66-550: Boros may refer to: Boros (surname) Boros (beetle) , a genus of conifer bark beetles Bodo people , an ethnic group in India Boros Legion , a Magic: The Gathering faction from Ravnica Lord Boros , a character from the series One Punch Man See also [ edit ] Boro (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
132-546: A "sabermetrician" hired by Boros to run the computer system, later recalled: "With Steve, we tracked (on paper) virtually every pitch and where it was hit. Then I'd type it into the computer after the game, but that would take a couple of hours. That's how long it takes me to do it with pencil and paper." In April 1983, a sports writer noted: "These days in the Oakland Coliseum, where the Athletics do their thing,
198-532: A .317 batting average, .402 on-base percentage, and .576 slugging percentage. Boros spent the full 1961 season with the Detroit Tigers, including 115 games as the team's starting third baseman . As the season got underway, Boros was touted as a "can't miss" star. Joe Falls , who was later inducted into the writers' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame, wrote: 'Steve Boros can't miss. He's got all
264-897: A .344 on-base percentage and 26 home runs. Boros continued to play at the AAA level through 1969. He appeared in 117 games for the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1965. He spent the 1966 and 1967 seasons with the Buffalo Bisons in the International League . He split the 1968 season between the Indianapolis Indians and Vancouver Mounties in the Pacific Coast League and finished his playing career with
330-472: A .407 slugging percentage. On August 6, 1962, Boros became the eighth Detroit Tigers player to hit three home runs in one game — accomplishing the feat against the Cleveland Indians , including two home runs off Sam McDowell . After the game, Boros said, "I'm swinging the bat like I did two years ago." Two weeks later, he hit his first major league grand slam in the first inning of a game against
396-536: A broken collar bone. During his tenure with the Tigers, Boros was the subject of widespread coverage of his tendency to read history books and fine literature and of his aspiration to become a professor of literature. He finished his major league playing career with the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds from 1963 to 1965. In 1964, he set a Reds club record with 50 consecutive errorless games at third base. He played
462-522: A computer to help guide his managerial decisions. In his book on baseball innovations, historian Peter Morris wrote that Boros was "the first manager to make extensive use of computers in his decision-making process." After every game, Boros had pitch-by-pitch data fed into a mainframe computer at Digital Equipment Corporation in Philadelphia. He would retrieve the data before the next game, analyzing how each pitcher and hitter matched up. Jay Alves,
528-604: A feature on the firing of Boros several months later. The article refuted the charge that Boros lacked toughness but opened as follows: When the Oakland A's dismissed Steve Boros in May, the manager's failing was more narrowly defined: He wasn't 'tough enough.' Newspapers across the country solemnly reported this canard. The shortcoming most mentioned was that the A's skipper didn't sufficiently 'stand up for his players'; that is, he didn't kick dirt on umpires or get thrown out of games. It
594-589: A good fielding play by Boros by yelling, "Atta boy, Steve. Just for that I'll buy you a book." In December 1961, Boros became the third member of the Tigers to sign a contract for the 1962 season. Detroit vice president Rick Ferrell said at the time, "Boros got a good raise. He was entitled to it. He had a wonderful first year. Steve will be even better next summer, in my opinion." In 1962, Boros saw his batting average slump to .228, though his propensity to draw bases on balls buoyed his on-base percentage over 100 points to .331. His 14 doubles and 16 home runs provided
660-543: A good hitter and has power as good as Dick Wakefield 's when he connects." Boros later credited college baseball with having made him a better player: "My last year in high school I hit but .275 and was a terrible fielder. I guess college matured me. I gained some weight and picked up the confidence I lacked in high school. If I hadn't gone to college and had signed right out of high school, I might have had one bad year and quit." Boros made his major league debut on June 19, 1957, just days after signing his bonus contract with
726-671: A leading candidate for the American League Rookie of the Year award until he broke his collar bone in August 1961. Less than two years later, and with Ron Santo securely entrenched as the Cubs third baseman, he spent most of the 1963 season on the Cubs bench. Boros appeared in 41 games for the 1963 Cubs, including 14 at first base and 11 as an outfielder. He compiled a .211 batting average in 90 at-bats, though his on-base percentage
