36:
317:. Although his professional career started off very well—he hit .314 in 51 games in 1987—he eventually leveled out and become an average hitter. He was not much of a power hitter, nor did he consistently hit for a high average. His best minor-league season was perhaps 1992, when he hit .301 with seven home runs and 42 RBI. He did try stealing bases seven times that year, but was caught each time.
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Overall, he hit .233 with 28 home runs and 208 RBI in his 11-year career. He stole 13 bases and was caught 12 times. In 2109 at-bats (682 games), he walked 133 times and struck out 343 times. Of all catchers with at least 2000 plate appearances from 1990 to 2009, he had the worst career OPS
478:
2003 was
Walbeck's final season. In 138 games for the Tigers, he hit a career-low .174 (although he did hit .417 in four games in the minors that year). He played his final game against one of his former teams-the Twins-on September 28, 2003. He replaced
302:
475:, batting .235 in 85 at-bats. He spent 21 games in the minors that year, hitting only .213. After the season, he was granted free agency from the Tigers, only to be re-signed by them before the 2003 season.
519:
title. The
Whitecaps would again win the Midwest League championship in 2006. After the 2006 season, Walbeck left West Michigan to fill the vacant manager position with the Tigers' Class AA affiliate, the
562:
Walbeck was hired to manage the Rome Braves, the class-A affiliate of the
Atlanta Braves for the 2011 season, but was fired on July 7, 2011, after compiling one of the worst records in the minor leagues.
449:
and then purchased by the
Phillies in June 2001, playing a total of 107 games in the minors that season. He appeared in only one game for the Phillies in 2001, as a pinch hitter for pitcher
549:
to be their third base coach . In addition to those duties, Walbeck also handled the catchers and coordinated spring training activities. Walbeck was fired at the end of the 2008 season.
699:
813:
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648:
329:. His rookie season would not be very successful; he hit only .200 in 30 at-bats that season. Walbeck hit the first home run of his career that season, off
599:
460:. Before he could appear in a single regular season game with the Padres, though, he was traded back to the Tigers, on March 22, 2002. He was sent with
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559:. In 2010, Walbeck's Curve won the EL championship, and he was again named EL Manager of the Year, but the Pirates fired him after the playoffs.
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named
Walbeck the 2007 Minor League Manager of the Year, spanning all minor league levels. Additional accolades include 2006
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309:
Standing at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighing 190 pounds (86 kg), Walbeck was selected by the
437:, he hit only .199 in 146 at-bats, and lost his starting job to Molina. After the season, Walbeck was granted free-agency.
818:
622:
198:
392:. In 47 games, he hit .277 with three home runs. He also spent 17 games in the minors, where he hit .305 in 59 at-bats.
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756:
368:. His batting average was better in 1995; he hit .257 in 393 at-bats. He began the season as the team's starter in
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On
December 11, 1996, the Twins traded Walbeck to the Tigers for minor leaguer Brent Stentz. Although
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as a defensive substitution in that game. On
September 23 of that year, he had appeared in his final
737:
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Although his 1993 stats were fairly unimpressive, Walbeck was the Twins' primary catcher in
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360:. In 338 at-bats with the Twins in 1994, he hit .204. On April 27 of that year, he caught
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649:"Walbeck hired as third-base coach Former Major League catcher completes coaching staff"
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411:, Walbeck hit .257 with a career high six home runs (a total that would be matched in
792:
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Walbeck made his Major League debut on April 7, 1993, at the age of 23 against the
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487:-he struck out. His final hit, a two-run home run, came on August 8 off pitcher
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was the everyday starter, Walbeck did see a fair amount of playing time in
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On
December 19, 2008, Walbeck landed back in the minors, managing the
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offered him the manager position of their low Class A affiliate, the
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After 2001, he was again granted free agency and signed by the
581:"Retrosheet Boxscore: Minnesota Twins 6, Milwaukee Brewers 0"
515:. In his first year, he guided the Whitecaps to the 2004
108:
September 28, 2003, for the Detroit Tigers
422:, averaging three at-bats a game while platooning with
754:
400:
On
November 20, 1997, the Tigers traded Walbeck with
372:, but hit only .223 in 65 games and was replaced by
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On
November 24, 1993, the Cubs traded Walbeck (with
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98:April 7, 1993, for the Chicago Cubs
702:. Rome News-Tribune. July 7, 2011. Archived from
276:(MLB) for five different teams, primarily in the
680:"Pirates fire championship minor-league manager"
728:Career statistics and player information from
545:On November 7, 2007, Walbeck was hired by the
265:(born October 2, 1969) is an American former
8:
814:Baseball players from Sacramento, California
700:"Rome Braves fire manager, name replacement"
404:to the Angels for minor leaguer Nick Skuse.
