page_title: Graig Nettles
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Graig Nettles / Career
caption_attribution_description: English: Professional baseball player Graig Nettles
context_page_description: Graig Nettles, nicknamed "Puff", is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, and Montreal Expos.
  Nettles was one of the best defensive third basemen of all time, and despite his relatively low career batting average, he was an excellent offensive contributor, setting an American League record for career home runs by a third baseman. As a part of four pennant-winning Yankee teams, Nettles enjoyed his best season in 1977 when he won the Gold Glove Award and had career-highs in home runs and runs batted in in leading the Yankees to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
context_section_description: The Minnesota Twins drafted Nettles in the fourth round of the 1965 Major League Baseball draft. He made his MLB debut with the Twins on September 6, 1967. Nettles batted .222 in 96 games with the Twins in 1969.
  On December 10, 1969, the Twins traded Nettles with Dean Chance, Ted Uhlaender, and a player to be named later (PTBNL) to the Cleveland Indians for Luis Tiant and Stan Williams. After playing three seasons with the Indians, the New York Yankees acquired Nettles with Jerry Moses for John Ellis, Jerry Kenney, Charlie Spikes, and Rusty Torres. The Indians traded Nettles due to a feud between Nettles and manager Ken Aspromonte.
  Nettles was named the AL player of the month for April 1974, as he set the AL record for home runs in a month with 11.   On September 7, 1974, Nettles was caught using a bat that had six superballs inside it. He said that he had received the bat from a Yankees fan in Chicago and did not know that the bat had been altered.
  On September 14, 1974, Nettles and his brother Jim homered in the same game, joining a select club that includes Bret and Aaron Boone, José and Héctor Cruz, Felipe and César Crespo, Al and Tony Cuccinello, Joe and Dom DiMaggio,  and Rick and Wes Ferrell. The seven sets of brothers hit their homers playing for opposing teams.
  Nettles was named the starting third baseman for the AL in the 1975 MLB All-Star Game.
  During a brawl in a game against the Boston Red Sox on May 20, 1976, Nettles, who was on second base at the onset of the brawl, tackled Boston pitcher Bill Lee from behind. When it appeared that the dust had settled and the brawl was over, Lee confronted Nettles for tackling him from behind.  The fracas resumed when Nettles swung at Lee. More players joined in the fray and Nettles broke Lee's collarbone when they went down in the pile. Despite the incident, Nettles was not suspended and went on to lead the American League with 32 home runs.
  Nettles enjoyed his best season in 1977, when he picked up his first of two Gold Glove Awards, and crushed 37 homers and 107 RBI in helping lead the Yankees to a World Series win over the Dodgers. The following season, Nettles earned his second Gold Glove to help the Yankees bring back-to-back World Series championships to the Bronx.
  During Game 3 of the 1978 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, with the Dodgers leading the series two games to none, Nettles made several plays at the hot corner to stop potential run-scoring hits, and helping the Yankees gain a key win in the series.  New York went on to win the next three contests and clinch the world championship.
  In July 1980, Nettles hit his 267th career home run, the most among AL third basemen.
  In the fall of 1982, George Steinbrenner, the Yankees owner, stated that Nettles "is in the twilight of his career, and if he never plays another game for me, he has earned more than what I have paid him."  This comment insulted Nettles, and led to his increased dissatisfaction with the Yankees. The Yankees acquired Toby Harrah in February 1984, intending to platoon him with Nettles at third base. Dissatisfied with the platoon, Nettles reported to spring training at the deadline for his arrival. On March 30, 1984, the Yankees traded Nettles to the San Diego Padres for Dennis Rasmussen and a PTBNL. Nettles had wanted to play closer to his San Diego home, and his approval of the trade was required given his years of service.
  Nettles famously characterized his career with the Yankees when he said that "[w]hen I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join the circus. With the Yankees I have accomplished both."
  Nettles was involved in the infamous 1984 "San Diego Padres–Atlanta Braves Beanball Game", while playing for the Padres during a Braves home game on August 12, 1984.  Nettles charged the mound, and attempted to tackle Braves relief pitcher Donnie Moore, after Moore intentionally beaned Nettles.  Nettles missed and then was thrown to the ground by Braves first baseman (and former longtime Yankee teammate) Chris Chambliss. In 1985, after teammate 
caption: Nettles, circa 1977
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