Wikipedia

User:GhostRiver/dante

< User:GhostRiver

Alphonse Dante Bichette (born November 18, 1963) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Between 1988 and 2001, he spent 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the California Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston Red Sox. A four-time All-Star, Bichette's most successful season was in 1995, when he was the National League's home run and runs batted in leader, as well as a Silver Slugger.

Early life edit

Bichette was born on November 18, 1963, in West Palm Beach, Florida. His mother Mary owned an antique shop, while his father Maurice worked in construction. He was one of seven children, three of whom were from his father's previous marriage.[1] He decided to become a professional baseball player when he was nine years old after watching Reggie Jackson hit a home run with the Oakland Athletics in the 1973 World Series. Bichette did poorly in school, telling his parents, "School doesn't matter. I'm going to be a professional ballplayer."[2]

Professional career edit

Draft and minor leagues (1984–1988) edit

The California Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB) selected Bichette in the 17th round, 424th overall, of the 1984 MLB Draft.[1]

  • 1984 Salem Angels
  • 1985 Quad Cities Angels
  • 1986 Palm Springs Angels
  • 1986 Midland Angels
  • 1987 Edmonton Trappers
  • 1988 Edmonton Trappers

California Angels (1988–1990) edit

Bichette was promoted to the Angels on September 5, 1988. He made his major league debut that night, lining out to right field in his eighth-inning at bat.[3] Bichette and his fellow prospects were used only sparingly through the final month of the 1988 season. This reluctance to use younger players was one of the factors leading the Angels to fire manager Cookie Rojas once the team was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.[4] Appearing in 21 games for California after his promotion, Bichette hit .261 in 46 major league at bats, with two extra-base hits and eight RBI.[5]

Bichette entered 1989 spring training in contention with Tony Armas for the reserve outfielder position on the Angels. While Armas had a slow start at the plate, Bichette was batting .394 by March 15, an offensive surge he attributed to his work with hitting coach Deron Johnson.[6]

  • 1989
  • 1990

Milwaukee Brewers (1991-1992) edit

Colorado Rockies (1993-1999) edit

Cincinnati Reds (2000) edit

On October 30, 1999,[7] the Rockies traded Bichette and $1.9 million in cash to the Cincinnati Reds to acquire Jeffrey Hammonds and Stan Belinda.[8] He opened the 2000 season in right field, with Dmitri Young in left and Ken Griffey Jr., another offseason acquisition, in center.[9]

Boston Red Sox (2000-2001) edit

Retirement edit

After entertaining offers from several teams during the 2001-02 offseason, Bichette signed a minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 30, 2002. Although he was considered a backup for the left field position if Brian Jordan was moved to center, Dodgers general manager Dan Evans primarily envisioned Bichette as a right-handed complement for the left-handed pinch hitter Dave Hansen.[10] After struggling in spring training, batting only .190 in 16 exhibition games, Bichette announced his sudden retirement from professional baseball on March 23.[11] At the time, the Dodgers still expected that he would have an Opening Day role as a pinch hitter and reserve outfielder. He told reporters that he would consider reversing his retirement if a team were to offer him an everyday playing role, but that he "had the whole off-season to find that job, and it just wasn't there".[12]

Bichette finished his career with a lifetime .299 batting average in 6,381 at bats. In 1,704 major league games across 14 seasons, he recorded 274 home runs, 1,141 RBI, and 934 runs scored.[5] His .316 batting average and 201 home runs with the Colorado Rockies both ranked fourth of any player in their career with the team.[13]

Later career edit

On July 30, 2004, Bichette signed a contract with the Nashua Pride of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league.[14] He made his Atlantic League debut that day, hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw from Lincoln Mikkelsen of the Camden Riversharks.[15] Bichette told reporters that he agreed to join Nashua because his younger son Bo had no memories of his father playing professional baseball. Making $1,200 per month, one of the stipulations of Bichette's contract was that he would have an opportunity to pitch for the Pride. He pitched in three games: two relief appearances and one start.[16] While he earned a save in one of these relief appearances by pitching three scoreless innings against the Somerset Patriots,[17] his September 6 start was less effective, as he allowed eight earned runs on nine hits in two innings against the Newark Bears.[18] Bichette finished his season in Nashua batting .312 with 18 home runs and 54 RBI in 199 at bats across 49 games.[19]

Bichette rejoined the Rockies as a hitting coach for the 2013 season, a job which reunited him with former teammate and then-team manager Walt Weiss.[13] He left the organization after one season to spend more time with his family. At the time, the Rockies led the league with a .271 team batting average, while Michael Cuddyer was the NL batting champion.[20] In 2020, the Toronto Blue Jays invited Bichette to spring training as a guest instructor.[21] He continued with the organization as a special assistant during the 2021 season,[22] and took on a larger hitting coach role during the final stretch of the season.[23] Bichette resigned from the Blue Jays during the 2021–22 MLB lockout: he wanted to keep working with Bo, a shortstop for Toronto, during the lockout, but employees and players were not allowed to work together until a collective bargaining agreement was reached.[24]

Player profile edit

Personal life edit

Bichette met his wife Mariana while he was playing for the Brewers in 1991, and they married two years later.[1] In 1992, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call involving Bichette and Mariana, who was pregnant at the time.[25] Bichette referred to the incident as "a one-time thing".[26] The following year, law enforcement responded to another domestic dispute at the Bichettes' off-season residence in Palm Beach Gardens.[27]