34:
23:
894:Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons players
471:He played in 27 games for the Tigers in
761:
572:
542:"Best Tools" Manager in 2005 and 2006.
305:Matt Walbeck, Charleston Wheelers, 1988
155:
407:Mostly used as the team's starter in
7:
623:"Walbeck Builds A Winner For Tigers"
313:192nd overall (eighth round) in the
16:American baseball player (born 1969)
647:Sullivan, T.R. (November 7, 2007).
598:Rosario, Bill (September 5, 2010).
600:"Walbeck Wins Manager of the Year"
536:Midwest League Manager of the Year
507:After his retirement in 2003, the
280:, from 1993 to 2003. He served as
14:
621:Kline, Chris (November 7, 2007).
430:. Walbeck hit only .240 in 1999.
849:Baseball coaches from California
776:
764:
869:Hardware City Rock Cats players
297:The draft and the minor leagues
809:Major League Baseball catchers
468:and minor leaguer Rich Gomez.
445:Walbeck-who was signed by the
1:
904:Winston-Salem Spirits players
839:Philadelphia Phillies players
884:Louisville RiverBats players
418:He appeared in 107 games in
854:Charleston Wheelers players
746:Baseball Reference (Minors)
345:) to the Twins for pitcher
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864:Fort Myers Miracle players
859:Charlotte Knights players
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909:Wytheville Cubs players
899:Toledo Mud Hens players
879:Lakeland Tigers players
824:Minnesota Twins players
685:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
513:West Michigan Whitecaps
380:Onto the Tigers, Part 1
844:Altoona Curve managers
834:Anaheim Angels players
829:Detroit Tigers players
678:(September 30, 2010).
526:EL Manager of the Year
306:
263:Matthew Lovick Walbeck
68:Sacramento, California
889:Peoria Chiefs players
524:, where he was named
497:on-base plus slugging
304:
274:Major League Baseball
267:professional baseball
213:Philadelphia Phillies
819:Chicago Cubs players
292:Professional career
103:Last MLB appearance
738:Baseball Reference
706:on October 8, 2011
585:www.retrosheet.org
441:Back to the minors
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874:Iowa Cubs players
503:Managerial career
396:Off to the Angels
321:The Major Leagues
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531:Baseball America
458:San Diego Padres
376:as the starter.
282:third base coach
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447:Cincinnati Reds
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433:In 47 games in
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278:American League
175:Minnesota Twins
119:Batting average
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723:External links
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554:Eastern League
522:Erie SeaWolves
517:Midwest League
509:Detroit Tigers
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466:Javier Cardona
462:Damian Jackson
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362:Scott Erickson
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386:Raul Casanova
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333:on April 18.
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708:. Retrieved
704:the original
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660:February 14,
658:. Retrieved
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630:. Retrieved
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604:. Retrieved
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489:Kenny Rogers
477:
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428:Steve Decker
417:
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347:Willie Banks
343:Dave Stevens
340:
337:To the Twins
324:
311:Chicago Cubs
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165:Chicago Cubs
83:
77:
52:
43:
28:Matt Walbeck
18:
799:1969 births
481:A. J. Hinch
331:José DeLeón
793:Categories
750:Retrosheet
748:, or
744:, or
740:, or
736:, or
732:, or
602:. MiLB.com
567:References
402:Phil Nevin
374:Greg Myers
58:1969-10-02
783:Biography
742:Fangraphs
632:April 13,
606:April 13,
366:no-hitter
288:in 2008.
159:as player
129:Home runs
93:MLB debut
771:Baseball
284:for the
238:as coach
757:Portals
710:July 8,
654:MLB.com
270:catcher
78:Batted:
45:Catcher
538:, and
485:at-bat
84:Threw:
80:Switch
70:, U.S.
152:Teams
86:Right
53:Born:
734:ESPN
712:2011
662:2009
634:2012
608:2012
473:2002
464:for
435:2000
426:and
420:1999
413:2000
409:1998
390:1997
370:1996
358:1995
356:and
354:1994
250:2008
231:2003
227:2002
217:2001
207:2000
203:1998
193:1997
183:1996
179:1994
169:1993
123:.233
730:MLB
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364:'s
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