Greg Gagne (baseball)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Greg Gagne

Shortstop

Born: November 12, 1961 (1961-11-12) (age 46)
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 5, 1983 for the Minnesota Twins
Final game
September 27, 1997 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Career statistics
Batting average	.254
Home Runs	111
RBI	604
Teams
Minnesota Twins (1983-1992) Kansas City Royals (1993-1995) Los Angeles Dodgers (1996-1997)
Career highlights and awards
Two-time World Champion with Minnesota Twins

Gregory Carpenter Gagne (IPA: /ˈɡæɡni/) (born November 12, 1961 in Fall River, Massachusetts) is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball. Depending on the historian queried and era referenced, Greg Gagne was arguably the greatest shortstop in the history of the Minnesota Twins, competing against work horses Zoilo Versalles (1961-1967)and Roy Smalley(1976-1982, 1985-1987). He played 10 seasons for the Minnesota Twins from 1983 to 1992, including both of the Twins' World Series championship teams in 1987 and 1991. He was considered one of the American League's best defensive shortstops during his time with Minnesota.

Gagne holds a unique place in baseball history. He tied the modern era major league record of hitting two inside-the-park home runs in one game. This event occurred on October 4, 1986 at Minnesota's Metrodome, against the Chicago White Sox. Both of these home runs came against Chicago's Floyd Bannister, who tied the modern era major league record for most inside-the-park home runs allowed in a game. The Twins went on to win, 7-3. It is to be noted that only 18 players in major league history have performed this feat, and only two since 1930.

Gagne hit a game-winning, three-run homer in Game One of the 1991 World Series off Atlanta's Charlie Liebrandt.

Gagne's relationship with the team soured significantly after the 1992 season, when his contract was up; the team put a great deal of resources into re-signing superstar Kirby Puckett and could not offer Gagne what he felt his skills were worth. Because of his differences of opinion with the club, Gagne left and signed with the Kansas City Royals as a free agent.

After three unremarkable years with the Royals he went to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 1996 and 1997 seasons, and subsequently retired. During his tenure with the Twins, Gagne lived in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He currently lives in Somerset, Massachusetts and is the head baseball coach at Bishop Feehan High School.