He's gone from jumping over Mitsubishi's and BMW's to the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate to landing comfortably in Boston for the Red Sox' final push for a postseason berth. Not your typical path to the Hub, but Terry Francona and the Sox are more than happy to have Joey Gathright aboard.
Gathright, the former Rays, Royals and Cubs outfielder, gained some YouTube fame a couple of years ago when he was filmed leaping parked cars in a parking lot. Such impressive feats may not get him too far on the baseball diamond, but it does go to show how athletic the six-year veteran is.
He's a lifetime .262 hitter but the left-handed small-ball menace has all the tools to be a hot item off Boston's bench in late innings. With 24 steals this season in Triple-A and and 21 last year in 105 games, Gathright may be Boston's 2009 answer to Dave Roberts of 2004.
"It feels good to be on a team that's winning and have a chance to go to the playoffs. I've never had that, so for me it's a good feeling," Gathright told projo.com. "I've always liked being in Boston and I'm looking forward to playing for them."
The Sox got Gathright from Baltimore for a player to be named later on Saturday. In 80 games for Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate, he potted a .329 average with 20 RBIs, 49 runs and 24 stolen bases.
"I like this team a lot," he said of the Sox. "I'll work hard and be ready for my time. I know how to play the game and I know what I need to do to prepare. I'll just go out and do my job and not worry about any pressure."
