View source for Chuck Knoblauch

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1968)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Chuck Knoblauch
|image=Chuck Knoblauch Wareham Gatemen, Cape Cod League.jpg
|position=[[Second baseman]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1968|7|7}}
|birth_place=[[Houston, Texas]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 9
|debutyear=1991
|debutteam=Minnesota Twins
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 27
|finalyear=2002
|finalteam=Kansas City Royals
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.289
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=98
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=615
|stat4label=[[Stolen base]]s
|stat4value=407
|teams=
* [[Minnesota Twins]] ({{mlby|1991}}–{{mlby|1997}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1998}}–{{mlby|2001}})
* [[Kansas City Royals]] ({{mlby|2002}})
|highlights=
* 4× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1992]], [[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1994]], [[1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1996]], [[1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1997]])
* 4× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1991}}, {{wsy|1998}}–{{wsy|2000}})
* [[AL Rookie of the Year]] (1991)
* [[Gold Glove Award]] (1997)
* 2× [[Silver Slugger Award]] (1995, 1997)
}}

'''Edward Charles Knoblauch''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|ɒ|b|l|ɔː|k}}; born July 7, 1968) is an American former professional [[baseball]] player. He played 12 seasons in [[Major League Baseball]], from 1991 through 2002, for the [[Minnesota Twins]], [[New York Yankees]], and [[Kansas City Royals]]. He played mostly as a [[second baseman]] before moving to [[left fielder|left field]] for his final two seasons.

==Early life==
Born in [[Houston, Texas]], Knoblauch came from a baseball family, as his uncle  Eddie Knoblauch and father Ray Knoblauch played and managed in the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]] between the late 1930s and mid-1950s.<ref>Johnson, Lloyd (1994). ''The Minor League Register''. Baseball America. {{ISBN|0-9637189-3-2}}</ref>  Knoblauch played for the [[Bellaire High School (Texas)|Bellaire High School]] baseball team, which also produced many other former major leaguers, including [[Chris Young (outfielder)|Chris Young]] and [[Jose Cruz, Jr.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/schools/index.cgi?key_school=9a41cb9f |title=Bellaire HS (Bellaire, TX) Baseball Players - Baseball-Reference.com |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://bellairehighalumni.com/FamousAlumni.asp?ID=35 |title=Bellaire High School Classmates Website |website=bellairehighalumni.com}}</ref>  Knoblauch missed his senior season (1986) due to a broken leg, but he cheered from the bench as the team won the state championship.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-coachs-son/ |title=The Coach's Son |author=Michael Geffner |magazine=Texas Monthly |date=July 31, 1998}}</ref>

The [[Philadelphia Phillies]] selected Knoblauch in the 18th round of the [[1986 Major League Baseball draft|1986 amateur draft]], but he did not sign. He attended [[Texas A&M University]] and played [[college baseball]] for the [[Texas A&M Aggies baseball|Texas A&M Aggies]], where he was a second-team [[All-America]]n. He later played on the 1989 team that finished the season with 58 wins, the highest total in school history.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theeagle.com/aggie_sports/baseball/regional-forever-part-of-texas-a-m-lsu-baseball-lore/article_e73fc7db-8cc2-5a88-bcc2-ca597f927c9d.html |title=1989 regional forever part of Texas A&M, LSU baseball lore |author=Richard Croome |date=May 2, 2014 |access-date=March 11, 2020}}</ref>

In 1988, Knoblauch played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Wareham Gatemen]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]] (CCBL), and received the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect award. In 2001, he was inducted into the [[Cape Cod Baseball League#Hall of Fame and Museum|CCBL Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/remembering-1988-in-cape-cod-baseball-league/n-4581682 |title=Remembering 1988 in Cape Cod Baseball League |website=oursportscentral.com |date=April 23, 2013 |access-date=March 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/hofnews/?article_id=243 |title=Hall of Fame Ceremony 19 January 2002 |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |date=January 19, 2002 |access-date=September 1, 2019}}</ref>

==Major league career==

===Minnesota Twins===
[[File:MIN1997H11KNOBLAUCH.jpg|thumb|left|160px|1997 Minnesota Twins #11 Chuck Knoblauch home jersey]]
Knoblauch was drafted by the [[Minnesota Twins]] in the first round of the [[1989 Major League Baseball draft|1989 MLB draft]]. Knoblauch won the [[American League]] [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] award and a [[World Series ring]] as a member of the [[1991 Minnesota Twins season|1991 Minnesota Twins]]. In Game 7 of the [[1991 World Series|World Series]], Knoblauch attempted to deceive [[Lonnie Smith (baseball)|Lonnie Smith]] by appearing to start a double play on a [[Terry Pendleton]] double (causing Smith to get only to third base when he might have scored for the [[Atlanta Braves]]). Smith claimed he lost track of the ball and Knoblauch's decoy was not a factor.

