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Tom Lampkin

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Tom Lampkin
Lampkin in 1988
Catcher
Born: (1964-03-04) March 4, 1964 (age 60)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 10, 1988, for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 2002, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics
Batting average.235
Home runs56
Runs batted in236
Teams

Thomas Michael Lampkin (born March 4, 1964) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played in 1988, 1990–1993, and 1995–2002.

Career

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Lampkin was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Mike and Shirley Lampkin and grew up in Clyde Hill, Washington. He was one of five children.[1] Beginning at 15 years old in 1977, he worked as a clubhouse assistant for the Seattle Mariners at the Kingdome, even working the 1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and babysitting Dave Heaverlo's children.[2][3] He attended high school at Bishop Blanchet High School and, after being undrafted out of high school, played college baseball at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington and the University of Portland.[2][4] He was selected in the eleventh round of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft by the Cleveland Indians.[4]

Lampkin was assigned to the Batavia Trojans of the New York–Penn League to begin his professional career.[5] He made his Major League debut with the Indians on September 10, 1988 as a defensive replacement for Terry Francona (who had pinch hit for catcher Ron Tingley).[4][6] He appeared in only four games for the Indians that season and none the following season, before being traded to the San Diego Padres for Alex Cole on July 11, 1990. Lampkin spent parts of three seasons with the Padres before moving to the Milwaukee Brewers. In his one season in Milwaukee in 1993, he received more Major League plate appearances than in his prior four Major League seasons combined. However, he was granted free agency following the season and, despite being signed by the San Francisco Giants in January 1994, did not appear in another Major League game until 1995.[4] With the Giants in 1996, Lampkin for the first time in his career led his team in games played at catcher.[7] He also led the National League by throwing out 51.5% of all would-be base stealers. Following the season, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals where, in two seasons, he saw the most playing time of his career as a backup to Mike DiFelice and Eli Marrero respectively.[4][8][9]

Prior to the 1999 season, the Mariners signed Lampkin to a two-year contract for $1.55 million[10] to back up Dan Wilson. In Seattle, Lampkin worked with baserunning coach Vince Coleman not on his own baserunning but to learn to "anticipate what the good base-stealers do."[1] Although injuries limited his playing time in 2000, he played well enough in his first two seasons to earn a $1.2 million contract for the 2001 season.[11] The 2001 Seattle Mariners tied a Major League record for the winningest season in history and Lampkin saw his first postseason action, getting a hit in the 2001 American League Championship Series.[4]

On December 11, 2001, the Mariners traded Lampkin to San Diego with Brett Tomko and Ramón Vázquez for Alex Arias, Ben Davis and Wascar Serrano. Lampkin was disappointed by the trade and expressed at the time that he had hoped to finish his career in Seattle.[12] Lampkin was the starting catcher for the Padres during the 2002 season but retired that offseason.[13][14]

Personal life

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As of 2002, Lampkin and his wife, Lori Kath, had three children, Jennifer, Stephanie and Thomas Michael.[12] As of 2011, he lived in Vancouver, Washington.[15] As of 2012, he was the head baseball coach at Union High School in Camas, Washington.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b Finnigan, Bob (February 21, 1999). "Mariner Spring Training -- Lampkin Left Light On For Return To Seattle -- After 13 Seasons, Journeyman Lands In Hometown". Seattle Times. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Maebori, Jay (June 27, 1999). "KINGDOME MEMORIES: Lampkin started career as clubhouse boy". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  3. ^ Canfield, Jack; Hansen, Mark Victor (August 28, 2012). Chicken Soup for the Baseball Fan's Soul: Inspirational Stories of Baseball, Big-League Dreams and the Game of Life. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4532-8027-0. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Tom Lampkin Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  5. ^ "Tom Lampkin Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  6. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox Box Score, September 10, 1988". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  7. ^ "1996 San Francisco Giants Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  8. ^ "1997 St. Louis Cardinals Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  9. ^ "1998 St. Louis Cardinals Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  10. ^ "Baseball briefs". Deseret News. Associated Press. December 11, 1998. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  11. ^ "Brewers sign Hammonds; Mariners ink Boone". Deseret News. Associated Press. December 23, 2000. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Arnold, Kirby (March 5, 2002). "SPRING TRAINING: Lampkin finds new home in San Diego". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "2002 San Diego Padres Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Daschel, Nick (April 22, 2012). "Baseball: Vancouver's Clint Coulter emerges as a top-flight catching prospect for major league baseball draft". Oregon Live. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  15. ^ Jayne, Greg (June 4, 2011). "From Class A to the majors?". The Columbian. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
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