Rich Gedman
Encyclopedia
Richard Leo Gedman is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
and left-handed batter who played with the Boston Red Sox
(1980–1990), Houston Astros
(1990–1991) and St. Louis Cardinals
(1991–1992).
, Gedman played first base
and pitched
at Saint Peter-Marian High School
and for the Grafton Hill (Worcester) American Legion program. Not classically athletic, he went undrafted in the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
, and was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox. He was sent to the Instructional League to learn to play catcher, and progressed steadily up through the Red Sox minor leagues
system. Highlights of his minor league career included catching the first nine innings of the longest game in the history of professional baseball
, a 33 inning affair between Gedman's Pawtucket Red Sox
and the Rochester Red Wings
.
. In 1981, regular Sox catcher Carlton Fisk
was granted free-agency and signed with the Chicago White Sox
, leaving the catcher position open. Gedman shared catching duties with Gary Allenson
, and played well enough to be named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year
.
Following a poor 1982, Gedman's hitting improved the next two seasons under the instruction of Red Sox hitting coach
Walt Hriniak
. He hit a career high 24 home run
s in 1984 and followed with career highs in batting average
(.295) and RBI
(80) in 1985 while throwing out nearly half of potential base stealers
. In that season, he became the 16th Red Sox player and only the 6th catcher since 1900 to hit for the cycle
.
1986 saw three of the highlights of Gedman's career. On April 29, he set the American League
record for putout
s by a catcher with 20, as Roger Clemens
set the major league record for strikeouts in a nine-innings game against the Seattle Mariners
. On April 30, he had 16 putouts for a total of 36 in two days, which is the most for a catcher in two consecutive games. Gedman was also selected to the All-Star Game
that year, to go with his appearance in the 1985 game. But the peak of his career coincided with one of its lows in the 1986 World Series
. In the bottom of the tenth inning of Game 6, with the Sox leading by one run with two outs, Kevin Mitchell
on third
and Mookie Wilson
at bat
, reliever
Bob Stanley
threw a pitch that Gedman failed to handle. It was scored as a wild pitch
, but many considered it a Gedman passed ball
. Mitchell came in to score, tying the game. Then, Wilson hit a ball that went through first baseman
Bill Buckner
's legs to win the game for the Mets. The Sox went on to lose the deciding game, and the series.
On January 8, 1987, ten free agents (Tim Raines
, Lance Parrish
, Bob Horner, Andre Dawson
, Rich Gedman, Ron Guidry
, Bob Boone
, Doyle Alexander
, Toby Harrah
and Gary Roenicke
) failed to meet a midnight deadline and thus were not allowed to re-sign with their former clubs until May 1 if they were not offered contracts by new teams. The general lack of interest in the players became the focus of the Players' Association's first anti-collusion suit against the owners.
On November 3, 1986, while practicing for a seven-game series between Major League and Japanese All-Stars, Gedman was struck by a warmup pitch from Detroit Tigers
pitcher Willie Hernandez
, resulting in a fractured cheekbone. This was the beginning of a litany of injuries, holdouts, and inconsistency which contributed to the waning of Gedman's skills, both offensive and defensive. In 1989, Rick Cerone
replaced him as the regular Boston catcher. In 1990, he served as back-up catcher to Tony Peña
, who was acquired by the Red Sox during the offseason. On June 7, he was traded to Houston for a player to be named later.
Gedman was not re-signed by the Astros, and in 1991 he signed with the Cardinals to back up Tom Pagnozzi
. After spending spring training
of 1993 with the Oakland Athletics
, he signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees
, playing the season with their Triple-A club, the Columbus Clippers
. When he failed to make a major league roster in 1994, he retired at age 34.
In his career, Gedman batted
.252 with 88 home runs, 382 RBI, 331 runs, 176 doubles
, 12 triples
, and three stolen bases in 1033 games. As a catcher, he compiled a .984 fielding percentage
with 5274 putouts, 431 assists
and 92 errors in 980 games.
with the North Shore Spirit
, a team in the independent Northeast League. He was the Spirit's bench coach.
