| Mike Greenwell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Left fielder | |
| Born: (1963-07-18)July 18, 1963 (age 61) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: September 5, 1985, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| NPB: May 3, 1997, for the Hanshin Tigers | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: September 28, 1996, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| NPB: May 11, 1997, for the Hanshin Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .303 |
| Home runs | 130 |
| Runs batted in | 726 |
| NPB statistics | |
| Batting average | .231 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 5 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Michael Lewis Greenwell (born July 18, 1963) is an American formerleft fielder inMajor League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire MLB career with theBoston Red Sox (1985–1996). He played seven games for theHanshin Tigers inJapan (1997), before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator". He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.[1] He was fourth inRookie of the Year voting in 1987. Greenwell was a leading contender for theAmerican LeagueMVP award in 1988, but lost toJose Canseco, who had the first40 home run, 40 stolen base season in baseball history. Greenwellhit .325 with 22 home runs and 119RBIs in 1988, setting career highs in all three categories.
Greenwell was born inLouisville, Kentucky. When he was five years old, his family relocated toFort Myers, Florida. He attendedNorth Fort Myers High School, where he played both baseball andfootball.
Greenwell was drafted in the third round of the1982 Major League Baseball Draft by the Red Sox, and was signed on June 9, 1982.[2] Throughout his Red Sox career, Greenwell suffered under the weight of lofty expectations for a Boston left fielder, as since 1940 the position had been occupied byTed Williams,Carl Yastrzemski andJim Rice — allMVP winners, regulartriple crown candidates, and eventual members of theBaseball Hall of Fame. Although his play rarely reached the level of his predecessors, he provided a solid and reliable presence in the team'slineup for several seasons. Well respected, he also served as the team's player representative for a time.[3] Greenwell was runner-up for the 1988American League MVP Award toJose Canseco of theOakland Athletics; years later, Canseco's admission ofsteroid use led Greenwell to ask, "Where's my MVP?"[4]
On September 14, 1988, Greenwellhit for the cycle,[5] becoming the 17th player to do so in Red Sox franchise history.[6] On September 2, 1996, the Red Sox beat theSeattle Mariners 9–8 in 10 innings at theKingdome, with Greenwell driving in all nine runs for the Sox,[7] a record for most runs driven in by one player accounting for all of that team's runs in a single game.[8] He also holds the American League record for mostgame-winning RBIs in a single season, with 23 in 1988;[9] the game-winning RBI has since been discontinued as an official statistic.[10] Greenwell was inducted to theBoston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.[11]
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | TB | SH | HBP | FLD% |
| 1269 | 4623 | 657 | 1400 | 275 | 38 | 130 | 726 | 80 | 43 | 460 | 364 | .303 | .368 | .463 | 2141 | 3 | 39 | .981 |
Greenwell received his nickname during spring training inWinter Haven. He had captured analligator, taped its mouth shut, and put it inEllis Burks' locker.[3]
Greenwell signed with theHanshin Tigers ofNippon Professional Baseball in 1997.[12] His career in the major leagues heightened expectations from Japanese fans, but he left the team duringspring training and returned to the United States; he had suffered aherniated disc when diving for a ball.[13] He did not return to Japan until late April.[14] He played his first game on May 3, and hit an RBItriple in that game despite having missed spring training.[15] However, Greenwell suddenly announced his retirement after appearing in just seven games; he had fractured his right foot with a foul tip, and the injury would have prevented him from playing for at least four weeks.[16][17]
In 2001, Greenwell was hired during the offseason as aplayer-coach for theCincinnati Reds'Double-A affiliate inChattanooga, Tennessee.[18] Greenwell was also the interim hitting coach for the Reds in 2001, filling in whenKen Griffey Sr. was given a medical leave of absence.[19][20]
| Mike Greenwell | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
| 2 races run over 1 year | |||||||
| Best finish | 69th (2006) | ||||||
| First race | 2006City of Mansfield 250 (Mansfield) | ||||||
| Last race | 2006O'Reilly 200 (Memphis) | ||||||
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Upon his retirement from baseball, Greenwell began drivinglate modelstock cars atNew Smyrna Speedway, winning the 2000Speedweeks track championship.[21] In May 2006, he made hisCraftsman Truck Series debut atMansfield Motorsports Park forGreen Light Racing, starting 20th and finishing 26th. In 2010, Greenwell gave up racing.[3]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCARCraftsman Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | NCTC | Pts | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Green Light Racing | 08 | Chevy | DAY | CAL | ATL | MAR | GTY | CLT | MFD 26 | DOV | TEX | MCH | MLW | KAN | KEN | MEM 33 | IRP | NSH | BRI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | 69th | 149 | ||||||||||||||
In 2022, Mike Greenwell was appointed by GovernorRon DeSantis to serve the remaining term of County CommissionerFranklin B. Mann after he passed away.[22] He was subsequently reelected for a full term in 2024, defeating Amanda Cochran in the Republican primary and Kizzie Fowler in the general.[23]
Greenwell operates several businesses, including "Big League Builders", a general construction company. Greenwell owns an 890-acre (3.6 km2) ranch inAlva, Florida, which, as a developer and county commissioner himself, he has rezoned in 2023 for land development to include new housing and commercial units.[24] He owned an amusement park inCape Coral, Florida, called "Mike Greenwell's Bat-A-Ball & Family Fun Park", which opened in February 1992. He recently sold the park, which is now known as Gator Mike's.[25]
Greenwell's wife Tracy is a nurse, and they have two sons, both of whom Greenwell coached.[3][26] Bo was drafted as an outfielder in the sixth round of the2007 MLB Draft; he spent a total of eight years in theminor leagues, in thefarm systems of theCleveland Indians (2007–2013) and the Red Sox (2014).[27][28][29] First baseman Garrett started atSanta Fe College in 2011 before transferring toOral Roberts University in 2013.[30] Greenwell is the uncle ofJoey Terdoslavich,[31] who played for theAtlanta Braves (2013–2015).
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Hitting for the cycle September 14, 1988 | Succeeded by |