Athletes - Geno Petralli

Home > Listing Index > Athletes > Geno Petralli

	Athletes - Geno Petralli

Eugene James Petralli (born September 25 1959 in Sacramento, California) was a 6'1" 180 lbs utility baseball player with a 12 year career from 1982 to 1993.

Biography

Petralli is the son of former minor leaguer Gene Petralli who played from 1948-1953. Geno was married on September 22, 1979 to the former Susan Patterson. Together they had two sons, James Isiah born on August 13, 1981 and Benjamin Hastings born on October 7, 1985.

Playing career

Petralli graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento, and went on to Sacramento City College. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 3rd round (53rd overall pick) of the 1978 amateur entry draft (January Regular Phase.) Petralli played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers both of the American League. He played catcher, first base, second base, third base, outfield, and designated hitter. In 809 games over his Major League career Petralli hit 24 home runs, drove in 192 runs, and hit for a .267 average. His best season was 1988 as he amassed 352 at-bats, 7 home runs, 36 runs batted in, and a .282 average. He hit over .300 in both 1987 and 1989.

The promotion of Ivan Rodriguez in 1991 signaled the end of Petralli's tenure as the Rangers' primary backstop. After two years as I-Rod's backup, he was released after the Rangers looked to veteran Mike Scioscia to fill the role. Petralli signed with the San Diego Padres in March 1994. Neither Scioscia nor Petralli ever appeared in a major-league game again.

During the off season of his first few years in baseball Petralli drove a Dr. Pepper delivery truck.

Career highlights

Petralli gave up 95 passed balls in his career. This high number was due in large part to Petralli being the personal catcher for Rangers knuckleball pitcher Charlie Hough
. Petralli led all of baseball in passed balls with 35 in 1987, 20 in 1988, and 20 in 1990.

Hit a tying two-run pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the 8th inning off of Roger Clemens
during a nationally televised Monday night baseball game against the first place Boston Red Sox on August 25, 1986 at Arlington Stadium. The blast, Petralli's second of his career, allowed Ruben Sierra to win the game with a home run in the bottom of the 9th as the surprising Rangers remained close to the California Angels in pursuit of the 1986 AL West title.

Petralli was the Ranger's Union Player Representative in 1986.

In August 1988 Geno hit .342 (26 hits in 76 at-bats) over the course of 25 games and was named the Rangers Player of the Month. It was the highest honor he ever received.

Geno's first hit came against Cleveland Indians pitcher Len Barker
on September 2, 1982 when he laced a double to left field in the cavernous Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

Petralli's first hit as a Ranger came in a 6-0 defeat against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 12, 1985. Ed Whitson served up a third inning single to centerfield by Geno.

The final Major League game for Petralli came on Saturday October 2, 1993 in front of over 41,000 fans. The Rangers lost to Tom Gordon
and the Kansas City Royals by a score of 7-4. The game was notable because it was the next to last game ever played at Arlington Stadium before the Rangers moved into their new Ballpark in Arlington the next year. Arlington Stadium was turned into a parking lot shortly after the season ended.

Knuckleballer Charlie Hough
put Petralli in the record books on August 22, 1987. With Hough on the mound, Petralli committed four passed balls in one inning to tie a major-league record. Eight days later, Petralli let six of Hough's evasive deliveries get by him in one game to tie another record. Petralli's 35 passed balls that year -- 32 with Hough pitching -- were the most ever by a big-league catcher.

Though he caught Hough in nine more games in 1988 than he had in 1987, Petralli had only 20 passed balls -- still enough to lead the majors again. On the positive side, in 1987 Petralli became the first Rangers catcher to hit more than .300 (.302).

The 1987 Texas Rangers set a record for being the only team in Major League history to carry four catchers on their roster for the entire season. Don Slaught
, Darrell Porter
, Mike Stanley
, and Petralli all split time as the team's catcher. Most teams seldom have more than two catchers. The catcher heavy roster did little to help the Rangers as they finished last with a 75-87 record. Many of the foursome would pinch-hit or play designated hitter if not catching. Rangers manager Bobby Valentine
never explained his reasons for carrying so many catchers when his team was in such dire need of pitchers.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Geno Petralli ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Geno Petralli; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay