According to Bradley Locker of the New York Post, a former major league infielder and instructor, has died after battling cancer. He was 74.
Mike Cubbage played in parts of eight seasons from 1974 to 1981. He was a left-handed hitter who was picked in the second round by the Washington Senators in 1971. The Senators had also selected Cubbage in the sixth round of the 1968 draft, but the Charlottesville native had remained committed to the University of Virginia. A few months after drafting him for the second time, the Senators relocated to Texas and became the Rangers.
After spending parts of four seasons in the minors, Cubbage made his Texas debut early in the 1974 season. Nevertheless, he spent the majority of that season in Triple-A. Cubbage appeared in 58 MLB games the following season. Texas included him in a four-player trade with the Twins to acquire future Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven in the middle of the 1976 season. Cubbage continued to play consistently for Minnesota for the next four or so seasons. He surpassed 100 games three times while serving as the Twins’ primary third baseman. He hit .266/.336/.378 in just under 2,000 plate appearances with Minnesota.
Cubbage signed with the Mets as a free agent before the 1981 season. He appeared in 67 games for New York. While he did not have a significant impact on the club as a player, he promptly began a lengthy career as a minor league manager in the New York system. Cubbage joined the MLB coaching staff in 1990, serving as hitting coach under Davey Johnson. He served as the MLB team’s interim manager for a week in 1991 and continued to coach throughout the decade. Cubbage joined the Red Sox staff in the early 2000s and has since served in a variety of scouting jobs. He worked in the Nationals’ professional scouting department for the 2019 World Series season.
Cubbage had a.258/.330/.369 batting line in slightly over 700 MLB games. He hit 34 homers and drove in 251 runs. His playing days provided as a springboard for a true “baseball lifer” career that lasted over four decades. MLBTR extends its sympathies to his family, loved ones, friends, and the many individuals he influenced throughout his long career.
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