Andrés Galarraga
Encyclopedia
Andrés José Padovani Galarraga (anˈdɾez ɣalaˈraɣa; born June 18, 1961 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a former Major League Baseball
first baseman
who played for the Montreal Expos
(– and ), St. Louis Cardinals
, Colorado Rockies
(–), Atlanta Braves
, Texas Rangers
, San Francisco Giants
(2001 and ) and Anaheim Angels
. He batted and threw right-handed.
At six-foot-three and 235 pounds (1.91 m, 117 kg), Galarraga began his professional career in Venezuela
at the age of 16. Despite several injuries that plagued Galarraga throughout his career, he was a very popular player both for his achievements on the field, and for his big and bright smile. He was nicknamed The Big Cat (textually translated from English as El Gran Gato, although his nickname in his native Venezuela was El Gato) for his extraordinary quickness at first base in spite of his big frame. Galarraga was a five time All-Star
, won two National League
Gold Glove Award
s and two NL Silver Slugger
awards, and won the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
after his successful return to baseball following cancer treatment.
club as a catcher
and third baseman
. He made his debut in the – season. Some of the players he had as teammates included big-leaguers Tony Armas
, Bo Diaz
, Manny Trillo
, Gonzalo Márquez
and Leo Hernández
. Galarraga originally started as a utility player, but three seasons later he became the regular first baseman of the team. At the recommendation of team manager Felipe Alou, he was signed by the Expos in 1979. At that time, some MLB scouts thought that the 17-year-old power-hitting prodigy was too overweight to play professionally.
, Galarraga played for West Palm Beach
(1979, –), Calgary
(1979–), Jamestown , Jacksonville
and Indianapolis
(1985).
Galarraga earned the Montreal job by being named Double-A Southern League
MVP
for Jacksonville in 1984, with .289 batting average
, 27 home run
s and 87 RBI
. He also led the league in total bases
(271), slugging percentage (.508), intentional base on balls
(10), hit by pitch
es (9), and in double play
s (130) and total chances
(1428) on first base. Prior to his majors promotion, he hit .269, 25, 85 with Indianapolis in 121 games, being named Rookie of the Year in the Triple-A International League
.
Overshadowed by some teammates, Galarraga survived a tough rookie year and quietly enjoyed a consistently strong season. He hit .305, 13 HR, 90 RBI, finishing second in the league in doubles
(40). Despite his size, he displayed solid defense, being adept at scooping throws out of the dirt and excellent quickness turning the 3-6-3 double play. Cardinals' manager Whitey Herzog
called him "the best-fielding right-handed first baseman I've seen since Gil Hodges
."
In , Galarraga emerged from the shadows to become the best player on the Expos. He had an MVP-type season with a .302 batting average, 99 runs
, 92 RBI, and 29 home runs. He also led the league in hits
(184) and doubles (42), and earned an All-Star berth for the first time in his career. was a rough season however. Galarraga became a target of Montreal fans' frustration when he tailed off after the All-Star game. That year he led the league in strikeouts (158), dropping his production to .257, 23 HR, and 85 RBI. He fell five RBI short of becoming the first Expo to string together three straight seasons with 90 or more runs batted in. Despite the rough season, Galarraga blasted his first grand slam
, stole
home for the first time in his career, and was rewarded with a Gold Glove Award for his stellar play at first base.
Galarraga's season had Expos mumbling that the team should lower its expectations for the slick-fielding first baseman. For the second consecutive season, the Big Cat failed to repeat the standards he set in his first two full seasons. He hit .256 with 20 home runs and 87 RBI, almost a mirror image of his previous season. For the third consecutive year, he led the league in strikeouts. Smart pitchers exploited his impatience at the plate and didn't give him good pitches to hit. Even without any improvement with the bat, Galarraga continued to make tremendous contributions on the field, scooping up infielder's errant throws, starting 3-6-3 double plays, and winning his second Gold Glove. That season he also had a six-RBI game, two four-RBI games, and hit his first career inside-the-park
homer.
Slowed by injuries, Galarraga struggled through the worst offensive season of his career in 1991. Disabled with a strained left hamstring between May and July, he later had arthroscopic surgery to repair damage to undersurface of his left kneecap. Montreal missed his glove as much as his bat, committing 43 infield errors
in 53 games without him. That season, Galarraga hit .219, 9 HR, and 33 RBI in 107 games. He stole home for the second time in his career and hit his 100th career home run. At the end of the season, he was traded to the Cardinals for starting pitcher Ken Hill
.
. When Baylor became the first Rockies manager in the off-season, he recommended that Colorado take a chance on Galarraga and sign him as a free agent
. The Big Cat was given new life for his career.
batted .381 in .
Despite missing 42 games with assorted injuries, The Big Cat compiled 56 multi-hit games to lead the league. He added 22 homers, 98 RBI, 71 runs, 35 doubles, four triples
, a .403 on base percentage
, and his .602 slugging percentage was second in the league. His .370 mark also is highest average ever by a Hispanic American player, while becoming the first player on an expansion team as well as the first Venezuelan to win a batting title. Tony Gwynn
hit .358 to finish as runner-up in the title race.
