| Daryl Boston | |
|---|---|
 Boston with the Chicago White Sox in 2013 | |
| Outfielder /Coach | |
| Born: (1963-01-04)January 4, 1963 (age 62) Cincinnati,Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 13, 1984, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 11, 1994, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .249 |
| Home runs | 83 |
| Runs batted in | 278 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
Daryl Lamont Boston (born January 4, 1963) is an American formerMajor League Baseballoutfielder, and the former first base coach for theChicago White Sox.
Boston was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round (seventh overall) of the1981 Major League Baseball Draft.[1] Hebatted .265 with 36home runs and 164runs batted in over three seasons in the White Soxfarm system when he was called up to the majors in early1984. Batting lead off, Boston went 3-for-5 with atriple,stolen base, two RBIs and tworuns scored in his major league debut on May 13.[2] He soon began to struggle, however, and was optioned back to thetriple ADenver Zephyrs. He received a September call up, but had just eighthits in 58at bats. Overall, he batted .169 with three RBIs and no home runs with the White Sox. In Denver, he batted .312 with fifteen home runs and 82 RBIs.
Boston was given the opportunity to win the White Sox starting centerfield job for the1985 season, although he struggled batting only .215 with three home runs and eleven RBIs when he was sent back down to triple-A. He batted .274 with ten home runs and 36 RBIs in a 63 game stint with theBuffalo Bisons. Upon his return to the Chisox that September, he batted .261 with four RBIs.
DuringSpring training1986, he was beaten out for the centerfield job byJohn Cangelosi.[3] On July 23, the Sox tradedleft fielderBobby Bonilla to thePittsburgh Pirates forpitcherJosé DeLeón. Cangelosi was shifted to left, and Boston, who was batting .303 in 96 games in Buffalo, was called back up to Chicago to take over in center. He batted .266 with 22 RBIs and five home runs, one of which came on October 4 offBert Blyleven. This was the 50th and last longball Blyleven allowed that year, which is a record for most homers allowed in one year.
He had his most productive season with the White Sox in1987, when he batted .258 with ten home runs and 29 RBIs backing upKen Williams andGary Redus in center and left, respectively. He would spend the remainder of his White Sox career as thefourth outfielder. On April 30,1990, theNew York Mets selected Boston offwaivers.
The Mets were usingKeith Miller, who is aninfielder by trade, in centerfield prior to acquiring Boston.[4] Boston immediately took over as the Mets'center fielder.[5] He got off to a slow start (0-for his first-9), but soon began to hit. He went 3-for-4 with his first Mets home run on May 7 to lead the Mets to a 7-1 victory over theHouston Astros.[6] Despite not debuting with the Mets until May 3, his first season with the team turned out to be the best season of his career, where with a high of 366 at bats, he had a career high 45 RBIs and eighteenstolen bases (19 on the season, including one with the White Sox) while batting .273. Most importantly, he solidified centerfield with a .985fielding percentage.
During the off season, the Mets signedfree agentVince Coleman to play center[7] with Boston taking on more of a fourth outfielder role. Injuries to Coleman caused him to miss more than half the season, however, and Boston logged 426innings in center.
During Spring training1992, an incident from the previous Spring plagued the Mets clubhouse. Boston, Coleman andDwight Gooden were accused of rape by Cindy Powell, who was also a known associate of a fourth teammate,David Cone. Charges were dropped when Florida State Attorney Bruce Colton cited a lack of corroborating evidence and the nearly year long delay in Powell's complaint as reasons for the unlikelihood of conviction.[8]
The bulk of Boston's playing time for the1992 Mets involved subbing for injuries or suspensions of Coleman.[9] Boston batted .249 with eleven home runs, which was third best on the team.
Boston signed a one-year deal with theexpansionColorado Rockies as a free agent fortheir inaugural season in1993. He batted .261 with fourteen home runs and forty RBIs backing up all threeoutfield positions.
He signed with theNew York Yankees for the1994 season.[10] He had a very limited role, batting just .182 in 52 of the 113 games the Yankees played in1994. They were 6.5 games up in theAmerican League East when theplayer strike ended the season, and ended Boston's chance of making the postseason for the first time in his career.
| Games | PA | AB | Runs | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | Avg. | OBP | Slg. | OPS | Fld% |
| 1058 | 2901 | 2629 | 378 | 655 | 131 | 22 | 83 | 278 | 98 | 237 | 469 | .249 | .312 | .410 | .722 | .977 |
Boston signed a minor league deal with theFlorida Marlins for the1995 season. In eighteen games with theCharlotte Knights, he batted .188 with one home run and two RBIs. He finished the season with the IndependentNorthern LeagueThunder Bay Whiskey Jacks, then spent the1996 season as a player/manager with thePrairie League Regina Cyclones before retiring.
In2001, Boston was named minor league roving outfield instructor for the White Sox. In 2013, then White Sox managerRobin Ventura named Boston the team's first basecoach, a position he retained through the 2023 season.[11]
Boston's father, Henry, playedNegro league baseball with a team called theCincinnati Tigers.[12] His twin brother, David, was once an outfielder in theCincinnati Reds organization.[13] His younger brother, D.J., played minor league and Independent Leaguebaseball for sixteen years, and now serves as the hitting coach of theMilwaukee Milkmen.[14]
