Reid Nichols

Infobox MLB retired
name=Reid Nichols


width=
position=Outfielder
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1958|8|5
city-state|Ocala|Florida
debutdate=September 16
debutyear=by|1980
debutteam=Boston Red Sox
finaldate=October 4
finalyear=by|1987
finalteam=Montreal Expos
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.266
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=22
stat3label=Hits
stat3value=308
teams=
* Boston Red Sox (by|1980-by|1985)
* Chicago White Sox (by|1985-by|1986)
* Montreal Expos (by|1987)
highlights=

Thomas Reid Nichols (born August 5, 1958 in Ocala, Florida) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly at center field from by|1980 to by|1987 for the Boston Red Sox (1980-1985), Chicago White Sox (1985-1986) and Montreal Expos (1987). Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Nichols currently serves as minor league farm director for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Playing career

Nichols was selected by Boston Red Sox in 12nd Round of 1976 amateur entry draft. He worked his way trough the Red Sox minor league system until he made his debut in by|1980.

In the early 1980s, Nichols played reserve roles in a Boston outfield that was comprised of Jim Rice, Tony Armas and Dwight Evans, being also used as a pinch-hitter against left-handing pitching.

In 1982 Nichols reached career-numbers in batting average (.302), home runs (7), and runs batted in (33) in 92 games, then in 1983 appeared in a career-high 100 games. During the 1985 midseason he was traded by Boston to the White Sox in exchange for Tim Lollar, and later was signed as a free agent by Montreal in 1987, his last major league season.

In an eight-year career, Nichols was a .266 hitter (308-for-1160) with 22 home runs and 131 RBI in 540 games, including 156 runs, 63 doubles, eight triples, 27 stolen bases and a .326 on-base percentage. In 408 outfield appearances, he posted a collective .990 fielding percentage (eight errors in 782 chances).

Nichols ended his professional career with the Oklahoma City 89ers in by|1988.

Post playing career

Nichols served as the Farm Director for the Texas Rangers from by|1994 - by|2000. In by|2001 he served as the Rangers first base coach.

In by|2002 he was hired as the Farm Director/Director of Player Development for the Milwaukee Brewers in by|2002, a position he still holds. During his tenure the Brewers farm system has gone from one of the lowest ranked development systems to a number seven ranking in by|2007 by Baseball Prospectus, developing current players such as Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks. [cite web
url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5927
title=Prospectus Q&A: Reid Nichols| date=2007-03-04 |publisher=Baseball Prospectus | author=David Laurila |accessdate=2008-06-04]

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=n/nichore01 |fangraphs=1009567 |cube=N/Reid-Nichols
* [http://mlb.com/stats/historical/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=mlb&playerID=119768 MLB] historical statistics
* [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/N/Pnichr001.htm Retrosheet]