Gerald Laird

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Gerald Laird

|image=Gerald Laird on June 6, 2013.jpg

|image_size=250px

|caption=Laird with the Atlanta Braves

|position=Catcher

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1979|11|13}}

|birth_place=Westminster, California, U.S.

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 30

|debutyear=2003

|debutteam=Texas Rangers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=April 8

|finalyear=2015

|finalteam=Arizona Diamondbacks

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.243

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=38

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=238

|teams=

Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2003}}–{{mlby|2008}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2009}}–{{mlby|2010}})
St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|2011}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2012}})
Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2013}}–{{mlby|2014}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2015}})

|highlights=

World Series champion ({{wsy|2011}})

}}

Gerald Lee Laird III (born November 13, 1979) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Career

=Oakland Athletics=

Laird first attended Rancho Alamitos High School, and then later graduated from La Quinta High School in Westminster, California. He was chosen by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 1998 draft, but held out for more money.{{cite news |date=August 29, 1998 |title=Laird to Play Baseball for Cypress College |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-laird-to-play-base/163378484/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=Los Angeles Times |page=C12 |via=Newspapers.com}} When the A's declined, Laird enrolled in Cypress College and led its baseball team to the Orange Empire Conference Championship.{{cite news |last=Kresal |first=Steve |date=May 9, 1999 |title=Smith's 3 Homers Lead Cypress to Title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-smiths-3-homers-l/163378528/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=Los Angeles Times |page=D14 |via=Newspapers.com}} In June 1999, Oakland and Laird negotiated a new contract. In his first minor league season, 1999, he played 60 games with the Low-A Southern Oregon Timberjacks and hit .285. He divided the 2000 season between the rookie-level Arizona League Athletics and High-A Visalia Oaks, but a broken wrist limited his playing time. Going into the 2001 season he was considered a top prospect until he tailed off to .255 with the Modesto A's.{{cite news|title=Catcher has shot with A's lacking depth at position; Modesto's Laird could climb the ladder quickly after Hinch and Olivo were traded in the winter|publisher=Contra Costa Times|first=Chuck|last=Dybal|date=May 1, 2001|page=C03}}

File:GeraldLaird.jpg]]

=Texas Rangers=

Shortly before the 2002 season Oakland traded Laird to the Texas Rangers along with outfielder Ryan Ludwick, Jason Hart and Mario Ramos, for slugging first baseman Carlos Peña and southpaw relief pitcher Mike Venafro.{{cite news |last=Saxon |first=Mark |date=January 15, 2002 |title=A's acquire first base prospect; Oakland gets Peña in six-player deal with the Rangers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-as-acquire-first-base-p/163378682/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |page=Sports-1 |via=Newspapers.com}} Texas assigned Laird to its Double-A Tulsa Drillers, where his strong defensive play and improved batting average (.276) drew plaudits.{{cite news |date=June 11, 2002 |title=Drillers Update |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tulsa-world-drillers-update/163378869/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |newspaper=Tulsa World |page=B3 |via=Newspapers.com}}

He joined the Rangers for 2003 spring training, but was soon farmed out to the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks. The parent club recalled him on April 30 when catcher Todd Greene went on the disabled list, and he made his major league debut the same day. But when Greene returned from the disabled list after 15 days, Laird was optioned back to Oklahoma. The Rangers recalled him again in September when the rosters expanded, and he remained with the big league club for the rest of the season. In his two stints with Texas, he got into only 19 games and hit .273 but at the end of the year was chosen for the USA Baseball squad.{{cite news|title=USA Baseball Roster|agency=Associated Press|date=October 28, 2003}}

