| Paul Abbott | |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Birth Date: | 15 September 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Van Nuys, California, U.S. |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | August 21 |
| Debutyear: | 1990 |
| Debutteam: | Minnesota Twins |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | August 7 |
| Finalyear: | 2004 |
| Finalteam: | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 43–37 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 4.92 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 496 |
| Teams: | |
Paul David Abbott (born September 15, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1990 and 2004 for six different teams. He was part of the 2001 Seattle Mariners team that tied the major-league record for the most wins in a season, with Abbott compiling a 17–4 win–loss record. He has one of the highest lifetime winning percentages as a Mariner, at .679 (36–17).[1]
A native of Van Nuys, California, Abbott attended Sunny Hills High School, Fullerton, California, and played professional baseball for 21 consecutive years (1985–2005), including service in minor league and independent league baseball.[2] He threw and batted right-handed. During his playing days, Abbott stood 6feet tall, weighing . Following his playing career, he worked as a minor-league pitching coach in the Boston Red Sox organization for over a decade.
Abbott began his professional career in the Minnesota Twins farm system, first with the Rookie-Level Elizabethton Twins in 1985. With Elizabethton, Abbott went 1–5 with a 6.94 earned run average (ERA) in 10 games, all starts.[2]
His next season, Abbott was promoted to the Class-A Kenosha Twins of the Midwest League. In 1986, Abbott went 6–10 with a 4.50 ERA in 25 games, 15 starts. He continued to pitch for Kenosha in 1987 as he went 13–6 with a 3.65 ERA in 26 games, 25 starts.[2]
In 1988, Abbot continued to play in Class-A, this time with the Visalia Oaks of the California League. He went 11–9 with a 4.18 ERA in 28 games, all starts. Abbott also had innings pitched, the most in his minor-league career.[2]
In 1989, Abbott was promoted to the Double-A Orlando Twins of the Southern League. He went 9–3 with a 4.37 ERA in 17 games, all starts.[2]
Abbott began the 1990 season with the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. He went 5–14 with a 4.56 ERA in 23 games, all starts. He was called up to the Minnesota Twins on August 21, 1990. He went 0–5 with 25 strikeouts and a 5.97 ERA in seven games, all starts.[2]
After completing his playing career, Abbott served as an assistant baseball coach at Fullerton Junior College and pitching coach for the independent Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League.[3]
Abbott then spent 13 seasons as a pitching coach in the Boston Red Sox organization: Class A Short Season Lowell Spinners (2011–2012), Class A Greenville Drive (2013–2014), Class A-Advanced Salem Red Sox (2015–2017), Double-A Portland Sea Dogs (2018–2019), Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox (2020), and Triple-A Worcester Red Sox (2021–2023). Following the 2023 season, the Red Sox chose not to renew Abbott's contract.[4]
Abbott's son Trent (born 1987), who attended Troy High School and played baseball for Fullerton College, was drafted as a pitcher by the Oakland Athletics in the 36th round of the 2007 MLB draft, but did not play baseball professionally.[5] Another son, Lance (born 1986), also attended Troy High School then played college baseball at Sacramento State and Fullerton College before playing briefly in the Seattle Mariners organization during 2010.[6]