- Roy Smalley (switch hitter)
Infobox MLB retired
name=Roy Smalley
position=Shortstop
bats=Switch
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1952|10|25Los Angeles, California
debutdate=April 30
debutyear=by|1975
debutteam=Texas Rangers
finaldate=October 4
finalyear=by|1987
finalteam=Minnesota Twins
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.257
stat2label=Home run s
stat2value=163
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=694
teams=
* Texas Rangers (by|1975-by|1976)
*Minnesota Twins (by|1976-by|1982, by|1985-by|1987)
*New York Yankees (by|1982-by|1984)
*Chicago White Sox (by|1984)
highlights=
* All-Star selection (1979)
*World Series champion (1987)Roy Frederick Smalley III (born
October 25 ,1952 inLos Angeles, California ) is a formershortstop inMajor League Baseball . From1975 through1987 , Smalley played for the Texas Rangers (1975-1976),Minnesota Twins (1976-1982; 1985-1987),New York Yankees (1982-1984) andChicago White Sox (1984). He was aswitch-hitter and threw right-handed. His father Roy Jr. is also a former shortstop who played in theNational League (1948-58), and managerGene Mauch was his uncle.Smalley was the number one overall pick in Major League Baseball's 1974 amateur draft, selected by the Texas Rangers.
Under the ownership of
Calvin Griffith , theMinnesota Twins franchise made few headlines in the transaction department; however, Roy Smalley's arrival to and departure from the Twins both involved blockbuster trades. onJune 1 1976 , Smalley was traded to the Twins by the Texas Rangers along with infielderMike Cubbage , pitchersJim Gideon andBill Singer and cash for Twins' aceBert Blyleven and shortstopDanny Thompson . OnApril 10 1982 , Smalley was traded to the Yankees for pitchersRon Davis andPaul Boris along with shortstop Greg Gagne.Depending on the historian queried and era referenced, Roy Smalley was arguably the greatest shortstop in the history of the Minnesota Twins, competing against work horses
Zoilo Versalles (1961-1967) and Greg Gagne (1983-1992).Smalley was a member of Minnesota's 1987 World Championship team.
In a 13-season career, Smalley posted a .257
batting average with 163home run s and 694 RBI in 1653games played . Smalley's best season came in 1979 when he was voted the starting Shortstop for the American League in the All-Star game. Smalley had a sensational 1st half of the season, entering the break with the 2nd highest Batting Average in the Major Leagues (.341). Though he tailed off in the 2nd half, Roy established career highs in runs, RBIs and home runs during his sensational 1979 campaign and was named the Shortstop on The Sporting News AL All-Star team.He now works for FSN North and helps with analysis of Minnesota Twins games. He also works as a stock broker for RBC Dain Rauscheree also
*
Top 500 home run hitters of all time
*List of second generation MLB players
*Texas Rangers all-time roster
*Minnesota Twins all-time roster
*New York Yankees all-time roster
*Chicago White Sox all-time roster ources
*baseball-reference|id=s/smallro02
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/S/Smalley_Roy52.stm Baseball Library]
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