Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro | |
---|---|
Havana, Cuba | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
September 8, 1986, for the Chicago Cubs | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 30, 2005, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .288 |
Hits | 3,020 |
Home runs | 569 |
Runs batted in | 1,835 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964) is a
He was named to the
Early life
Palmeiro was born in
College career
Palmeiro was recruited by Ron Polk and enrolled at Mississippi State University, where he played college baseball for the Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was the first of two players to have ever won the SEC triple crown, both of whom are Mississippi State products. A teammate of Will Clark, the two were known as "Thunder and Lightning".[2]
Clark and Palmeiro were known to dislike each other, dating back to their time at Mississippi State.[3] On June 11, 1985, Palmeiro signed with the Chicago Cubs as the 22nd pick in the 1st round of the 1985 draft. He was drafted as a compensation pick from the San Diego Padres, to whom the Cubs lost Tim Stoddard via free agency.[4]
Minor league career (1985–1987)
In 1985, Palmeiro played with the
Major league career
Chicago Cubs (1986–1988)
Palmeiro debuted on September 8, 1986, in a game between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field, as a left fielder.[6] In his first season, he played 22 games, having a .247 batting average while having 12 RBIs and 3 home runs. In the next season, he played in 84 games, garnering 61 hits, 14 home runs and 30 RBIs with a .276 average. During his tenure with the Cubs, he normally played left field, though occasionally he would play other outfield positions or first base. Palmeiro was the runner up to National League batting champion Tony Gwynn in 1988 with a .307 batting average, only six points below Gwynn's. He had 178 hits, 8 home runs and 53 RBIs in 629 plate appearances and 152 games. He was named to the 1988 MLB All-Star Game, the first in his career.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Rafael_Palmeiro_ugena.jpg)
During that year rumors spread about a relationship between Palmeiro and
, Luis Benitez, and Pablo Delgado.Texas Rangers (1989–1993)
Upon moving to the American League, Palmeiro was primarily used as a first baseman or designated hitter. Palmeiro blossomed as a hitter while with the Rangers, leading the league in hits in 1990 and doubles in 1991. In 1989, he hit for .275 that season, having 64 RBIs, 8 home runs and 154 hits. In 1990, he was third in the American League in batting. He hit for .319 during the season, while having 89 RBIs and 14 home runs and leading the league in hits (191). He hit 49 doubles in 1991 (a season high along with a career high), while having 203 hits, 26 home runs and 88 RBIs for a .322 batting average. He was named to his second career All-Star Game that year. He dipped in every category in 1992, having 163 hits, 22 home runs, 85 RBIs and a .268 batting average.
He bounced back the following year (a contract season), having a career high 124 runs (leading the American League that year), 176 hits, a then-career high 37 home runs along with 105 RBIs and a .295 batting average. He was offered a five-year contract worth $26 million after the season. Despite that fact, he left the Rangers for the Orioles after they signed ex-Mississippi State teammate Will Clark. Instead of getting a better deal, they signed Will Clark instead (for $30 million and five years), causing Palmeiro to call him a "low life", though he later apologized for saying that.[7]
Baltimore Orioles (1994–1998)
Palmeiro signed a 5-year contract, worth more than $30 million.[8] In his first season as an Oriole, Palmeiro hit 23 home runs, a season that was abbreviated due to a work stoppage. He had 76 RBIs (the last time he would have less than 100 RBIs until 2004) along with a .319 batting average. Prior to Palmeiro's 1995 season, he had hit more than 30 home runs only once (37 in 1993).
Starting in 1995, Palmeiro began a streak of 38+ home run years that continued through the 2003 season. He hit 373 home runs during this nine-season span, while also
That season, he led the team in home runs, batting average, and runs batted in. In the 1996 season, he hit 39 home runs, 181 hits, and 142 runs batted in and helped the Orioles qualify for the
Despite having 109 strikeouts (a career high) and a .254 batting average, he had 110 RBIs, 156 hits along with 38 home runs in 1997 as he helped the team win their division for the first time since 1983. He also was awarded the
Texas Rangers (1999–2003)
Palmeiro was offered a 5-year, $50 million deal to stay with the Orioles, but instead agreed to a 5-year, $45 million contract to return to the Rangers in 1999, citing a desire to be close to family (he had remained in the Dallas area during his time with the Orioles).[9]
Palmeiro played an average of 157 games per season in his second tenure with the Rangers. He had 47 home runs in his first season back with the Rangers, while hitting for .324 and having 183 hits. He finished 5th in the MVP balloting, his highest finish ever while being named to the
Baltimore Orioles (2004–2005)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Palmeiro_swing2.png/220px-Palmeiro_swing2.png)
Palmeiro re-signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2004, on a 1-year, $4 million contract. In his press conference, he claimed he was "a little bit older, a little bit wiser". He also said he didn't want to retire until he rejoined the Orioles and if he was inducted to the Hall of Fame, he would do so as an Oriole. His power fell significantly his first season back with the Orioles, having 142 hits, along with 23 home runs, 88 RBIs and a .258 batting average, all drops from the previous season. Despite this, he became one of only six players (the other five being
Career statistics
In 2,831 games over 20 seasons, Palmeiro posted a .288
Sugar Land Skeeters (2015)
On September 17, 2015, it was announced that Palmeiro would sign with the
Coming out of retirement (2018)
Palmeiro announced on January 5, 2018, that he wanted to return to Major League Baseball. On May 9, 2018, it was announced that Palmeiro and his son Patrick signed with the
Post-career honors
Palmeiro was inducted into the Mississippi State University Hall of Fame on October 11, 2008.[25] He was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009[26] the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.[27]
Palmeiro became eligible for induction into the
Steroids
Former Rangers teammate
On August 1, 2005, Palmeiro was suspended for ten days after testing positive for a steroid.
