Graig Nettles
From SoSH
| Born: | September 27, 1949 |
| Birthplace: | Dayton, Ohio |
| Height: | 6' |
| Weight: | 186 lbs |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 1965: 4th Round by the Minnesota Twins |
| College: | San Diego State University |
| High School: | ? |
| Teams: | Minnesota Twins 1967 – 1969 Cleveland Indians 1970-1972 New York Yankees 1973-1983 San Diego Padres 1984-1986 Atlanta Braves 1987 Montreal Expos 1988. |
Contents |
Overall Career
Graig Nettles was one of the best-fielding third basemen of his era, and a power hitter who played an integral role in the Yankees’ championship teams in 1977 and 1978. Nettles led the American League in homers in 1976 with 32, but his best season came in 1977. He won the Gold Glove, slugged 37 homers, drove in 107 runs, and scored 99 runs to lead the Yankees over the Dodgers in the World Series.
Moments in the Sun
Over the course of his 22-year career, Nettles has had many moments in the spotlight. Two memorable moments came against the Red Sox.
In 1975, Nettles hit a slicing line drive to left-centerfield off Bill Lee. Fred Lynn raced over, dove for the ball, and caught it while parallel to and a foot off the ground. He completed a full somersault, ending up on his knees with the glove and ball raised in triumph. One of Lynn’s best catches saved Lee’s 1-0 shutout.
In 1978, Nettles caught Carl Yastrzemski’s foul pop off Rich Gossage to end the one-game playoff between the Red Sox and the Yankees, sending the Yankees to the playoffs and the Sox home for the winter.
Achievements and Awards
- 2-time American League Gold Glove – 3B (1976, 1977)
- 5-time American League All-Star – 3B (1975, 1977-1980)
- National League All-Star – 3B (1985)
- Led American League in Home Runs (32) in 1976
- Won AL Championship Series MVP (1981)
Trivia
Nettles was known for his sense of humor. One of his better lines:
- When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join the circus. With the Yankees I have accomplished both.
- Enjoys superballs.
Transactions
- November 4, 1988: Granted Free Agency.
- December 7, 1988: Signed as a Free Agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.
- June 8, 1965: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 4th round of the 1965 amateur draft.
- December 10, 1969: Traded by the Minnesota Twins with Dean Chance, Bob Miller, and Ted Uhlaender to the Cleveland Indians for Luis Tiant and Stan Williams.
- November 27, 1972: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Jerry Moses to the New York Yankees for John Ellis, Jerry Kenney, Charlie Spikes, and Rusty Torres.
- March 30, 1984: Traded by the New York Yankees to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later and Dennis Rasmussen. The San Diego Padres sent Darin Cloninger to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.
- December 18, 1986: Released by the San Diego Padres.
- April 1, 1987: Signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.
- November 9, 1987: Granted Free Agency.
- December 6, 1987: Signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.
- March 24, 1988: Purchased by the Montreal Expos from the Atlanta Braves.
- November 4, 1988: Granted Free Agency.
External Links
• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
