Davey Lopes

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David Earl Lopes (born May 3, 1945) is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB).

He batted and threw right-handed.

He appeared in baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros; he was also a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Personal life

Following a routine physical in February 2008, Lopes was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Lopes is a descendant of Cape Verdean descent. In Providence, Rhode Island, he has named a recreation center after him.

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Career

In the 2nd round of the 1968 MLB January Draft, Lopes was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had participated in high school at La Salle Academy and in college for Iowa Wesleyan College and Washburn University. In the 8th round of the 1967 MLB Draft, he had been drafted by the San Francisco Giants but did not sign.

Lopes' career began in the Dodger organization as an introvert, reserved, and quiet. Tommy Lasorda was encouraged to express himself better. "And as his esteem boosted, Dave did just that," Tommy John said, becoming outspoken, a catalyst, and a leader." He was a guy with a blazing speed made life on the track happen and whose demeanor made it happen in the clubhouse. Even if it was vital, Lopes would be the one to announce it." Lopes was also responsible for the conversion of the outfielder from a second baseman to a second baseman, according to Lasorda.

Lopes made his Major League debut for the Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants on September 22, 1972, and he was 0 for 5 in that game. On September 24, 1972, Jim Barr of the Giants scored his first hit on a single to right field off of him. He was first home run on May 13, 1973, also against Barr.

Lopes spent nine seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers as their regular second baseman. Bill Russell (SS) and Ron Cey (3B), as well as Steve Garvey (1B), spent eight and a half years together, with Ron Cey (3B).

Lopes, who spent most of his time in leadoff, was one of baseball's most effective base stealers in recent history. His 557 career stole bases rank 26th all-time, but his success rate of 83.01% (571 attempts) ranks third highest among players with 400 or more base thefts (behind Tim Raines and Willie Wilson). Lopes stole 38 runs in a row without being caught in 1975, the first time Lopes stole 38 bases without getting caught, beating Max Carey's 53-year-old record. Vince Coleman beat Lopes' record in 1989. In 1975, Lopes led the National League with 77 robbery and then again with 63 the following season.

Lopes was among the few second basemen to reach that many home runs in a season (Rogers Hornsby, Davey Johnson, Jeff Kent, Ryne Sandberg, Juan Samuel, and Chase Utley were among the others) with a rare mixture of speed and power in 1979. He played in four straight All-Star games from 1978 to 1981, including as a member of the 1981 World Champion Dodgers. Lopes' best World Series was against the Yankees in 1978, when he had three home runs and seven RBIs.

The Dodgers moved Lopes to the Oakland Athletics before the 1982 season (for minor leaguer Lance Hudson) to make room for rookie second baseman Steve Sax. Oakland, Lopes, teamed with Rickey Henderson to steal 158 bases, a new American League record for teammates. Lopes 28. Henderson collected 130, Lopes 28.

Chuck Rainey was traded by the Athletics to the Chicago Cubs on August 31, 1984 to complete an earlier contract. Frank DiPino was traded to the Houston Astros on July 21, 1986. He stole 47 bases between 40 and 25 years old at age 41 before retiring at the end of the 1987 season.

Lopes batted in 1,812 games during their 16-season career, with 155 home runs and 614 runs batted. He appeared in four All-Star Games and four World Series.

Lopes was the first base for the Baltimore Orioles from 1992 to 1994, as well as the San Diego Padres from 1995 to 1999, following his retirement as a player. Lopes was hired as the Milwaukee Brewers' manager in 2000 after Bud Selig's suggestion to select a manager with a minority background.

Lopes was the object of controversies in 2001 after making remarks about stolen-base king Rickey Henderson. Lopes was outraged that Henderson had stolen second base in the seventh inning, when Henderson's Padres held a seven-run lead. This was in breach of an unwritten rule against "showing up" the opposing team, according to Lopes. "He was going to his assassination," Lopes said. We were going to drill him." Henderson, on the other hand, was suspended from the game. "Somebody may not be as generous as I was," Lopes said, and drill the hitter next to him [in the lineup]. The Elias Sports Bureau published a list of the seven times in Davey Lopes' playing career that he had robbed a base while his team was leading by seven or more runs.

Tired of the Brewers' continued poor results and Lopes' media and field antics, club boss Joe Lopes was fired fifteen games into the 2002 season. In three seasons with the Brewers, he went 144-195.

Lopes was with the Padres from 2003 to 2005 and then the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies from 2007 to 2010.

The team led the majors in stolen base percentages in three seasons with the Phillies, including the best in MLB history in 2007 – 89-for-157). During those seasons, they ranked second or third in total thefts per season.

He was named the first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 22, 2010, a position he held through the 2015 season. He was named first base coach of the Washington Nationals on November 5, 2015. His deal came to an end after the 2017 season.

After the 2017 season, Lopes decided to step down from coaching.

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