Buddy Biancalana

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Roland Americo "Buddy" Biancalana (pronounced /biˌɑŋkəˈlɑːnə/; born February 2, 1960 in Larkspur, California), is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop.

Biancalana played for two teams in his career: the Kansas City Royals (1982-1987) and Houston Astros (1987). He attended Redwood High School in Larkspur and was drafted by the Royals in the first round (25th overall pick) of the 1978 June Regular Phase draft.^[1] Biancalana made his Major League Baseball debut on September 12, 1982, and played his final game on October 4, 1987.

Biancalana was a member of the Royals team that won the World Series in 1985. Despite having started only 35 games all season, manager Dick Howser benched regular shortstop Onix Concepcion in favor of Biancalana on September 20th. Biancalana started 13 of the next 15 games as the Royals won the American League West division by one game over the California Angels.^[2]

Biancalana was the starting shortstop for the Royals in all 14 post-season games, playing error-free defense in every game, and was an integral part in several run-scoring innings for the Royals in the World Series.^[3] He batted .278 in the series with an on base percentage of .435, both well above his career numbers.^[4]

In 1985, during the countdown to Pete Rose breaking Ty Cobb's hits record, David Letterman instituted a Buddy Biancalana countdown calendar. Biancalana later appeared as a guest on Late Night with David Letterman, quipping "I'm closer to Cobb than you are to Carson." Buddy finished his big-league career with 113 base hits, over four thousand short of Cobb or Rose.

He is a former field manager for the Amarillo Dillas of independent United League Baseball.

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

[edit] References

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