David Jeffrey LaPoint (born July 29, 1959) is an American former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher. He was the manager of the
Rockland Boulders, an
American professional baseball team based in
Pomona, New York, and member of the
Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball known as the Can-Am League.
Early life
LaPoint was born in
Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a City (New York), city in Warren County, New York, Warren County, New York, United States and is the central city of the Glens Falls, New York metropolitan area, Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,83 ...
, and attended
Glens Falls High School, where he was a star
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
player alongside future fellow
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player
David Palmer. He graduated in 1977.
Professional career
Milwaukee Brewers
Drafted by the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
in the 10th round (237th overall) of the 1977
MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
amateur entry draft, LaPoint would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Milwaukee Brewers on September 10, 1980.
St. Louis Cardinals
On December 12, 1980, LaPoint was traded to the
St. Louis Cardinals with
Lary Sorensen,
David Green, and
Sixto Lezcano for
Ted Simmons,
Rollie Fingers, and
Pete Vuckovich. He pitched in St. Louis until 1984, beginning as a long
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
but eventually developing into a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
. LaPoint was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals team that defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the
1982 World Series. He also finished eighth in the voting for the 1982
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
Rookie of the Year award.
San Francisco Giants
On February 1, 1985, LaPoint was traded to the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
with
José Uribe,
Gary Rajsich, and
David Green for
Jack Clark. He pitched in San Francisco for one season, making 31 starts.
Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres
On October 7, 1985, LaPoint was traded to the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
with
Matt Nokes and
Eric King for
Scott Medvin,
Bob Melvin, and
Juan Berenguer. After beginning as a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
, he was demoted to the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if ...
where he pitched as a long
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
. On July 9, 1986, he was traded to the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
for
Mark Thurmond. In San Diego, he pitched primarily as a long relief pitcher. He was released by the Padres on December 18, 1986.
Second stint with Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox
On January 19, 1987, LaPoint was re-acquired as a free agent by the
St. Louis Cardinals. After beginning the season in the minor leagues, LaPoint was recalled near the trade deadline and pitched as a long
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
, where he pitched poorly. On July 30, 1987, LaPoint was traded to the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
for
Bryce Hulstrom. In Chicago, LaPoint became a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
again and posted a 2.94 earned run average. On November 9, 1987, he was granted free agency.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On February 9, 1988, he was re-signed by the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
shortly before
pitchers and
catchers were to report to
Spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
. LaPoint pitched well in Chicago again, and began to draw interest from contending teams. On August 13, 1988, LaPoint was traded through waivers to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
for
Barry Jones. He pitched well down the stretch for the Pirates, posting a 2.77 earned run average. On November 4, 1988, he was granted free agency.
New York Yankees
On December 3, 1988, LaPoint was signed as a free agent by the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
. LaPoint pitched poorly for the Yankees in 1989, winning only six games and posting an earned run average over 5.00. In 1990, LaPoint's fortunes improved as did his earned run average, moving to 4.11. He was released on February 17, 1991.
Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, second stint with Brewers
On April 7, 1991, LaPoint was signed as a free agent by the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
. He played his final game in MLB on April 20, 1991, and was released on April 23, 1991. On May 9, 1991, LaPoint was re-acquired by the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
as a free agent to a minor league contract, reuniting him with the team that drafted him. He did not pitch well at Triple-A and was released on June 23, 1991. On June 28, 1991, he was signed as a free agent by the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
to a minor league contract. He pitched poorly and was not recalled when rosters expanded in September. He was granted free agency on October 15, 1991.
Minnesota Twins
After not pitching in 1992, LaPoint was signed to a minor league contract by the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
in 1993. After pitching poorly in Triple-A after making 13 starts, he was not recalled in September when rosters expanded.
Adirondack Lumberjacks
After sitting out the 1994 season, LaPoint pitched for the
Adirondack Lumberjacks of the independent
Northeast League in 1995. After retiring as a player, LaPoint was appointed as the team's pitching coach and eventually became manager. LaPoint parted ways with the team when they joined the independent
Northern League in 1999.
Managerial career
Bridgeport Bluefish
In 2006, LaPoint was hired as the manager of the
Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent
Atlantic League. He was the fourth manager in team history, and succeeded
José Lind. After the 2006 season, LaPoint was named the Atlantic League Manager of the Year.
Long Island Ducks
LaPoint was the manager of the
Long Island Ducks of the independent
Atlantic League in 2007, 2008, and 2010, serving as the team's pitching coach in 2009.
Rockland Boulders
Starting in 2011, LaPoint managed the
Rockland Boulders, an
American professional baseball team based in
Pomona, New York and member of the
Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball known as the Can-Am League. He was fired after the 2012 season after the team who was once in the playoff race lost 10 straight games and eventually finished way out of the playoff hunt with a third-place finish.
References
External links
RetrosheetBaseball AlmanacBaseball-Reference.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lapoint, Dave
1959 births
Living people
Baseball players from Glens Falls, New York
St. Louis Cardinals players
Milwaukee Brewers players
San Francisco Giants players
Detroit Tigers players
San Diego Padres players
Chicago White Sox players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
New York Yankees players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball managers
Adirondack Lumberjacks players
Burlington Bees players
Denver Zephyrs players
Iowa Cubs players
Louisville Redbirds players
Newark Co-Pilots players
Portland Beavers players
Springfield Redbirds players
Stockton Ports players
Vancouver Canadians players
American expatriate baseball players in Canada