Ron Plaza
Encyclopedia
Ronald Charles Plaza is a former American
baseball
player. Though he never made it to the majors as a player, he reached the majors as a coach
with the Seattle Pilots
, Cincinnati Reds
and Oakland Athletics
. He currently resides in St. Petersburg, Florida
and works with Oakland as scout and coach for their minor league operations.
Plaza joined the Johnson City Cardinals
in at just sixteen years old, and batted .302 with four home runs and 34 runs batted in. In , with the Hamilton Cardinals, he lead the Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League with 37 doubles
, was third in the league with 106 RBIs and fourth in the league in walks
. He also committed a league leading 37 errors
at third base
.
Plaza shifted to second base with the Rochester Red Wings
in , and batted .297 his first season in triple A. His batting average
slipped to .221 his second season with Rochester, however, he hit a career high fourteen home runs.
He wrapped up an eleven year playing career (all in the St. Louis Cardinals
organization) in with the Atlanta Crackers
, and immediately moved into coaching. He managed the Billings Mustangs
to the Pioneer League
finals his first season as a coach, ande won the Florida State League
championship in with the St. Petersburg Cardinals.
Plaza's first major league coaching job was the hitting coach for the Seattle Pilots in . Pilots General Manager Marvin Milkes
let Plaza go along with the rest of the coaching staff as the team struggled with bankruptcy
and a host of other issues after completing their one and only season in Major League Baseball
. He reign with the Pilots earned him mention in Jim Bouton
's book, "Ball Four
", as "The Drill Instructor".
He coached in the Cincinnati Reds' farm system following his stint in Seattle, and joined the big league club following the season. He was the third base coach in , and was shifted to first base coach during the season by new Reds manager John McNamara. He was also first base coach in 1983. He is currently employed with the Oakland Athletics.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. Though he never made it to the majors as a player, he reached the majors as a 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...
with the Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
, 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....
and 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 currently resides in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
and works with Oakland as scout and coach for their minor league operations.
Plaza joined the Johnson City Cardinals
Johnson City Cardinals
The Johnson City Cardinals are a rookie league team based in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Cardinals are affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals organization and play with the Appalachian League, of which they are currently the two-time defending champions. The team plays its home games at Howard...
in at just sixteen years old, and batted .302 with four home runs and 34 runs batted in. In , with the Hamilton Cardinals, he lead the Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League with 37 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....
, was third in the league with 106 RBIs and fourth in the league in walks
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...
. He also committed a league leading 37 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 ...
at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
.
Plaza shifted to second base with 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...
in , and batted .297 his first season in triple A. His 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 :...
slipped to .221 his second season with Rochester, however, he hit a career high fourteen home runs.
He wrapped up an eleven year playing career (all in the 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...
organization) in with the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
, and immediately moved into coaching. He managed the Billings Mustangs
Billings Mustangs
The Billings Mustangs are a minor league baseball team based in Billings, Montana. The Mustangs are the Pioneer League Rookie affiliate of the Major League Cincinnati Reds. The team has been a part of the Pioneer League since 1948 with a five-year gap between 1964 and 1968, and has been affiliated...
to the Pioneer League
Pioneer League
The Pioneer League is a minor league baseball league which currently operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. In the past, it also operated in adjoining portions of Canada. Classified as a Rookie league, the Pioneer League is predominantly made up of players out of high school...
finals his first season as a coach, ande won the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
championship in with the St. Petersburg Cardinals.
Plaza's first major league coaching job was the hitting coach for the Seattle Pilots in . Pilots General Manager Marvin Milkes
Marvin Milkes
Marvin Milkes was an American front office executive in three professional sports: Major League Baseball, soccer, and hockey...
let Plaza go along with the rest of the coaching staff as the team struggled with bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and a host of other issues after completing their one and only season 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...
. He reign with the Pilots earned him mention in Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
's book, "Ball Four
Ball Four
Ball Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
", as "The Drill Instructor".
He coached in the Cincinnati Reds' farm system following his stint in Seattle, and joined the big league club following the season. He was the third base coach in , and was shifted to first base coach during the season by new Reds manager John McNamara. He was also first base coach in 1983. He is currently employed with the Oakland Athletics.