During the 1994–96 seasons, Knoblauch batted .312, .333, and .341, respectively, won the AL [[Gold Glove Award]] at second base in 1997, and [[stolen base|stole]] over 40 bases in three consecutive seasons.

The Twins traded Knoblauch to the [[New York Yankees]] for [[Eric Milton]], [[Cristian Guzmán]], [[Brian Buchanan]], [[Danny Mota]], and $3&nbsp;million on February 6, 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/02/07/yanks-get-knoblauch-in-a-deal-with-twins/dea19e07-1313-4936-a09d-5682bb43eef4/|title=Yanks Get Knoblauch in a Deal With Twins|first=Mark|last=Maske|newspaper=Washington Post|date=February 7, 1998|accessdate=November 10, 2023}}</ref> Once a popular player in Minnesota, his request to be traded from the Twins resulted in being booed on successive trips to the [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome|Metrodome]]. This included throwing hot dogs, bottles, and golf balls at Knoblauch during a visit to the Metrodome in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Knoblauch puzzled by fans' abuse|work=Baseball|publisher=ESPN|date=May 3, 2001|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2001/0503/1190693.html|access-date=September 12, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030211033432/http://www.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2001/0503/1190693.html|archive-date=February 11, 2003}}</ref>

===New York Yankees===
Knoblauch's arrival in New York was greeted with anticipation. [[Buster Olney]], then with ''[[The New York Times]]'', predicted that Knoblauch and [[Derek Jeter]] would form the greatest [[double play]] combination in history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06EFDE123BF93AA15750C0A96E958260|title=1998 BASEBALL PREVIEW; The New Combination Lock|date=March 29, 1998|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Buster Olney|author-link=Buster Olney|access-date=January 23, 2008}}</ref> Though he struggled early on with the team, he hit a career-high 17 [[home run]]s as the Yankees won a then-American league-record 114 games. In game 2 of the [[1998 American League Championship Series]] against the [[Cleveland Indians]], Knoblauch was involved in an infamous defensive play. In the 12th inning with the score tied 1–1, Indians batter [[Travis Fryman]] bunted, and Knoblauch covered first base for a possible [[putout]]. [[Jeff Nelson (pitcher)|Jeff Nelson]]'s throw hit Fryman and rolled away, but instead of retrieving the ball, Knoblauch argued with the first-base umpire [[Interference (baseball)|interference]] should have been called, while the [[Live ball (baseball)|ball was still live]] at which Indians baserunner [[Enrique Wilson]] was able to score from first base on the play, giving Cleveland the lead in an eventual 4–1 victory. A New York newspaper called Knoblauch a "Blauch-head". Knoblauch recovered and was an important factor in the [[1998 World Series|World Series]] victory over the [[San Diego Padres]], and the [[1999 World Series]] victory over the [[Atlanta Braves]]. In Game 3 of the [[1999 World Series]], Knoblauch scored the game's first run and hit a dramatic two-run home run in the eighth inning to tie the score, with the Yankees eventually winning in the 10th inning. In Game 5 of [[2001 World Series]], Knoblauch scored the winning run, having led off the inning with a single and scoring on a single by his replacement at second base, [[Alfonso Soriano]]. The Yankees won the American League pennant every year he was with the team, winning three World Series championships.

===Kansas City Royals===
Towards the end of his career, Knoblauch's performance at the plate grew worse, with many observers believing he was preoccupied by his fielding troubles and trying too hard to hit home runs. Knoblauch was benched in the final game of the 2001 World Series (he hit just .056), and left for Kansas City as a free agent in the off season. Knoblauch played in just 80 games in left field for the Royals, batting .210, and the team declined to offer him a new contract the following year. In 2003, having failed to gain a job with an MLB team, Knoblauch announced his retirement.

