Beltrán, Hinch, Dauer Win Fall Classic with Astros
With the Houston Astros' victory in Game 7 on Wednesday evening, a trio of Omaha alums extended the franchise's streak of at least one alum winning a World Series title to six years. Astros outfielder/designated hitter Carlos Beltrán, manager A.J. Hinch and third base coach Rich Dauer all wore an
With the Houston Astros' victory in Game 7 on Wednesday evening, a trio of Omaha alums extended the franchise's streak of at least one alum winning a World Series title to six years. Astros outfielder/designated hitter Carlos Beltrán, manager A.J. Hinch and third base coach Rich Dauer all wore an Omaha uniform at some point in their careers.
Beltrán, 40, played in five games with the Omaha Golden Spikes in 2000 as part of a Major League Rehab Assignment, accumulating a .333 average (6-18), adding four runs, one double, two homers and two RBI, in addition to one steal. Three of those contests were played at Rosenblatt Stadium between September 1-3, recording five hits in 11 at-bats while scoring three runs, which included a longball on September 2.
Over 20 Major League seasons since 1998, Beltrán has combined for a .279 average (2725-9768) along with 1,572 runs, 565 doubles, 78 triples, 435 homers and 1,587 RBI, in addition to 312 steals. In 65 career postseason matchups he has recorded a .307 batting average (66-215) with 45 runs, 15 doubles, one triple, 16 homers and 42 RBI. The Puerto Rico native was selected by the Royals in the second round of the 1995 MLB Draft.
Hinch, 43, participated in 45 contests with the Golden Spikes in 2001, posting a .321 mark (54-168) with 28 runs, 14 doubles, ten homers and 33 RBI. In 28 games at Rosenblatt Stadium he compiled a .352 clip (37-105) with 21 runs, ten doubles, seven homers and 22 RBI. Hinch was also the last Omaha player to blast a home run off of the Rosenblatt Stadium scoreboard in left field, doing so on September 1, 2001.
In seven Major League seasons he accumulated a .219 average (209-953) with 104 runs, 28 doubles, three triples, 32 homers and 112 RBI with the Oakland Athletics (1998-2000), Kansas City Royals (2001-02), Detroit Tigers (2003) and Philadelphia Phillies (2004). As a manager, Hinch has posted a 360-338 regular season record between the Arizona Diamondbacks (2009-10) and Astros (2015-present), good for a .516 winning percentage.
Hinch becomes the first former player in Omaha franchise history to win a World Series as a manager. Jack McKeon, the first manager in Omaha franchise history from 1969-72 managed the Florida Marlins to a World Series victory in 2003. McKeon with the Omaha Royals also earned American Association Championships in each of his first two campaigns in 1969 and 1970.
Dauer, 65, was a member of the 1993 Omaha Royals coaching staff, the second year of Jeff Cox's three year reign as the club's manager, with the team finishing at a 70-74 clip. Dauer was also a ten-year Major League veteran with the Baltimore Orioles from 1976-85, batting .257 (984-3829) with 448 runs, 193 doubles, three triples, 43 homers and 372 RBI. He was a member of the Orioles' World Series Championship club in 1983, and also won a pair of College World Series titles in Omaha during his time at the University of Southern California (1973-74). Dauer is one of a select few to have won both a World Series and College World Series title.
Thanks to the Astros' victory, an Omaha alum has been on the winning team in each of the last six World Series dating back through 2012.