Mickey Brantley

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Mickey Brantley

|position=Outfielder

|image=Mickey Brantley (2312049458) (cropped).jpg

|caption=Brantley with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006

|image_size=250

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1961|6|17}}

|birth_place=Catskill, New York, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 9

|debutyear=1986

|debutteam=Seattle Mariners

|debut2league = NPB

|debut2date=July 17

|debut2year=1993

|debut2team=Yomiuri Giants

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=June 1

|finalyear=1989

|finalteam=Seattle Mariners

|final2league = NPB

|final2date=

|final2year=1993

|final2team=Yomiuri Giants

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.259

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=32

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=125

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label=Batting average

|stat21value=.182

|stat22label=Home runs

|stat22value=0

|stat23label=Runs batted in

|stat23value=4

|teams=

Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1986}}–{{mlby|1989}})
Yomiuri Giants ({{npby|1993}})

}}

Michael Charles Brantley Sr. (born June 17, 1961) is an American former professional baseball player. He was the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB) from early {{mlby|2005}} to September {{mlby|2007}}.

Early life

Brantley grew up in Catskill, New York, the sixth of eleven children—seven boys, four girls. His father was a foundry worker and his mother was a homemaker.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/06/19/michael-brantley-mickey-brantley-cleveland-indians-fathers-day|title=The Sixth Tool: How Michael Brantley and his father built an MVP swing|first=Ben|last=Reiter|magazine=Sports Illustrated|publisher=Meredith Corporation|location=New York City|date=June 19, 2015|accessdate=July 31, 2018}} He attended Catskill High School. Brantley went on to attend Columbia-Greene Community College, starred in soccer, basketball, and baseball, and still holds several school records. After one year at CGCC, he starred at Coastal Carolina University, and after his senior season, in 1983, was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the second round (#30 overall). After 3+ successful years in the minors, he made his big league debut with the Seattle Mariners in {{mlby|1986}}.

Career

=As player=

Brantley played outfield and designated hitter during parts of four seasons, 1986–1989, all for the Seattle Mariners. As a rookie in {{mlby|1987}}, he led the Mariner regulars in hitting with a .302 average, and also had 14 home runs and 54 RBI in 106 games. His only full season as a regular came in {{mlby|1988}} when he hit .263 with 15 HR and 56 RBI in 149 games. He spent the {{Baseball year|1990}}–{{Baseball year|1993}} seasons with several teams in the minor leagues, finally finishing his playing career with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

=As coach and manager=

Between {{Baseball year|1994}} and {{Baseball year|2004}}, Brantley was a coach and manager in the minor leagues for the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets organizations. Prior to the 2005 season Brantley was named as the first base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. After Mike Barnett was dismissed three weeks into the season, Brantley replaced him as the hitting coach. Brantley was released near the end of the 2007 season, as the Jays' offense that year was less productive than expected.

Personal life

Brantley's son, Michael Brantley, played for the Houston Astros as an outfielder, and participated in the 2019 and 2021 World Series.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/sports/baseball/clevelands-brantley-succeeds-at-the-plate-with-help-from-his-father.html?_r=0 |last=Kepner |first=Tyler |title=A Paternal Touch Yields a Smooth Swing|work=The New York Times|location=New York City|date=August 10, 2014|accessdate=July 30, 2018}} His nephew, Justin Brantley, was a pitcher in the Indians organization from 2014 to 2017.{{cite news|url=http://www.news-herald.com/article/hr/20140714/NEWS/140719752|title=Cleveland Indians hope Justin Brantley just as 'smooth' as cousin Michael|first=Justin|last=Lada|work=The News-Herald|publisher=21st Century Media|location=Willoughby, Ohio|date=July 14, 2014|accessdate=July 31, 2018}} Justin signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets and was released in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/justin-brantley-621213|title=Justin Brantley|work=MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|location=United States|access-date=July 31, 2018}} In the early 1980s, teenage boxer Mike Tyson lived with Brantley and his family. After 17 years of marriage to Nina Brantley, Mickey and Nina divorced.

References

External links

{{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=b/brantmi01 |fangraphs=1001360 |brm=brantl002mic |retro=B/Pbranm001}}

[https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/1706/mickey-brantley Espn.com player profile]
[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brantmi01.shtml Basketball-reference Stats]

Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American baseball coaches

Category:African-American baseball managers

Category:African-American baseball players

Category:African-American soccer players

Category:American men's soccer players

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Japan

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Bakersfield Mariners players

Category:Baseball coaches from New York (state)