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#1732772658951792-776: A player for the University of Michigan in 1956 to his retirement in 2004 as an executive with the Detroit Tigers . After playing college baseball for the University of Michigan from 1956 to 1957, Boros signed as a bonus baby with the Detroit Tigers in June 1957. He remained in the Tigers organization from 1957 to 1962. He was the most valuable player in the American Association in 1960 and had his best major league season in 1961 despite missing six weeks with
858-468: A quick bat." Boros appeared in 24 games for the 1957 Tigers, including nine at third base and five at shortstop, but hit for only a .146 average. Boros spent most of the 1958 season in the minor leagues, including stints with the Augusta Tigers (South Atlantic League), Birmingham Barons (Southern Association), and Charleston Senators (American Association). He also appeared in six games for
924-400: A small 25-cent notepad along with a flock of stopwatch readings that represent the time it takes a pitcher to throw the ball to home plate out of both the stretch and windup, and how long it takes a catcher to peg the ball to second and third base. Boros also studied pitchers, looking for tipoffs they intended to throw to first base. He said, "There's always some tipoff. The head, the shoulder,
990-505: A son, Stephen, and a daughter, Sasha, who are both married with children. He enrolled at the University of Michigan where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. He played baseball as a shortstop for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team in 1956 and 1957. He had a .324 batting average in 1956 and .381 in 1957. He was selected as an All- Big Ten Conference player in 1957. After an outstanding junior year in 1957, Boros
1056-562: A total of 13 years in professional baseball, including stints with several minor league clubs from 1957 to 1969. In 1970, Boros began a lengthy career as a baseball manager, scout, and coach. While working in the Kansas City Royals farm system, he developed a reputation as a leading advocate of the stolen base . Under his leadership, the San Jose Bees set a modern minor league record with 372 stolen bases in one year. As
1122-399: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Steve Boros As manager As coach Stephen Boros Jr. (September 3, 1936 – December 29, 2010) was an American baseball infielder , coach , manager , scout , and administrator. Best known for his scientific approach to the sport and his use of computers, Boros' baseball career spanned almost 50 years from his debut as
1188-712: The American League West pennant with a record of 92–70. In 1980, Boros was hired by the Montreal Expos organization and managed the Calgary Expos . During the 1981 and 1982 seasons, he was the first base coach for the Montreal Expos. Boros was hired by the Expos in part due to his reputation as one of the best coaches in baseball at teaching base stealing technique. His San Jose team set
1254-595: The National League in stolen bases in both 1981 and 1982. In 1983, Boros became the manager of the Oakland Athletics . He drew widespread press coverage after he hired a sabermetrician to track every pitch and feed the data into a mainframe computer in Philadelphia . Boros studied the data on a daily basis using an Apple II computer which he kept in the clubhouse. Boros's cerebral approach to
1320-598: The New York Yankees . At the time of the injury, the Tigers were in first place in the American League, and Boros already had 53 RBIs, one more than Al Kaline . Boros spent the night at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City before flying home to Detroit while the rest of the team flew to the west coast for a road trip. The 1961 Tigers finished with an impressive 101–61 record, but the 1961 Yankees won
1386-684: The Omaha Royals of the American Association. Boros began a managerial career in the Kansas City Royals farm system in 1970 as the manager of the Waterloo Royals, their Waterloo, Iowa farm team from 1970 to 1972. While managing in Waterloo, he was ejected from a game after protesting what he called "a series of atrocious calls." Boros retreated to the clubhouse where he hand-lettered a sign reading "UMPIRES". He nailed
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#17327726589511452-510: The Washington Senators . The next day, he achieved a less desirable distinction when he tied an American League record by committing four errors, two in one inning. On November 28, 1962, Boros was traded by the Tigers to the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Bob Anderson . The Cubs vice president John Holland said he expected Boros to provide "protection in the infield" and prove valuable as a righthanded pinch-hitter. Boros had been
1518-417: The surname Boros . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boros_(surname)&oldid=1146123151 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
1584-501: The "leading exponent" in baseball of the stolen base. Gammons added: "Boros is Lee Strasberg to Raines and the host of young speedsters coming through the Expos organization, constantly mixing technique and science with the athlete's artistic ability. There is constant work with measured leads and jumps and acceleration. Boros keeps a stop-watch on every catcher and pitcher in the league and records it all, along with telltale quirks and motions." In August 1982, another feature story run by
