Rick Lancellotti
Encyclopedia
Richard Anthony Lancellotti (born July 5, 1956 in Providence, Rhode Island
) is a former first baseman
/outfielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for the San Diego Padres
, San Francisco Giants
and Boston Red Sox
. He batted and threw left-handed.
A gifted slugger, Lancellotti received only limited opportunities on the Major League level to showcase the power he displayed in the minor leagues
. A perennial minors All-Star, he played in 15 different leagues and several countries, including stints in Canada
, Colombia
, Italy
, Japan
, Mexico
and Venezuela
.
In 1979, Lancellotti was named the Eastern League
most valuable player after lead the league with 41 home run
s and 107 runs batted in while playing for the Buffalo Bisons
, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He made his Major League debut with the San Diego Padres in , appearing in just 17 games. His career-highlight came in , when he led all professional baseball with 131 RBI and hit 29 home runs while playing for Triple-A Las Vegas
, a San Diego affiliate.
In , Lancellotti led the Pacific Coast League
with 31 home runs while playing for Phoenix
, at the time the Giants' Triple-A affiliate. At 30, he was promoted to the big club and hit .222 with two home runs and six RBI in 18 at-bats. In and he played in Japan, hitting 58 home runs in 190 games for Hiroshima
, including a league-leading 39 homers in 1987. Two years later he played in the now defunct Senior Professional Baseball Association
.
Lancellotti did not win another chance in the Majors until August 1990, when he played four games for the Boston Red Sox and went 0-for-8. Lancellotti was a major player in the Red Sox famous Rally Cap game where several teammates used cups on their ears, hats on catcher style, and shave cream on their faces. Dwight Evans homered turning the game around during this comedic mele. Before the promotion he had 10 home runs for Triple-A Pawtucket
. He returned just in time to finished the month with 11 home runs to win the International League
title with 21. Lancellotti was named the best player in the Red Sox farm system by the Boston Sportswriters Association. At the same time, Boston released him. In , he played for the Parma Angels of Italy
, being named the Best Hitter during the European Cup held in Holland. He hung up his spikes after the season and settled in Buffalo, New York
, where he established a baseball school in 1993. He still owns and operates this school to the day and is close friends with Cartoonist Ken Newton.
In a three-season major league career, Lancellotti was a .169 hitter with two home runs and 11 RBI in 36 games. He belted 276 home runs in his distinguished minor league career, setting a mark that still stands to this day.
Lancellotti gained induction into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame in August 1995.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
) is a former 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...
/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...
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 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...
, 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....
and 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"...
. He batted and threw left-handed.
A gifted slugger, Lancellotti received only limited opportunities on the Major League level to showcase the power he displayed in the 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...
. A perennial minors All-Star, he played in 15 different leagues and several countries, including stints in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
In 1979, Lancellotti was named the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
most valuable player after lead the league with 41 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 107 runs batted in while playing for the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
, the Double-A affiliate of 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...
. He made his Major League debut with the San Diego Padres in , appearing in just 17 games. His career-highlight came in , when he led all professional baseball with 131 RBI and hit 29 home runs while playing for Triple-A Las Vegas
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
, a San Diego affiliate.
In , Lancellotti led the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
with 31 home runs while playing for Phoenix
Phoenix Firebirds
The Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Phoenix, Arizona, USA from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997....
, at the time the Giants' Triple-A affiliate. At 30, he was promoted to the big club and hit .222 with two home runs and six RBI in 18 at-bats. In and he played in Japan, hitting 58 home runs in 190 games for Hiroshima
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
, including a league-leading 39 homers in 1987. Two years later he played in the now defunct Senior Professional Baseball Association
Senior Professional Baseball Association
The Senior Professional Baseball Association was a winter baseball league based in Florida for players age 35 and over . The league began play in 1989 and had eight teams in two divisions and a 72 game schedule...
.
Lancellotti did not win another chance in the Majors until August 1990, when he played four games for the Boston Red Sox and went 0-for-8. Lancellotti was a major player in the Red Sox famous Rally Cap game where several teammates used cups on their ears, hats on catcher style, and shave cream on their faces. Dwight Evans homered turning the game around during this comedic mele. Before the promotion he had 10 home runs for Triple-A Pawtucket
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...
. He returned just in time to finished the month with 11 home runs to win the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
title with 21. Lancellotti was named the best player in the Red Sox farm system by the Boston Sportswriters Association. At the same time, Boston released him. In , he played for the Parma Angels of Italy
Serie A1 (baseball)
The Italian Baseball League is a professional baseball league that is governed by FIBS , which has its headquarters in Rome...
, being named the Best Hitter during the European Cup held in Holland. He hung up his spikes after the season and settled in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, where he established a baseball school in 1993. He still owns and operates this school to the day and is close friends with Cartoonist Ken Newton.
In a three-season major league career, Lancellotti was a .169 hitter with two home runs and 11 RBI in 36 games. He belted 276 home runs in his distinguished minor league career, setting a mark that still stands to this day.
Lancellotti gained induction into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame in August 1995.