He managed the Worcester Tornadoes
, in the Can-Am League, from 2005-2010. The Tornadoes won the Can-Am League title in their first year of existence. In his six years in Worcester, Gedman led the team to a 283-290 record, 10-6 in the postseason.
On January 10, 2011, Gedman returned to organized baseball
when he was named batting coach of the Lowell Spinners
, the Red Sox' Short Season-A affiliate in the New York-Penn League, returning to the Boston organization after a two-decade absence.
where she threw two no-hitter
s and as of 2011 still holds the second-lowest career ERA in program history (0.57). The couple married in 1982.
The Gedmans have two sons, Michael and Matthew, and a daughter, Marissa. Michael was a freshman pitcher for the Le Moyne College
Dolphins in 2007, but when his younger brother Matthew was accepted as a freshman at UMass
in both their baseball and hockey
programs (as an infielder and a goalie), sophomore Michael transferred to UMass also. Mike played a mix of first baseman
and pitcher
, and hit .312 in three seasons for the Minutemen, including .345 as a junior in 2009. Matt played shortstop
and third baseman
at UMass, and finished his career with a .334 batting average over his four years, and a team-leading .402 average during his senior year in 2011. Matt was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 45th round of the 2011 MLB Draft
.
His daughter Marissa attended Noble and Greenough School
where she participated in field hockey, ice hockey, and softball. In her 2008 season, she achieved All-League ISL, a NE Championship, and 16-U National Championship in Ice Hockey. She went on to attend Harvard University
starting in 2010, and played for the women's ice hockey team
.
In his spare time during the baseball off-season, Gedman holds catching clinics all over central Massachusetts including Shrewsbury High School(Massachusetts) and Triple Play Batting Cages in Clinton, Massachusetts
.
Gedman lives in Sudbury, MA
.
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...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and left-handed batter who played with 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"...
(1980–1990), 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...
(1990–1991) and St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1991–1992).
Amateur and minor leagues
A native of Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Gedman played first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and pitched
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
at Saint Peter-Marian High School
Saint Peter-Marian High School
-Campus and location:Saint Peter-Marian's campus is situated upon a hill in a residential neighborhood. It is less than one mile to the town of Holden, Massachusetts. There is one main building with an annex that houses the senior high school, while another building is home to the junior high...
and for the Grafton Hill (Worcester) American Legion program. Not classically athletic, he went undrafted in the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
1977 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
, and was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox. He was sent to the Instructional League to learn to play catcher, and progressed steadily up through the Red Sox minor leagues
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...
system. Highlights of his minor league career included catching the first nine innings of the longest game in the history of professional baseball
Longest professional baseball game
The Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings, two teams from the Triple-A International League, played the longest game in professional baseball history. It lasted for 33 innings over eight hours and 25 minutes...
, a 33 inning affair between Gedman's Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
and the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
.
Major leagues
Gedman made his debut for the Sox in September 1980, pinch-hitting for Carl YastrzemskiCarl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
. In 1981, regular Sox catcher Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
was granted free-agency and signed with 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...
, leaving the catcher position open. Gedman shared catching duties with Gary Allenson
Gary Allenson
Gary Martin Allenson is a former Major League Baseball catcher and the current manager of the Norfolk Tides, the AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.-Playing career:...
, and played well enough to be named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year
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....
.
Following a poor 1982, Gedman's hitting improved the next two seasons under the instruction of Red Sox hitting coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
Walt Hriniak
Walt Hriniak
Walter John Hriniak is a former catcher in American Major League Baseball who — despite a very brief MLB playing career and a batting average of only .253 — became one of the most prominent batting coaches in the game during the last two decades of the 20th century...
. He hit a career high 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 in 1984 and followed with career highs in 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 :...
(.295) and 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...
(80) in 1985 while throwing out nearly half of potential base stealers
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...
. In that season, he became the 16th Red Sox player and only the 6th catcher since 1900 to hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
.