1650-553: The 1960 season with the Denver Bears of the Class AAA American Association . He hit home runs in his first and third at bats for Denver and narrowly missed with a towering foul ball in his second at bat. He was named the league's most valuable player while Carl Yastrzemski was named the league's best rookie. He tied for the league lead with 119 RBIs, hit 30 home runs, stole 22 bases, and compiled
1716-454: The 1964 season as the Reds' starting third baseman, and Boros was returned to San Diego. However, Boros was quickly called up by the Reds and became the team's regular third baseman by the second week of May 1964. By early July, Boros was batting slightly under .300, set a club record with 50 errorless games, and had established himself as "one of the top favorites among Red fans." Boros' streak
1782-457: The 1981 and 1982 seasons, as a scouting tool. The article's author opined: "Though traditionalists may shudder at the thought, it was inevitable that such a stat-happy pursuit as baseball would plug into a data bank. And Boros, 46, a Michigan grad who plans to take classes in computer science during the off-season, is in the forefront of a new wave of enlightened technocrats who are rewiring the game." However, Boros tried to downplay his reliance on
1848-497: The 1984 season got underway, Boros' notoriety from his use of a computer became a distraction in the eyes of team management and baseball traditionalists. Longtime friend Phil Regan recalled, "He received some criticism for using computers in the mid-1980s and now everyone in the game uses computers." In their book on baseball's fascination with statistics, Alan Schwartz and Peter Gammons wrote: Baseball's conservatives howled in horror. As 1984 neared, you'd think that George Orwell
1914-513: The 50-game errorless streak as his biggest thrill in baseball. During the 1964 season, Boros started 113 games at third base, compiling a .257 batting average and .342 on-base percentage in 370 at-bats. At the start of the 1965 season, the Reds moved Deron Johnson from first to third base and had no further need for Boros. He appeared in only two games for the Reds in 1965, making his final major league appearance on May 8, 1965. In all or parts of seven major league seasons, Boros batted .245 with
1980-577: The American League. In a game against the Minnesota Twins on May 18, 1983, Boros put infielder Wayne Gross into the game as a pitcher, after the A's fell behind by a 16–5 score. Gross had not pitched since he was age 13. Boros was critical of the Twins home field at the Metrodome , saying there was no point in using a "real pitcher", and adding, "I used a joke pitcher for a joke park." Before
2046-472: The Associated Press was titled "Expos' coach lives by stopwatch." Boros preferred to refer to himself an advocate of base running: "I've always been a strong advocate of base running, not necessarily base stealing, but base running. Because ultimately, you win because you score more runs, and what I want is to be 90-feet smarter and 90-feet more aggressive than the other team." Always a student of
Boros - Misplaced Pages Continue
2112-600: The Tigers in 1958, with only two at-bats. During the 1959 season, Boros spent the entire season with the Birmingham Barons. He appeared in 147 games, beginning the season at third base and then moving into the outfield. By early August, he had earned a reputation as "one of the quickest bats in the league." He compiled a .305 batting average for the Barons with 24 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs , 85 runs batted in (RBIs), and 23 stolen bases . Boros spent
2178-445: The Tigers. Under the rules in effect at that time, a player receiving a signing bonus was required to be kept on the major league roster for a year, a rule described as "that era's effort to prevent big-revenue teams from stockpiling the best talent." Boros briefly moved into the Tigers starting lineup, replacing a slumping Reno Bertoia at third base. Detroit manager Jack Tighe praised Boros as "a cool customer" with "strong wrists and
2244-660: The computer, noting, "We're not down in the dugout frantically leafing through pages of computer printouts. I'm too busy watching my pitchers for signs of fatigue or checking my base runners — all the little nuances and gut feelings that you get and no computer can pick up. However, I do study the printouts before each game." During the 1983 and 1984 seasons, Boros' use of the computer was also profiled in several other publications, including Psychology Today ("The Microchipped Diamond"), InfoWorld ("Playing Ball With Micros"), Digital Deli ("Computer Ball"), and Popular Mechanics ("Science Goes To Bat"). Despite Boros' use of
2310-507: The computer, the 1983 A's finished in fourth place in the American League West with a record of 74–88. Boros had long been an advocate of stealing bases, and his 1983 team totaled 235 stolen bases—more than any team in the American League since the 1976 Athletics . The team was handicapped by a pitching staff on which no pitcher won more than 12 games, compiling a mediocre 4.34 earned run average , ranking 12th of 15 teams in
