Wayne Weinheimer

Wayne Henry Weinheimer

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 220 lb.
• School Sacramento City College
• High School Sacramento High School
• Born September 17, 1969 in Sacramento, CA USA
• Died July 10, 2008 in Sacramento, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Wayne Weinheimer played in the minor and independent leagues from 1988 to 1990, from 1996 to 1999 and in 2002.

He was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 17th round of the 1987 amateur draft out of high school, one pick after utility man Chip Hale, but he opted not to sign. He was then taken by the New York Yankees in the 68th round of the 1988 amateur draft after a year of junior college, the sixth-to-last player taken overall.

He did not play in the Yankees system, instead joining the Cubs system to begin his pro career. With the Wytheville Cubs that season, he slashed .355/.491/.507 with 56 walks and 41 strikeouts in 67 games. He led the Appalachian League in average (.016 over Jeff Shireman), OBP (.021 ahead of Vince Barranco) and OPS (29 points ahead of Tom Aldrich). He was 3rd with 54 runs (behind Curtis Pride and Vince Zawaski), tied Zawaski for 5th with 75 hits, ranked second with 20 doubles (one behind Jim Morrisette), was 3rd in RBI (53, behind Zawaski and Rudy Hernandez), second in walks (15 shy of Barranco) and was 5th in slugging. He joined Pride and Glen Gardner in being picked as the All-Star outfielders.

He struggled mightily the next two years (.228/.320/.325 for the 1989 Charleston Wheelers, .292/.370/.375 in 8 games for the 1990 Peoria Chiefs, then finishing the year with the independent Miami Miracle at .204/.292/.296 in 71 G). His professional career appeared over after three seasons.

However, he joined the independent ranks in 1996 (the independent leagues having started several years after his foray in the affiliated minors had ended), hitting .354/.436/.580 with 11 home runs, 60 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 73 games between the Brainerd Bobcats and Saskatoon Smokin' Guns. He was 5th in the Prairie League in average (between Sean McKamie and Daryl Boston), 7th in OBP (between Mel Wearing and Brad Strauss) and tied for 5th with 23 doubles. He did not make the league All-Star team.

After slipping in 1997 (.269/.342/.429 for the Massachusetts Mad Dogs, though his 8 triples did tie for second in the Northeast League, he returned to form in 1998, batting .328/.401/.534 with 12 home runs, 63 RBI and 10 steals in 79 games for the Catskill Cougars. He was 7th in the NEL in average (between Jarvis Brown and Juan Guerrero), tied Toby Ricard for 4th in RBI, 9th in OBP (between Brown and Vic Davilla), 8th in slugging (between Andre Johnson and Saul Bustos) and 7th in OPS (between Kevin Dattola and Kim Batiste). He was not named the All-Star first baseman, the honors going to D.C. Olsen.

With the Sacramento Steelheads in 1999, he batted .319/.429/.454 in 88 games. He tied for 5th in the Western Baseball League with 26 doubles and was 10th in the high-offense league in OBP (between Chris Madonna and Tony Miranda). After not playing in 2000 and 2001 due to Hodgkin's Disease, he returned briefly with the Solano Steelheads in 2002 (.198/.278/.309 in 28 G). Unfortunately, the cancer returned and would claim his life.

Overall, Weinheimer batted .289/.384/.439 with 48 home runs and 355 RBI in 596 games over eight seasons. He died in 2008 at 38 years old.

Sources

• 1989 Baseball Guide
• 1997-2000 Baseball Almanacs
• Obituary