Greg Roth

Gregory A. Roth

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 185 lb.
• School Cochise Community College

• Born September 4, 1966 in Pincher Creek, AB Canada

Minors BR page

Biographical Information

Greg Roth played in the Olympics and peaked professionally at AAA.

Roth was taken by the New York Yankees in the 10th round of the January 1986 draft but did not sign. Roth played for Team Canada in the 1987 Pan American Games, 1987 Intercontinental Cup, 1988 Olympics and 1988 Baseball World Cup. In the World Cup, he hit .359/.469/.821 with 4 home runs, 11 runs and 10 RBI in 11 games, while making only one error at 2B and 3B. He led Canada in home runs and slugging, was third in RBI (one behind Jim Kotkas and Warren Sawkiw) and was second in runs (one shy of Greg Duce. He tied Ty Griffin, Pedro Luis Rodríguez and Lourdes Gourriel Sr. for 4th in the Cup in home runs, behind Luis Casanova, Tino Martinez and Omar Linares. Roth did not get the Cup All-Star nod at 2B, which went to Cuban legend Antonio Pacheco, who had a better average but less power. He was named Canadanian baseball player of the year.

Signing with the Chicago White Sox, he hit .274/.411/.416 with 88 walks and 10 dingers for the 1989 South Bend White Sox, backing up at all four infield slots. The team won the Midwest League title and Roth finished among the league leaders in OBP (2nd to Adam Casillas) and walks (5th, between J.T. Bruett and Derek Lee) despite not being a starter. Except for his walks, he struggled in 1990 with the Sarasota White Sox (.210/.393/.285, 56 BB in 62 G) and Birmingham Barons (.196/.342/.285, 41 BB in 57 G), fielding just .897 at third base as well. He was second in the White Sox chain in walks, behind only Frank Thomas.

He bounced around in 1991, including being loaned out to the Baltimore Orioles for a period, and playing all four infield spots plus the outfield. He hit .190/.288/.294 in 41 games for Birmingham, .345/.403/.521 in 38 games for the Hagerstown Suns and went 4 for 21 with a double and a homer for the Vancouver Canadians. In 1992, he added pitcher to his resume for one game (4 R in 1 IP) and played for Hagerstown (.146/.248/.215 in 53 G), Birmingham (1 for 2, BB) and the Rochester Red Wings (.217/.294/.304 in 18 G).

Overall, Greg had batted .233/.360/.346 in 394 minor league games, with 191 runs, 139 RBI, 22 home runs and 238 walks. He fielded .889 in 186 games at 3B, .909 in 43 at 2B, .994 in 28 at 1B, .929 in 26 at SS and .958 in 22 in the OF.

Sources

• Canadian Olympic Committee
• Old IBAF website
• Greatest 21 Days blog