2376-513: The credit for Raines' base-running success. Positioning himself a few yards up the first base line from the bag, Boros surveys the mound from the same angle as Raines, notes whether the pitcher signals his move home with his front leg, front shoulder or head, and records his findings in a notebook. Boros also carries a stopwatch to time pitchers' deliveries home and catchers' throws to second." A March 1982 feature story by Peter Gammons focused on Boros' mentoring of Raines. Gammons described Boros as
2442-449: The difference in style between Martin and Boros: "The volatile, dirt-kicking days are over for the time being in Oakland. Steve Boros, the man named to succeed Billy Martin, will live on the quiet side of Manager's Row. . . . Unlike Martin, Boros said he will not rant and rave. He has been kicked out of just two games in his 25-year pro baseball career." During the 1983 season, Boros gained note for his pioneering use of " sabermetrics " and
2508-504: The end of September 1974, the Royals announced Boros was being elevated to the major league club to replace Charley Lau on the team's coaching staff for the 1975 season. He was the Royals third base coach in 1975 under manager Whitey Herzog . From 1976 to 1979, he was the Royal's first base coach and was "credited with helping the Royals develop an aggressive baserunning style." While Boros
2574-532: The first base coach of the Kansas City Royals from 1976 to 1979, he became known for his scientific approach to the stolen base, taking measurements with a stopwatch and maintaining a book on every pitcher and catcher in the American League . The Royals led the league in stolen bases in both 1978 and 1979. As the Montreal Expos ' first base coach, he was credited with helping Tim Raines lead
2640-2225: The 💕 For other uses, see Boros (disambiguation) . Boros is a surname. It is sometimes spelled with diacritics on the final "s", as in Boroš or Boroș . Notable people with the surname include: Boros [ edit ] Adalbert Boros (1908–2003), Romanian Roman Catholic archbishop and political prisoner Attila Boros (born ?), Hungarian canoer Christian Boros (born 1964), German advertising agency founder and art collector Csongor Boros (born 1997), Serbian-born Hungarian footballer Eddie Boros (1934–2007), American artist Endre Boros (born 1953), Hungarian-American mathematician, professor, and editor Ferike Boros (1880–1951), Hungarian-born American actress Gábor Boros (born 1997), Hungarian footballer Gergely Boros (born ?), Hungarian canoer Guy Boros (born 1964), American golfer; son of Julius Boros Imre Boros (born 1947), Hungarian economist and politician István Boros ( fl. early 1930s), Hungarian table tennis player Julius Boros (1920–1994), American golfer; father of Guy Boros Katalin Boros (born 1941), Hungarian swimmer and Olympics competitor László Boros (born 1982), Hungarian high jumper and Olympics competitor Ottó Boros (1929–1988), Hungarian water polo player and Olympic medalist Péter Boros (1908–1976), Hungarian gymnast and Olympics competitor Sándor Boros (born 1949), Hungarian javelin thrower, Olympics competitor, and coach Steve Boros (1936–2010), American baseball player, coach, manager, scout, and administrator Zoltán Boros (born 1948), Hungarian orienteering competitor Boroš [ edit ] Jaroslav Boroš (born 1947), Slovak footballer Michael Boroš (born 1992), Czech cyclist Peter Boroš (born 1980), Slovak footballer Tamara Boroš (born 1977), Hungarian-Croatian table tennis player Boroș [ edit ] Aurel Boroș (1922–?), Romanian footballer Iosif Boroș (born 1953), Romanian handball player and Olympic medalist [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with
2706-477: The game drew criticism from baseball traditionalists and resulted in unwanted press coverage for a team that finished in fourth place in 1983. After the A's started the 1984 season with a 20–24 record, and as the press coverage of "Computer Ball" mounted, Boros was fired by the A's in May 1984. In February 1986, Boros was hired as the manager of the San Diego Padres after the sudden resignation of Dick Williams . The Padres finished in fourth place in 1986, and Boros
Boros - Misplaced Pages Continue
2772-518: The game, Boros' attitude toward the stolen base had changed by 1986. In an interview that year, Boros said: "The science against stealing has evolved radically in the last four or five years. That has made it tougher than ever to steal. Pitchers have quicker deliveries, step off and quick pitch, hold the ball. Catchers pitch out much more often. Now you've got pitching coaches with stopwatches timing pitchers' deliveries, while other coaches are timing catchers' throws to second base." In November 1982, Boros
2838-447: The hip, the knee, the toe – every pitcher has something that gives away his pickoff move. When you find it, you've got the upper hand on the base baths." With the benefit of Boros' scientific approach, the Royals led the American League in stolen bases in both 1978 (216) and 1979 (207). The 1978 team had eight players (led by Willie Wilson , Freddie Patek , Amos Otis , George Brett , and Hal McRae ) who stole at least 10 bases and won
