Dan Pasqua

Daniel Anthony Pasqua (born October 17, 1961) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox from 1985 through 1994.

He works as a community representative for the White Sox.

Pasqua is a native of Harrington Park, New Jersey.

He attended Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, then William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.

He was an All-American outfielder for William Paterson in 1981 and 1982, and New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1982.

He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft.

Through his first three years in the Yankees' farm system, Pasqua batted .267 with 70 home runs and 242 runs batted in.

A hot start with the International League's Columbus Clippers his fourth season earned him a promotion up to the Bronx early in the 1985 season.

Pasqua made his major league debut on May 30 against the California Angels.

After lining into a double play in his first major league at bat, he hit a home run in his second.

This was followed by a 3-for-26 slump that got him sent back to Columbus for more seasoning.

In his second game back with the Yankees, Pasqua had his first career two home run game.

He was demoted back to Columbus again at the start of August, and returned in the middle of the month to bat .203 with five home runs and fifteen RBIs over the remainder of the season.

All told, Pasqua batted .209 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs with the Yankees.

In three stints in Columbus, he compiled a .321 batting average, eighteen home runs & 69 RBIs to earn IL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors.

During the off-season, the Montreal Expos were rebuked in their offer of Andre Dawson for Pasqua.

Although Yankees Manager Lou Piniella (who was, himself, a left fielder during his playing days) named Pasqua his starting left fielder during Spring training, 1985 left fielder Ken Griffey, Sr. ended up winning the job when Pasqua batted .102 that Spring.

Pasqua began the season with Columbus, and batted .291 with six home runs and twenty RBIs to get recalled by the Yankees on May 18.

In his first start back in pinstripes, Pasqua went 2-for-3, with a home run, double and four RBIs.

The next day, he had his second career two home run game.

With his batting average hovered around .300 through most of June, he made his first career appearance at first base on June 28 in order to get his bat in the line up more frequently.

As rising All-Star Don Mattingly had a firm grip on the first base job, the Yankees shipped Griffey to the Atlanta Braves on June 30 in order to open a regular position for Pasqua in their line-up.

With the left field job genuinely his now, Pasqua batted .296 with twelve home runs and 35 RBIs over the remainder of the season.

While Pasqua clubbed six home runs through May, he struggled to keep his batting average over .200.

By the end of June, the left field job was Gary Ward's, and Pasqua was once again in Columbus.

He returned to the Yankees in mid July, and batted .268 with nine home runs and nineteen RBIs over the rest of the season.

At the Winter meetings, Pasqua, pitcher Steve Rosenberg and catcher Mark Salas were dealt to the Chicago White Sox for pitchers Richard Dotson and Scott Nielsen.

In 1988, Pasqua hit a career-high twenty home runs.

He also demonstrated versatility when he was shifted into right field following a season ending injury to right fielder Iván Calderón.

In, it was Pasqua whose season was cut short by injuries.

In the second game of the season, he suffered a right wrist injury that kept him out of the line-up until May 14.

On August 4, he twisted his knee in the outfield.

After which, he made two pinch hitting appearances and three starts at designated hitter before being shut down for the season.

This knee injury limited Pasqua through the start of the season.

When he did return, he mostly pinch hit or served as designated hitter.

In, Pasqua made 83 appearances as a first baseman, versus just 59 in both corner outfield positions.

Regardless of where he played on the field, he hit, as 1991 was his best season with the bat.

He had a career high 108 hits that produced a career high 71 runs and a career high 66 RBIs.

He also hit eighteen home runs with a career high five triples.

Pasqua was set to hit free agency after the season.