 and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

.

Early life

Devereaux went to Kelly Walsh High School
Kelly Walsh High School
Kelly Walsh High School is a public secondary institution located in Casper, Wyoming and serves Natrona County School District #1. The school mascot is the Trojan. The current principal is Brad Diller.-History:...

 in Casper, Wyoming
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...

. He played collegiately at Mesa Community College and Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...

.

Career highlights

The peak of Devereaux's career was from 1989–1993, with his best season coming in 1992 with the Orioles, when he played in 159 games, with 24 home runs, 107 RBIs and a .276 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 :...

. In 1995 Devereaux won the NLCS MVP award by driving in the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning of Game One and hitting a three run home run in Game Four. The Braves went on to defeat the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 in the World Series.

On July 15, 1989, Devereaux hit a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...

 in an 11-9 win against the California Angels. The call was controversial, as the home run ball came extremely close to the foul pole. Angels manager Doug Rader
Doug Rader
Douglas Lee Rader , nicknamed "The Red Rooster", is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who was known primarily for his defensive ability, winning five straight Gold Glove Awards from 1970 to 1974....

 argued the call with umpire Ken Kaiser
Ken Kaiser
Kenneth John Kaiser is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1977 to 1999. He spent 13 years in the minor leagues and 23 years in the major leagues, a total of 36 years in professional baseball...

 the following day and was ejected prior to the start of the next game.

Devereaux played his final MLB game with his original team, the Dodgers, on April 17, 1998. In 12 seasons, he had a .254 batting average, and hit 105 home runs with 490 RBIs, three grand slams
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...

, 635 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....

s, 85 stolen base
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...

s, and 29 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...

. He is the second all-time career leader for home runs by a player born in Wyoming, surpassed by John Buck

Post-baseball career

In December 2009, it was announced that Devereaux would serve as field coach for the Delmarva Shorebirds
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...

 (Baltimore Orioles Class-A Affiliate) in 2010, replacing former third baseman Ryan Minor
Ryan Minor
Ryan Dale Minor is a retired American professional baseball third baseman and college basketball player. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1998-2001, with the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. He is currently the manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds of the...

, who had been promoted to team manager. He currently is serving as the field coach for the Frederick Keys.

External links

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