Juan Samuel

{{short description|Dominican baseball player and manager (born 1960)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Juan Samuel

|image=Juan Samuel on July 16, 2016.jpg

|caption=Samuel with the Phillies in 2016

|position=Second baseman / Center fielder / Manager

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1960|12|09}}

|birth_place=San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|debutleague=MLB

|debutdate=August 24

|debutyear=1983

|debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies

|finalleague=MLB

|finaldate=September 26

|finalyear=1998

|finalteam=Toronto Blue Jays

|statleague=MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.259

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=161

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=703

|stat4label=Stolen bases

|stat4value=396

|stat5label=Managerial record

|stat5value=17–34

|stat6label=Winning %

|stat6value={{Winning percentage|17|34}}

|teams=

;As player

Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1983}}–{{mlby|1989}})
New York Mets ({{mlby|1989}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1992}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1992}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1993}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1994}}–{{mlby|1995}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1995}})
Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|1998}})

;As manager

Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2010}})

;As coach

Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2005}})
Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2007}}–{{mlby|2010}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2011}}–{{mlby|2017}})

|highlights=

|show-medals=no

|medaltemplates=

{{Medal|Country | {{bb|DOM}} }}

}}

Juan Milton Samuel (born December 9, 1960) is a Dominican former professional baseball second baseman and outfielder who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time National League (NL) All-Star, he appeared in the 1983 World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies. Samuel served as interim manager for the Baltimore Orioles during the 2010 MLB season, as well as many years in MLB coaching ranks. Known widely for his unique combination of speed and power, Samuel was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, in 2010.

Baseball career

Samuel was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. A three-time All-Star, Samuel earned National League (NL) Rookie of the Year honors from The Sporting News in 1984, when he tied for the NL lead with 19 triples and placed second with 72 stolen bases, which established a then-MLB rookie single-season record for steals,{{efn|Broken by Vince Coleman with 110 the following season in 1985{{cite book|last1=Nemec|first1=David|last2=Flatow|first2=Scott|title=This Day in Baseball: A Day-by-Day Record of the Events That Shaped the Game|page=167|year=2008|publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aS2_AAAAQBAJ&q=%22vince%20coleman%22%20rookie%20record%20samuel%20110&pg=PA167|isbn=9781589794078|access-date=September 3, 2015}}}} previously held by Tim Raines with 71 in 1981.{{cite book |last1=La Russa |first1=Tony |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7vYNB2d-PAEC&q=rookie%20stolen%20base%20record%20raines%2071&pg=PA1142 |title=The Team-By-Team Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball |last2=Purdy |first2=Dennis |publisher=Workman Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=9780761153764 |page=1142 |access-date=September 3, 2015}} He finished second in official NL Rookie of the Year voting behind Dwight Gooden.{{cite web |title=1984 Awards Voting – NL Rookie of the Year Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1984.shtml#all_NL_ROY_voting |access-date=May 4, 2021 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}} During his majors career, Samuel collected 1,578 hits, 396 stolen bases, and also reached double figures in home runs nine times. A popular player in Philadelphia, he appeared in the 1983 World Series, going 0-for-1 in three games.

Samuel was sent to the New York Mets during the 1989 midseason in the same transaction that brought Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell to Philadelphia.{{cite news |last=Durso |first=Joseph |date=July 19, 1989 |title=Mets Get Samuel for McDowell, Dykstra |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/19/sports/mets-get-samuel-for-mcdowell-dykstra.html |access-date=July 15, 2009}} He also played two and a half seasons both for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers, spent a year with the Cincinnati Reds, had two brief stints with the Kansas City Royals, and provided three years of good services for the Toronto Blue Jays, pinch-hitting, serving as DH, and playing at first base, second, third, left field and right. He retired after the 1998 season.

Samuel holds the major league record for most at-bats by a right-handed hitter in one season with 701, set in 1984. That mark was also the most for any National League batter in a single campaign, later surpassed by Jimmy Rollins. He also tied a major league record for consecutive strikeout titles with four (1984–87), shared with Hack Wilson (1927–30) and Vince DiMaggio (1942–45).

In a 16-season playing career, Samuel was a .259 hitter with 161 home runs and 703 RBI in 1,720 games.{{Cite web |title=Juan Samuel Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/samueju01.shtml |access-date=June 30, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Post-playing career

=Coaching career=

File:Juan Samuel.jpg

Since retiring from play, Samuel has coached at various levels and in various roles. He coached third base for the Detroit Tigers in 2005 after having coached first base for the team since 1999. He managed the Double-A Binghamton Mets for the 2006 season, and was named the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles on October 31, 2006,{{Cite web |last=Zrebiec |first=Jeff |date=October 31, 2006 |title=Samuel, Mejias join O's coaches |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2006-10-31-0610310244-story.html |access-date=November 1, 2006 |website=The Baltimore Sun}} where he remained through the first part of 2010.

In August 2008, Samuel was inducted into the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame at Citizens Bank Park.