2904-488: The modern minor league record with 372 stolen bases, and the Royals led the American League in stolen bases during his tenure there. During Boros' two seasons as the Expos first base coach, Tim Raines became the leading base stealer in the National League with 71 and 78 stolen bases in 1981 and 1982. In May 1981, Sports Illustrated credited Boros with Raines' sudden burst of base-stealing: "Boros deserves some of
2970-710: The most memorable moments in World Series history— Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series home run . Boros was a native of Flint, Michigan , where his father, Stephen Boros Sr. (1909–1994), and mother, Helen Boros, operated a grocery store. He had one brother and three sisters, David, Barbara (Reehl), Rosemary, and Patricia (Bradshaw). Boros learned to play baseball on the playgrounds of Flint's North End and attended Flint Northern High School . He helped Flint Northern win Saginaw Valley League baseball championships in both 1952 and 1953. He married Sharla and had
3036-463: The off-season between the 1961 and 1962 seasons, Boros returned to the University of Michigan seeking to complete the required coursework for his bachelor's degree. Joe Falls quipped that Boros "has learned that hitting the books is one thing; hitting an inside fastball is another." The Associated Press also published a feature story about Boros' studious nature in March 1962. The article noted that Boros
3102-497: The pennant with a 109–53 record. Despite missing six weeks with the collar bone injury, Boros compiled a .270 batting average with a .382 on-base percentage and 62 RBIs. The Sporting News noted that Boros' 63 RBIs in 396 at-bats compared favorably with the league's best third baseman, as Brooks Robinson collected 61 RBIs in 668 at-bats. In addition to having a solid season at third base, Boros also gained attention as "a book worm who can — and does — read as many as four books at
3168-491: The phrase is 'Computer Ball' [not 'BillyBall,'] as programmed by Martin's successor, Steve Boros." In May 1983, Newsweek published a story on Boros's pioneering use of the computer titled "The Computers of Summer." In a June 1983 feature story titled "It's the Apple of His Eye", Sports Illustrated wrote that Boros made access to a computer a condition of his hiring and used an Apple II , loaded with pitch-by-pitch data from
3234-478: The same time." With plans to return to the University of Michigan in the fall to complete a degree in history, Boros' traveling library during the 1961 season included The History of Russia , Survey of Russia , and Greek and Roman History . Boros told reporter Joe Falls, "I never read just to be entertained. I read to be informed, and my favorite is modern history, if it can be called that — books on Eisenhower and Kennedy and our present-day administration." During
3300-446: The season. On May 23, 1961, he tied a major league record when Norm Cash , Boros, and Dick Brown hit successive home runs for the Tigers in a game against the Minnesota Twins . A 5-for-55 slump followed, and his batting average dipped to .283 by July. He was hospitalized overnight at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital after being struck behind the left ear and knocked unconscious by an Eli Grba pitch on July 9 at Tiger Stadium. Boros, who
3366-494: The sign to the scoreboard on top of the visiting team's name. At the end of the game, the scoreboard read, "UMPIRES 9, WATERLOO 2". Boros was fined $ 100 for the incident. In January 1973, Boros was transferred to the Royals other Class A affiliate, San Jose Bees . Boros was the manager in San Jose during the 1973 and 1974 seasons, where under his management, San Jose set a modern minor league record with 372 stolen bases. At
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#17327726589513432-452: The team's management felt he wasn't tough enough on the players, especially Rickey Henderson . Boros said, "This nice guy label — I'm kind of getting clubbed to death with it. The public misinterpreted it when it saw a manager who went and talked to his players and asked their feelings. That all helped to create this impression of too nice a guy, one who can't make up his mind. The players are telling him what to do." Sports Illustrated ran
3498-459: The title Boros . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boros&oldid=1195579344 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Boros (surname) From Misplaced Pages,
3564-399: The tools. Great hands, great speed, great desire – and watch him swing that bat. He's got everything.' It may be so, too. For this young man up from Denver ... is the most celebrated rookie to move up to the Detroit Tigers since Frank Bolling in 1954. He got off to a quick start, and by late May, he was batting .341 and "getting as much ink as Roger Maris" who went on to hit 61 home runs for
3630-460: Was also revealed that Boros had read more than 100 books, cover to cover, and had other wimpy interests. Real men don't eat quiche. Tough guys don't dance. And so on. Boros noted: When they talk about toughness, they always talk about arguing bad calls, spitting in an umpire's eye, kicking dust — all that macho image stuff. ... If the fans saw that kind of behavior in a football coach, they'd be repelled by it. Isn't it funny that one kind of behavior
