Alex Escobar
Encyclopedia
Alexander José Escobar [ess-COE-bar] (born September 6, 1978 in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela
) is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Colorado Rockies
organization.
Escobar was signed by the Mets as a non-draft amateur free agent
in and made his debut in . At the end of the season, he was traded to the Indians as part of an eight-player deal that sent Roberto Alomar
to the Mets. Escobar missed the entire season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Spring Training
. In , he recovered from a slow start at Triple-A
Buffalo Bisons
collecting 24 home run
s and 78 runs batted in, and looked strong for the Tribe in September and played in 28 games.
In the minors
, Escobar was an All-Star
in the 'AAA' International
, 'AA' Eastern
and 'AA' South Atlantic
leagues, and he also was selected by Baseball America
in the 1998 All-Stars team. Escobar was demoted by the Nationals during Spring Training after hitting just .103 (3-for-29) with two RBIs. He said he was not getting enough playing time in spring training. "I'm not swinging the bat. I have to work my way back," Escobar said. "I'm getting used to being on the field every day. It's a combination of everything.". Baseball America
rated him as a top prospect for three years,
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
organization.
Escobar was signed by the Mets as a non-draft amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in and made his debut in . At the end of the season, he was traded to the Indians as part of an eight-player deal that sent Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
to the Mets. Escobar missed the entire season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Spring Training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. In , he recovered from a slow start at Triple-A
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
collecting 24 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 78 runs batted in, and looked strong for the Tribe in September and played in 28 games.
In the minors
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, Escobar was an All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in the 'AAA' International
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, 'AA' Eastern
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
and 'AA' South Atlantic
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
leagues, and he also was selected by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
in the 1998 All-Stars team. Escobar was demoted by the Nationals during Spring Training after hitting just .103 (3-for-29) with two RBIs. He said he was not getting enough playing time in spring training. "I'm not swinging the bat. I have to work my way back," Escobar said. "I'm getting used to being on the field every day. It's a combination of everything.". Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
rated him as a top prospect for three years,