Laird won the Rangers' starting catching job in 2004 spring training after the Einar Diaz trade, but after dislocating his thumb in a home plate collision in May ended up on the disabled list and lost his starting job to Rod Barajas.{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-117018622.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011162553/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-117018622.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2013|title=Injuries piling up around the majors|publisher=Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service|access-date=October 30, 2013|first=T.R.|last=Sullivan|date=May 22, 2004}} After spending most of the 2005 season in Triple-A, he was called up again as backup catcher for the Rangers in 2006. He went into that season well-regarded around the majors for his defensive skills.{{cite news |date=April 10, 2006 |title=Rangers Report |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-rangers-report/163379110/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |page=5D |via=Newspapers.com}} Commented San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers: "The Rangers knew they had a commodity. The only way they were going to part with him was if some team grossly overpaid [in a trade]."{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2006-03-12-catchers_x.htm|title=Teams place help wanted ads in search of catchers; Finding right balance on offense, defense proves elusive|newspaper=USA Today|first=Mel|last=Antonen|access-date=October 1, 2013|date= March 12, 2006}} In 78 games in 2006, he hit an improved .296 with seven home runs, earning the starting catcher's job for 2007. New Ranger manager Ron Washington took a special interest in him during spring training: "I just want him to concentrate on making this pitching staff better and helping them to believe in him."{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=2780579|work=ESPN.com|title=Laird finally has the starting job and a clear direction with Rangers|first=Stephen|last=Hawkins|agency=Associated Press|date=February 26, 2007|access-date=October 1, 2013}} He was in the second most double plays among all MLB catchers despite being among the lowest in fielding chances.{{cite web |date=November 13, 1979 |title=Gerald Laird Stats – St. Louis Cardinals |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/5465/gerald-laird |access-date=October 9, 2011 |website=ESPN}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/28663/jarrod-saltalamacchia |title=Jarrod Saltalamacchia Stats |publisher=ESPN |date=May 2, 1985 |access-date=October 9, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/fielding?groupId=9&season=2007&seasonType=2&split=78&sortOrder=true&sortColumn=totalChances&qualified=1 |title=2011 Postseason MLB Baseball 1B Fielding Statistics |publisher=ESPN |access-date=October 9, 2011}}

=Detroit Tigers=

File:Gerald Laird 2010.jpg]]

On December 8, 2008, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for two minor league pitchers, Carlos Melo and Guillermo Moscoso.{{cite web|url=http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3706106&vkey=pr_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615130334/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3706106&vkey=pr_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2011|title=Tigers acquire Gerald Laird from Texas Rangers|website=MLB.com|access-date=December 12, 2008|date=December 8, 2008}} The Tigers named him starting catcher ahead of Dane Sardinha and Matt Treanor, and Laird rewarded them with the highest caught-stealing throwing average in the American League.{{cite news |last=Grant |first=David |date=July 1, 2009 |title=The Three Fingers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-palladium-the-three-fingers/163379202/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=The Herald-Palladium |page=C1 |via=Newspapers.com}} In May 2010, while struggling offensively, Laird changed his jersey number from 8 to 12.{{cite web |last1=Beck |first1=Jason |last2=DiFilippo |first2=Alex |date=May 29, 2010 |title=Laird changes jersey number |url=http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100528&content_id=10531692¬ebook_id=10540152&c_id=det |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416205819/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100528&content_id=10531692¬ebook_id=10540152&c_id=det |archive-date=April 16, 2014 |website=MLB.com}}

=St. Louis Cardinals=

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Laird to a one-year contract for the 2011 season, where he won his first World Series ring as backup catcher to All-Star Yadier Molina.{{cite web |last=Leach |first=Matthew |date=December 14, 2010 |title=Cardinals sign Laird to be backup catcher |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101214&content_id=16317948&vkey=news_stl&c_id=stl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218193209/http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101214&content_id=16317948&vkey=news_stl&c_id=stl |archive-date=December 18, 2010 |website=MLB.com}}

=Detroit Tigers (second stint)=

On November 18, 2011, the Detroit Tigers welcomed Laird back with a one-year contract for the 2012 season as backup catcher to Alex Avila while slugger Victor Martinez, often used as a DH rather than as a catcher in any event, was on the disabled list for the entire season. He rewarded them by hitting .282, often hitting DH, in the regular season and helping them come back from well behind the Chicago White Sox to win their second consecutive AL Central Division title, edge the powerful young upstart Oakland Athletics 3–2 in the ALDS thanks to defending MVP Justin Verlander's stellar pitching in Games 1 & 5, and then sweep the suddenly discombobulated New York Yankees 4–0 in the ALCS. Laird had the key hit that put the Tiger's ahead in Kansas City the night they beat the Royals to clinch the AL Central for 2012. He was in his second World Series in a row, which the Tigers lost to the San Francisco Giants 4–0, and became a free agent on October 29.{{Cite web |title=2012 World Series - San Francisco Giants over Detroit Tigers (4-0) |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2012_WS.shtml |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{cite web|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20111118/SPORTS02/111118028/Tigers-make-official-Gerald-Laird-will-backup-catcher?odyssey=mod|title=Tigers make it official: Gerald Laird will be backup catcher|publisher=freep.com|date=November 18, 2011}}