==Throwing troubles==
Once considered one of the game's best fielders (in fact, [[ESPN]] personalities nicknamed him "Fundamentally Sound" Chuck Knoblauch), Knoblauch's play deteriorated shortly into his Yankee career; his errors at second doubled from 13 in 1998 to 26 the following year; all of these were throwing errors. In 2000, he began to have difficulty making accurate throws to first base, a condition sometimes referred to in baseball as the "[[yips]]" or "[[Steve Sax]]  syndrome" in more recent years. Personal problems may have contributed to the "yips" -- his divorce from his first wife, Lisa, in 1999, and the deterioration of his father's health from Alzheimer's.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/knoblauch-out-in-left-field-1.293037</ref>

Knoblauch tried various solutions to his problem, but his throwing did not improve. He made 15 errors in less than half a season in 2000, including 10 throwing miscues. (During one game, an errant throw sailed into the stands and hit sportscaster [[Keith Olbermann]]'s mother in the head).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/sports/features/4657/|title=Chuck's Angels|date=April 30, 2001|author=Ted Rose|publisher=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|access-date=January 23, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050322084838/http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/sports/features/4657/|archive-date=March 22, 2005}}</ref> After making three throwing [[Error (baseball)|errors]] in six innings of the Yankees' 12–3 loss to the [[Chicago White Sox]], on June 15, 2000, Knoblauch voluntarily left the game. He then left [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] in his street clothes while the game was still in progress.<ref>{{cite news|last=Olney|first=Buster|title=BASEBALL; After Three Errors, Knoblauch Walks Out|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/16/sports/baseball-after-three-errors-knoblauch-walks-out.html|work=www.nytimes.com|date=June 16, 2000|access-date=February 1, 2013}}</ref> He was back at second the next day, but Knoblauch never fully recovered his throwing accuracy, especially after missing most of August with an injury. Knoblauch returned to the Yankees in September, but was often used as a [[designated hitter]] in lieu of playing second; he was exclusively a DH in the Yankees' run to a World Series title. Finally, in 2001, he was reassigned to left field by manager [[Joe Torre]], never to return to his old position.

==Spousal assaults==
On September 25, 2009, an officer from the Memorial Villages Police Department, near Houston, was told by Knoblauch's common-law wife, Stacey Stelmach, that he hit and choked her. A police officer's [[affidavit]]<ref name=ChokingArrest>{{cite news|url=https://blogs.findlaw.com/courtside/2009/09/ex-yankee-chuck-knoblauchs-charged-with-choking-wife.html|title=Ex-Yankee Chuck Knoblauch Charged With Choking Wife|date=September 29, 2009|author=Zand, Joel|work=[[FindLaw]]|access-date=September 30, 2009}}</ref> alleged that "redness around her neck and swelling near her eye [were] consistent with her statement."<ref name=ChokingArrest/> On September 29, 2009, the [[Harris County, Texas]] District Attorney charged Knoblauch with assaulting a family member by choking, a third-degree felony in [[Texas]].<ref name=ChokingArrest/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/DN-strangle_11met.ART.State.Edition1.4bf6a95.html|title=New law moves all strangulations from misdemeanor to felony|date=September 11, 2009|author=Thompson, Steve|publisher=The Dallas Morning News|access-date=September 30, 2009}}</ref>  Knoblauch pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in connection with the case on March 16, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5001643|title=Knoblauch pleads guilty in assault case|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ESPN|access-date=March 16, 2010}}</ref> The couple was reportedly going through a divorce.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/6642774.html|title=Knoblauch surrenders to authorities|date=September 29, 2009|author=Rogers, Brian|publisher=Houston Chronicle|access-date=September 30, 2009}}</ref>

On July 24, 2014, the 46-year-old Knoblauch was charged with assault of a family member again, his ex-wife Cheri.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/24/chuck-knoblauch-arrested-accused-of-assaulting-ex-wife/|title=Chuck Knoblauch arrested, accused of assaulting ex-wife|date=July 24, 2014|website=nbcsports.com}}</ref>  Due to this incident, the Twins cancelled the planned induction of Knoblauch into the Twins Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/chuck-knoblauch-arrest-2014-domestic-assault-wife-minnesota-twins-hall-of-fame-ceremony/1n91h7mnjrxrv1jf8otsszkoq6|title=Twins cancel Knoblauch's Hall of Fame honor after arrest|date=July 24, 2014|website=Sporting News}}</ref>

==Legacy==
A four-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]], in his career Knoblauch batted .289 with 98 [[home run]]s and 615 [[run batted in|runs batted in]]. He stole 25 or more bases in 10 of his 12 seasons, finishing with 407 in his career — including 276 with the Twins, the most for the team since its move from [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] in 1961. On August 18, 2018, Knoblauch returned to the new [[Yankee Stadium]] to commemorate the 1998 championship team.

