Todd Hundley

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Todd Hundley

|image=1988 Pucko - Todd Hundley (cropped).webp

|caption=Hundley with the Little Falls Mets {{circa}} 1988

|position=Catcher

|bats=Switch

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1969|5|27}}

|birth_place=Martinsville, Virginia, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=May 18

|debutyear=1990

|debutteam=New York Mets

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 27

|finalyear=2003

|finalteam=Los Angeles Dodgers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.234

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=202

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=599

|teams=

New York Mets ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1998}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2000}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2001}}–{{mlby|2002}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2003}})

|highlights=

2× All-Star (1996, 1997)

}}

Todd Randolph Hundley (born May 27, 1969) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He was a two-time All-Star who played for 14 seasons with the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs.

Early life

Hundley was born in Martinsville, Virginia, and grew up in Illinois, where his father, Randy, was a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Hundley attended William Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois, where he played on the school baseball and hockey teams. As a switch-hitting junior, he led his team in runs batted in and had a batting average of .357.{{cite news |last1=Sullivan |first1=Paul |title=They Should Catch Scouts' Eyes |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-04-26-8702010195-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=July 25, 1988}}

Professional career

The Mets selected Hundley in the second round of the 1987 MLB draft with the 39th overall pick. He was selected as a compensation pick from the Baltimore Orioles for signing Ray Knight.{{cite web |title=2nd Round of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1987&draft_round=2&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}}

Hundley made his major league debut with the New York Mets on May 18, 1990, when he was 20 years old. He came up with great fanfare but did not hit very well in his first few years in the Major Leagues.{{cite web |title=Todd Hundley Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hundlto01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}} Hundley described himself as overmatched early in his career.{{cite news |last1=Edes |first1=Gordon |title=Hand-Me-Down Now a Prize Catch |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1992-03-08-9201120937-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Sun-Sentinel |date=March 8, 1992}}

After a few years and a few injuries, his hitting increasingly improved to match his defense. He began to break out in the strike-shortened 1994 season and that breakout continued into the following seasons.{{cite news |last1=Tablak |first1=Gem |title=#ThrowbackThursday Mets Edition: Todd Hundley |url=https://metsjunkies.com/2019/08/28/throwbackthursday-mets-edition-todd-hundley/ |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Mets Junkies |date=29 August 2019 |language=en}} In 1996, Hundley hit 41 home runs, setting the Mets single-season home run record (previously set by Darryl Strawberry in 1988) and the single-season record for catchers (previously set by Roy Campanella in 1953).{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Selena |title=Hundley Recognizes His Place in History |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/17/sports/hundley-recognizes-his-place-in-history.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=17 September 1996}}{{cite book |last1=Sherman |first1=Joel |title=Birth of a Dynasty: Behind the Pinstripes with the 1996 Yankees |date=2006 |publisher=Rodale |isbn=978-1-59486-244-1 |page=145 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aGTjU6Rp35cC&pg=PA145 |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Lichtenstein |first1=Michael |title=Ya Gotta Believe!: The 40th Anniversary New York Mets Fan Book |date=2014 |publisher=St. Martin's Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-4668-7510-4 |page=125 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XdiZAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA125 |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}} Carlos Beltrán subsequently tied the team record in 2006 and Pete Alonso broke it in 2019.{{cite news |last1=Allentuck |first1=Danielle |title=Pete Alonso Sets Mets' Single-Season Home Run Record |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/27/sports/baseball/pete-alonso-mets-home-run-record.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=27 August 2019}} Javy López broke the positional record in 2003.{{cite news |last1=Evearitt |first1=Tim |title=Javy Lopez Breaks Home Run Record For Catchers |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2003/9/28/41429/Javy-Lopez-Breaks-Home-Run-Record-For.aspx |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The Chattanoogan |date=September 28, 2003 |language=en}} Hundley was named to the National League All-Star team for the first time in 1996 and then again 1997. He also received votes for the Most Valuable Player Award in 1996.

