Article: Billy Jo Robidoux Produced One of the Finest Minor League Seasons in Brewers History

[reillymcshane]

Sometimes a player is remembered for more than his performance on the field. Who can forget the handlebar mustache of Rollie Fingers? The antics of Mark Fydrich. The epic beard of Brian Wilson. The afro of Oscar Gamble. In this Brewer throwback, we look at the man with perhaps the greatest name in franchise history - as well as an impressive mustache - Billy Jo Robidoux.

Billy Jo Robidoux (pronounced Roe-Buh-Dough) was born in Ware, Massachusetts, in 1964. A left-handed hitting first baseman, Robidoux was a sixth-round pick by the Brewers in the 1982 draft.

From the get-go, it was clear that Billy Jo Robidoux could hit. His career minor league batting average is a robust .308 and he walked more than he struck out. As a 19-year-old at A-ball, he hit .317 with 10 home runs. But Robidoux broke out in 1985 at AA El Paso, hitting .342 with 23 HR and 123 RBI en route to winning the Texas League MVP award.  

Robidoux got an 18-game trial with Milwaukee that fall for his efforts. He hit a pair of home runs and drove in four runs in the final game of the season - a glimpse of good things to come - or so thought Brewer fans.

For the organization - and many fans - Robidoux represented a chance to incorporate an exciting young hitter into an aging lineup. Mainstays such as Cooper, Gantner, Yount, Oglivie, and Moore were 30 and older. 

The following season, 1986, Robidoux got a chance to play regularly when Cecil Cooper was injured. The big first baseman started out well, hitting .290 over the season's first six weeks - although with little power. However, he injured his knee, which sidelined him for a month. When he returned, he was a different player. In a slump - and not playing full-time - the Brewers shipped Robidoux to the minors for two months. When he returned to the majors, his problems continued, and he finished the season hitting just .227 with a single home run in 56 games.

Hardly the breakout that everyone had hoped for.

In reality, Robidoux's chance had come and gone in Milwaukee. Injuries dogged Robidoux, and he played in only 153 games in 1987 and 1988 (56 were in Milwaukee, the rest at AAA). But the magic-hitting stroke was now gone. Even at AAA, he struggled to be anything more than ordinary. In Milwaukee, he hit .194 and .253, respectively, in limited action. 

Granted free agency after the 1988 season, Robidoux signed with Chicago. He hit well at AAA but failed to register an impact at the big league level, hitting a meager .128 in 16 games. He moved on to Boston the next season and surprised many by winning the 1B job out of training camp. 

However, he struggled to hit in the first month, then injured his shoulder diving for a ground ball. Surgery was required. He returned in July, but he was clearly a different player. Just throwing the ball sent pain shooting through the nerves of his elbow. And he described swinging the bat as if someone had stuck a knife in his shoulder. He was sent to the minors after hitting only .143 over 16 games.

Billy Jo Robidoux’s career was essentially over. The wear and tear of playing the game hard had overwhelmed his body. He was 26 years old. 

After retiring, Robidoux returned to his hometown, Ware, Massachusetts, working for the city's highway department. He has stayed involved in sports, coaching baseball at the high school level for seven years (alongside his father), and umpiring and refereeing baseball and basketball at the high school and college levels. He has remained a part of the Brewer family, participating in fantasy camps.

Billy Jo Robidoux had an unremarkable career. He hit .209 with 5 home runs in 468 at-bats in six years - most in Milwaukee. His 13% walk rate is the one thing you can highlight about his time in the big leagues. Without question, injuries played a significant role in derailing his career. 

However, while Robidoux never hit at the major league level, his 1985 season was among the finest in Brewers' minor league history. A 1.020 OPS, 97 BB vs. only 62K, a .342 BA, and 23 HR. That was stuff that made Brewers fans drool. But unlike today, those shiny numbers were masked by context. Robidoux's team, El Paso, hit .302 collectively. Yes, Robidoux had a great year. But in the context of the extreme hitter's park he played in, our expectations should have been tempered.

It was not to be, and Billy Jo Robidoux has gone down in Milwaukee Brewer history as one of the organization's most disappointing prospects. 

Still, no one could take away the man's name. When someone looks for the most unusual names in baseball history - Billy Jo Robidoux often appears on their lists.

Share your memories of former Brewer first baseman Billy Jo Robidoux.

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[Babe Ruth is Dead]

Billy Joe stole his only base pinchrunning for another 1st base bust and a guy even slower than him,  Joey Meyer,  on July 5th 1988 in Kansas City.

[LouisEly]

It was an impressive season, but IMO was outdone two years later by LaVel Freeman who slashed .395/.467/.627 in 602 plate appearances in that same hitter-friendly El Paso stadium.  Since the modern era of the Minor Leagues began in 1963, just one batting qualifier in an affiliated full-season league has hit .400.  For that effort, Freeman was given all of three plate appearances in the majors.  You know, because they had to give plate appearances to Mike Felder and his .623 career OPS (73 OPS+).

Excluding Dudley Field, while it was short-season rookie ball, in 1997 Jake Kraus slashed .390/.487/.610 with 38 BB and 15K(!) in 300 plate appearances split between Ogden and Helena. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

You beat me to it Louis!!!!! While reading this I thought of Freeman. The 80s certainly was the decade of splashy hitting prospects who hit a ceiling--Robidoux, Freeman, Randy Ready, Dion James, Ernest Riles all had gaudy numbers (although James & Riles carved out a niche & contributed some elsewhere). I even remember George Bamberger in his second go-around with the team extolling the talents of one "Joey Mi-yah, a big strong boy who can hit da ball outta da bawlpahk".

I never thought Robidoux would be a big HR guy but still liked his chances as someone who could drive in runs from the LH side & make the pitcher throw strikes. Oh well.......

[Joseph Zarr]

Ahhhhhhh that sweet and sour taste of seeing beloved prospects fade into the wispy halls of baseball's Honorable Mentions. I can only hope this current round of blue chipper can find more success. As a kiddo, I fondly recall being enthralled when hearing Robidoux's name on the radio. He would have made a fine opening act for a country headliner at Alpine Valley.

[damuelle]

It always felt like over-hype, but looking back at his stats I understand the reason for optimism. He outhit Braggs and Meyer in AA in 1985, then produced a 99 OPS+ in 63 PAs in the majors as a 21-year old that same year despite a .188 BABIP. The 12 BB / 16 K ratio was also decent in the limited MLB play.

Then he had an .805 OPS through 131 PAs as a 22-year old in the majors in 1986 before the injury. This was enhanced by a .345 BABIP, but the 23 BB / 20 K ratio was solid.

Unfortunately, the injuries from that point onward obviously limited him to AAAA status, never producing adequately in the majors.

[Jim French Stepstool]

9 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Ahhhhhhh that sweet and sour taste of seeing beloved prospects fade into the wispy halls of baseball's Honorable Mentions. I can only hope this current round of blue chipper can find more success. As a kiddo, I fondly recall being enthralled when hearing Robidoux's name on the radio. He would have made a fine opening act for a country headliner at Alpine Valley.

I remember being surprised to find out he was from Massachusetts and not Baton Rouge.