Alan Lee Knicely (born May 19, 1955) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
, who played all or parts of eight seasons in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB), from 1979 until 1986. He served mainly as a
backup
In information technology, a backup, or data backup is a copy of computer data taken and stored elsewhere so that it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form, referring to the process of doing so, is "back up", w ...
catcher for four teams during that time, while also playing some
first base
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
and
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
.
Playing career
Astros organization
Early career
Knicely was drafted by the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
in the third round (63rd overall) of the
1974 Major League Baseball Draft as a pitcher out of
Turner Ashby High School
Turner Ashby High School is located in Bridgewater, Virginia in the Rockingham County Public School district.
History
When Turner Ashby High School opened in the fall of 1956, it became the third consolidated high school in Rockingham County. S ...
in Bridgewater, VA. He slowly moved up through their farm system as far as Double-A, reaching that level in 1977. After going 1–5 with an ERA over 5.00 with the
Columbus Astros
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
of the
Southern League, his conversion to a position player commenced. The next season, back at Columbus, he played mostly shortstop, but by 1979 he was playing mostly behind the plate.
1979: Breakout season
Knicely played for Columbus once again in 1979, hitting 33 home runs and batting .289. He shared the
Southern League Most Valuable Player Award
The Southern League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Southern League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers. League broadcasters, Minor Leag ...
with fellow Astros prospect
Danny Heep
Daniel William Heep (born July 3, 1957), is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder.
Heep, who batted and threw left-handed, played for five different ballclubs during his 13-year career: the Houston Astros (1979–1982), New York Mets (1983†...
, and saw action in seven major league games down the stretch, mostly as a
pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...
, but also playing parts of three games at catcher and one at third base. However, he went 0-for-6 at the plate.
Early 1980s with the Astros
Knicely was promoted a level for the 1980 season, playing for the Triple-A
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros were a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States.
The original Toros were a Triple-A minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League from 1969 to 1997, where they won the PCL Championship in ...
. He continued to hit well, batting .318 with 105 RBI, but the Astros had
Alan Ashby
Alan Dean Ashby (born July 8, 1951) is an American former professional baseball catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) and current radio and television sports commentator. A switch hitter, he played for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, ...
and
Luis Pujols
Luis Bienvenido Pujols Toribio (born November 18, 1955) is a Dominican former professional baseball player coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from to , most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros whe ...
ahead of him, and Knicely's defense was not up to par. He was called up once again in September, but his action was limited to a single pinch-hitting appearance.
In 1981, it was back to the Triple-A Toros for Knicely. His defense improved, as he cut his errors in half, and he once again had a good season with the bat, hitting .306 with 96 RBI. Once again, however, Major League time would wait until September's roster expansion. On September 17, he got his first Major League hit, a single against
John Urrea
John Goody Urrea (born February 9, 1955) is a former professional baseball pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from to and the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego ...
of the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
.
Box score, 09/17/81, Astros vs. Padres
/ref> Even then, he did not appear in another game until the final two games of the season. Given a chance, he went 4-for-6 in those two games, with a pair of solo home runs.
Finally, in 1982, Knicely would break camp with the big club, making the roster out of spring training as a right-handed hitter off the bench for the Astros. While Ashby and Pujols were still seeing the lion's share of the playing time at catcher, Knicely played 23 games there as well as 17 in the outfield. Knicely's minor league batting prowess did not translate to success in the Major Leagues, as he batted just .188 with two home runs in 133 at bats. The following spring, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
for a pair of prospects, reliever Bill Dawley
William Chester Dawley (born February 6, 1958) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1983 to 1989, for the Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Car ...
and outfielder Tony Walker.
Mid-1980s with the Reds
Like 1982, Knicely spent all of 1983 in the Major Leagues. With Johnny Bench
John Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career, which lasted from through , with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. Bench was the leader of t ...
winding down his career as a third baseman, the Reds employed three catchers that season, and Knicely was the third, behind Dann Bilardello
Dann James Bilardello (born May 26, 1959) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher and former manager of the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system. A product of Cabrillo College in ...
and Alex Treviño
Alejandro Treviño Castro (born August 26, 1957) is a Mexican former professional baseball catcher. He is the younger brother of former Major League Baseball outfielder Bobby Treviño.
Early years
Treviño was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, M ...
. Playing in 59 games, Knicely improved his batting average, but only up to .224. He again hit just 2 home runs in 98 at bats.
After a second disappointing season, Knicely would open the 1984 season back in the minor leagues, this time with the Wichita Aeros
The Wichita Aeros were an American minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the Triple-A American Association from 1970 through 1984.
The Aeros were established as an expansion franchise when the Association grew ...
of the American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
. In what proved to be the Aeros' final season, Knicely showed that he still had no difficulty mastering minor league pitching. He batted .333 with 33 home runs and 126 RBI in winning the AA's Most Valuable Player award, his second such award in the minors. For his efforts, he won ''The Sporting News'' Minor League Player of the Year Award and was given another chance by the Reds that September. However, he managed just four hits in 29 at bats, although he did drive in five runs.
In 1985, Knicely got yet another chance. The Reds, tired of Bilardello's lack of hitting ability, sent the light-hitting catcher to the minors and brought Knicely back to the majors to split time behind the plate with Dave Van Gorder
David Thomas Van Gorder (born March 27, 1957) is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles. He was drafted by the Reds in the second round of the ...
. Knicely responded by setting career bests in most categories, including a .253 batting average, 5 home runs, and 26 RBI. All this earned him, however, was an August trade to the Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
for veteran catcher Bo DÃaz
Baudilio José DÃaz Seijas (March 23, 1953 – November 23, 1990) was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from to , most prominently with the Cleveland Indians where he rose to prominence ...
. The Phillies shipped Knicely back to the minors, calling him up for just 7 hitless at bats in September.
Later career
Knicely was released by the Phillies the following spring. Four days later, he joined the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
, once again starting the season in the minor leagues. He was called up to the majors in June to play first base as part of an attempt to fill in for the injured Jack Clark. In 34 games, Knicely batted just .195 with a single home run and 6 RBI. He was released on October 31, and after a season in the minor leagues with the Texas Rangers organization, Knicely retired at age 32.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knicely, Alan
Major League Baseball catchers
Houston Astros players
Cincinnati Reds players
Philadelphia Phillies players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Covington Astros players
Dubuque Packers players
Columbus Astros players
Tucson Toros players
Wichita Aeros players
Denver Zephyrs players
Portland Beavers players
Louisville Redbirds players
Oklahoma City 89ers players
Baseball players from Virginia
People from Harrisonburg, Virginia
1955 births
Living people
American Association (1902–1997) MVP Award winners