Where Have You Gone Shane Spencer?

NEW YORK – Out at the ballpark this afternoon for the opener of a four-game, holiday weekend set with AL East rival Toronto. I got to thinking about one of my favorite afternoon games that included me sharing a moment with my favorite player at the time – and getting ejected for it.

But that’s another story for another post. The player I speak of, though, is none other than Shane Spencer. I got to wondering how the “Home Run Dis-Spencer” was doing these days. So, I decided to give Google a quick search and found out that Spencer is in his second season as the hitting coach for the Lake Elsinore Storm, the Class A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.

I was happy to hear that Spencer had a job in baseball, even if it wasn’t of the playing variety. I loved watching Spencer play. As a teenager, he was my favorite player. He was a classic example of an overachiever, having made the majors after crossing the picket line and playing as a “scab” in 1994.

Spencer survived the scrutiny and made a nice career for himself in the pros, one that included being part of four World Series teams with the Bombers. He won three rings and enjoyed perhaps the greatest September call up in baseball history in 1998 when the Yankees were on an historic pace in the win department.

The stocky, baby-faced outfielder was first brought up by the Bombers at the age of 26, in the midst of a famously dominant season by the Yankees. He quickly endeared himself to fans by hitting 10 home runs, including 3 grand slams in only 67 at-bats – a rate that would have been phenomenal even for an established star – and won a surprise spot on the postseason roster. Spencer's production of a home run for each 6.7 at-bats would have yielded 76 dingers during Mark McGwire’s 70-home run 1998 season, with 509 official at-bats. During Barry Bonds' record year (2001) where he hit 73 homers in 476 at-bats, Spencer’s total would have been 71.

Spencer was nicknamed “Roy Hobbs” after the fictitious star from the film and book, The Natural. Hobbs’ character also enjoyed a breakthrough rookie year as an older player. Unfortunately, Spencer would never follow through on the promise.

Injuries and off the field issues prevented Spencer from maintaining that level of play.

But for a guy that was a long shot to make it to the big leagues, I look at Spencer’s career as a major achievement. He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1998 for his dramatic splash on the big league level and had some key postseason moments, including a big homer off Curt Schilling in the 2001 World Series.

Now, the seven-year major leaguer, a 28th round pick, gets a chance to steer young players in the right direction as a minor league hitting instructor.

Not everyone gets a chance to be Mickey Mantle, or even Shane Spencer for that matter. He had a wild ride in "The Show" – a short one, but one that I’m sure he and many fans like myself will soon forget.

p.s. Remind me to tell you about that afternoon at the old ballpark some day.