Mark Arthur Strittmatter (born April 4, 1969) is an American former professional baseball player and current coach for the

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...

College

Strittmatter played baseball at the

County College of Morris County College of Morris (CCM) is a public community college in Randolph, New Jersey. CCM offers associate degree and certificate programs as well as transfer opportunities for students looking to pursue a bachelor's degree at another institutio ...

Randolph, New Jersey Randolph is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 25,734, reflecting an increase of 887 (+3.6%) from the 24,847 counted in the 2000 census, which had in tur ...

, for two years before transferring to

Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia in 1854. In 1968, the Virginia ...

where he helped lead VCU to the Metro Conference Championship in 1992.

Playing career

Strittmatter spent most all of his playing career in the minor leagues (1992–2000) after being drafted by the Colorado Rockies in June 1992. Strittmatter's only Major League playing experience came in September 1998, appearing in four games. He went hitless in 4 total

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

s, striking out his first three times up and in a pinch-hitting appearance in his fourth chance flying out to centerfield. Strittmatter handled 11 chances flawlessly in the field. He made his major league debut on September 3, 1998, as the starting

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catcher ...

wearing #22 at County Stadium vs. the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association wi ...

Personal life

Strittmatter and his wife, Katie, have two children, son Sean and daughter Emily. He helps out with youth baseball players as a part of his foundation for youth.

References

External links

1969 births Living people Major League Baseball catchers Major League Baseball bullpen catchers Colorado Rockies players VCU Rams baseball players Sportspeople from Huntington, New York Baseball players from Suffolk County, New York Bend Rockies players Central Valley Rockies players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players New Haven Ravens players Las Vegas Stars (baseball) players Morris Titans baseball players {{US-baseball-catcher-1960s-stub