Tim Wallach

Wallach, in the foreground, playing third base for the Expos against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1991

Wallach made his major league debut at the age of 22 on September 6, 1980, against the San Francisco Giants after replacing Ron LeFlore at left field. In his first plate appearance in the top of the 5th inning, he was walked, but in his second plate appearance in the 8th, he hit a home run. Wallach and Brett Pill (September 6, 2011) are the only two players from Cal State Fullerton to hit a home run in their first at bat. Wallach appeared in four other games in that season. He appeared in 71 games in the following season, having 50 hits and 13 RBIs with a .236 batting average. He appeared in the postseason run with the Expos, appearing in five games. In Game 1 of the 1981 National League Division Series, he went 1-of-2 with a double and a walk while scoring a run. In the other four games that he appeared in, he went hitless. 1982 was his first full-time season, and he played in 158 games while having 160 hits, 28 home runs, 31 doubles, and 97 RBIs with a .268 batting average. He slightly regressed the following year, playing in 156 games while having 156 hits, 33 doubles, 19 home runs, and 70 RBIs with a .269 batting average. In 1984, Wallach played in 160 games with 143 total hits, 18 home runs, and 72 RBIs on a .246 batting average, but also had 101 strikeouts (a career high) while being named to the All-Star Game, his first. He improved the following year, playing in 155 games while also having 148 hits, 36 doubles, 22 home runs, 81 RBIs with a .260 batting average while also being selected to the All-Star Game once again. He was also awarded a Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger Award. He regressed a bit the next season, playing in 134 games while having 112 hits, 22 doubles, 18 home runs and 71 RBIs with a .233 batting average, although he led the league in being hit by pitch with 10.

In 1987, Wallach was named to the All-Star Game once again while winning a Silver Slugger Award and finishing 4th in Most Valuable Player voting, doing so in 153 games while having 177 hits, 26 home runs, 42 doubles, and 123 RBIs with a .298 batting average, with the latter three being career highs. He regressed a bit the next season, having 152 hits, 32 doubles, 12 home runs and 69 RBIs with a .257 batting average in 159 games, although he did win the Gold Glove, his second. He rebounded in 1989, being named to the All-Star Game, playing in 154 games while getting 159 hits, 42 doubles, 13 home runs and 77 RBIs with a .277 batting average. He continued his success in 1990, playing in a career high 161 games while having 185 hits, 37 doubles, 21 home runs, 98 RBIs and a .296 batting average while being named to the All-Star Game and finishing 10th in MVP voting while winning the Gold Glove for the third and final time. He was named team captain prior to the 1991 season, being the first team captain in franchise history. He regressed in production in his final two seasons with the Expos, playing in 301 combined games while having a total of 250 hits, 51 doubles, 22 home runs and 132 RBIs while hitting under .230 both seasons. On December 24, 1992, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tim Barker.[5]

Wallach played in 133 games for the Dodgers, getting 106 hits (his lowest since having 112 in 1986), with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 62 RBIs with a .222 batting average. In the strike shortened 1994 season, he played in 113 games (out of 114 that the Dodgers played), having 116 hits, 21 doubles and 23 home runs (his highest since having 21 in 1990) with 78 RBIs and a .280 batting average. He finished 18th in MVP voting. He played in just 97 games for the Dodgers in 1995, having 87 hits (his lowest since having 50 in 1981) with 22 doubles, nine home runs and 38 RBIs and a .266 batting average. He appeared in the team's postseason run, playing in each game of the NLDS. He went 1-for-12, with no RBIs as the Dodgers were swept in three. After the season ended, he signed as a free agent with the California Angels. He played in 57 games with the team, having 45 hits, seven doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBIs with 47 strikeouts on a .237 batting average. He was granted free agency on July 19, 1996, signing with the Dodgers six days later. He played in 45 games while having 37 hits, three doubles, four home runs and 22 RBIs on a .228 batting average. He appeared in the postseason run, appearing in each game of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. He went 0-for-11 as they were swept. In his final regular season game on September 29, 1996, he went 1-for-4. In his final at bat (done in the 10th inning), he hit a single off Dario Veras of the San Diego Padres.[6]