Bip Roberts

Career

Roberts was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round as a supplemental pick in 1982. After stealing a combined 90 bases in his two previous minor league seasons, the San Diego Padres selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December 1985, requiring him to stay on their major league roster for the entire 1986 season. As a rookie, he succeeded in 14 of 26 steal attempts and served as a pinch hitter. He spent the next two seasons in Triple-A, hitting .306 in 1987 and .353 in 1988 with 10 triples in 98 games in 1987, and stealing 39 and 45 bases respectively.

San Diego called him up at the end of 1988, where he played in 5 games at third and second base and as a pinch hitter. In 1989, Roberts hit .301 with 21 steals and 81 runs in 329 at bats, playing all outfield positions, shortstop, second, and third. In 1990, he ranked in the top 10 in the National League in doubles (36), steals (46), and runs (104). Injuries limited him to 117 games in 1991, but he still hit .281 with 26 stolen bases.

In December 1991, the Cincinnati Reds sent pitcher Randy Myers in exchange for Roberts. In 1992, Roberts was selected as a National League All-Star, going 2-for-2 with two RBI, was named the Cincinnati Reds team MVP, finished 8th in NL MVP voting, stole 44 bases, hit .323, and tied an NL record with ten consecutive base hits. He faced several injuries and was limited to 83 games in 1993, managing 26 stolen bases. After the 1993 season, he re-signed with the Padres.

In 1994, Roberts recorded an MLB-best 24-game hitting streak, hit .320 with over 20 steals, was second in the NL in singles, and broke up Pedro Martínez's extra-inning perfect game in the 10th inning with a double. In 1995, he stole 20 bases while being caught only twice and batted .304. In December, the Padres dealt Roberts to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for first baseman Wally Joyner.

Other work

Roberts co-hosts Oakland Athletics pre-game shows on NBC Sports Bay Area. In 2008, he became head baseball coach at Oakland’s Skyline High School, and from 2010 to 2012 he was an assistant coach for the Academy of Art University’s NCAA Division II baseball team. He also volunteers with the Students Rising Above Foundation, supporting low-income Bay Area youth. In July 2024, Roberts said he might run for mayor of Oakland if the recall of Mayor Sheng Thao moves forward.