Brian Reed Doyle (born January 26, 1954 in Glasgow, Kentucky) is a former Major League Baseball infielder. Although a reserve for most of his career, Doyle starred in the 1978 World Series for the World Champion New York Yankees that beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.[1]
| Brian Doyle | |
|---|---|
 Doyle at an autograph signing in 2013. | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: January 26, 1954 Glasgow, Kentucky | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 30, 1978, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 24, 1981, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .161 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 13 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Texas Rangers
Doyle was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the fourth round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft out of Caverna High School in Horse Cave, Kentucky. He batted .259 with ten home runs and 132 runs batted in over five seasons in the Rangers' farm system when he was traded to the Yankees along with Greg Pryor in exchange for Sandy Alomar.[2]
New York Yankees
After spending the 1977 season in triple A with the Syracuse Chiefs, Doyle split the 1978 season between the Yankees and Tacoma Yankees. At the major league level, he batted .192 with no home runs or RBIs, and wasn't expected to be part of the Yankees' post season roster.
All-Star second baseman Willie Randolph had been dealing with cartilage problems in his left knee all season,[3] and was unable to be part of the Yankees' post season.[4] Doyle was added in his place.
Doyle went 2-for-5 with an RBI in game one of the 1978 American League Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals.[5] With left handers going in games two and three, manager Bob Lemon went with right handed batting Fred Stanley at second. Doyle started the final game, and walked once in three plate appearances.[6]
In six World Series games, he batted .438 with seven hits in 16 at bats, one double, four runs scored and two RBIs, leading the World Series in batting average while helping the Yankees to their second straight World Series victory.
After the end of the 1980 season, Doyle was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the Rule 5 draft. He played for the Athletics in 1981, his last season in the Major Leagues. Doyle played 110 games in his career,
Personal
He has a twin brother, Blake, who played minor league ball before becoming a major league coach. His brother, Denny, also played in the major leagues.
In 1978, Brian and his brothers founded Doyle Baseball, a baseball school.[7]
In the 1990s, Doyle was diagnosed with leukemia, and was later on diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2015.[8]
References
- ^ Syken, Bill (April 28, 2003). "Brian Doyle Infielder (October 23, 1978)". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ "Alomar Traded to Rangers". The Spokesman-Review. February 18, 1977.
- ^ "Jarvis Leaves Idaho". The Register-Guard. June 28, 1978. p. 3C.
- ^ "Welch Closes Door on Yankees as Dodgers Go 2-up in Series". Rome News-Tribune. October 12, 1978. p. 1-B.
- ^ "1978 American League Championship Series, Game 1". Baseball-Reference.com. Royals Stadium. October 3, 1978.
- ^ "1978 American League Championship Series, Game 4". Baseball-Reference.com. Yankee Stadium (1923). October 7, 1978.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "Blake Doyle emerges as strong candidate for hitting coach job". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ FOX. "It's easier to win a World Series than get Social Security disability". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- ESPN video
- Brian Doyle at Society for American Baseball Research