Stan Fansler

Stan Fansler
Pitcher
Born: (1965-02-12) February 12, 1965 (age 59)
Elkins, West Virginia
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 6, 1986, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
October 4, 1986, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
Win–loss record0–3
Earned run average3.75
Strikeouts13
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Stanley Robert Fansler (born February 12, 1965) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

Early life and amateur career

Fansler was born in 1965 to Elkins, West Virginia to Lonnis and Carol Anne Fansler. His father served in the United States Air Force and for thirty years in the United States Forest Service. Fansler was one of three brothers.[1]

Fansler attended Elkins High School in Elkins where he played baseball and was named to the ABCA/Rawlings High School All-America Third Team in 1983.[2]

Professional career

Fansler was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round of the 1983 Major League Baseball draft and became the first player selected from West Virginia in the second or first round of the main phase of the draft.[3] He began his professional career in the New York–Penn League with the Watertown Pirates, accumulating an earned run average (ERA) of 8.05 in his age-18 season.[4] In the following season in Watertown, however, he lowered that number by more than three quarters; his 2.01 ERA and 78 strikeouts both led the Pirates.[5] Fansler moved relatively quickly through the minors. By the time he reached Triple-A with the Hawaii Islanders for the first time in 1985, he was 5.7 years younger than the average player in the Pacific Coast League.[4]

On or about August 29, 1986, the Pittsburgh Pirates promoted Fansler to the Major Leagues for the first time in his career alongside Sammy Khalifa, Bob Patterson and Mike Brown.[6] He made his Major League debut on September 6, 1986.[7] He was the starting pitcher that night for the Pirates against the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and surrendered four earned runs in just four innings pitched.[8] His best start of the season according to game score came on September 18 against the Expos in Montreal; he went six innings for the first time in his career and allowed only one run.[9] On October 4, Fansler recorded the only hit in his Major League career, a third-inning single off of Bob Ojeda of the eventual World Series champion New York Mets.[7][10] It would turn out to be the final game of his Major League career.[7]

Fansler underwent multiple surgeries on his rotator cuff after his brief MLB stint, with the first coming in 1987.[11][12] In 1990, he suffered an ankle injury mid-season and also pitched through bursitis in his shoulder.[12] His final season as a player came in the minors in 1994, after which he coached in the Montreal Expos and Texas Rangers farm systems.[11]

Personal life

Fansler left baseball after having children with his wife, who he had married in 1991.[11]

In 2006, Fansler was living in Beckley, West Virginia and working making mining equipment with his father-in-law.[11] In 2020, Fansler's son, Hunter, played college baseball for Marshall University.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Onie Fansler". The Intermountain. January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "1983 ABCA/Rawlings High School All-America Teams". www.abca.org. American Baseball Coaches Association. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "MLB Amateur Draft Picks who came from "WV"". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Stan Fansler Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  5. ^ "1984 Watertown Pirates Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  6. ^ "Transactions". The New York Times. August 29, 1986. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "Stan Fansler Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves Box Score, September 6, 1986". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "Stan Fansler 1986 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  10. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets Box Score, October 4, 1986". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d Morrison, Dave (July 12, 2006). "Former MLB hurler to take on BNI". Beckley Register-Herald. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Hente, Karl (June 25, 1990). "Hernandez's Homer Wins for Cannons". Washington Post. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  13. ^ "Hunter Fansler - Baseball". Marshall University Athletics. Retrieved January 11, 2022.