The hot corner has plagued the Yankees the past two seasons. In 1991, eight different players took a shot at third. But the inconsistent defense and a combined six home runs and 38 RBI from the position last season forced the Yankees to look elsewhere. New York needs Hayes to remedy that problem in the field and at the plate.
In the past two years, the infielder has ranked third and fourth respectively in fielding percentage among National League third basemen. Over that same period he hit .247 with 30 homers and 153 RBI. With those numbers, the starting third base position is within the 26-year-old's grasp. If Charlie Hayes provides some offensive and defensive consistency, then the Yankees may have solved a major problem."
-The New York Yankees Official 1992 Yearbook
"1991 was a tale of two seasons for the third baseman. Hayes started slowly, hitting .205 over the first half of the season. He was hitting .219 through the first 19 games of the season before embarking on a career-best 12-game hitting streak from May 3-15, raising his average to .246.
Hayes had a strong second half of the season, hitting .262. He homered in three straight games (August 24-26) for the third year in a row. His first career grand slam came on August 28 at Houston as he set a career high with five RBIs.
He finished with a flurry, hitting .302 with six home runs and 20 RBIs over his last 34 games. Charlie tied a career best with four hits on September 20 at Pittsburgh.
Charlie set career highs in doubles (23) and home runs (12). He hit .500 (4-for-8) as a pinch hitter.
He was the player-to-named-later in the January 1992 deal which sent pitcher Darrin Chapin to the Phillies. He signed a contract for the 1992 season.
In 1990, Charlie played in a team-leading 152 games in his first full season in the majors. He finished third among National League third basemen in fielding (.957). He made 20 errors in 146 games after making 22 errors in 89 games in 1989. He tied all major league third basemen in assists (324) and tied for the lead in total chances (465). He made starts at third, second and first base.
From May 27-July 5 Charlie did not make an error, a span of 34 games. He snared Gary Carter's line drive for the final out of Terry Mulholland's no-hitter on August 15 at San Francisco.
Hayes had a career-best four-hit game on July 17 at Atlanta. He homered in three straight games, July 26-28 at Pittsburgh. He batted .295 against left-handed pitching.
A fourth-round draft choice of the San Francisco Giants in the June 1983 free agent draft, Hayes was sent to Great Falls where he hit .261 in 34 games. He played 116 games at Class-A Clinton, hitting .245.
In 1985, Charlie hit .283 while appearing in 131 games for Class-A Fresno. He led California League third basemen in fielding (.949) and putouts (100). Charlie was voted Most Popular Player by Fresno fans.
He spent the entire 1986 season at AA Shreveport of the Texas League and hit .247 with five home runs and 45 RBIs in 121 games. He had an outstanding season at Shreveport in 1987 hitting .304 in 128 games, with 14 homers and 75 RBIs. Charlie led the league's third basemen in fielding (.934), games and total chances (334). He led the club in games, at-bats (487), runs (66), hits (148), home runs and RBIs.
In 1988 Hayes played the majority of the season at AAA Phoenix of the Pacific Coast League, hitting .307 with seven home runs and 71 RBIs in 131 games. A September call-up to the Giants, his major league debut came on September 11 against Houston with a start in left field. His first major league hit came on September 17 at Houston off Jim Deshaies. Hayes appeared in seven games for the Giants and hit .091.
He began the 1989 season with Phoenix, was recalled to San Francisco at the beginning of May and played three games, once as a starter and twice as a pinch hitter. He started on May 5 against St. Louis and went 0-for-3. Charlie's first hit of the season came on May 6 against the Cardinals, a pinch-hit single. In 61 games at Phoenix, he hit .284 with seven homers and 27 RBIs.
Charlie was traded to Philadelphia on June 18 along with pitchers Dennis Cook and Terry Mulholland for pitcher Steve Bedrosian and a player to be named later (infielder Rick Parker). He was immediately sent to Scranton where hit .407 in seven games. Charlie was recalled on June 30 and became the Phillies' regular third baseman.
He played in 84 games (79 starts) for the Phillies and hit .258 with eight homers and 43 RBIs. On July 28 he hit a home run into the left-field upper deck of Veterans Stadium, off the Pirates' Rick Reed, only the 34th time it had been done. He homered in three straight games (July 28-30). On August 28 at San Francisco, he set a career high with four RBIs.
Charlie was a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football) at Forrest County Agricultural High School (Brooklyn, MS). He was named All-State in baseball and basketball in 1983. Charlie was a member of the Hattiesburg, MS team that reached the Little League World Series in 1977.
His hobbies include dancing, swimming and hunting."
-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide
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