Darrel Akerfelds

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Darrel Akerfelds

| image = Darrel_Akerfelds.jpg

| caption = Akerfelds with the Padres in 2008

| position = Pitcher

| team =

| number =

| birth_date = {{Birth date |1962|6|12}}

| birth_place = Denver, Colorado, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|6|24|1962|6|12}}

| death_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = August 1

| debutyear = 1986

| debutteam = Oakland Athletics

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = July 2

| finalyear = 1991

| finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 9–10

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 5.08

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 129

| teams =

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|1986}})
Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|1987}})
Texas Rangers ({{mlby|1989}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1991}})
Wei Chuan Dragons ({{Baseball year|1994}})

}}

Darrel Wayne Akerfelds (June 12, 1962 – June 24, 2012) was a professional baseball pitcher. He also served as the bullpen coach of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, from {{Baseball year|2001}} until his death. Akerfelds pitched in the major leagues in parts of five seasons, from {{Baseball year|1986}} to {{Baseball year|1991}} for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

Early life and career

Akerfelds graduated in 1980 from Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.{{Cite web |title=Darrel Akerfelds Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/akerfda01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference}} He was named a Parade High School All-American as a linebacker in football. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the ninth round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft,{{Cite web |title=9th Round of the 1980 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1980&draft_round=9&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round&from_type_jc=0&from_type_unk=0&from_type_hs=0&from_type_4y=0 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} but chose to attend the University of Arkansas to play football and baseball.{{Cite web |last=Friend |first=Tom |date=December 5, 2011 |title=Padres bullpen coach Akerfelds battles cancer |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7318959/san-diego-padres-bullpen-coach-darrel-akerfelds-too-busy-living-worry-dying-cancer |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} He played football at Arkansas under coach Lou Holtz,{{Cite web |last=Knudson |first=Mark |title=Cancer took a good man, coach in Darrel Akerfelds |url=https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/2017/06/27/cancer-took-good-man-coach-darrel-akerfelds/430623001/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Fort Collins Coloradoan |language=en-US}} appearing in the 1981 Gator Bowl. He transferred from Arkansas to Mesa State College to focus on baseball. He was part of the 1982 Amateur World Series, in which the United States finished third.

Akerfelds was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the first round with the seventh overall pick in the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft.{{Cite web |title=1st Round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1983&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round&from_type_4y=0&from_type_jc=0&from_type_unk=0&from_type_hs=0 |access-date=September 2, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference}} His brother Duane Akerfelds was drafted out of Columbine High School by the Mariners in the 22nd round in the same draft, but he never played professional baseball.{{Cite web |title=22nd Round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1983&draft_round=22&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round&from_type_jc=0&from_type_hs=0&from_type_4y=0&from_type_unk=0 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Duane Akerfelds Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=akerfe000dua |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Just over five months after the draft, Darrel Akerfelds was traded to Oakland, with pitcher Bill Caudill for pitcher Dave Beard and catcher Bob Kearney. Akerfelds made his major league debut with the A's in 1986, giving up four runs by getting the final 11 outs in a 10–1 loss to the Minnesota Twins.{{Cite web |title=Oakland Athletics vs Minnesota Twins Box Score: August 1, 1986 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN198608010.shtml |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He appeared in one more games for the A's in 1986.

Akerfelds was traded to Cleveland in July 1987 and spent the rest of the 1987 season in the majors, appearing in 16 games, 13 as a starter, with a win–loss record of 2–6 and a 6.75 earned run average (ERA). After spending all of {{Baseball year|1988}} down in the minor leagues, he was removed from Cleveland's 40 man roster, then selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Texas Rangers in December 1988.

Akerfelds spent most of {{Baseball year|1989}} in the minor leagues, though he pitched in six Rangers games, all of which his team lost.{{Cite web |title=Darrel Akerfelds 1989 Pitching Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=akerfda01&t=p&year=1989 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} After the season, the Phillies purchased Akerfelds contract. His only full season in the majors came in 1990. He appeared in 71 games for the Phillies, all in relief. He had a 5–2 record with three saves and an ERA of 3.77.

Later career

Akerfelds started 1991 in the majors, but his ERA rose to 5.26. He was returned to the minor leagues in July, where he was converted back into a starter. He started 11 games for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, but his ERA was to 6.32 in Triple-A. Akerfelds became a free agent after the season. After signing with the Baltimore Orioles to start the {{Baseball year|1992}} season, Akerfelds spent another few seasons in the minors, finishing his career in the California Angels' farm system in {{Baseball year|1995}} without returning to the majors.

After his retirement as a player, Akerfelds spent eleven years as bullpen coach for the San Diego Padres, starting in 2001.

Illness and death

In December 2010, Akerfelds was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.{{Cite web |date=2012-07-04 |title=Darrel Akerfelds |url=https://www.denverpost.com/obituaries/darrel-akerfelds-co/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}} He continued to coach for the Padres in the 2011 season, regularly balancing his treatment plan with the team's schedule.{{Cite news |last=Kepner |first=Tyler |date=2011-03-07 |title=Padres Coach Gains Energy From Baseball in Cancer Fight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/sports/baseball/07padres.html |access-date=2024-09-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Akerfelds died in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 24, 2012, from complications of the disease.{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2012 |title=Padres coach Darrel Akerfelds dies |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8091556/san-diego-padres-bullpen-coach-akerfelds-dies-cancer |access-date=2012-06-25 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press}}

References

External links

{{Baseballstats|mlb=110101|espn=1709|br=a/akerfda01|fangraphs=1000096|brm=akerfe001dar|retro=A/Pakerd001}}, or [http://www.cpbl.com.tw/players/person.html?player_id=D058&teamno=D01 CPBL]

Category:1962 births

Category:2012 deaths

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Taiwan

Category:Arkansas Razorbacks baseball players

Category:Baseball players from Denver

Category:Bellingham Mariners players

Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players

Category:Cleveland Indians players

Category:Colorado Mesa Mavericks baseball players

Category:Colorado Springs Sky Sox players

Category:Columbine High School alumni