3696-402: Was carried off the field on a stretcher, said he never saw the pitch. Detroit manager Bob Scheffing said the batting helmet had saved Boros from a serious injury. Boros suffered a more serious injury on July 24, 1961, after colliding with pitcher Frank Lary while both were chasing a bunt. Boros suffered a broken left collar bone and missed six weeks as the Tigers fought for the pennant with
3762-467: Was fired midway through the 1984 season. After the A's got off to a 20–24 start (2 1 ⁄ 2 games out of first place) in 1984, Boros was fired in late May and replaced with first base coach Jackie Moore . The firing came hours after a team meeting in which Boros told the players that he would not change his personality. First baseman Bruce Bochte said, "Steve indicated there was a lot of talk going around, that his situation wasn't stable. He said he
3828-479: Was fired. Boros spent the next 18 years working as a scout, coach, and front office administrator for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers. His advance scouting of the Oakland A's, and his identification of Dennis Eckersley 's tendency to throw a backdoor slider on 3–2 counts to left-handed hitters, was credited with a behind-the-scenes assist in one of
3894-415: Was going to go ahead and be the kind of manager he had been, that he wasn't going to change to keep his job." The A's offered Boros a front-office job, but he declined. Unemployed during a baseball season for the first time in over 20 years, Boros said he would take some time off but hoped to manage again. He met with the press at his home, drinking from a cup that read "No More Mr. Nice Guy." He noted that
3960-415: Was hired as the manager of the Oakland Athletics , replacing Billy Martin . Baseball writer Peter Gammons called Boros "quiet, thoughtful and intelligent", while one American League manager said the move "could be one of the best managerial hirings in 10 years." Martin, who had implemented his trademark "Billy Ball" in Oakland, was known for his hot-tempered approach to the game. The Sporting News noted
4026-481: Was in Kansas City, he began to attract media attention for his "scientific approach" to baseball. In July 1977, the UPI published a feature story about Boros in which it observed: Boros began putting a book together on all the pitchers and catchers in the American League last year, noting their strengths and weaknesses and any tipoffs that might give Royals runners an edge on the basepaths. His observations were written into
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#17327726589514092-439: Was in the press box: Almost every article on baseball and computers used a silly, futuristic lead, with machines replacing managers and robots turning double plays. . . . Steve Boros woke up one morning as the standard bearer of baseball's on-field information revolution. After one year on the job, having been profiled in dozens of publications and all but cast as a circus freak, he became unpopular enough in his own clubhouse that he
4158-630: Was nearly 100 points higher at .304. On December 14, 1963, Boros was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the Cubs. He was acquired for a sum that The Sporting News described as "peanuts" and assigned to the Reds San Diego Padres farm team in the Pacific Coast League . However, he was invited to spring training with the Reds in Tampa, Florida . With the departure of the Reds' two regular third basemen, Chico Ruiz opened
4224-454: Was selected by his teammates as the captain of the 1958 team. However, Boros became the subject of a bonus bidding war among 14 major league teams. He signed in June 1957 with the Detroit Tigers who paid him a $ 25,000 bonus. Michigan's head coach Ray Fisher was angered at the loss of Boros and told the press: "Major league baseball is a cut-throat game, and they are cutting their own throats as well. Boros told me he didn't intend to sign. He's
4290-637: Was seven games short of the National League record of 57 errorless games by third baseman Bob Aspromonte . Boros credited his improvement in fielding to his studying the play of Ron Santo in Chicago during the 1963 season. Boros concluded that Santo was the best third baseman he had ever seen. Previously, Boros had tried to be a "cool, graceful player of the Gil McDougald type." Based on his observation of Santo, he changed his philosophy and changed into "a scrambling, aggressive type." He later described
4356-461: Was studying contemporary literature in the off-season and hoped to become a professor of literature. The article added: "Hardly a day goes by when Boros isn't carrying two or three books under his arms. He reads in hotel rooms, on planes and on trains." Boros recalled that some of his minor league coaches had opposed his reading, claiming it was bad for his eyes. As for ribbing by his fellow players, he noted that Detroit pitcher Paul Foytack replied to
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