"Randy Velarde is hoping to give up his frequent flyer bonus trips once and for all in 1989. The 26-year-old infielder is fighting for a spot on the big club as a utility player, knowing full well that the Yankees have a very good idea of what he can do.
Last year Velarde was recalled from Columbus five different times. The job stability may not have been there, but the need sure was. When players were injured or the team had a void to fill, there was Velarde.
He made the best of a tough situation and now hopes to parlay that experience into a spot on the 24-man roster. He can play third base, shortstop and second base. He is pesky at the plate and can offer occasional power. Randy Velarde is an ideal utility infielder who has put in the time, and miles, trying to make it with the Yankees."
-The New York Yankees Official 1989 Yearbook
"Velarde spent the 1988 season between the Yankees and the Columbus Clippers. He was recalled to New York five different times.
He began the year with the Clippers and was hitting .264 (68-for-258) in 68 games with four home runs and 31 RBIs, along with 22 errors. He was recalled to the Yankees for the first time on June 20 when Wayne Tolleson was placed on the disabled list. Velarde made his first appearance with the Yankees that day, going 0-for-1. The next day he hit his first major league home run, a solo shot off the Tigers' Jack Morris. He played in five games, going 2-for-12 (.167) before being optioned back to Columbus on June 25 when Willie Randolph was activated.
Randy played ten games with the Clippers before being recalled back to New York on July 8. It was the last time he actually played a game for Columbus (he was optioned there three more times before the end of the season but never appeared in another game there), and he finished with an average of .270 (79-for-293) in 78 games at Columbus with 23 doubles, five home runs, 37 RBIs, 25 walks, 71 strikeouts and 24 errors. Randy was later named as the shortstop on the postseason International League All-Star team.
In his first game back with the Yankees on July 9 against Kansas City, he made his first major league start at third base and went 1-for-3 with an RBI, which proved to be the game-winner, his first major league game-winning RBI. He hit his second home run of the season on July 14 against Chicago, a solo blast off Bill Long. After playing four games with the Yankees, Velarde was optioned back to Columbus on July 16 following the acquisition of Luis Aguayo but was recalled by New York the next day when Tolleson was placed back on the DL.
Velarde established his major league high with three RBIs on July 27 against Milwaukee, going 2-for-5 (two doubles) with a run scored. He matched that RBI high on August 2 at Milwaukee, hitting a three-run homer off Juan Nieves, his third home run of the year. He hit safely in four of five games (all starts) from August 5-10, going 6-for-18 (.333) with three runs scored and two doubles. He played in 25 games for the Yankees before being optioned back to Columbus when Tolleson was activated. Randy did not play a game for the Clippers before being recalled on August 14 when Tolleson was placed back on the DL.
He hit his fourth home run of the season on August 16 against California, a solo clout off Willie Fraser, and made eight consecutive starts from August 20-27 (the first seven at second base and the last at shortstop) with Randolph on the 15-day DL. Velarde was optioned back to Columbus for the fourth time on August 28 following Randolph's activation but remained with the Yanks, never actually reporting to Columbus, and was recalled to New York for the fifth and final time on September 2.
Randy hit his fifth homer on October 1 at Detroit, a two-run round tripper off Doyle Alexander, and stole a base on September 27 at Baltimore. Overall in his five stints with the Yankees, he played in 48 games, batting .174 (20-for-115) with five homers, 12 RBIs and seven errors while playing third base, shortstop and second base. Randy signed a contract for the 1989 season.
He originally was acquired by the Yankees from the Chicago White Sox along with pitcher Pete Filson in exchange for pitcher Scott Nielsen and infielder Mike Soper in January of 1987. Velarde began the season at Albany-Colonie (AA Eastern League) and in 71 games there batted .316 (83-for-262) with seven home runs and 32 RBIs. He was promoted to Columbus on June 29 and hit .319 (59-for-185) in 49 games there with five home runs and 33 RBIs.
His contract was purchased by the Yankees on August 20 and he made his major league debut that night in Seattle, starting at shortstop and going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. In his next game on August 21 at Oakland, Velarde went 2-for-3 with an RBI, getting his first major league hit, a single off Steve Ontiveros. He was the 29th shortstop to play alongside Willie Randolph in Randolph's career with the Yankees. He had another two-hit game, on August 24 at California, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Randy played in six games with the Yankees, batting .190 (4-for-21) with no homers and an RBI before being optioned to Prince William ('A' Carolina League) on August 29. Randy never reported to that club, remaining with the Yankees and was recalled by the Yankees three days later, on September 1.
Velarde broke into professional baseball in 1985, playing 67 games at Niagara Falls, batting .220 (48-for-218) with a home run and 16 RBIs. He was used as an outfielder and at second base in addition to his normal shortstop position.
He began the 1986 season playing for the White Sox 'A' affiliate in Appleton, batting .252 in 124 games (105-for-417) with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs. He was promoted to Buffalo (AAA American Association) and hit .200 (4-for-20) in nine games there.
Velarde graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, Texas in 1981. He was a three-time NAIA All-American at Lubbock (TX) Christian College.
He played Little League ball in Midland. His favorite team growing up was the Cincinnati Reds and his favorite player was Johnny Bench.
Randy's hobbies are all outdoor sports, and his favorite spectator sport is basketball. His favorite ballpark is the Oakland Coliseum. His favorite entertainer is Eddie Murphy."
-1989 New York Yankees Information Guide
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