1986 saw three of the highlights of Gedman's career. On April 29, he set the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
record for putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s by a catcher with 20, as Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
set the major league record for strikeouts in a nine-innings game against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. On April 30, he had 16 putouts for a total of 36 in two days, which is the most for a catcher in two consecutive games. Gedman was also selected to the All-Star Game
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...
that year, to go with his appearance in the 1985 game. But the peak of his career coincided with one of its lows in 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...
. In the bottom of the tenth inning of Game 6, with the Sox leading by one run with two outs, Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (baseball player)
Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...
on third
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
at bat
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...
, reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Bob Stanley
Bob Stanley
Robert William "Bob" Stanley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox.Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89...
threw a pitch that Gedman failed to handle. It was scored as a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
, but many considered it a Gedman passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
. Mitchell came in to score, tying the game. Then, Wilson hit a ball that went through first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Bill Buckner
Bill Buckner
William Joseph Buckner is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in , representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6...
's legs to win the game for the Mets. The Sox went on to lose the deciding game, and the series.
On January 8, 1987, ten free agents (Tim Raines
Tim Raines
Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
, Lance Parrish
Lance Parrish
Lance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
, Bob Horner, Andre Dawson
Andre Dawson
Andre Nolan Dawson , nicknamed "The Hawk", is an American former center fielder and right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played for four different teams, spending most of his career with the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs .An 8-time National League All-Star, he was named the...
, Rich Gedman, Ron Guidry
Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, Bob Boone
Bob Boone
Robert Raymond Boone is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and...
, Doyle Alexander
Doyle Alexander
Doyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
, Toby Harrah
Toby Harrah
Colbert Dale Harrah is a former professional baseball player who played with the Texas Rangers both before and after their 1971 franchise shift before later being traded to the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees...
and Gary Roenicke
Gary Roenicke
Gary Steven Roenicke is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the Montreal Expos , Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves .-Early career:...
) failed to meet a midnight deadline and thus were not allowed to re-sign with their former clubs until May 1 if they were not offered contracts by new teams. The general lack of interest in the players became the focus of the Players' Association's first anti-collusion suit against the owners.
On November 3, 1986, while practicing for a seven-game series between Major League and Japanese All-Stars, Gedman was struck by a warmup pitch from 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...
pitcher Willie Hernandez
Willie Hernández
Guillermo "Willie" Hernández Villanueva is a former relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , and the Detroit Tigers . He threw and batted left-handed.-Career:...
, resulting in a fractured cheekbone. This was the beginning of a litany of injuries, holdouts, and inconsistency which contributed to the waning of Gedman's skills, both offensive and defensive. In 1989, Rick Cerone
Rick Cerone
Richard Aldo Cerone from Seton Hall University is a former Major League Baseball player from 1975 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos...
replaced him as the regular Boston catcher. In 1990, he served as back-up catcher to Tony Peña
Tony Peña
Antonio Francisco Peña Padilla is a former professional baseball player, manager and current coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Pirates, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians, White Sox, and Astros. Peña was the manager of the Kansas City Royals between 2002 and 2005. He...
, who was acquired by the Red Sox during the offseason. On June 7, he was traded to Houston for a player to be named later.
Gedman was not re-signed by the Astros, and in 1991 he signed with the Cardinals to back up Tom Pagnozzi
Tom Pagnozzi
Thomas Alan Pagnozzi is a former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals. Primarily a catcher, Pagnozzi also made 40 appearances at first base and seven appearances at third base during his 12-season career, which spanned from 1987 to 1998.Initially a backup catcher and utility...
. After spending 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...
of 1993 with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, he signed a minor-league contract with the 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...
, playing the season with their Triple-A club, the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
. When he failed to make a major league roster in 1994, he retired at age 34.
In his career, Gedman 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 :...
.252 with 88 home runs, 382 RBI, 331 runs, 176 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....
, 12 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 three stolen bases in 1033 games. As a catcher, he compiled a .984 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
with 5274 putouts, 431 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and 92 errors in 980 games.
Coaching
In 2002, Gedman became a coachCoach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
with the North Shore Spirit
North Shore Spirit
The North Shore Spirit was a minor-league baseball team based in Lynn, Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. The Spirit played in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball , an independent league that is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or with the Minor League Baseball...
