agent before the season, Marvin Miller of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) criticized the trade as an example of collusive efforts between baseball owners to sidestep the rules surrounding free agency. Compensation for free agents had been a contentious issue in labor negotiations between owners and the MLBPA. McBride began the 1982 season as the starting right fielder for the Indians, but he suffered an eye infection and did not play after May 21. He had started the season hitting .365 in 27 games. McBride said that the eye infection was related to his contact lenses and he thought that his recovery had been delayed by trying to wear other types of contacts. He said that he had worn hard contact lenses since 1970, and that he had damaged his corneas by wearing contacts all of the time. McBride said that his corneal issue was such that he was unable to switch from contact lenses to glasses while his eyes healed. Just before the 1983 season, McBride said that he had not had eye problems since January, when he began wearing contact lenses made for him by doctors in Boston. He played in 70 games in the 1983 season, twice ending up on the disabled list. He filed for free agency in October 1983. After his playing career, McBride retired to Florissant, Missouri, where he briefly owned a liquor store. He was enjoying the time he could spend with his family, but the New York Mets called him with a coaching opportunity. In 1985, the organization hired McBride as an outfield and baserunning coach for their minor league system. He stayed with the organization for seven years. In the 1990s, McBride was a minor league hitting coach for the Cardinals. Personal life McBride married the former Celeste Woodley. The couple had three children. By 1976, McBride had opened a youth center in Fulton. He lived in St. Louis during the baseball offseasons. His cousin, Ron McBride, played college football at the University of Missouri and then appeared in the National Football League. Early in his career, McBride said that he could not explain how he had come to be known as Bake. Career statistics In the postseason covering 22 games from 1977–81, McBride batted .244 (21-for-86) with 8 runs, 3 home runs and 8 RBI. References External links Bake McBride at SABR (Baseball BioProject) 1949 births Living people