Mickey Brantley

Mickey Brantley
Brantley with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006
Outfielder
Born: (1961-06-17) June 17, 1961
Catskill, New York
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 9, 1986, for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
June 1, 1989, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
Batting average .259
Home runs 32
Runs batted in 125
Teams

Michael Charles Brantley (born June 17, 1961) is a former Major League Baseball player. He was the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays from early 2005 to September 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.[1] 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 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 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 1988 when he hit .263 with 15 HR and 56 RBI in 149 games. He spent the 1990-1993 seasons with several teams in the minor leagues, finally finishing his playing career with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

As coach and manager

Between 1994 and 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 fired 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, plays for the Cleveland Indians as an outfielder.[2] His nephew, Justin Brantley, was a pitcher in the Indians organization from 2014 to 2017.[3] Justin signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets and released in 2017.[4] In the early 1980s, Mickey and his family hosted a teenage boxer at the time named Mike Tyson. After 17 years of marriage to Nina Brantley, Mickey and Nina divorced.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Reiter, Ben (June 19, 2015). "The Sixth Tool: How Michael Brantley and his father built an MVP swing". Sports Illustrated. New York City: Meredith Corporation. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  2. ↑ Kepner, Tyler (August 10, 2014). "A Paternal Touch Yields a Smooth Swing". The New York Times. New York City: The New York Times Company. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  3. ↑ Lada, Justin (July 14, 2014). "Cleveland Indians hope Justin Brantley just as 'smooth' as cousin Michael". The News-Herald. Willoughby, Ohio: 21st Century Media. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Justin Brantley". MLB.com. United States: Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
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