Toby Hall

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Toby Hall

| image = Toby Hall with Ball Approaching.jpg

| caption = Hall with the Chicago White Sox

| team = Windy City ThunderBolts

| number =

| position = Catcher / Coach

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1975|10|21}}

| birth_place = Tacoma, Washington, U.S.

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = September 15

| debutyear = 2000

| debutteam = Tampa Bay Devil Rays

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 21

| finalyear = 2008

| finalteam = Chicago White Sox

| statyear =

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .262

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 46

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 269

| teams =

Tampa Bay Devil Rays ({{mlby|2000}}–{{mlby|2006}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2006}})
Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2007}}–{{mlby|2008}})

}}

Toby Jason Hall (born October 21, 1975) is an American professional baseball coach and former catcher who is currently the interim manager and bench coach for the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2008, primarily with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Listed at {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m}} and {{convert|205|lb|kg}}, he batted and threw right-handed.

Career

Hall attended El Dorado High School in Placerville, California, where he earned All-State honors. The first time he played catcher was in his sophomore year at American River College.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}} Then while in college he was an All-American at UNLV. The San Francisco Giants selected Hall in the 24th round (663rd overall) of the 1995 MLB draft, but he did not sign.{{Cite web |title=24th Round of the 1995 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1995&draft_round=24&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

=Tampa Bay Devil Rays=

File:Ortiz and Hall2.jpg of the Boston Red Sox in 2006]]

Hall was selected in the ninth round (294th overall) of the 1997 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and signed with the team.{{Cite web |title=9th Round of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1997&draft_round=9&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He rose through their minor league farm system, starting in Class A Short Season in 1997 and reaching Triple-A in 2000.{{Cite web |title=Toby Hall Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hall--001tob |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He made his MLB debut with the Devil Rays late in the 2000 season, appearing in four games while batting .167 (2-for-12).{{Cite web |title=Toby Hall Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hallto02.shtml |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} In 2001 and 2002, he appeared in 49 and 85 games with Tampa Bay, batting .298 and .258, respectively. From 2003 through 2005, he played in over 100 games each season with the team, batting a career-high .287 in 2005. He appeared in 64 games with the Devil Rays in 2006, batting .231 with eight home runs and 23 RBI.

Overall, Hall appeared in 586 games with Tampa Bay, batting .262 with 44 home runs and 251 RBIs. Hall holds a number of top ten team records for Tampa Bay; as of 2022, he is tied with Aubrey Huff for seventh in sacrifice flies (26), ranks eighth in doubles (112), ninth in games played (586), and tenth in at bats (2,050), RBI (251), and hits (538).{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Rays Top 10 Career Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TBD/leaders_bat.shtml |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

On June 27, 2006, Hall and pitcher Mark Hendrickson were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Jae Seo, catcher Dioner Navarro, and outfielder Justin Ruggiano.{{Cite web |date=June 27, 2006 |title=Dodgers acquire Hendrickson, Hall from Devil Rays |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2502089 |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |language=en}} In 21 games with the Dodgers, Hall batted .368 (21-for-57) with 8 RBI.

=Chicago White Sox=

On December 17, 2006, Hall agreed to a two-year, $3.65 million deal with a club option for 2009 with the Chicago White Sox.{{Cite web |date=December 17, 2006 |title=White Sox and Toby Hall agree to terms on two-year contract with club option for 2009 |url=http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20061217&content_id=1763070&vkey=pr_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070123133132/http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20061217&content_id=1763070&vkey=pr_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws |archive-date=January 23, 2007 |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Chicago White Sox |publisher=MLB.com}} He served as the backup to A. J. Pierzynski. On July 4, 2007, Hall collected his first RBI of the season and his first as a member of the White Sox organization.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2007/Ihallt0010092007.htm |title=The 2007 CHI A Regular Season Batting Log for Toby Hall |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=June 11, 2019}} In two seasons with Chicago, Hall appeared in a total of 79 games, batting .235 with two home runs and 10 RBIs.

=Late career=

On October 30, 2008, the White Sox declined a $2.25 million option on Hall, making him a free agent.{{cite web |last=Merkin |first=Scott |date=October 30, 2008 |title=Sox decline options of Griffey, Hall |url=http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081030&content_id=3655185&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181236/http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081030&content_id=3655185&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws |archivedate=April 16, 2014 |accessdate=August 19, 2010 |work=Chicago White Sox |publisher=MLB.com}} He signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros on January 14, 2009, and was invited to spring training.{{Cite web |last=Footer |first=Alyson |date=January 14, 2009 |title=Astros add six more to camp list |url=http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090114&content_id=3744306&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121193514/http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090114&content_id=3744306&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou |archive-date=January 21, 2009 |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Houston Astros |publisher=MLB.com}} On February 22, 2009, Hall elected to undergo shoulder surgery, which enabled the Astros to void his deal.{{cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Jose de Jesus |date=February 22, 2009 |title=Astros catcher Hall to have surgery on shoulder |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/6275236.html |accessdate=August 19, 2010 |work=Houston Chronicle}} Hall did not play professionally during the 2009 season.

On January 22, 2010, Hall signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers with an invitation to spring training.{{cite web |last=Sullivan |first=T.R. |date=January 22, 2010 |title=Rangers sign catcher Toby Hall |url=http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/01/rangers_sign_catcher_toby_hall.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124082123/http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/01/rangers_sign_catcher_toby_hall.html |archive-date=January 24, 2010 |accessdate=August 19, 2010 |work=Postcards from Elysian Fields |publisher=MLB.com}} On June 24, 2010, Hall was released.{{Cite web |last=Grant |first=Evan |date=June 24, 2010 |title=Minor Rangers news: Eric Hurley has third surgery, Kasey Kiker moved to bullpen, Toby Hall released |url=http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/minor-rangers-news-eric-hurley.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627021848/http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/minor-rangers-news-eric-hurley.html |archive-date=June 27, 2010 |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=The Dallas Morning News}} Other than playing in one minor league game with Texas, Hall did not play professionally during the 2010 season.

On March 10, 2011, Hall signed with the Camden Riversharks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2011 |title=Ex-Ray Toby Hall signs with independent league team |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2011/03/10/ex-ray-toby-hall-signs-with-independent-league-team/ |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}} He appeared in 93 games with Camden, batting .255 with two home runs and 32 RBI. On December 20, 2011, Hall retired from baseball as a player.{{cite web |last=Topkin |first=Marc |date=December 20, 2011 |title=Former Rays C Toby Hall retires |url=http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/content/former-rays-c-toby-hall-retires |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108014048/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/content/former-rays-c-toby-hall-retires |archive-date=January 8, 2012 |access-date=January 8, 2012 |website=Tampa Bay Times}}

Personal life

Hall has a tendency to dye his soul patch different colors to mark specific occasions. For example, during a 12-game winning streak in 2004, he dyed his soul patch platinum blonde. On June 24, 2006, Hall dyed his soul patch red to mark "turn back the clock night", where Tampa Bay wore throwback uniforms for the Tampa Tarpons, a Cincinnati Reds minor-league affiliate.

In May 2005, Hall sponsored a Make-a-Wish for Chase Troche.{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Beth N. |date=May 26, 2005 |title=After bout with illness, boy can now play |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/26/news_pf/Hernando/After_bout_with_illne.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014225845/http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/26/news_pf/Hernando/After_bout_with_illne.shtml |archive-date=October 14, 2012 |accessdate=August 19, 2010 |website=St. Petersburg Times}}