User:TrueCRaysball/sandbox/Joel Youngblood

Joel Youngblood
Joel Youngblood
	Outfielder
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
debut
	April 13, 1976, for the Cincinnati Reds
Last appearance
	September 29, 1989, for the Cincinnati Reds
Career statistics
Batting average	.265
Hits	969
RBI	422
Teams
	Cincinnati Reds (1976, 1989); St. Louis Cardinals (1977); New York Mets (1977-1982); Montreal Expos (1982); San Francisco Giants (1983-1988);
Career highlights and awards
	All-Star (NL): 1981; First player in Major League Baseball history to get hits for two different teams in two different cities on the same day (August 4, 1982); World Series champioin (1976);

Joel Randolph Youngblood III (born August 28, 1951 in Houston, Texas) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants from 1976 to 1989. Youngblood was a versatile player, who could play many different positions, as well as pinch hit. He is currently the outfield/baserunning coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Cincinnati Reds

Youngblood was drafted by the Reds out of Stephen F. Austin High School in the second round of the 1970 amateur draft. He made his debut with Cincinnati on April 13, 1976. He batted only .193 for the "Big Red Machine" the season they swept the play-offs and World Series, but he made his one and only appearance as a catcher that season. The following Spring training, he was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bill Caudill.

New York Mets

June 15, 1977, the New York Mets traded Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman, and Dave Kingman to the San Diego Padres for minor league pitcher Paul Siebert and Bobby Valentine. Somewhat more quietly that day, they also acquired Youngblood from the Cardinals for Mike Phillips. To make room for Youngblood on the Mets' active roster, Player/Manager Joe Torre retired as a player.^[1]

With the Mets, Youngblood emerged as something of a "star" on the team that consistently finished last or close to it throughout his time in New York. He was the sole Mets representative on the National League team for the 1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In that strike-shortened season, Youngblood hit .350 in 143 at-bats.

MLB first

On August 4, 1982, Youngblood became the only player in history to get hits for two different teams in two different cities on the same day. After Youngblood had driven in two runs with a single in the third inning for the Mets in an afternoon game at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs,^[2] he was replaced in center field by Mookie Wilson, and traded to the Montreal Expos for a player to be named later (On August 16, the Expos sent Tom Gorman to the Mets to complete the deal). Youngblood rushed to Philadelphia in order to be with his new team, and hit a seventh inning single.^[3] Interestingly, the two pitchers he hit safely against, Ferguson Jenkins of the Cubs and Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies, are both in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

San Francisco Giants

Following the season, he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants. As a utility player, he appeared in 124 games for the 1983 Giants. In 1984, his role with the Giants became more defined as he made 117 appearances at third. His low fielding percentage (.887) at that position returned him to his utility role for the remainder of his Giants career. Youngblood signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds for 1989. After one season back with the Reds, Youngblood retired as a player.

Games	AB	Runs	Hits	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	Avg.	Slg.
1408	3659	453	969	180	23	80	422	60	55	332	589	.265	.392

References

↑ "The Top 50 Mets of All Time: #43 Joel Youngblood". Retrieved 2009-09-06.
↑ "Mets 7, Cubs 4". Retrieved 1982-08-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
↑ "Phillies 5, Expos 4". Retrieved 1982-08-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)