Benito Santiago
Benito Santiago | |
---|---|
![]() Santiago with the Florida Marlins in 1993 | |
Catcher | |
Born: Ponce, Puerto Rico | March 9, 1965|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 14, 1986, for the San Diego Padres | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 11, 2005, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .263 |
Home runs | 217 |
Runs batted in | 920 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Benito Santiago Rivera (born March 9, 1965) is a
Baseball career
Early years
Santiago was signed as an
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Benito_Santiago_Padres.jpg/220px-Benito_Santiago_Padres.jpg)
While Santiago initially made an impression with his offensive statistics, he soon became known for his defensive prowess, most notably for his strong throwing arm.[9] Santiago was known for his ability to throw out would be base stealers from a kneeling position.[3][9] In 1988, he led National League catchers in assists and in baserunners caught stealing with a 45% average when the league average was 30%.[9][10] Although he still led the league's catchers with 12 errors, it was an improvement over the 22 he had committed the previous season. Santiago was awarded the first of three consecutive Gold Glove Awards in 1988.[11] Santiago also claimed his second successive Silver Slugger Award as the Padres improved to finish in third place in the National League Western Division.[12][13]
Although he was hitting for only a .236 average at mid-season in 1989, his defensive reputation earned him the starting catcher's role in the 1989 All-Star Game.[14][15] He was awarded the 1989 National League Gold Glove Award for catchers, as the Padres climbed to second place in the season's final standings.[16][17]
Santiago rebounded in
Before the 1991 season, Santiago asked for a four-year contract worth $11 million, but lost his arbitration case and was awarded a one-year contract worth $1.65 million.[22] A disgruntled Santiago announced that he would leave the Padres when he became eligible for free agency after the 1992 season.[22] He was also disillusioned when the Padres traded away players such as Joe Carter and Jack Clark.[23] In June, Padres manager Greg Riddoch benched Santiago for his lack of hustle on the playing field.[22] Despite the difficulties, Santiago led the league's catchers with 100 assists and posted a career-high 87 runs batted in.[1]
Santiago returned to arbitration before the 1992 season, this time winning a $3.3 million one-year contract that made him the highest paid catcher in professional baseball.[24] In September 1992, the Padres announced that they would not seek to re-sign Santiago, in what was seen as a cost-cutting measure.[23][25]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/SDP1992R09SANTIAGO.jpg/220px-SDP1992R09SANTIAGO.jpg)
From 1991 to 1994, Santiago wore a jersey with the uniform number 09, making him one of the only major professional sports players to have ever worn a jersey with a leading zero as part of his uniform number.[26]
Decline and trades
On December 16, 1992, Santiago signed with the newly established franchise Florida Marlins and hit the first home run in team history. Despite hitting for a .273 average in 1994, he was granted free agency after the season as the Marlins were ready to promote their young catching prospect, Charles Johnson.[1] On April 17, 1995, the Cincinnati Reds signed him and he briefly recovered his form batting .286.[1] On January 30, 1996, he joined the Phillies, where he became the first player to hit a grand slam off Greg Maddux in the regular season after Maddux had been pitching for nearly ten years.[27] Santiago also hit a home run in four consecutive at bats in the same season. Santiago ended the season with a career-high 30 home runs, along with 85 runs batted in, for the last place Phillies.[1]
Santiago then signed a contract to play for the Blue Jays (1997–1998) where he lost almost the entire 1998 season to a serious injury sustained in a car crash in Florida.[28] A free agent again, he played 89 games for the Cubs in 1999 and played for Cincinnati in 2000.[1]
Resurgence with the Giants
Santiago arrived in
The Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the play-offs then met the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2002 National League Championship Series.[32] Santiago hit two home runs in the series along with 6 runs batted in, and was awarded the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award as the Giants defeated the Cardinals in five games.[33] In the 2002 World Series against the Anaheim Angels, Santiago delivered 5 runs batted in as the Giants were defeated in a seven-game series.[34][35]
In 2003, the 38-year-old Santiago continued to perform well, hitting fifth in the batting order behind Barry Bonds, he appeared in 108 games while posting a .279 batting average with 56 runs batted in.[1][36]
Later years
On December 11, 2003, Santiago, again a free agent, signed with the
He was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame on August 8, 2015.[37]
Career statistics
In a 20-year major league career, Santiago played in 1,978
A five-time All-Star, Santiago was known for his strong defensive skills, leading National League catchers three times in assists, once in fielding percentage and once in baserunners caught stealing.[1] As 2010 began, Santiago was tied for eighth on the all-time list of games caught with Brad Ausmus, with 1,917.[38]
Steroid allegations
In 2003, Santiago was named by FBI investigators as one of the athletes alleged to have received anabolic steroids. He was linked to performance enhancers in the book Game of Shadows.[39]
On December 13, 2007, Santiago was named in the
Personal life
Santiago has a son named Benito Santiago Jr., who is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player who currently plays for the Vaqueros de Bayamón in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN), the top tier basketball league in Puerto Rico.[40]
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a catcher leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
- List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report
- San Diego Padres award winners and league leaders
References
- ^ baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ^ Vass, George (June 1995). "Here's An All-Overpaid Team of Major Leaguers". Baseball Digest. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ mlb.com. Major League Baseball. 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- ^ "Braves Romp and Halt Garciaparra's Streak". The New York Times. August 31, 1997. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
- ^ "Benito Finito At 34 Games". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. October 12, 1987. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ "1987 National League Rookie of the Year Award voting results". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1987 National League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1987 Silver Slugger Award Winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b c Reinman, T.R. (December 1988). Mavbe They Ought To Call Him 'Shotgun' Santiago. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help)[permanent dead link] - ^ "1988 National League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1988 National League Gold Glove Award winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1988 Silver Slugger Award Winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1988 National League Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1989 Benito Santiago Batting Log". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1989 All-Star Game". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1989 National League Gold Glove Award winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1989 National League Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1990 Benito Santiago Batting Log". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1990 Silver Slugger Award Winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1990 All-Star Game". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "1990 National League Gold Glove winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Santiago Benched". Portsmouth Daily Times. Associated Press. June 1, 1991. p. 3. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b "Santiago apparently through in San Diego". Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. September 22, 1992. p. 4. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "Padres' Santiago Awarded $3.3 Million". Palm Beach Post. February 6, 1992. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "Penny Pinchin' Padres". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. March 29, 1993. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ Yellon, Al (June 9, 2010). "Cubs Select Benito Santiago Jr". SB Nation Chicago. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^ "Santiago tags Maddux with first grand slam". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. May 4, 1996. p. 4. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "Santiago expects to play after crash". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 6, 1998. p. 7. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "2001 National League Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "Willie Mac Award Winners". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
- ^ "2002 San Francisco Giants season". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "2002 League Division Series". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "2002 League Championship Series". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "Benito Santiago post-season batting statistics". Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "2002 World Series". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ Peters, Nick (September 2003). Armed Behind The Plate. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help)[permanent dead link] - ^ Lin, Dennis (July 9, 2015). "Santiago, Templeton elected to Padres HOF". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015.
- ^ Gurnick, Ken, "Ausmus comes to terms with Dodgers; Backstop agrees on one-year deal with option for 2011" MLB.com, January 26, 2010, accessed January 27, 2010
- ^ "Giambi, Sheffield also implicated in allegations". ESPN.com. March 2, 2004. Retrieved August 1, 2008.
- ^ Story, Mark. "Mark Story: Benito Santiago Jr. chasing hoop dreams at Cumberlands". Kentucky.com. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Benito Santiago at the SABR Baseball Biography Project