- Steve Dillard (baseball)
Infobox MLB retired
name = Steve Dillard
bgcolor1 = #0e3386
textcolor1 = white
bgcolor2 = #d82427
textcolor2 = white
width =
caption =
position = 3B / SS / 2B / DH
birthdate = birth date and age|1951|2|8
deathdate =
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate =September 28
debutyear = 1975
debutteam =Boston Red Sox
finaldate =October 3
finalyear = 1982
finalteam =Chicago White Sox
stat1label = Hits
stat1value = 246
stat2label = AVG
stat2value = .243
stat3label = HR
stat3value = 13
teams =
*Boston Red Sox (by|1975–by|1978)
*Detroit Tigers (by|1979)
*Chicago Cubs (by|1979–by|1981)
*Chicago White Sox (by|1982)
highlights =
hofdate =
hofvote =
hofmethod =Stephen Bradley Dillard (born
February 8 ,1951 inMemphis, Tennessee ) is a former reserveinfielder inMajor League Baseball , playing mainly assecond baseman with four different teams between 1975 and 1982. Listed at 6' 1", 180 lb, he batted and threwright-handed .Playing career
Dillard reached the majors in 1975 with the
Boston Red Sox , spending three years with them before moving to theDetroit Tigers (1978),Chicago Cubs (1979-1981) andChicago White Sox (1982). He was a wide-ranging, slick-fielding middle infielder who had quick hands and was above average at turning thedouble play , but the Red Sox thought they might be able to convert him from autility player to a second baseman.While in Boston, Dillard became a valuable backup for second baseman
Denny Doyle , and eventually forshortstop Rick Burleson andthird baseman Butch Hobson as well. When the Red Sox acquired 2BJerry Remy from theCalifornia Angels , Dillard was sent to Detroit in exchange for two minor league prospects. In his new work, he provided solid support for young infieldersLou Whitaker (2B) andAlan Trammell (SS) for a full year. During the 1979spring training he was moved by Detroit to the Chicago Cubs, spending three seasons with them. His most productive season came in his first year at Chicago, when he hit a career-high .283batting average with fivehome run s and 31 runs in 89games played . The following season he posted career-numbers in games (100), hits (55), doubles and RBI (27). The baseball strike came in 1981, curtailing time of play for everyone, and Dillard's average dropped to .218 in more limited action, though he still amassed 26 hits in 119at-bat s just in 53 games. He also appeared in 16 games with the Chicago White Sox in 1982, his last major league season.In an eight-season career, Dillard was a .243 hitter (246-for-1013) with 13 home runs and 102 RBI in 438 games, including 148 runs, 50 doubles, six triples, and 15
stolen base s.Managerial career
Following his playing retirement, Dillard started a managing career in the Chicago White Sox minor league system, spending six years at their
Gulf Coast League (1983-84, 1986-87), Southern League (1985), andMidwest League (1988) affiliates. He later worked with theHouston Astros for six years (1989-1994) — two as an infield instructor (1989-90) and four as a minor league manager (1991-94). He managed the 1995 season with the Cubs farm team inRockford, Illinois .In 2008, Dillard was manager of the
Quad Cities River Bandits of theMidwest League . The River Bandits are the Class A affiliate of theSt. Louis Cardinals .References
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/dillast01.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/D/Pdills101.htm Retrosheet]
* [http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1307&pid=3596 SABR biography]
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