The Mets' acquisition of perennial All-Star Mike Piazza in May 1998 combined with a career-threatening elbow injury brought his tenure with the Mets to a close. With Piazza on the roster, the Mets moved Hundley to left field where he had little success.{{cite news |last1=Sullivan |first1=Paul |title=Hundley Tries to Handle It |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-07-25-9807250009-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=July 25, 1998}} He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 1, 1998, in a three-team trade that brought Armando Benítez and Roger Cedeño to the Mets while also sending fellow catcher Charles Johnson to the Baltimore Orioles.{{cite news |last1=Olney |first1=Buster |title=BASEBALL; Mets Get Benitez and Near Ventura Deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/02/sports/baseball-mets-get-benitez-and-near-ventura-deal.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=2 December 1998}}

Rob Neyer later summarized the trajectory of Hundley's tenure with the Mets as "overmatched, dangerous, hurt, Piazza, gone."{{cite book |last1=Neyer |first1=Rob |title=Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups: A Complete Guide to the Best, Worst, and Most Memorable Players to Ever Grace the Major Leagues |date=2003 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-0-7432-4174-8 |page=151 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3vYKjyXmt0YC&pg=PA150 |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}}

While playing for the Dodgers in 2000, Hundley became the first visiting player to hit a home run into McCovey Cove at what was then Pacific Bell Park (now Oracle Park).{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=David |title=Floyd May Be Ready by Friday |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2000-08-22-0008220135-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Sun-Sentinel |date=August 22, 2000}}

After two seasons in Los Angeles, Hundley signed with the Chicago Cubs for four years and $23.5 million in December 2000.{{cite news |title=PLUS: BASEBALL; Cubs Sign Hundley To Four-Year Deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/14/sports/plus-baseball-cubs-sign-hundley-to-four-year-deal.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |date=14 December 2000}} Hundley spent two seasons in Chicago where he was both unproductive on the field and unpopular with fans.{{cite book |last1=Ellis |first1=George |title=The Cubs Fan's Guide to Happiness |date=2014 |publisher=Triumph Books |isbn=978-1-62368-876-9 |page=145–46 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHwkAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA145 |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=Fred |title=Chicago Cubs: Where Have You Gone? Ernie Banks, Andy Pafko, Ferguson Jenkins, and Other Cubs Greats |date=2013 |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc. |isbn=978-1-61321-201-1 |page=55 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6SVrCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA117 |accessdate=10 July 2020 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Goldsborough |first1=Bob |title=Todd Hundley lists Glenview home |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/real-estate/ct-xpm-2011-02-25-ct-mre-0227-elite-street-20110225-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=February 25, 2011}}

Only two years into his contract, he was traded back to Los Angeles with Chad Hermansen for Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek before the 2003 season. His final season came in 2003. Despite not playing in 2004, he was paid $7 million.

In 2007, the Mitchell Report revealed that Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski told investigators he sold Deca-Durabolin to Hundley prior to his 1996 record-breaking season.{{cite news |last1=Pennington |first1=Bill |title=Steroid Report Depicts a 2-Player Domino Effect |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/sports/baseball/16steroids.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=16 December 2007}}

Personal life

On January 6, 1990, Todd married his high school sweetheart Tiffany Saarinen.

{{Asof|September 1998}}, Hundley and his wife, have four children, Heather, Justin, Emma and Josh.{{cite news |last1=Olney |first1=Buster |title=Family Helps Hundley Fight Through Bad Days |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/06/sports/family-helps-hundley-fight-through-bad-days.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=6 September 1997}} By August 2005, he and Tiffany were divorced.{{cite news |last1=Haugh |first1=David |title=Hundley's short trip ends in DUI charge |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-08-16-0508160239-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=August 16, 2005}}

In August 2005, Hundley was arrested and charged in Lake County, Illinois, with driving under the influence and endangering the life and health of children after being pulled over in his Hummer H2 with his two daughters in the backseat and failing field sobriety tests. Hundley attributed his condition to the prescription painkiller Vicodin.{{cite news |last1=Haugh |first1=David |title=Hundley's short trip ends in DUI charge |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-08-16-0508160239-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=August 16, 2005}}

Hundley married Jodi A. Contreras Shupe on March 2, 2006, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.{{cite news |title=Jodi A. Contreras marries Todd R. Hundley |url=https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2006/08/27/jodi-a-contreras-marries-todd-r-hundley/ |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Daily Democrat |date=27 August 2006}}

In May 2012, Hundley sold his six-bedroom Glenview, Illinois, home for $1.4 million, $200,000 less than his 2004 purchase price.{{cite news |last1=Goldsborough |first1=Bob |title=Retired Cub Hundley sells Glenview home |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/real-estate/ct-xpm-2012-05-11-ct-mre-0513-elite-street-20120511-story.html |accessdate=10 July 2020 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=May 11, 2012}}