Samuel joined the Philadelphia Phillies coaching staff for the 2011 season as third base coach, with former third base coach Sam Perlozzo moving to first base coach.{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2010 |title=Samuel returns to Phillies, this time as 3B coach |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5792768 |access-date=June 30, 2022 |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |language=en}} In 2013, he moved to first base coach with Ryne Sandberg taking over the duties at third base.{{Cite news |last=Levinson |first=Mason |date=October 4, 2012 |title=Ryne Sandberg Promoted to Third-Base Coach for 2013 Phillies |language=en |work=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-10-04/ryne-sandberg-promoted-to-third-base-coach-for-2013-phillies |access-date=June 30, 2022}} Upon Sandberg being named interim manager, Samuel returned to filling the role of third base coach for the Phillies.{{Cite web |last=Shorr-Parks |first=Eliot |date=August 16, 2013 |title=Charlie Manuel fired as Phillies manager, Ryne Sandberg to take over |url=https://www.nj.com/phillies/2013/08/charlie_manuel_resigns_as_phillies_manager_ryne_sandberg_to_take_over.html |access-date=June 30, 2022 |website=NJ.com |language=en}}

On January 6, 2022, Samuel was hired to serve as a minor league hitting instructor for the Cincinnati Reds organization.{{Cite web |last=Lugardo |first=Destiny |date=January 6, 2022 |title=Phillies Wall of Famer Juan Samuel lands coaching gig with Cincinnati – Phillies Nation |url=https://www.philliesnation.com/2022/01/phillies-wall-of-famer-juan-samuel-lands-coaching-gig-with-cincinnati/ |access-date=January 6, 2022 |website=Phillies Nation |language=en-US}}

Managerial career

=Baltimore Orioles=

Samuel was named interim manager of the Orioles after Dave Trembley's dismissal on June 4, 2010.{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2010 |title=Orioles name Juan Samuel interim manager |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100604&content_id=10785318&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310054631/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100604&content_id=10785318&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=March 10, 2012 |access-date=March 10, 2012 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} He took over a ballclub that was in last place in the American League (AL) East with the majors' worst record at 15–39.{{Cite web |last=Ghiroli |first=Brittany |date=June 4, 2010 |title=Trembley dismissed; Samuel in as interim |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100604&content_id=10785246&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607024542/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100604&content_id=10785246&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=June 7, 2010 |access-date=June 7, 2010 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} During his brief tenure, the team had a pair of four-game win streaks.{{Cite web |title=2010 Baltimore Orioles Schedule |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/2010-schedule-scores.shtml |access-date= |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} The first one on June 24–27 was highlighted by a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals at Camden Yards.{{Cite web |last=Rosenstein |first=Noah |date=June 27, 2010 |title=Tejada caps comeback to secure sweep |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100627&content_id=11651170&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630101657/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100627&content_id=11651170&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=June 30, 2010 |access-date=June 30, 2010 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} Its first four-game road sweep since 1995 occurred after the vanquishing of the eventual AL champion Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington two weekends later and immediately prior to the All-Star break.{{Cite web |last=Willis |first=Todd |date=July 11, 2010 |title=O's end first half with sweep of Rangers |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100711&content_id=12205758&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718215923/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100711&content_id=12205758&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=July 18, 2010 |access-date=July 18, 2010 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} Beyond this, the Orioles showed little tangible improvement as they went 17–34 under Samuel,{{cite web |title=Juan Samuel |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/samueju01.shtml |access-date=October 1, 2015 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference}} whose stint ended on August 1 with a 5–4 loss at Kauffman Stadium, the third straight defeat to the Kansas City Royals.{{Cite web |last=Ghiroli |first=Brittany |date=August 1, 2010 |title=Orioles' struggles continue vs. Royals |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100801&content_id=12892660&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805020442/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100801&content_id=12892660&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=August 5, 2010 |access-date=August 5, 2010 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} Three days earlier on July 29, Buck Showalter was announced as Samuel's successor on a full-time basis beginning on August 3.{{Cite web |date=July 29, 2010 |title=Orioles name Buck Showalter Manager |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100729&content_id=12776812&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310054800/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100729&content_id=12776812&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=March 10, 2012 |access-date=March 10, 2012 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}} After declining an offer to return to his old third-base coaching job, Samuel accepted a position elsewhere in the organization as an evaluator for its Dominican Republic academy for the remainder of that season.{{Cite web |last=Ghiroli |first=Brittany |date=August 2, 2010 |title=Samuel declines post, will remain with club |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100801&content_id=12892674¬ebook_id=12899430&vkey=notebook_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805020406/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100801&content_id=12892674¬ebook_id=12899430&vkey=notebook_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=August 5, 2010 |access-date=August 5, 2010 |website=Baltimore Orioles |publisher=MLB.com}}

=Managerial record=

rowspan="2"\|Team	rowspan="2"\|Year	colspan="5"\|Regular season	colspan="4"\|Postseason
class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
Games	Won	Lost	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
BAL\|\|{{mlby\|2010}} \|\|51\|\|17\|\|34\|\|{{Winning percentage\|17\|34\|0}}\|\| (interim) \|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
colspan="2"\|Total\|\|51\|\|17\|\|34\|\|{{Winning percentage\|17\|34}}\|\|\|\| 0 \|\| 0 \|\| .000 \|\|