Going into his ninth season in the majors, his second with the Braves, Bill Pecota was firmly entrenched as a utility player.It was a role, though, that he took pride in, he told The South Florida Sun Sentinel in February 1994.
"There is something deep down that still says, `Man, I'd love to get 600 at-bats and see what I'd do with it," Pecota told The Sun-Sentinel. "But I'm 34 now, and I think you have to realize that, hey, numbers don't lie."
Pecota put up numbers in the majors for nearly a decade, doing so in nearly 700 big league games.
Years after his final big league game, Pecota's name was borrowed for a new kind of numbers system, one used to forecast player performance in the major leagues.
Pecota's career began in 1981, taken by the Royals in the 10th round of the January draft, out of De Anza College.
He played that first year in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He made AA Jacksonville in 1983 and AAA Omaha in 1985.
Pecota debuted in Kansas City in 1986, getting into 12 games that September, playing third and short. He got six hits in 29 at bats.
He came back for 66 more games in 1987, playing third, short and second. He also hit .276. In a May game, he went 4 for 4, one of his hits a home run. It was a performance that came right before a scheduled demotion back to AAA.
"Then again," Royals manager Billy Gardner told reporters, "we might just have to find a place for the kid."
The next year, the Royals found a place for Pecota beyond the infield. He also played in the outfield and even a game at catcher. He also played in a career high 90 games.
Pecota continued playing for the Royals for three more seasons, his last coming in 1991. That year, Pecota got into 125 games and hit .286. A Kevin Seitzer injury helped contribute to his playing time.
For 1992, Pecota found himself with the Mets, traded there in a five-player deal. After a year there, Pecota arrived with the Braves.
With the Braves, Pecota continued to play both infield and outfield. He got 20 hits in 62 at bats in 1993. In 1994, he got 24 hits in 112 at bats.
In a June 1994 game, Pecota knocked in two runs with a double down the line, runs that proved the difference in the Braves 3-1 win. It was enough for the utility man to gain praise from his manager, Bobby Cox.
"That's what happens sometimes, a guy comes in and gives you a big lift," Cox told The Associated Press. "Pecota certainly did that for us today."
- Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, wire services, May 13, 1987: Black, Quisenberry combine to shut down the Blue Jays
- Lawrence Journal-World, Aug. 25, 1991: Pecota producing as full-timer now
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Feb. 22, 1994: Pecota's Attitude Wins Over Fans, Braves' Brass
- Rome News-Tribune, June 13, 1994: Maddux claims 10th win
More: The 1990 Omaha Royals
Cards Featured: 687/880 - 78.1%
Players/Coaches Featured: 698
Made the Majors: 472 - 68%-X
Never Made the Majors:226-32%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 205-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 142
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