Former major league utility player Lenny Randle has passed away at 75. The National Baseball Hall of Fame confirmed the news on Monday evening.
Randle was a multi-sport collegiate star at Arizona State. He played on the Sun Devils football team in addition to his work as ASU’s second baseman. He stuck with baseball after being drafted by the Washington Senators in 1970. Randle jumped right to Triple-A after the draft and made his big league debut by his first full season. He remained with the franchise when they relocated to Texas and rebranded as the Rangers going into the ’72 campaign.
After a few seasons in a utility role, Randle broke through in 1974. He hit .302 and stole 26 bases (albeit with 17 times caught stealing) across 151 games. Randle played multiple positions and was a valuable enough part of the Texas roster to receive down-ballot MVP support. He had another strong season in 1975, hitting .276 with 24 doubles across 676 plate appearances. He divided that season mostly between second base and center field.
Randle didn’t play as well in ’76. He lost his hold on the starting second base job the following spring. Randle threatened to leave camp, which led to public criticism from manager Frank Lucchesi (link via MLB.com). Randle confronted Lucchesi and, after a brief exchange, punched the manager multiple times. Lucchesi was hospitalized with a fractured cheekbone. Randle would eventually plead no contest to battery charges, leading to a fine.
While teammates and Texas beat reporters said that kind of outburst was out of character for the generally soft-spoken Randle, the Rangers made the obvious decision to move on from him. Texas suspended him for a month and traded him to the Mets before the ban was lifted. Randle moved to third base in Queens, where he had a strong first season. He hit .304 with a career-high 33 steals. His numbers dropped again in ’78, after which he bounced around the league.
Randle had a cameo with the Yankees in 1979, played somewhat regularly for the Cubs the following season, then finished his MLB career with two seasons in Seattle. During his stint with the Mariners, Randle had the humorous play in which he blew a slow roller down the third base line into foul territory after realizing he didn’t have a play on the ball. Umpires awarded the hitter first base.
Over a 12-year big league career, Randle hit .257/.321/.335. He was never much of a power threat and only connected on 27 home runs. The switch-hitter picked up 145 doubles and 40 triples while stealing 156 bases. He collected just over 1000 hits and scored nearly 500 runs. MLBTR joins others throughout the game in sending our condolences to Randle’s family, loved ones, friends and former teammates.
RIP. that attempt to blow the dribbler foul is one of those early days of sportscenter highlights burned into memory
cent – You had cable in 1981? There was only like 13 million ESPN subscribers then. Haha!
For me it was a memorable TWIB highlight that got me familiar with him, I was too young to remember his days with the Rangers.
RIP Lenny, thoughts and prayers to your loved ones.
It was funny. Fever, I remember growing up in CT in 78 or 79 and one day hitting the channels on my cable box (old fashioned wired remote) and finding a new channel. When it said “WSBK, TV 38” I screamed with joy ((unfortunately, I didn’t date until another year or so …).
dewey – Me too, although I got WSBK without cable … I’m guessing the local CBS station picked up the feed? I lived for a while in North Central CT, that’s probably why I got the feed. Maybe it was WWLP out of Springfield? But they were NBC and TV38 was CBS if I remember correctly.
Fever, your setting back with memories. Springfield 22 I could get with my adjustable antenna but I could only get a grainy picture with no sound (I grew up in New Haven). My dad refused to pay for cable until a storm knowcked the antenna off the roof and he learned such was not covered by insurance. We them ordered cable…
dewey – Okay how about this for memories …. Pepe’s Pizza? Simply the best!
I was a Sally’s guy and sadly no one today can appreciate how great it was. Today, they’ve ruined things by opening outlets. Sal used to supervise every lie and Flo, his spouse would handle everything else. They were related. Pepe’s had the best clam pie. My high school friend opened up a New Haven style pizza/brewery in Chicago where deep dish was the beast. Look up Piece Brewery
dewey – Pepe’s white clam pizza was voted the best all-around pizza in the country back in 2013 I think was the year?
I think I prefer theirs because it’s the same style my Mom made from scratch, Napoletana. I always tell them light baked crust because I love crust and hate when it’s burned.
Napoletana is my second favorite to Sicilian, but it’s so hard to find good Sicilian pizza anywhere.
Deep dish is good, I would buy it at Pizzeria Uno near the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.
Bertucci’s was another favorite of mine, they are a large New England chain …. smaller now though.
