Chris Speier

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Chris Speier
Shortstop
Born: (1950-06-28) June 28, 1950 (age 62)
Alameda, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right 
MLB debut
April 7, 1971 for the San Francisco Giants
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1989 for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics
Batting average     .246
Home runs     112
Runs batted in     720
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Christopher Edward Speier (born June 28, 1950) is a former Major League Baseball player and current bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds.[1] He was drafted second overall in the January secondary 1970 Major League Baseball Draft.

Contents

Playing career [edit]

Speier played 19 seasons in the Major Leagues as a shortstop for the Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and briefly for the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins during the 1984 season.

He accrued a career .246 batting average and a .970 fielding percentage. His overall playing strengths were his solid fielding and selective eye at the plate; he led the league in intentional walks in 1980 and 1981. He was also named to the National League All-Star team during the 1972, 1973 and 1974 seasons as a member of the Giants. He won the 1987 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership during his second time with the Giants.

Coaching career [edit]

He was a coach on the World Series Champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001.

He was the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs from 2005 to 2006.

He was signed by the Cincinnati Reds on October 29, 2007, as an infield coach and also serves as the Reds' bench coach. He also filled in when manager Dusty Baker was hospitalized in Chicago in September 2012 – this was when they clinched a playoff berth.[2]

Personal life [edit]

Speier is the father of former MLB relief pitcher Justin Speier.

Speier converted to Catholicism after meeting his wife and became an activist in the pro-life movement. In 1993 he was the principal of the religious Ville de Marie Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona.[3] The school was not accredited by the state, nor was it affiliated with the local diocese.

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Manager & Coaches: Chris Speier". Retrieved 2010-02-11. 
  2. ^ "Baker stays in Chicago hospital to receive fluids". www.Reds.com.  Unknown parameter |http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd= ignored (help);
  3. ^ Dave Walker (February 17, 1993). "Good Book Great Booksshortstop Turned Principal Chris Speier Still Believes in Fundamentals". Poenix New Times News. 
Preceded by
Mike Krukow
Willie Mac Award
1987
Succeeded by
José Uribe
Preceded by
Wendell Kim
Chicago Cubs third base coach
2005–2006
Succeeded by
Mike Quade