Gene Clines

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#EE1422
bgcolor2=#083884
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Gene Clines
position=Outfielder
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=June 28
debutyear=by|1970
debutteam=San Francisco Giants
finaldate=May 8
finalyear=by|1979
finalteam=Chicago Cubs
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.277
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=5
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=187
teams=
*Pittsburgh Pirates (1970-1974)
*New York Mets (1975)
*Texas Rangers (1976)
*Chicago Cubs (1977-1979)
highlights=
*Hit .334 with 6 triples and 15 doubles in 107 games with Pittsburgh in 1972
*World Series ring in 1971
*On May 16, by|1977, Gene went 4 for 4 with a home run, a double, and 5 RBI to lift his Cubs over the San Diego Padres 9-6.

Eugene Anthony (Gene) Clines (born October 6, 1946 in San Pablo, California) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, Clines played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1970-1974), New York Mets (1975), Texas Rangers (1976) and Chicago Cubs (1977-1979). He was also the hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs from 2005-2006. From 2003-2004, he was the team's first base coach before being promoted to hitting coach. He batted and threw right-handed.

Playing career

In a 10-season career, Clines posted a .277 batting average with 187 RBI, 71 stolen bases, and five home runs in 870 games.

A fast runner with high defensive skills, Clines debuted in 1970 with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a reserve outfielder, as he hit .405 (15-for-37) in 31 games in his rookie year. He went to the postseason with Pittsburgh in the by|1971, by|1972 and by|1974 National League Championship Series, winning a World Series ring with the Pirates in 1971. His most productive season came in 1972, when he posted career-highs in average (.334), doubles (15), and triples (six) in 107 games. Clines also played with the New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs, and retired during the 1979 campaign and took over the Cubs first base coaching duties.

Coaching career

Clines remained with the Cubs as first base coach under manager Bob Kennedy until 1981. Then joined the Houston Astros organization as a roving minor league hitting instructor, a position he held through 1987. Later he worked as a hitting coach for Houston in 1988 and spent six seasons as a hitting coach in the American League for the Seattle Mariners (1989-1992) and Milwaukee Brewers (1993-1994) before start a six-year stint with the San Francisco Giants as a hitting coach and outfield coach (1995-2002), as he guided National League MVP Award winners Jeff Kent (2000) and Barry Bonds (2001 and 2002). During the 2002 World Series with the Giants he wore a mic for FOX and when Barry Bonds hit his first career World Series home run he screamed, "OH MY GOD!"

In 2003, Clines returned to the Chicago Cubs as their first base coach. He was named hitting coach prior to the 2005 season. 2006 was his 20th season on a major league coaching staff.

In 2007 he assumed the position of outfield and base running coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers system.

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Clines_Gene.stm Baseball Library]
*baseball-reference|id=c/clinege01
* [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/C/Pcling101.htm Retrosheet]
* [http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=chc&coachorstaffid=31610310467 Chicago Cubs official site]

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