Fever, Uno? Are there on Long Island but was it pizza? I had real deep dish many years at Viora no’s and while great, it wasn’t pizza to me. Growing up in New Haven, the burnt crust edges from the brick oven was part of the charm. Your mom made authentic pizza? I’m jealous although mine was a great cook. True story, she learned Italian cooking from her uncle who owned an Italian mortuary in Brooklyn. He would take a mini to travel to visit! Wooster Street was a must! Usually Delmonico’s a full restaurant that was across from Sally’s
Yes NYC suburbs – first got it in early 1979 or so. Those wonderful Tom Mees/Bob Ley days of early sportscenter. “loseapeg Jets” and all that
cent – I have seen some clips of those two guys, that’s how I recognize the names. I wonder if Bob was related to Rick?
@Fever…TWIB is where I remembered it from. I wasn’t born yet when the play happened. I had a VHS that I watched daily during summer break for 3 or 4 years. Still the best theme song ever in my opinion.
kzw – Did you ever read Baseball Digest? Even though I was a young kid, I had several letters published in it. Can’t believe it’s still active, I never see it in stores.
@Fever…I did read Baseball Digest, but not all that often. My dad was subscribed to Baseball Weekly so that’s what we always had. Then it became Sports Weekly sometime in the early 2000’s.
A Strat-O-Matic favorite of mine. He was always interesting and always seemed to make himself valuable on any team he played on. RIP Lenny.
Wow. Strat-o-Matic. Bringing back memories of the 70s.
My favorite player to use in I think it was 80 or 81 was Dave Stapleton who came out of nowhere and had a very good first season with Boston. I had to monitor his games because of the 125% rule but he was a hidden gem as no one else knew of him when assembling our teams.
I think he was an emergency C in a couple of games and qualified there one year. So I used him as a C and he could play like 5 or 6 positions. LOL
dewey – Wish he had come out of the duguout in Game 6
Fever, I wish my mom had come out of the dugout…
Uncle, I don’t recall him catching.2nd and 1 .
dewey – Ha! You saved your best post of the year for the very end ;O)
Strat-O-Matic….take me back to my childhood ..A buddy of mine and me played the entire 1986 season….He did the NL and me the AL…. We kept stats and everything man that was time consuming but we loved it…. Never did play the world series between the two. He did all the games for the national League and I did all the games for the American League. We used to have strat-o-matic parties at his house on the weekends…oh the ⚾⚾⚾ memorie
RIP Lenny. Forks up Go Devils!
One of my all time favorite Mariners!! RIP Lenny Randle.
RIP Cappacino
I remember him signing with the Giants in ’79 I think and looking forward to seeing him play then he gets traded to Pittsburgh then the Yankees and never plays for SF or the Pirates!
I have a 1975 Topps card of him yelling in the batter’s box like he got hit or something. Weird card.
RIP Lenny
Lenny Randle’s career exemplifies the value of versatility and speed in an era that often undervalued such contributions. Despite his modest .257/.321/.335 career slash line, Randle provided significant value through his baserunning, stealing 156 bases and ranking among the league leaders in stolen base attempts during his peak seasons. His 33 stolen bases in 1977, paired with a .304 batting average, highlight his ability to impact games both offensively and on the basepaths. Defensively, Randle’s flexibility in playing multiple positions added hidden value not easily captured in traditional stats but critical for roster construction. His contributions remain a testament to the value of well-rounded, adaptable players in the sport.
If anything, speed was overvalued back then. Anyone who could steal bases was considered leadoff-hitter material, regardless of their OBP. Guys like Omar Moreno were constantly being miscast as leadoff hitters because of their base-stealing abilities. And no one really cared if they got caught stealing a lot, either.
@Hammerin’ Hank
Randle’s 1977 season demonstrates a more nuanced case. His .304 batting average that year was paired with a respectable .383 OBP, showing he wasn’t just a one-dimensional speedster. Moreover, his versatility defensively and his ability to contribute across multiple roles made him more than just a “steals guy.” The missteps of other teams with players like Omar Moreno don’t diminish the fact that Randle’s speed, when combined with his adaptability, brought legitimate value to his teams.
Anyone who could steal bases was fast. They were put in the leadoff position because it guaranteed them an opportunity to put the ball in play with no one on the bases. Force plays weren’t possible. The defense had to make the throw to first. Infield hits and rush errors were more likely. That could then turn into a double with a steal. Just that player on first, with 2B open, many times lead to the pitcher not concentrating on the next hitter, and mistakes would be made. There’s not a column on the stat sheets for that. Ricky Henderson, Tim Raines, Ron LeFlore, would reach 1B (sometimes even by a bunt) and the crowd would be chanting “GO! GO! GO!” The two hitter was often a contact hitter, who could take pitches, and they would do this thing called a Hit and Run. It would assure that leadoff hitter got into scoring position, or to third or even home, if a hit. Again, there’s no stat column for batters with hit and run skills.
RIP Lenny, even if just for bring back these memories of a different game.