Both of Bichette's sons also play baseball[1] Dante Bichette Jr. gained media attention when he participated in the 2005 Little League World Series with the team from Maitland, Florida.[28] The New York Yankees selected Dante Jr. 51st overall in the 2011 MLB Draft,[29] and he spent several years with the minor-league Trenton Thunder and Harrisburg Senators, as well as the St. Paul Saints of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league.[30] Bichette's younger son Bo was selected 66th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2016 MLB Draft,[31] and he made his major league debut in 2019.[32]

Awards and achievements edit

Honors edit

Bichette appeared on the 2007 ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He received three votes (0.6 percent of votes), falling below the five percent threshold required to appear on subsequent ballots.[33] Ten years later, he was one of the 2017 inductees into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.[34]

Awards edit

Awards received
Name of award Times Dates Ref.
Home Run Derby participant 1 1994
NL All-Star 4 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998
NL Silver Slugger Award 1 1995
Players Choice NL Outstanding Player 1 1995
Notes:
Per Baseball-Reference.com and per listed references.

Statistical highlights edit

League statistical leader
Category Times Dates
At bats 1 1994*
Extra base hits (XBH) 1 1995
Games played 1 1994*
Hits 2 1995*, 1998*
Home runs 1 1995
Runs batted in (RBI) 1 1995*
Sacrifice flies 2 1996, 1999
Slugging percentage (SLG) 1 1995
Total bases 1 1995
Notes:
Per Baseball-Reference.com.[5]
*—Led both leagues.

Notes edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Randhawa, Manny (March 1, 2018). "Dante Bichette". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  2. ^ Holtzman, Jerome (May 1, 1994). "Bichette goes by the book(s), tears up National League". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  3. ^ Tucker, Doug (September 6, 1988). "Boone Leads Angels Past Royals". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. p. 2. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Penner, Mike (September 24, 1988). "Angels fire Rojas; third-base coach takes interim reins". Redding Record Searchlight. p. B5. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Dante Bichette Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  6. ^ Weyler, John (March 15, 1989). "It Continues to Be Dandy Spring for Bichette". Los Angeles Times. p. 9. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Haft, Chris (November 3, 1999). "Reds a long shot to nab Junior". Cincinnati Enquirer. p. D3. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Jackson, Tony (November 1, 1999). "Reds give Bichette a fresh beginning". The Cincinnati Post. p. 3C. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Jackson, Tony (April 1, 2000). "Reds success hinges on pitching". The Cincinnati Post. p. 3E. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (January 31, 2002). "Dodgers Sign Bichette for Pinch-Hitting Role". Los Angeles Times. p. D3. Retrieved June 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Bichette's poor spring (.190) leads to retirement". ESPN. Associated Press. March 23, 2002. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  12. ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (March 23, 2002). "Bichette Retires After 14 Seasons". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Harding, Thomas. "Bichette rejoins Rockies to be hitting coach". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Major league vet Bichette to join Pride". OurSports Central. Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. July 30, 2004. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  15. ^ Gormley, Chuck (July 31, 2004). "Riversharks hold off Bichette, Nashua for victory". Courier-Post. p. 6D. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Herzog, Bob (September 23, 2004). "Bichette gets a do-over to show son his prowess". Newsday. p. A61. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Mosher, Geoff (August 30, 2004). "Dante's Inferno". The Courier-News. p. C3. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Around the NL West". The Arizona Republic. September 7, 2004. p. C5. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference minors was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ "Bichette won't return as Rockies hitting coach". The Denver Post. Associated Press. September 24, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  21. ^ Longley, Rob (February 13, 2020). "Dante Bichette joins blue Jays as guest instructor at spring training". Toronto Sun. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  22. ^ "Dante Bichette named special asst. with Jays". The Sports Network. February 4, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  23. ^ Wilner, Mike (August 28, 2021). "Dante Bichette joins Blue Jays again to try to help unlock those bats". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "Bo Bichette says father Dante resigned from Blue Jays due to lockout". Sportsnet. February 9, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  25. ^ Nack, William (July 31, 1995). "Sports' Dirty Secret". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  26. ^ Posnanski, Joe (September 17, 1995). "Domestic abuse at athletes' hands: is rage, like screams, inevitable?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  27. ^ "Sports world and domestic violence". Hartford Courant. September 17, 1995. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  28. ^ "Starring Role Runs in Family at Little League World Series". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 23, 2005. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  29. ^ Hochman, Benjamin (June 7, 2011). "New York Yankees draft Dante Bichette Jr". The Denver Post. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  30. ^ Carr, Aaron (June 30, 2019). "Dante Bichette Jr. is relishing second chance with Harrisburg Senators". The Patriot-News. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  31. ^ Page, Rodney (June 10, 2016). "Lakewood's Bo Bichette, East Lake's Travis MacGregor drafted in second round". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  32. ^ Longley, Rob (July 30, 2019). "Bichette gets a hit, joins his junior Jays buddies for win against Royals". Toronto Sun. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  33. ^ "2007 Hall of Fame Voting". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  34. ^ Harding, Thomas (October 19, 2016). "Bichette named to Colorado Sports HOF". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:GhostRiver/dante&oldid=1120012830"