Alan Ashby
Alan Dean Ashby (born July 8, 1951) is an American former professional baseball catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) and former radio and television sports commentator. A switch hitter, he played for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, and Houston Astros between 1973 and 1989.
| Alan Ashby | |
|---|---|
Ashby in 2014 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: July 8, 1951 Long Beach, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 3, 1973, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 9, 1989, for the Houston Astros | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .245 |
| Home runs | 90 |
| Runs batted in | 513 |
| Teams | |
| |
The Astros reached the postseason three times with Ashby as the primary catcher, with his 900 games behind the plate being a franchise record until 2005. He hit the first postseason home run in Astros history in Game 1 of the 1981 National League Division Series, which was also a walkoff home run. In additions to home runs (69) and RBIs (388), Ashby also caught three no-hitters for the club, which are each a record in franchise history. After retiring as a player, he managed in the Texas–Louisiana League and has held several positions in broadcasting, including his most recent job as the lead color commentator for the Astros until 2016.