Shane Spencer

Michael Shane Spencer (born February 20, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. In Major League Baseball, he played a total of 538 games for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets, compiling 438 hits, 59 home runs, and 242 RBI. He was a replacement player during spring training in 1995, crossing the picket line during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike.

New York Yankees (1998–2002)

Spencer was first called up to the major leagues in 1998 at the age of 26, in the midst of a famously dominant season by the Yankees. He first played briefly in April, then endeared himself memorably to fans in September by hitting 10 home runs, including three grand slams, then a record for Major League Rookies, until it was broken by Alexei Ramírez in 2008. Spencer accomplished the feat in only 67 at-bats, earning him a spot on the Yankees postseason roster.

Additionally, Spencer was nicknamed Roy Hobbs in reference to the protagonist in The Natural, because he hit many home runs and was older than most rookies when brought up to the majors.

In the postseason, Spencer hit a long home run in Yankee Stadium during the 1998 American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers as the Yankees went on to win the World Series.

Later career (2003–2006)

Spencer was not able to maintain that level of success, but became a solid role player and stayed with the Yankees through the 2002 season, having played in four World Series, winning three. He split the 2003 season with Texas and Cleveland and was signed as a free agent in 2004 by the Mets. His career did not live up to expectations, though, missing much playing time due to injury and striking out too often. In 2005 he signed with the Central League's Hanshin Tigers in Japan, appearing in 108 games and hitting 9 homers. In 2006, he continued to play for the Tigers, but was cut.

Major league teams were reluctant to sign him, despite his major league experience, because of off-field trouble after leaving the Yankees. He cut his foot in a bar in Manhattan, and then, while he was supposed to be on rehab assignment, he was arrested for drunk driving and speeding over 97 mph. He also had problems with Florida police during spring training 2004. He and teammate Karim Garcia were accused of hitting and kicking a pizza delivery man in 2004, though all charges were dropped.

After his playing career ended, Spencer's career turned to coaching, and he served as the hitting coach for the Lake Elsinore Storm, the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, from 2008 until 2012. In 2013, he was named the hitting coach of the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League.