, a team in the independent Northeast League. He was the Spirit's bench coach.
He managed the Worcester Tornadoes
Worcester Tornadoes
The Worcester Tornadoes are a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, in the Can-Am League, from 2005-2010. The Tornadoes won the Can-Am League title in their first year of existence. In his six years in Worcester, Gedman led the team to a 283-290 record, 10-6 in the postseason.
On January 10, 2011, Gedman returned to organized 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....
when he was named batting coach of the Lowell Spinners
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a...
, the Red Sox' Short Season-A affiliate in the New York-Penn League, returning to the Boston organization after a two-decade absence.
Highlights
- Twice All-Star (1985–86)
- The Sporting News' AL Rookie of the Year (1981)
- Selected for the All-Star team by UPI and The Sporting News (1985)
- Caught Dennis EckersleyDennis EckersleyDennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
's one-hitter game (September 26, 1980) - Set two AL records for putouts in a game [20] and in consecutive games [36] (April 29–30, 1986)
- Hit for the cycle and drove in 7 runs against the Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe 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 ....
(September 18, 1985) - Reached base in all five at-bats of historic game 5 of the 1986 American League Championship Series1986 American League Championship SeriesThe 1986 American League Championship Series was a back-and-forth battle between the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels for the right to advance to the 1986 World Series to face the winner of the 1986 National League Championship Series...
. This included a two-run home run in the second inning and a hit-by-pitch in the ninth inning that set up Dave HendersonDave HendersonDavid Lee Henderson , nicknamed Hendu, is an American former Major League Baseball player who played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , San Francisco Giants , Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals . He batted and threw right-handed...
's dramatic two-out home run.
Personal life
Rich Gedman met his future-wife Sherry Aselton in 1977, when both attended St. Peter-Marian High School in Worcester. Sherry went on to play softball and basketball at the University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
where she threw two no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
s and as of 2011 still holds the second-lowest career ERA in program history (0.57). The couple married in 1982.
The Gedmans have two sons, Michael and Matthew, and a daughter, Marissa. Michael was a freshman pitcher for the Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
Dolphins in 2007, but when his younger brother Matthew was accepted as a freshman at UMass
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
in both their baseball and hockey
UMass Minutemen men's ice hockey
The UMass Minutemen men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Minutemen are a member of Hockey East. They play at the 8,387-seat William D. Mullins Memorial Center in...
programs (as an infielder and a goalie), sophomore Michael transferred to UMass also. Mike played a mix of first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, and hit .312 in three seasons for the Minutemen, including .345 as a junior in 2009. Matt played shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
at UMass, and finished his career with a .334 batting average over his four years, and a team-leading .402 average during his senior year in 2011. Matt was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 45th round of the 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011 from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.-Draft order:The draft order was determined by the 2010 Major League Baseball standings...
.
His daughter Marissa attended Noble and Greenough School
Noble and Greenough School
The Noble and Greenough School, commonly known as Nobles, is a coeducational, nonsectarian day and boarding school for students in grades seven through twelve. It is located on a campus in Dedham, Massachusetts. The current enrollment of 550 students includes a balance of boys and girls, of whom...
where she participated in field hockey, ice hockey, and softball. In her 2008 season, she achieved All-League ISL, a NE Championship, and 16-U National Championship in Ice Hockey. She went on to attend Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
starting in 2010, and played for the women's ice hockey team
Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey
The Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey team represents Harvard University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's hockey. Harvard competes as a member of the ECAC Conference and plays its home games at the Bright Hockey Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-History:In the...
.
In his spare time during the baseball off-season, Gedman holds catching clinics all over central Massachusetts including Shrewsbury High School(Massachusetts) and Triple Play Batting Cages in Clinton, Massachusetts
Clinton, Massachusetts
Clinton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,606 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Clinton, please see the article Clinton , Massachusetts....
.
Gedman lives in Sudbury, MA
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
.
External links
- Baseball Reference minor league statistics
- MLB.com historical statistics
- Page at Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers