Bob Caffrey
{{Short description|American baseball player}}
{{distinguish|Bob McCaffrey}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Bob Caffrey
|image=Bob Caffrey - Jacksonville Expos - 1988.jpg
|caption=Caffrey in 1988
|position=Catcher / First baseman
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1962|1|7}}
|birth_place=
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Baseball}}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}
{{MedalSilver| 1984 Los Angeles | Team}}
}}
Robert Elden Caffrey (born January 7, 1962) is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman.
Career
Caffrey attended Loara High School in Anaheim, California, and California State University, Fullerton, where he played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball team. In the 1984 season, Fullerton won the 1984 College World Series. That year, his 28 home runs and 90 runs batted in were both the fifth-most in college baseball.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19850412&id=2SQjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Hs8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5070,1660418&hl=en|title=The Palm Beach Post - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com|accessdate=March 23, 2015}} He played for the United States national baseball team in the 1984 Summer Olympics. He appeared in the Olympics as a designated hitter, catching only four innings, and had a .196 batting average.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19840920&id=BugLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a1kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6908,1053561&hl=en|title=The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com|accessdate=March 23, 2015}}
The Montreal Expos selected Caffrey in the first round, with the 13th overall selection, of the 1984 MLB Draft.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19850412&id=2SQjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Hs8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5070,1660418&hl=en|title=The Palm Beach Post - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com|accessdate=March 22, 2015}} He received a $100,000 signing bonus from the Expos. He made his professional debut with the West Palm Beach Expos of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, and batted .132 in 12 games. In 1985, Caffrey underwent arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder. He had reconstructive surgery performed on his shoulder the next year, and missed the first half of the 1986 season. When he was activated, he played for West Palm Beach.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19860717&id=QB0uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XtsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5813,5268192&hl=en|title=The Palm Beach Post - Google News Archive Search|work=google.com|accessdate=March 23, 2015}} He only appeared in 13 games in 1986.
The Expos moved Caffrey to first base in 1987, and he split the season between West Palm Beach and the Burlington Expos of the Class A Midwest League. He hit .243 with 20 home runs combined over the season. In 1988, he was promoted to the Jacksonville Expos of the Class AA Southern League, where he served as the backup catcher. He batted .263 with four home runs. The Expos released him during spring training in 1989.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-25-sp-1075-story.html|title=It Took More Than an Injury to Stop Bob Caffrey : Baseball: Shoulder problems contributed to the end of pro career for former Titan and Loara standout. But he says that's not the whole story.|date=April 25, 1991|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 22, 2015}}
Personal life
Caffrey met his wife in Burlington, Iowa. He worked there in a beer distributing warehouse for a year and a half after his retirement from baseball, and then the couple moved to Southern California. Caffrey and his wife have two children.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|brm=caffre002rob}}
{{1984 Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball}}
{{Washington Nationals first-round draft picks}}
{{1984 MLB Draft}}
{{United States baseball roster 1984 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caffrey, Bob}}
Category:Baseball players from Anaheim, California
Category:West Palm Beach Expos players
Category:Burlington Expos players
Category:Jacksonville Expos players
Category:Baseball players at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball players
Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in baseball