Darrin Fletcher

All Star (1994)
Caught 2 no-hitters (5/23/91 & 6/3/95)1
Full Name: Darrin Glen Fletcher
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Height: 6'2" Weight: 195 lbs.
Born: Oct 03, 1966 in Elmhurst, IL
College: Illinois
Major League Debut: Sep 10, 1989
PHOTO
GALLERY


CAREER BATTING STATISTICS
 BATTING
YEAR TEAM AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG
1989
1990
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
 LA
LA
Phi
Phi
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Tor
Tor
Tor
Tor
Tor
 .500
.000
.136
.228
.243
.255
.260
.286
.266
.277
.283
.291
.320
.226
.220
 5
2
9
46
83
133
94
110
127
96
124
115
122
134
45
 8
1
22
136
222
396
285
350
394
310
407
412
416
416
127
 1
0
3
5
13
33
28
42
41
39
37
48
43
36
8
 4
0
3
31
54
101
74
100
105
86
115
120
133
94
28
 0
0
1
8
10
20
18
21
22
20
23
26
19
20
6
 0
0
0
0
2
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
 1
0
0
1
2
9
10
11
12
17
9
18
20
11
3
 2
0
1
12
26
60
57
45
57
55
52
80
58
56
22
 1
0
1
5
14
34
25
32
27
17
25
26
20
24
4
 0
1
5
15
28
40
23
23
42
35
39
47
45
43
13
 .556
.000
.174
.255
.289
.320
.314
.351
.321
.323
.328
.339
.355
.274
.239
 .875
.000
.182
.309
.333
.379
.435
.446
.414
.513
.410
.485
.514
.353
.339
Totals AVG
.269		 G
1245		 AB
3902		 R
377		 H
1048		 2B
214		 3B
8		 HR
124		 RBI
583		 BB
255		 K
399		 OBP
.318		 SLG
.423

 BATTINGBASERUNNINGMISC
YEAR TEAM HBP GDP TB IBB SH SF SB CS SB% AB/HR AB/K
1989
1990
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
 LA
LA
Phi
Phi
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Tor
Tor
Tor
Tor
Tor
 0
0
0
0
2
6
3
4
6
5
6
6
5
6
0
 0
0
0
2
8
7
6
15
13
6
19
16
8
18
4
 7
0
4
42
74
150
124
156
163
159
167
200
214
147
43
 0
0
0
0
3
2
4
1
4
3
7
0
3
4
0
 0
0
0
1
2
5
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
 0
0
0
0
4
4
12
2
3
2
7
4
4
6
3
 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
 0
0
0
1
2
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
 -.---
-.---
-.---
.000
.000
-.---
-.---
.000
-.---
.500
-.---
-.---
1.000
.000
.000
 8.0
--.-
--.-
136.0
111.0
44.0
28.5
31.8
32.8
18.2
45.2
22.9
20.8
37.8
42.3
 --.-
1.0
4.4
9.1
7.9
9.9
12.4
15.2
9.4
8.9
10.4
8.8
9.2
9.7
9.8
Totals HBP
49		 GDP
122		 TB
1650		 IBB
31		 SH
13		 SF
51		 SB
2		 CS
6		 SB%
.250		 AB/HR
31.5		 AB/K
9.8


CAREER FIELDING STATISTICS
YEAR TEAM POS G Ch PO A E DP PB FPCT
1989
1990
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
 LA
LA
Phi
Phi
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon
Tor
Tor
Tor
Tor
Tor
 C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
 5
1
6
45
69
127
81
98
112
83
121
113
117
129
36
 17
0
33
266
395
669
501
661
757
636
891
681
664
765
194
 16
0
30
242
360
620
479
612
721
606
832
638
621
720
181
 1
0
3
22
33
41
20
45
30
26
51
41
39
41
12
 0
0
0
2
2
8
2
4
6
4
8
2
4
4
1
 0
0
0
1
3
3
4
8
5
4
1
4
7
8
1
 1
0
0
1
3
4
0
0
6
4
3
10
6
8

 1.000
-.---
1.000
0.992
0.995
0.988
0.996
0.994
0.992
0.994
0.991
0.997
0.994
0.995
0.995
Totals G
1143		 Ch
7131		 PO
6678		 A
406		 E
47		 DP
41		 PB
46		 FPCT
0.993


Drafted: Selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 1987 free-agent draft.
Acquired: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with cash to the Montreal Expos for Barry Jones on Dec. 9, 1991.
Pre-Majors Highlights: Earned third team All-American as well as first-team All-Big-10 honors in 1987 at the University of Illinois. Finished third in the NCAA with a .497 batting average in that season.
Personal Information: Married (Sheila) with two children. A third generation professional baseball player, his father, Tom, pitched for the Detroit Tigers while his grandfather, Glen, played 11 years in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Scouting Report

1998 Season
Toronto signed free agent Darrin Fletcher to a two-year contract last winter in the hopes of shoring up their catching while adding a lefthanded bat. He caught more than expected because Benito Santiago was injured in a car crash prior to the season. Fletcher responded with decent production, highlighted by a red-hot September during which he hit .333 and helped the Jays get back into contention.


