John Vander Wal

John (Henry) Vander Wal is an American Major League Baseball player, a left-handed hitter who played outfield and first base for eight different teams over 14 seasons.

Related Topics:
American - Major League Baseball - Outfield - First base

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Born in April 29, 1966, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Vander Wal attended Western Michigan University and was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the third round of the 1987 amateur draft. He made his Major League debut with the Expos on September 6, 1991, and finished his first season with 13 hits in 61 at bats for a .213 batting average.

Related Topics:
April 29 - 1966 - Grand Rapids - Michigan - Western Michigan University - Montreal Expos - 1987 - September 6 - 1991 - Batting average

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Vander Wal played two more seasons in Montreal before moving on to the Colorado Rockies in 1994, where he would spend all of four seasons and part of another, although he never recorded more than 151 at bats or appeared in 105 games in any of those seasons. On August 31, 1998 he was traded to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later, and he went on to appear in the World Series with the Padres, recording two hits in five at bats.

Related Topics:
Montreal - Colorado Rockies - 1994 - August 31 - 1998 - San Diego Padres - World Series

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Vander Wal spent 1999 in San Diego before moving on to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 2000 that brought Al Martin to the Padres. While playing for the Pirates, he posted his best season, appearing in 134 games, and batting .299 with 24 home runs and 94 runs batted in. In 2001, Vander Wal was traded to the San Francisco Giants, who later traded him to the New York Yankees for Jay Witasick. Vander Wal was a part-time performer for the Yankees in 2002, before moving on to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003, and the Cincinnati Reds in 2004, where he recorded just 6 hits in 51 at bats for a .118 average. Entering the 2005 season, Vander Wal is not on any team's roster and is a free agent.

Related Topics:
San Diego - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2000 - 2001 - San Francisco Giants - New York Yankees - 2002 - Milwaukee Brewers - 2003 - Cincinnati Reds - 2004 - 2005

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