Doug Mientkiewicz was a professional baseball player who played for several teams during his career. He was born on June 19, 1974, in Toledo, Ohio, and attended Florida State University. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the fifth round of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.
Mientkiewicz made his Major League debut with the Twins in 1998 and played for them until 2004. During his time with the Twins, he was known for his excellent defense at first base and his ability to hit for average. He was also a key player on the Twins' 2002 team that won the American League Central division.
In 2004, Mientkiewicz was traded to the Boston Red Sox, where he played for the remainder of the season. He was part of the Red Sox team that won the World Series that year, although he did not play in the postseason due to injury.
After the 2004 season, Mientkiewicz became a free agent and signed with the New York Mets. He played for the Mets in 2005 and 2006, but his time with the team was marred by injuries. He was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2006 and played for them until 2007.
Mientkiewicz then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 2008 season. He played in 125 games for the Pirates that year, hitting .277 with 2 home runs and 30 RBI. He became a free agent after the season and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2009 season. He played in 20 games for the Dodgers before being released in May.
Overall, Mientkiewicz played in 1,087 Major League games over the course of his career. He had a career batting average of .271 with 66 home runs and 405 RBI. He was known for his excellent defense at first base, winning a Gold Glove award in 2001.
After his playing career ended, Mientkiewicz became a coach and manager in the minor leagues. He also worked as a special assistant to the Minnesota Twins' front office. In 2020, he was named the manager of the USA Baseball Olympic team, which was set to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics before they were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
⚾