Hitting
For most of his career, Fletcher has been platooned and faced only righthanders. He continued to make good contact and hit .296 against righthanders last season, though he sacrificed some power in the process by trying to hit to all fields. Normally a pull hitter, he kept his shoulder tucked during his swing, hoping to wait on pitches just a bit longer. He's still easy prey for lefthanders and doesn't walk often enough.


Baserunning & Defense
Fletcher has a reputation as a poor-throwing catcher who moves slowly behind the plate. He didn't fare well in 1998, throwing out just 24 percent of basestealers. His slow release is another problem in combating runners. He's a fearless backstop with good game-calling skills, but he never will win a Gold Glove. He has typical catcher's speed and is no threat on the basepaths, with just one stolen base as a major leaguer.


1999 Outlook
In the final year of his contract with Toronto, Fletcher isn't likely to catch as many games as he did last season. He'll continue to provide offense while showing defensive limitations.


Scouting Report Source: STATS, Inc. Copyright 1998 STATS, Inc.

Career Notes

Coming off an outstanding season in 2000, Darrin injured his back in 2001 and saw his numbers drop accordingly. He was still a force behind the plate, though, recording a .995 fielding percentage (second among American League catchers) and throwing out 24.2% of would-be basestealers. Darrin's performance in 2000, however, was jaw-dropping. He set career highs in home runs (20) and batting average (.320), while recording 19 doubles and 58 RBI in 122 games. Darrin hit .349 prior to the All-Star break and slugged three home runs in an August game at Texas. He was also solid behind the dish, leading American League catchers with a .994 fielding percentage and throwing out 21.5 percent of would-be basestealers.

A left-handed hitter, Darrin looks to drive the ball against right-handers, but is more willing to go the opposite way against southpaws. He set a club record for a Blue Jays catcher when he knocked in 80 runs in 1999. Darrin hit .291 that year, with 18 homers, and finished second among AL receivers in fielding percentage (.997). He has also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1989-90), Philadelphia Phillies (1990-91) and Montreal Expos (1992-97) during his big-league career. Darrin's father, Tom, pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1962.

1996
Performed great behind the plate, guiding 10 different starting pitchers, including five rookies, to the National League's fourth best ERA ... Broke out of the gate quickly, hitting .333 with four home runs and 19 RBI in April ... Had a career-high 12-game hitting streak from July 25-Aug. 12 ... Hit his first career grand slam home run on Apr. 20 vs. Pittsburgh ... Hit his second eight days later vs. Colorado.

1995
Caught Pedro Martinez's no-hitter June 3 against San Diego. Set personal highs in batting average (.286), runs (42), doubles (21), and homers (11) ... Had third best fielding percentage (.996) amongst NL catchers behind Benito Santiago (.996) and Darren Daulton (.995) ... Threw out 36 runners in 119 attempts (33.3%) ... Seventh lowest average stolen base percentage against in the NL.

1993
Enjoyed a solid offensive year, posting the highest RBI total (60) by a Montreal catcher since Gary Carter in 1984 ... Started 105 games behind the plate in his first full major league season, including 64 of Montreal's last 76 contests ... Drove in 43 runs in his final 73 games ... Batted .361 (35-97) in the 30 games that followed a closed door meeting with manager Felipe Alou during which Fletcher requested, and received, the team's regular catching duties.

1992
Caught eight of Montreal's 14 shutouts, despite starting only 59 games ... Montreal's pitching staff compiled a collective 2.97 ERA during his 518 innings behind the plate (tied for the second-best mark among NL catchers with at least 225 innings caught) Batted .268 (33-123) in 46 games after the All-Star break.

1991
Caught Tommy Greene's no-hitter May 23 against Montreal, in only his 22nd game as a catcher in the major leagues ... Sealed Greene's gem (a 2-0 Philadelphia victory) with a ninth-inning double ... Philadelphia went 20-16 in his 36 starts at catcher ... Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with cash to the Montreal Expos for Barry Jones on Dec. 9, 1991.

1990
Led all Class AAA catchers with a .291 batting average for Albuquerque ... Was traded to Philadelphia Sept. 13, after having received one at-bat in two games with the Dodgers ... Started six games for the Phillies.

1989
Singled in his first major league at-bat, at San Diego Sept. 10 ... First home run also came against the Padres, Sept. 23 in a pinch-hit appearance.