Palmeiro returned to
Palmeiro continues to strongly deny ever having used steroids intentionally, telling The Baltimore Sun in June 2006, "Yes sir, that's what happened. It's not a story; it's the reality of what happened", and "I said what I said before Congress because I meant every word of it."
In December 2007, Palmeiro was included in the
On December 20, 2007, Palmeiro was also named in
Personal life
Palmeiro lives in
See also
- List of Cubans
- List of Cuban Americans
- 500 home run club
- 3,000 hit club
- List of Major League Baseball home run records
- List of Major League Baseball doubles records
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs
- List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report
- List of doping cases in sport
References
- ^ Petzold, Evan (April 23, 2022). "Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera becomes 33rd player in MLB history with 3,000 hits". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ Norwood, Andrew (April 29, 2015). "SEC Storied: Thunder & Lightning to Premiere Monday". Maroon and White Nation. FanSided Inc.
- ^ Chass, Murray (March 9, 1994). "Thoughts Deep in the Heart of Texas". The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
- ^ a b "Rafael Palmeiro". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Rafael Palmeiro Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Chicago Cubs 7, Philadelphia Phillies 4". www.retrosheet.org.
- ^ "Palmeiro Apologizes To Clark". Chicago Tribune. November 24, 1993. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ Scocca, Tom (November 17, 1999). "Fools' Gold". 8 Upper. Baltimore City Paper. Archived from the original on August 31, 2006.
- ^ "Gold Glove Award". baseballbiography.com.
- ^ Jeff Sullivan (December 2, 2011). "Searching For A Defense Of Rafael Palmeiro's 1999 Gold Glove". SBNation.com. Vox Media.
- ^ "Rafael Palmeiro: 500 Home Runs". Texas Rangers.
- ^ "Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays Box Score, September 13, 2004". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Rafael Palmeiro through the years". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ "Palmeiro suspended for steroids, denies intentional use". ESPN.com. August 2, 2005. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ "Palmeiro sent home by Orioles". Peninsula Clarion. Associated Press. September 6, 2005. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ "The rise and fall of Rafael Palmeiro | FOX Sports". FOX Sports. April 18, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ "Rafael Palmeiro to play for Sugar Land Skeeters of Atlantic League". ESPN.com. September 17, 2015.
- ^ "Wray, Brad (HouWray) September 18, 2016, 9:08. Tweet".
- ^ "Railroaders sign Palmeiro, son". Cleburne Railroaders. May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Gleeson, Scott. "Rafael Palmeiro, 53, smacks his first home run for independent league baseball team". USA TODAY.
- ^ "Railroaders Re-Sign Palmeiros for 2019". Cleburne Railroaders. March 11, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ "Cleburne Finalizes Opening Day Roster". Cleburne Railroaders. May 14, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
- ^ "Mississippi State University M-Club Alumni Association & Sports Hall of Fame". HailState.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ^ "College Baseball Foundation – Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ "Rafael Corrales Palmeiro". Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
- ^ Bloom, Barry (January 5, 2010). "Cooperstown calls for Alomar, Blyleven". MLB.com. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
- ^ 2014 Hall of Fame Voting. Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Palmeiro docked 10 days for steroids". ESPN.com. August 2005.
- ^ "Players suspended under baseball's steroids policy". espn.com. June 7, 2006. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ Arangure, Jorge Jr. (August 2, 2005). "Palmeiro Suspended For Steroid Violation". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ Chass, Murray (December 28, 2005). "Palmeiro Cites His Own Naïveté and Ponders Mystery of It All". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ "404 Not Found | wltx.com". www.wltx.com.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ Baseball: Palmeiro weighs unknowns International Herald Tribune
- ^ "Congress won't charge Palmeiro with perjury". ESPN.com. November 10, 2005.
- ^ Boyd, Flinder (March 17, 2017). "The rise and fall of Rafael Palmeiro". Retrieved May 6, 2017.
- ^ "Palmeiro provided no details about test". The Baltimore Sun. August 19, 2005.
- ^ "Source: Palmeiro named Tejada before panel". ESPN.com. September 22, 2005.
- ^ a b Arangure, Jorge Jr. (November 11, 2005). "Congress Declines to Prosecute Palmeiro for Perjury". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ "Miguel Tejada excerpt from Mitchell Report". Houston Chronicle. December 13, 2007.
- ^ "Palmeiro speaks". The Baltimore Sun. June 30, 2006.
- ^ "ESPN.com: Page 2 : Pass the B-12". www.espn.com.
- ^ Chass, Murray (November 13, 2005). "Resolution, and Doubts, Regarding Palmeiro". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ "Mitchell Report" (PDF). pp. 103–06, 203.
- ^ "Affidavit: Grimsley implicates players". MLB.com. Associated Press. December 21, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ Crasnick, Jerry. "Palmeiro now laying low with tarnished image". ESPN. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- ^ "Patrick Palmeiro - Baseball". UAB Athletics. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
- ^ "Preston Palmeiro Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Rafael Palmeiro suspended for steroid usage
- Appearances on C-SPAN