After thirteen seasons in professional baseball, outfielder Quintin Berry has officially hung up his cleats. Berry announces his retirement via Twitter, but adds that he will be joining the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2019 season as an outfield and baserunning coordinating (Twitter links). The Brewers have not yet announced the hire.
Berry’s most significant playing time came with the 2012 Tigers when he made his ML debut. He played in 94 games as a 27-year-old rookie, hitting .258/.330/.354 and stealing 21 bases in 21 attempts. Since then, Berry has been one of baseball’s few speed specialists, seeing time as an occasional stolen base threat off the bench, a la Terrance Gore.
Berry, who turns 34 years-old on November 21st, was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 5th round of the 2006 draft. He spent time with 12 organizations in total, including major-league appearances for the Tigers, Red Sox, Orioles, Cubs and most-recently the 2017 Brewers, for whom he stole two bases in three attempts after rosters expanded in September. Notably, Berry stole three bases in three attempts for the Red Sox during their World Series run in 2013. After pinch-running for David Ortiz, he stole second base off Yadier Molina in the eighth inning of a Game 4 Boston victory.
He helped me win a Strat-O-Matic championship with that AA steal rating that year! Good for him for continuing his career.
They still make Strat-O-Matic?
Oh yeah, Strat is still around. There’s hundreds of online leagues with players all over the country.
I logged in just to give you an upvote. Good to see another Strat player!
I played Strat-O-Matic when I was young
I grew up on APBA
I was hooked the moment I played the first time. Somewhere stored is a set from I think 1980 or 81. Dave Stapleton was my hidden gem of a card when we picked rosters then. I knew I could grab him at any time so I filled other needs first. Great memory. Thanks DC74 for bringing it up.
Yeah, my first season was cards and dice, 1989. Now I play the online version. It’s a blast although occasionally I miss having the actual cards in front of me.
I still play the online version and have for years. There are still a lot of dedicated Strat players out there.
Yep; I play in 4 different online leagues with guys from all over the country. The drafts are super fun, and playing the games is pretty fast with the online version – 15-20 minutes a game.
Who??
Yo mama
Very good! Mom jokes need to be more relevant.
Come up from your moms basement for some fresh air loser
Statis Pro was the best. 🙂
I enjoyed Statis Pro as well.
Go back to bed.
Thanks for ‘13 Quintin! Good luck in with your new occupation. Suits you well since you could fly through those bases
I’m a pretty big baseball guy, no idea this guy was around lol
Yeah, I only remember the name because of the Dave Roberts comparisons he drew in 2013. The Sox gave him a postseason roster slot simply to be a potential pinch runner.
After 2012 he floated or may have been stashed in the minors to have on your potential playoff roster. Didn’t hit but was ok in the outfield and could steal a base with the best of them.
Long live Herb Washington’s!!
All in thanks to Charlie Finley!
One of the best & colorful owners in MLB.
Great mention Palmerpark. I for one forgot Washington was the first. President…dedicated playoff base stealer…
The Terrance Gore comparison was kind of unfair. Berry wasn’t too bad a hitter. Gore couldn’t hit a boulder with a shovel.
A little surprised the Brewers didn’t wait to hire him until August 30 to be an extra base-running coach for the stretch run.
I think this is a great hire for them. I dont think base stealing is utilized enough. I wish more guys should run like Ricky Henderson did. It keeps pressure on pitchers along with out of double plays.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the base stealing acumen of Rickey. Analytics say that you have to be successful at least 75% for a SB to be worth it void of context. It’s the same reason why players don’t try to hit the opposite way for a base hit on a defensive shift. Not saying that in itself is easy. But an XBH is worth a lot more than a single. That’s modern baseball for you.
Well, Rickey was the perfect player if you believe modern analytics, which I do – the most important skill in baseball is getting on base, and Rickey was tremendous at getting on base, and then was obviously a huge factor once he got there. As far as hitting the other way to avoid the shift, that’s easy if you have the bat control of Tony Gwynn or whoever, but pitchers obviously pitch inside with the shift on, and with the velocity now, inside-outing an insde 100-mph fastball isn’t exactly child’s play. And yeah, that 75-80% number is pretty much established now through years of research; teams only get 27 outs in a game, so the opportunity cost of an extra base has to be weighed against losing one of those 27 outs needlessly.
Mayberry, Quisenberry, Strawberry. He’s just a regular Berry but good luck none the less
But no relation to Ken Berry
Or Damon Berryhill
Wasn’t he the one that charged Zach Grenkie and broke his collar bone?
That’s Carlos Quentin
Was a blast to watch on the Tigers in 2012. Not only for the stolen bases, but he was a guy that left it all on the field on every play.
I’ve always thought a team could take advantage of having a spot on the bench reserved for an elite base stealer in the playoffs, like the Red Sox did with him in 2013. Especially with a guy like Berry because he wasn’t the worst hitter in the world. In a pinch he could pinch hit or be a defensive replacement, but you’d mostly want him to steal 2nd and perhaps 3rd when tied or down by 1 late.
I’m surprised more teams don’t keep a guy on the bench like that.
Teams used to do it often but that’s when pitching staffs only had 9 or 10 pitchers. As soon as bullpens started expanding in the 1980s or so, designated pinch-runners like Matt “The Scat” Alexander went the way of the dodo bird.
So will Berry be allowed to pinch-coach for other coaches in late-inning situations?
amazing that professional mlb players need a base running coach
What does this even mean? There are coaches for every facet of the game….this comment really doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.