| Dante Bichette | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
| Born: November 18, 1963 West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 5, 1988, for the California Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 6, 2001, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .299 |
| Home runs | 274 |
| Runs batted in | 1,141 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Alphonse Dante Bichette (born November 18, 1983) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons. Between 1988 and 2011, Bichette played for the California Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston Red Sox.
Early life
editProfessional career
editDraft and minor leagues (1984–1988)
edit- 1984 draft
- 1984 Salem Angels
- 1985 Quad City Angels
Bichette opened the 1986 season as the third baseman for the Class A Palm Springs Angels of the California League.[1]
- 1986 Palm Springs Angels
- 1986 Midland Angels
After attending spring training with the Angels in Mesa,[2] Bichette opened the 1987 season with the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League.[3] In May, a frustrated Bichette fractured his right hand punching a dugout wall. Bichette, who had been ill before spring training, took the injury as "a chance to get [his] strength back".[4] He returned to the lineup at the end of June,[5] after which manager Tom Kotchman told reporters, "All I ask of him is that he doesn't make any more Mike Tyson impressions with the wall."[6] Primarily a right fielder for Edmonton, Bichette spent the end of the 1987 season at third base when Bill Merrifield was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.[7] While Bichette batted .300 on the season with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs, general manager Mike Port anticipated the outfielder would need another year of development in Triple-A due to his time missed from injury.[8]
- 1988 Edmonton Trappers
California Angels (1988–1990)
edit- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
Bichette arrived to training camp in 1990 with more muscle mass and a belief that "the right mental attitude" would help him remain on the major league roster all year.[9] Despite rumors the team would make a trade for another right-handed power hitter, Bichette told reporters at the start of the season, "It looks like I'll be playing every day until I start screwing up."[10] When the Angels acquired right fielder Dave Winfield in May, Bichette was pushed out of an everyday role, and his performance on the field suffered with this now-limited playing time.[11] Deployed against left-handed pitchers and as a late-inning defensive replacement, Bichette was also frustrated with his inconsistent playing time, saying that he was "going straight down hill" emotionally.[12]
Milwaukee Brewers (1991–1992)
edit- 1991
- 1992
Colorado Rockies (1993–1999)
edit- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
Seeking to improve their outfield defense, the Rockies moved Bichette back to right field for the 1996 season.[13]
- 1996
- 1997
Bichette, who was expected to replace Andres Galarraga as the Rockies' cleanuup hitter, arrived at 1998 spring training at 262 pounds (119 kg), 44 pounds (20 kg) heavier than he had been the previous season.[14]
- 1998
- 1999
Cincinnati Reds (2000)
edit- 2000
Boston Red Sox (2000–2001)
editOn August 31, 2000, the Reds traded Bichette to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for pitching prospects Chris Reitsma and John Curtice. Cincinnati was hoping to shed salary by trading Bichette, while Boston had struggled to find a productive designated hitter that season.[15]
- 2000
- 2001
Retirement
editLater career
editPlayer profile
editPersonal life
editCareer highlights
editHonors
editAwards
editStatistical highlights
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ettinger, Warren (April 11, 1986). "PS Angels open California League season against Visalia". The Desert Sun. pp. D1-D2. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Penner, Mike (March 20, 1987). "Good and Bad of the Arizona Phase". Los Angeles Times. p. III-4. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cowley, Norm (April 2, 1987). "Starless Trappers look thin". Edmonton Journal. p. E3. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cowley, Norm (May 11, 1987). "Temper tantrum tough on Trapper". Edmonton Journal. p. F6. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cowley, Norm (June 28, 1987). "Trappers show door to hurler". Edmonton Journal. p. D2. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cowley, Norm (July 6, 1987). "Play baseball, forget boxing". Edmonton Journal. p. C6. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cowley, Norm (August 30, 1987). "Trade may open door to majors". Edmonton Journal. p. B2. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Penner, Mike (October 5, 1987). "Angels: It's All Turned Around and There's Nowhere to Go but Up". Los Angeles Times. pp. III-10, III-13. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Elliott, Helene (April 2, 1990). "This Time, Bichette Vows to Outlast Spring". Los Angeles Times. p. C5. Retrieved August 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (April 15, 1990). "Bichette Is Making His Spot With Angels". Los Angeles Times. p. C7. Retrieved August 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Norwood, Robyn (May 25, 1990). "Fast-Starting Bichette Running Into Summer Doldrums". Los Angeles Times. p. C8. Retrieved August 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cizek, Bill (June 23, 1990). "Bichette unhappy Angel". News-Pilot. p. B1. Retrieved August 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Rockies will make changes in the outfield for defense". The Daily Sentinel. Associated Press. January 7, 1996. p. 5D. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bichette shows up at 262 lbs". The Daily Sentinel. Associated Press. February 22, 1998. p. 4D. Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Reds deal Bichette to Boston on last day for deals". ESPN. Associated Press. September 1, 2000. Retrieved August 5, 2024.