Paul Hoover (baseball)
Paul Hoover | |
---|---|
![]() Hoover with the Florida Marlins | |
Kansas City Royals – No. 26 | |
Catcher / Coach | |
Born: Columbus, Ohio, U.S. | April 14, 1976|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 8, 2001, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 29, 2010, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .250 |
Home runs | 0 |
Runs batted in | 8 |
Teams | |
As Player
As Coach
|
Paul Chester Hoover (born April 14, 1976) is an American professional baseball coach and former catcher. He is currently the bench coach for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hoover played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Florida Marlins, and the Philadelphia Phillies. He was listed as standing 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall, and weighing 220 pounds (100 kg).
Professional career
[edit]Tampa Bay Devil Rays
[edit]In 1994 Hoover was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 64th round of the MLB draft, however he did not sign. Hoover was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 23rd round (714th overall) of the 1997 MLB draft, with whom he signed on June 6, 1997. Hoover made his MLB debut on September 8, 2001, as a pinch hitter for Tampa Bay in a game against the Oakland Athletics; he singled to left field in his first MLB plate appearance.[1] Hoover appeared in three games with Tampa Bay during 2001, and in five games during 2002.
Florida Marlins
[edit]Hoover next played in the major leagues in 2006, with the Florida Marlins. From 2006 through 2008, he appeared in a total of 20 games for the Marlins. On September 29, 2007, Hoover broke up a potential no-hitter in the eighth inning with an infield single to spoil a bid by John Maine of the New York Mets.
Philadelphia Phillies
[edit]On January 7, 2009, Hoover signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Philadelphia Phillies.[2] He appeared in a total of 12 major league games with the Phillies during 2009–2010. On October 4, 2009, Hoover hit a walk-off RBI single on the final day of the regular season against the Florida Marlins to give the Phillies a 7–6 victory. He was outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on October 28, 2010.
Boston Red Sox
[edit]In February 2011, Hoover signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox,[3] however he did not play for their organization during the 2011 regular season.
Hoover currently holds the MLB record for most seasons by a non-pitcher with 25 or fewer plate appearances, with six. He shares the record for the most seasons as a rookie, with seven seasons.[4]
Post-playing career
[edit]In 2012, the Tampa Bay Rays hired Hoover as manager for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Rays.[5] The team finished with a 28–32 record. In 2013, Hoover became a roving catching coordinator for Tampa Bay.[6] In December 2018, Hoover was named the field coordinator for the Rays, replacing Rocco Baldelli, who became manager of the Minnesota Twins.[7]
On November 13, 2022, the Kansas City Royals hired Hoover as their bench coach for the 2023 season.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Both of Hoover's parents are deaf; he learned American Sign Language at a young age.[9][10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1, Toronto Blue Jays 0". Retrosheet. September 23, 2001.
- ^ "Hoover signs with Phils". iht.com. Associated Press. January 7, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ Red Sox sign four free agents to Minors deals MLB.com, February 2, 2011
- ^ Lombardi, Steve (February 12, 2011). "Most Seasons (Non-P) PA <= 25". baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "Rays name minor league coaching staffs for 2012". Tampa Bay Rays official website. January 5, 2012. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- ^ "Paul Hoover". playballohio.com. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- ^ "Rays make it official, add Paul Hoover to coaching staff". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "Royals add Hoover to Quatraro's staff as bench coach". mlb.com. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
- ^ "Catching up with Paul Hoover, C". Miami Herald. March 19, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2017 – via Deaf News Network.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox Catcher Paul Hoover's Parents are deaf. He loves ASL". YouTube. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- 1976 births
- Living people
- Albuquerque Isotopes players
- American expatriate baseball players in Canada
- American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
- Azucareros del Este players
- Baseball coaches from Ohio
- Baseball players from Columbus, Ohio
- Charleston RiverDogs players
- Durham Bulls players
- Edmonton Trappers players
- Florida Marlins players
- Gulf Coast Marlins players
- Hudson Valley Renegades players
- Lehigh Valley IronPigs players
- Major League Baseball bench coaches
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Major League Baseball coaches
- Minor league baseball coaches
- Minor league baseball managers
- Orlando Rays players
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- Princeton Devil Rays players
- St. Petersburg Devil Rays players
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays players
- Tampa Bay Rays coaches