Catching Up With Major Leaguer Robby Hammock
September 12, 2011 | Baseball
Sept. 12, 2011
Back in 1998, Georgia welcomed a talented catcher by the name of Robby Hammock to the team after an All-Conference career at DeKalb College. A Macon native who graduated from South Cobb High School in Austell, he was known for his versatility. Hammock was the only Bulldog to start all 54 games that year, making 35 starts at catcher, 11 in left field, six in centerfield and two at third base.
Hammock led the Bulldogs in hits, tied for first in RBI and was second in home runs while batting .322. His highlights include: A 10-game hitting streak to start his Georgia career; Collecting seven RBI in the season-opening win over UNC-Asheville; and Hitting two home runs and driving in six in a 13-5 win over rival Georgia Tech.
The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Hammock in the 23rd round of the 1998 draft. He spent the next 11 years of his professional career with the Diamondbacks and spent time in the Baltimore and New York Yankees organization before returning to the Diamondbacks in 2011.
In the final game of the 2001 season while playing for the Diamondbacks Class A team in Lancaster, Calif., Hammock played all eight field positions. He made his Major League debut in 2003 and ended up batting .282 with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 65 games.
Hammock has logged five seasons in the Majors and is best known for catching Randy Johnson’s perfect game in 2004 against Atlanta. He last appeared in the Majors in 2008.
This past year, he signed a Minor League deal with the Diamondbacks during the offseason. He said he figured he would spend the year at Triple-A Reno and transition from playing to coaching. This season, he batted .257-5-21 in 120 plate appearances for Reno. In a 14-year Minor League career that spans 911 games, Hammock owns a .283 batting average with 181 doubles, 27 triples, 82 home runs and 502 RBI.
Earlier this month, the 34-year-old Hammock was promoted to the Majors again for the first time since 2008. His Major League numbers feature a .255 batting average with 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 180 games.
Current Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson now has the luxury of a third catcher along with an experienced veteran who can play just about any position around the diamond. Arizona (85-62) is leading the National League West by 8.5 games over 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco (76-70).
Georgiadogs.com caught up with Hammock to discuss his latest return to the Major Leagues:
How excited were you to get the news that you were headed back to the Majors again, and how did it compare to when you first made it in 2003?
It was extremely exciting to get the call again, that feeling never gets old. It is the same whether it is your first time or your last time.
Now that you've been back up for a few days, what's like being in the playoff chase?
I was lucky enough to be in the playoff race in 2007 and it is that same feeling of excitement coming down to the wire because it is everyone's dream for their team to get to the World Series.
Catching Randy Johnson's perfect game probably ranks among your all- time highlights, are there a couple of others?
I would say making the playoffs in 2007 was great, but catching the perfect game was the greatest achievement of my career. It has also kept me in a job for this long.
Do you have any fond memories of your season with the Bulldogs?
The SEC is such a great conference and the University of Georgia is unbelievable, so I had an absolute blast playing there. Also, that year playing for the Bulldogs was the first time I had a chance to fly on an airplane.
How's life outside of baseball and do you have plans when you're done playing like managing?
I play a lot of golf and hang out with my family in the offseason. I live in Arizona, but travel to Georgia for Thanksgiving and Christmas for a couple weeks at a time. I have family there, including my daughters, so I enjoy the holidays with my family especially my two daughters. When I am done playing, my goal is to manage in the big leagues eventually.
