Shelby showed surprising offensive prowess when obtained by Los Angeles from Baltimore in May 1987 for pitcher Tom Niedenfuer. Shelby hit .271 with 21 HR in 120 games for the Dodgers. Always a good outfielder, Shelby had been a free swinger with little power, and he reverted to form the following year. A high-percentage base stealer, he led the minor leagues in outfield assists three times, and in 1983 once threw out three baserunners in a game. His shoestring catch of the last out of Game Four of the 1988 NLCS saved the Dodgers' 12-inning victory.
(TG/GL)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»June 10, 1988: Dodgers OF John Shelby goes 0-for-4 in a 4–3 loss to the Padres, ending his hitting streak at 24 consecutive games.
»June 3, 1989:
Houston beats Los Angeles 5–4 in 22 innings in a game that takes 7:14 to complete. Rafael Ramirez's 2nd RBI of the game finally ends it at 2:50 a.m. on the 4th. When the Dodgers use up all 24 players, (except for tomorrow's starter Tim Belcher), 3B Jeff Hamilton becomes the final and losing pitcher and P Fernando Valenzuela finishes the game at 1B. John Shelby goes 0–10 for the Dodgers.
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