@stymeedone
Your sentimentality about the game’s past strategies is appreciated, but it misses the point of Randle’s unique contributions. Lenny Randle wasn’t simply a “fast guy” plugged into a leadoff spot to exploit defense errors or set up a hit-and-run. His 1977 season showcased a complete offensive profile with a .383 OBP, which went far beyond just reaching first base via speed. That ability to consistently get on base elevated him above many players who relied solely on their legs.
Moreover, while there might not have been stat columns for hit-and-run skills or defensive distractions back then, modern metrics like wOBA and WPA provide deeper insights into a player’s overall value. Randle’s versatility—both offensively and defensively—offered genuine roster flexibility, a critical yet undervalued trait in his era.
Grouping him with Hall of Fame-caliber players like Henderson or Raines doesn’t do him justice; Randle excelled in his role as a well-rounded, adaptable contributor, rather than merely capitalizing on a single skill. Nostalgia for “GO! GO! GO!” chants is charming, but Randle’s career deserves to be evaluated on a level that appreciates his broader impact on the game.
And now we have slow sluggers like Kyle Schwarber leading off!
RIP
I remember him being one of the best players on a bad Mets team in ‘77.
Agree, Blue B. Never any trouble, played 3B well, not so great at 2B. 4.2 WAR. Fun to watch.
Depletion and BB – best year of his career – the 1977 NYM under Frazier and then Torre. They lost 97. What a team!
Small man complex. Punching out an old man?
Yeah, a pretty lousy thing for him to do but then we don’t know how Lucchesi was as a manger. Maybe he was just like somebody’s cranky old Uncle Walter who hated everyone.
It was pretty unusual for a manager to so publicly criticize a player. Not saying it justifies what happened, just means an otherwise good dude had a really bad moment during what was obviously a stressful time in his life.
RIP Lenny.
Fun times watching you
play for the Rangers…..
I’ll still never forget his 1978 Topps baseball card where it looks like the first baseman is having his way with Randle. One of the funniest card images I have ever seen. Seriously, Google the 1978 Topps Lenny Randle card if you have never seen it. RIP
The Go Go Sox showed MLB what speed could do at the top of the lineup could do with Aparicio-Fox. The most successful teams in the 60s were the Dodgers and Cardinals who used Wills-Davis and Brock-Flood respectively. Charlie Finley loved base stealing. His As used Campaneris-North to disrupt the opposition and all they did was win. The Expos were an up and coming powerhouse until cocain ruined the team. They were most exciting when LeFlore-Scott set the tables. Coleman-McGee were the 80s Cardinals main weapon. The 03 Marlins brought back the concept and won the WS using Pierre-Castillo on top. The 70s Pittsburgh Lumber Company was an offensive power. They had power but needed men on base. Once Rennie Stennett went down, Taveras-Moreno were very effective. They didn’t peak at the same time and Taveras defense was a liability. Caught stealing was a big deal. They attempted for maximum effect and that was part of managing then. Don’t belittle a strategy just because you don’t understand why they did it then. IMO, if a team would employ that system today, they would be very successful.
Used to play APBA, the dice rolling baseball game as kids n Lenny Randle was my brother’s favorite player. Spent whole summer’s staying up till daylight, playing game after game. Seen too many of our “players” pass on lately. Condolences to his family n friends. RIP
I still play Apba
I thought of playing APBA again. I still have all of my cards from 1962-1985.
No mention of him playing in Italy?
Oh man. Lenny Randle. Too young, or I am getting old. Either way, RIP Lenny.
Bummer! He was wonderful in an appearance I saw him at n MLB Hot Stove last winter.
Lenny also started an amazing brawl…On a bunt! Absolutely leveled the pitcher, spun and ran straight into a wall, never made it to first. RIP Lenny!
I remember him with the Cubs. Good ballplayer. RIP.
Shameful to downplay his brutal attack on Lucchesi. Randle was an expert in martial arts and the attack was completely unprovoked.
Lucchesi sued, and won, but only collected a small amount.
He signed a card for me once. He wrote “Fu** You Sam” above his signature. Classy guy. I still have it because it makes me laugh.
Surprised there’s no mention that he leveled the hell out of Milt Wilcox on that bunt.
If I remember correctly he was at the plate at Shea when the lights went out in 1977, he the catcher, and the ump hit the deck because the pitcher was throwing the ball at that moment.
Wow. I was a Met fan in those days but 12 yrs old. Didnt remember that but we didnt have all the resources like we do today to see the replays.
Who was the last active player that played for the senators ?
I remember Randle with the Mets.
He was a replacement player in ‘95 Spring Training for the Angels. I really wish they would’ve let those guys play a few weeks of games so I could’ve followed them a bit more. I was 12 that year, and wasn’t familiar with 90% of the retired guys who were replacements. I would’ve probably seen Randle play a few times had the Tigers made it to the part of the schedule when they played LA.