Anyone who has attended an Ironpig’s game knows who fan favorite Andy Tracy is. Many a broken bats, balls and autographs have come out of that dugout to a smiling kid when Andy is around. He is the closest thing to a legend that the franchise has. When you think baseball in the Lehigh Valley you think Andy Tracy.
How much do you really know about him though. Yes, he hits home runs.. his name rhymes with the character “Casey” in the famous poem “Casey at the Bat” written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. The broadcast team call him the Mighty Tracy and I’ve heard “Achilles” applied also. He is the hero that Ironpig fans needed over 2+ losing seasons.
Andy was born on December 11, 1973 in Bowling Green, Ohio. He attended Bowling Green State University where is was also the teams punter. A story related to me that Andy had the opportunity to play in one nationally televised bowl game in his football career and spent most of the game on the bench with a concussion after a touchdown saving tackle made early in the game. Thus began Andy’s baseball career.
Transactions:
June 1, 1995 : Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 28th round of the 1995 amateur draft, but did not sign.June 4, 1996 : Drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 16th round of the 1996 amateur draft. Player signed June 10, 1996.
March 27, 2002 : Selected off waivers by the New York Mets from the Montreal Expos .
April 9, 2003 : Released by the New York Mets .
April 25, 2003 : Signed as a Free Agent with the Colorado Rockies .
October 15, 2003 : Granted Free Agency.
January 7, 2004 : Signed as a Free Agent with the Colorado Rockies .
October 6, 2004 : Granted Free Agency.
December 15, 2004 : Signed as a Free Agent with the Colorado Rockies .
October 15, 2005 : Granted Free Agency.
December 14, 2005 : Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians .
February 18, 2006 : Sent to the Baltimore Orioles by the Cleveland Indians as part of a conditional deal.
October 15, 2006 : Granted Free Agency.
January 23, 2007 : Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Mets .
October 29, 2007 : Granted Free Agency.
November 20, 2007 : Signed as a Free Agent with the Philadelphia Phillies .
November 10, 2009 : Granted Free Agency.
November 18, 2009 : Signed as a Free Agent with the Philadelphia Phillies .
He certainly has traveled and earned a good deal of respect across minor league baseball.
You can’t forget the 2/3 an inning that Andy pitched for the Ironpig’s in 2008. He came on in the 9th after Les Walrond was ejected and struck out one batter and caused the other to pop out.
Major League Stats
Year Team G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA 2000 MON 83 218 192 29 50 8 1 11 32 1 0 22 61 .260 2001 MON 38 63 55 4 6 1 0 2 8 0 0 6 26 .109 2004 COL 15 17 16 1 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 8 .188 2008 PHI 4 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 .000 2009 PHI 9 12 12 1 5 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 .417 5 Seasons 149 314 277 35 64 10 2 13 43 1 0 30 99 .231 PHI (2 yrs) 13 16 14 1 5 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 4 .357 MON (2 yrs) 121 281 247 33 56 9 1 13 40 1 0 28 87 .227 COL (1 yr) 15 17 16 1 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 8 .188
Who can forget Andy getting called up for the 2008 World Champion Phillies or the game winning RBI in the division clinching game in 2009. Andy broke hit wrist during batting practice before the playoffs began in 2008 but he got a ring regardless. What player doesn’t strive to get a World Series Championship ring? He’s got one!
Minor League Hitting Stats
1996 Vermont A- MON 57 212 175 26 47 11 1 4 24 1 1 32 37 .269 1997 Cape Fear A MON 59 236 210 31 63 9 2 8 43 6 1 21 47 .300 1998 2 Teams A+-AA MON 133 540 462 70 115 28 4 21 86 7 6 63 131 .249 1998 Jupiter A+ MON 71 298 251 37 67 16 1 11 53 6 4 39 69 .267 1998 Harrisburg AA MON 62 242 211 33 48 12 3 10 33 1 2 24 62 .227 1999 Harrisburg AA MON 134 573 493 96 135 26 2 37 128 6 1 70 139 .274 2000 Ottawa AAA MON 55 234 195 28 60 18 0 10 36 2 2 34 63 .308 2001 Ottawa AAA MON 53 217 190 17 39 11 1 4 19 4 2 24 72 .205 2002 Norfolk AAA NYM 125 491 432 61 86 16 1 20 61 4 1 56 123 .199 2003 Tulsa AA COL 106 432 384 75 115 24 1 25 62 3 3 41 116 .299 2004 Colorado Springs AAA COL 126 529 464 98 146 42 3 33 120 4 2 58 115 .315 2005 Colorado Springs AAA COL 12 55 40 14 13 1 1 4 13 2 1 15 12 .325 2006 Ottawa AAA BAL 132 534 455 64 108 29 1 20 73 7 6 69 107 .237 2007 New Orleans AAA NYM 135 574 472 88 128 24 1 23 87 2 3 89 110 .271 2008 Lehigh Valley AAA PHI 124 507 430 71 124 34 0 22 85 5 0 65 96 .288 2009 Lehigh Valley AAA PHI 129 540 453 76 115 23 1 26 96 7 1 74 110 .254 2010 Lehigh Valley AAA PHI 34 143 122 13 26 4 1 3 11 1 0 19 32 .213 15 Seasons 1414 5817 4977 828 1320 300 20 260 944 61 30 730 1310 .265 AAA (10 seasons) 925 3824 3253 530 845 202 10 165 601 38 18 503 840 .260 AA (3 seasons) 302 1247 1088 204 298 62 6 72 223 10 6 135 317 .274 A (1 season) 59 236 210 31 63 9 2 8 43 6 1 21 47 .300 A- (1 season) 57 212 175 26 47 11 1 4 24 1 1 32 37 .269 A+ (1 season) 71 298 251 37 67 16 1 11 53 6 4 39 69 .267
So why all the memories you’re wondering? Well, I thought it was time that the Noise Nation recognized him for his great career.
Thank you Andy Tracy! I can truly say that you are my personal favorite Ironpig!
noisenation.mlblogs.com 
What a career. I hope it continues until at least the end of this season!!
A class act, Andy Tracy.
Signed my foul ball in Year One right after IronPigs blew a lead and lost a heartbreaker in extra-innings to Buffalo Bisons.
Tracy hit 2 HR that night.
I sent a letter to the editor of the Morning Call that was published.
Classic Tracy. Always intense. Big scowl on his face as I held up the ball and a pen.
Achillies never thought twice. Came right over and signed the ball immediately.
Growling the whole time.
Thank you, Andy Tracy!
I hate losing, too!!!
Hard to believe, in retrospect, that Achillies was not in the starting line-up and did not play in the very first-ever IronPigs International League game versus Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in Moosic.
Don’t forget that ANDY TRACY spent most of the 2005 season with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Pacific League and batted .209 in 63 games.
Also, Tracy ended his career at Bowling Green State University as the school’s all-time HR leader with 45.
Andy Tracy certainly is Mr. IronPig. Can’t imagine the Pigs without him. He is truly a great guy and a class act. He is someone you defineatly rout for. Happy 4 him that he got a WS ring. Let’s hope his injury doesn’t keep him out 4 long and he gets back 2 the lineup!! When his playing days r over, I hope he sticks around as a coach.