Greg Booker

Greg Booker
Greg Booker
	Booker with the San Diego Padres c. 1985
	Pitcher
	Born: June 22, 1960; Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S.
	Died: March 30, 2019 (aged 58); Elon, North Carolina, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	September 11, 1983, for the San Diego Padres
Last MLB appearance
	May 26, 1990, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	5–7
Earned run average	3.89
Strikeouts	119
Teams
	San Diego Padres (1983–1989); Minnesota Twins (1989); San Francisco Giants (1990);

Gregory Scott Booker (June 22, 1960 – March 30, 2019) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1983 until 1990. Booker's best season was in 1987. He made 44 relief appearances relief, posting a 3.16 ERA, winning 1 game and picking up his only career save on May 10, 1987, against the Cubs. Unusually, it came in a game that the Padres won by the lopsided score of 14–2. Booker pitched the final 3 innings to preserve the win for starting pitcher Ed Whitson.^[1] He also served as a coach for the San Diego Padres from 1997 until 2003, the first four years as bullpen coach, then a season-plus as pitching coach for AAA Syracuse Chiefs during the rise of Washington Nationals phenom pitcher Stephen Strasburg.^[2] He was a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers.^[3]

Booker's widow, Kristi, is the daughter of long-time major league manager Jack McKeon.^[4] His son Zach Booker was a catcher in the minor leagues from 2007 until 2011. In 2022 he was hired on as head baseball coach for the D3 Guilford Quakers. ^[5] His son Avery was the head baseball coach for Greensboro College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

On June 29, 1989, McKeon, often called "Trader Jack", traded his own son-in-law to the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Freddie Toliver.^[6]

He died of melanoma on March 30, 2019.^[7]

References

^ "Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres Box Score, May 10, 1987". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
^ Associated Press (May 18, 2003). "Padres fire pitching coach Booker". Deseret News. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
^ Gurnick, Ken (December 17, 2013). "Dodgers continue to expand scouting department". MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
^ Hermoso, Rafael (October 21, 2003). "Baseball: Still Open for Business, at 72". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
^ "Zach Booker". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
^ "Greg Booker". Baseballbiography.com. 2006. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
^ "Obituary and Services: Gregory Scott Booker". Rich and Thompson Funeral and Cremation Service. 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)

[1] "Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres Box Score, May 10, 1987". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

[2] Associated Press (May 18, 2003). "Padres fire pitching coach Booker". Deseret News. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

[3] Gurnick, Ken (December 17, 2013). "Dodgers continue to expand scouting department". MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

[4] Hermoso, Rafael (October 21, 2003). "Baseball: Still Open for Business, at 72". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

[5] "Zach Booker". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

[6] "Greg Booker". Baseballbiography.com. 2006. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

[7] "Obituary and Services: Gregory Scott Booker". Rich and Thompson Funeral and Cremation Service. 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2022.

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