==HGH use==
In December 2007, Knoblauch was included in the [[Mitchell Report (baseball)|Mitchell report]], which provided evidence that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his career. In the Mitchell report, [[Brian McNamee]] stated that he procured [[human growth hormone]] (HGH) from [[Kirk Radomski]] for Knoblauch in 2001 when he served as the New York Yankees assistant strength coach. McNamee stated that during the season, he injected Knoblauch seven to nine times with HGH. McNamee states that Knoblauch paid Radomski for the drugs through him or [[Jason Grimsley]], and also believed that Knoblauch obtained HGH from Grimsley. Knoblauch did not respond to a request to meet with the Mitchell investigators to discuss the allegations.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mitchell|first=George J.|author-link=George J. Mitchell |title=Mitchell Report|publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Baseball|date=December 13, 2007|url=https://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/071213/mitchell_report.pdf|pages=174–75, 177|access-date=September 12, 2008}}</ref>

On December 20, 2007, Knoblauch was named in Jason Grimsley's unsealed affidavit as an alleged user of HGH. Knoblauch and Grimsley were teammates on the Yankees from 1999 to 2000.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SPORT/12/20/drugs.grimley.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest |title=Affidavit: Grimsley named players |date=December 20, 2007 |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=December 31, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

On January 11, 2008, ''The New York Times'' published a look at Chuck Knoblauch's post-baseball life. The article painted Knoblauch's outlook on baseball and the Mitchell report as being apathetic. As he has been retired for 5 years, he expressed "bewilderment at his inclusion" in the report and stated, "I have nothing to defend and I have nothing to hide at the same time." In 2008, Knoblauch owned a condominium and house in the Houston area, and was not interested in returning to pro baseball in any capacity.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/sports/baseball/11clemens.html?ex=1357707600&en=e6cad5c175e1d2fd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|title=Knoblauch Ends Silence About Report From Mitchell|date=January 11, 2008|author=Duff Wilson|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 11, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3191472|title=Knoblauch says 'nothing to hide' from steroids probe|date=January 11, 2008|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 11, 2008}}</ref>

On January 22, 2008, Knoblauch was subpoenaed by the congressional committee investigating steroids in baseball after he failed to respond to an invitation to give a deposition by a January 18, 2008, deadline.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2008 |title=Knoblauch subpoenaed after he failed to respond to invite |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3208845 |access-date=January 23, 2008 |publisher=[[ESPN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> On January 23, [[federal marshal]]s had as yet been unable to find Knoblauch to serve him with the subpoena.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3211113|title=Federal marshals unable to find, serve Knoblauch with subpoena|date=January 23, 2008|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 23, 2008}}</ref>

On January 28, 2008, the congressional subpoena was withdrawn after Knoblauch agreed to provide a [[Deposition (law)|deposition]] on February 1, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2008 |title=Congress withdraws subpoena after Knoblauch agrees to talk before hearing |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3218656 |access-date=January 28, 2008 |publisher=[[ESPN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Knoblauch admitted to using HGH: "I did HGH. It didn't help me out. It didn't make me any better. I had the worst years of my career from a batting average standpoint. And I got hurt. So there was no good that came out of it for me — it was not performance-enhancing for me."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/130322473.html?page=2&c=y|title=Chuck Knoblauch: Unpacking memories|date=September 22, 2011|publisher=[[StarTribune]]|access-date=August 14, 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report]]
* [[List of Texas A&M University people]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=117197|espn=2460|br=k/knoblch01|fangraphs=609|brm=knobla002edw|retro=K/Pknobc001}}
*[https://blogs.findlaw.com/courtside/2009/09/ex-yankee-chuck-knoblauchs-charged-with-choking-wife.html Criminal Charges], Texas vs. Edward Charles Knoblauch, September 29, 2009, [[FindLaw]]

{{1989 MLB Draft}}
{{Minnesota Twins first-round draft picks}}
{{AL Rookie of the Year}}
{{Sporting News MLB Rookie of the year}}
{{AL 2B Silver Slugger Award}}
{{AL 2B Gold Glove Award}}
{{1991 Minnesota Twins}}
{{1998 New York Yankees}}
{{1999 New York Yankees}}
{{2000 New York Yankees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knoblauch, Chuck}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:American Christians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball second basemen]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball left fielders]]
[[Category:Minnesota Twins players]]
[[Category:New York Yankees players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Royals players]]
[[Category:American League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Houston]]
[[Category:Drugs in sport in the United States]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners]]
[[Category:Gold Glove Award winners]]
[[Category:Texas A&M Aggies baseball players]]
[[Category:Kenosha Twins players]]
[[Category:Visalia Oaks players]]
[[Category:Orlando Sun Rays players]]
[[Category:Tampa Yankees players]]
[[Category:Wichita Wranglers players]]
[[Category:Bellaire High School (Texas) alumni]]
[[Category:Silver Slugger Award winners]]
[[Category:Wareham Gatemen players]]
[[Category:American sportspeople in doping cases]]
[[Category:Doping cases in baseball]]