=Atlanta Braves=

After former Braves backup David Ross signed with Boston for a two-year contract early in the off-season, the Braves scavenged the open market for a backup catcher. They found Laird, signing him to a two-year, $3 million contract with up to $750,000 in performance bonuses based on games played.{{cite news |date=November 19, 2012 |title=Laird gets two-year Braves deal |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/laird-gets-two-year-braves-deal |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=FOX Sports}} With Brian McCann leaving in free agency, Laird handled the primary backup role to Evan Gattis in 2014. Laird ended his tenure with the Braves posting a .204 batting average.{{Cite web |title=Gerald Laird Statistics and History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lairdge01.shtml |access-date=November 1, 2016 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

On February 2, 2015, he signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.{{cite web |last1=Sanchez |first1=Jesse |date=April 11, 2015 |title=Laird scratched with tight back, could be headed to DL |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-diamondbacks-catcher-gerald-laird-has-stiff-back-may-head-to-dl/c-117686316 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=MLB.com}} A back injury sustained during the first month of the season ended Laird's season.{{cite web |last1=Sanchez |first1=Jesse |date=April 12, 2015 |title=D-backs recall Schugel, place Laird on DL |url=http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/117820662/d-backs-recall-pitcher-aj-schugel-place-catcher-gerald-laird-on-dl/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416060631/http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/117820662/d-backs-recall-pitcher-aj-schugel-place-catcher-gerald-laird-on-dl/ |archive-date=2015-04-16 |website=MLB.com}}{{cite web |last1=Gilbert |first1=Steve |date=April 13, 2015 |title=Pacheco slides into D-backs' backup-catcher role |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jordan-pacheco-slides-into-d-backs-backup-catcher-role/c-118066020 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=MLB.com}} He was designated for assignment on August 20, 2015, and released on August 24.{{cite web |last1=Bondy |first1=Robert |date=August 20, 2015 |title=D-backs put Hellickson on DL, recall Anderson |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/d-backs-put-jeremy-hellickson-on-disabled-list/c-144310484 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=MLB.com}}{{cite web |last1=Gilbert |first1=Steve |date=August 25, 2015 |title=Chacin called up; Bradley off DL, to Triple-A |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jhoulys-chacin-called-up-to-diamondbacks/c-145132622 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=MLB.com}}

=Toros de Tijuana=

On June 16, 2016, Laird signed with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican Baseball League.{{Cite web |last=Velasco |first=Francisco |date=April 2, 2017 |title=10 Former MLB Players, Now on 2017 Tijuana Toros Roster |url=https://eastvillagetimes.com/10-former-mlb-players-now-on-2017-tijuana-toros-roster/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=East Village Times}} In 2 games he went 0-1 at the plate. He announced his retirement on April 2, 2017.

Minor league managing career

He retired at the end of the 2016 season to become the manager of the Single-A Detroit Tigers affiliate, the Connecticut Tigers of the New York–Penn League.{{cite web |date=December 13, 2016 |title=Tigers Announce 2017 Coaching Staff |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-211047208 |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=Minor League Baseball}}

In 2021 Laird was a coach with the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp{{Cite web |date=2021-03-03 |title=Pistol Shrimp Add Former MLB Catcher Gerald Laird to Staff |url=https://pointstreak.com/news_story.html?id=534005 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}

In December 2021 Laird was hired as the catching coach for the Lotte Giants of the KBO. {{Cite web |last=Jee-ho |first=Yoo |date=2021-12-12 |title=KBO's Giants add ex-MLB catcher Laird to coaching staff |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211212001400315 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Yonhap News Agency}}