Wallace Keith Joyner (born June 16, 1962) is an American former professional baseball player. He played for four major league teams during a 16-year career, most notably for the California Angels, for whom he was an All-Star. He was a member of the pennant-winning 1998 San Diego Padres.

Early life and career

Joyner attended Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. He attended college at Brigham Young University. Then-batting coach José Manuel Morales forced him to do power weight training and modify his posture at the batting cage, so as to develop upper body strength. He gained 10 pounds of muscle as a result of his workouts. He was consequently the top hitter on Puerto Rico's winter league on the 1985–86 season, winning the Triple Crown (.356, 14 HR, 48 RBI) in 54 games.

Joyner was the starting first baseman in the 1986 All-Star Game. Joyner tied Darryl Strawberry for first place in that year's Home Run Derby.

When the Angels met the New York Yankees in a game in August 1986, a fan threw a knife at Joyner. Joyner was grazed on the left arm by the butt end of the weapon, escaping injury.

Joyner broke up two no-hit bids in the ninth during the 1986 season. Against the Texas Rangers on June 16, he foiled Charlie Hough's bid with a single with one out in the ninth, scoring Jack Howell (who had reached on a three-base error) to tie the game at 1–1. Joyner, whose hit would be the Angels' only one of the game, eventually scored the winning run on Orlando Mercado's passed ball for a 2–1 Angels victory. Against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, Joyner broke up Walt Terrell's bid for a no-hitter by doubling with two out in the ninth; this would also be the Angels only hit in losing to the Tigers 3–0.

Joyner and the Angels advanced to the 1986 American League Championship Series, where they came within one strike of reaching the franchise's first World Series before losing in seven games. In game 3 of the series, Joyner was running home on an infield hit, and as he stepped on home plate, he unknowingly opened up a previously unseen staph infection on his shin, which led to him having to be hospitalized and miss the rest of the series.

At the end of the 1986 season, Joyner was the runner-up in the voting for the Rookie of the Year Award, losing to José Canseco. On October 3, 1987, Joyner hit three solo home runs against the Indians in a 12–5 victory on the next to last day of the season. He finished the 1987 season with 34 home runs and 117 RBI, both career highs.

Joyner announced his retirement on June 16, 2001. In a taped message that was played on the Edison Field videoboard after the first inning that day, he thanked the Angels fans for their support and received a standing ovation.

In a 16-year career, Joyner posted a .289 batting average with 204 home runs and 1,106 RBI in 2,033 games played. Joyner told Buster Olney that his reason for telling his story in public was to set the record straight for the sake of his daughters. Joyner was listed in the 2007 Mitchell Report.

Coaching

thumb|Joyner waves [[Freddy Galvis to second base while serving as first base coach in a Phillies game on September 7, 2013]]

On July 31, 2007, Joyner was hired by the San Diego Padres to be their hitting coach, replacing Merv Rettenmund. Previously, Joyner had served as a special assistant to Padres General Manager Kevin Towers. Between 2003 and 2007, he also acted as a roving minor league instructor and spring training instructor for the Padres. Following the firing of Charlie Manuel, Joyner became the first base coach under interim manager, Ryne Sandberg.

On November 18, 2013, the Detroit Tigers announced the hiring of Joyner as their hitting coach. He was the team's hitting coach for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons. He resigned after the 2016 season to pursue other opportunities.

Personal life

Joyner resides in Mapleton, Utah. Joyner has invested in and appeared in films marketed to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including playing "Brother Angel" (a reference to the California Angels) in The Singles Ward, and "Brother Jensen" in the 2003 movie, The R.M.. He is the nephew of former United States Senator Paula Hawkins.

See also

  • List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
  • List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
  • List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
  • List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report

References

  • Joyner admits brief steroid use
  • Knife thrown by fan at Joyner (archived)