Dave Wallace (baseball)

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Dave Wallace
Pitcher
Born: September 7, 1947 (1947-09-07) (age 60)
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 18, 1973
for the Philadelphia Phillies
Final game
May 19, 1978
for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics
Win-Loss     0-1
ERA     7.84
Strikeouts     12
Teams
Career highlights and awards

David William (Dave) Wallace (born September 7, 1947 in Waterbury, Connecticut) is a Major League Baseball pitching coach, and a former General Manager and player. He spent the majority of his career in the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets organizations. Most recently, Wallace was hired as the new pitching coach by the Houston Astros after serving in the same capacity for the Boston Red Sox from 2003 through 2006. As of October 2007 he was hired by the Seattle Mariners organization as a special assistant to the general manager.

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[edit] Playing career

A high school all-around athlete, Wallace played baseball, basketball and football. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent out of the University of New Haven in 1970. A right-handed relief pitcher, Wallace posted a 47-31 record with 60 saves in 355 career minor league outings. In the majors, he made 13 appearances for the Phillies (1973-74) and Toronto Blue Jays (1978) and went 0-1 with 12 strikeouts and a 7.84 ERA in 20 and 2/3 innings. He concluded his playing career with Triple-A Pawtucket (1979).

[edit] Coaching career

As a pitching coach, Wallace is credited with helping develop the talents of pitchers Pedro Martínez, Ramón Martínez, Pedro Astacio, Darren Dreifort, Hideo Nomo, Chan Ho Park, Ismael Valdéz and John Wetteland. Wallace gained note when Orel Hershiser credited him for his early success with the Dodgers in a Sports Illustrated article.

Since 1981, Wallace has been a major league and minor league coach and front office executive. He served as an interim General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had previously worked almost exclusively in the Dodgers and Mets organizations. He won a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2004.

[edit] Health scare

In February 2006, Wallace became very sick while driving to Spring Training. Twelve years after having his hip replaced, Wallace discovered he was suffering from a severe infection in that replaced hip. [1] He nearly died from the infection, and had it removed immediately. After the infection cleared up, Wallace had the hip replaced in June. [2] Al Nipper was named the interim pitching coach. On August 8, 2006, Wallace made his full-time return to his duties as Red Sox pitching coach.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Ron Perranoski
Los Angeles Dodgers Pitching Coach
1995-1997
Succeeded by
Glenn Gregson
Preceded by
Bob Apodaca
New York Mets Pitching Coach
1999-2000
Succeeded by
Charlie Hough
Preceded by
Claude Osteen
Los Angeles Dodgers Pitching Coach
2000
Succeeded by
Jim Colborn
Preceded by
Kevin Malone
Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager
2001
Succeeded by
Dan Evans
Preceded by
Tony Cloninger
Red Sox Pitching Coach
2003-2006
Succeeded by
John Farrell