Galarraga's improvement began when Baylor drastically opened up his stance to make him quicker on inside pitches. The new stance also helped Galarraga generate more power to the opposite field. At the same time, facing the pitcher with two eyes gave him a better view at pitches, lowering his strikeout rate and making him much more consistent at the plate with better contact. Galarraga finished 10th in the MVP selection, but won The Sporting News
Comeback Player of the Year Award
. After the season, and for third time, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
In the strike shortened season, Galarraga set a new National League record in April by driving in 30 runs in a month. He seemed to be on his way to a terrific year again, but he fractured his right hand on July 28. At the time of his injury, Colorado had climbed to within a half-game of the first place Dodgers
. Without him however, the Rockies went 3-10 the rest of the way. Galarraga paced the club with 31 homers (fifth in the league), and batted .319 with 85 RBI.
On June 25, 1995, Galarraga hit a home run in three consecutive innings to tie an MLB record. He finished the season hitting .280, with 31 homers and 106 RBI. His numbers were helped by the fact that he stayed healthy for the first time in four years. That season, the Rockies had four players with 30 or more home runs, matching the Dodgers. Over the next few seasons, Galarraga developed into one of the best RBI-men in baseball, driving in a combined 396 runs between and 1998 (106, 150, 140). In the same period, he batted .279, .303 and .318, with 31, 47, and 41 HRs. Some critics argued that his achievements were possible thanks to the thin-air, mile-high, hitter-friendly Coors Field
, but Galarraga belted many homers on the road that traveled over 450 feet (137.2 m). During the '97 season, he hit a mammoth home run off Kevin Brown; a grand slam that landed 20 rows deep in the upper deck at Marlins
' Pro Player Stadium and was alternately measured at 573 and 529 feet (161.2 m). Previously, he smashed two homers in two games that traveled 455 feet (138.7 m) and 451 feet (137.5 m) respectively, totaling 1435 feet (437.4 m), an average of 478 feet (145.7 m) each.
The Rockies released him at the end of the season to make room at first base for prospect Todd Helton
. As a free agent, Galarraga signed a three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.
During spring training
, Galarraga developed a sore back. Treatment from trainers included hydrobaths, massages, muscle relaxers and stretching, but would not stop the nagging soreness. He was referred to a medical oncologist at Atlanta for a thorough physical exam and an MRI. When the diagnosis came in, the famous Galarraga smile disappeared. On his second lumbar vertebra in his lower back he had a tumor known as Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of lymphatic cancer
. He missed the entire 1999 season while undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Galarraga returned to the field in high spirits and good form after undergoing chemotherapy and a strict workout routine. In his third at-bat of Opening Day in the 2000 season, Galarraga knocked the winning run with a home run and showed his smile again. In April and May, he was tied for first place in home runs in the National League and was batting .300. Galarraga finished his comeback campaign hitting .302 with 28 HRs and 100 RBI, an All-Star Game appearance in front of the home fans at Turner Field
, en route to his second National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.
A free agent after the season, Galarraga signed with the Texas Rangers.
as the incumbent first baseman for the Rangers. Galarraga was used mainly as a DH
, pinch-hitter and occasional starter against left-handed
pitchers. After he disappointed with a .235 BA, 10 HR, and 34 RBI in 72 games, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants mid-season. For the 2002 season, Galarraga re-signed with the Montreal Expos and played one year with the team. He returned to the Giants in 2003 when he signed a minor league contract before the season. As a part-time player with San Francisco, he batted .301 (82-272) with 12 HRs and 42 RBI.
affiliate in Salt Lake
. When rosters were expanded in September, Galarraga came back to the majors. Although he served mostly as a bench player in Anaheim, he was highly regarded in the clubhouse, especially among younger players such as Vladimir Guerrero
, for whom he became a voice of experience. Galarraga saw action in a few games, and hit one homer to reach 399 for his career total.
invited Galarraga to spring training, not knowing if the 43-year-old would be fit for their roster. Galarraga showed that he had some gas left in the tank offensively by socking 3 home runs, but appeared very tentative on the defensive end. Galarraga eventually retired during spring training on March 29, 2005, saying it was "the right time to give a younger guy a chance to play." He finished his career with a .288 batting average, 399 HR, and 1,425 RBI. Galarraga was just one home run short of 400 career home runs, ranking #36 all-time at the time of his retirement.
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...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
who played for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(– and ), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, 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...
(–), Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(2001 and ) and Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He batted and threw right-handed.
At six-foot-three and 235 pounds (1.91 m, 117 kg), Galarraga began his professional career in Venezuela
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...
at the age of 16. Despite several injuries that plagued Galarraga throughout his career, he was a very popular player both for his achievements on the field, and for his big and bright smile. He was nicknamed The Big Cat (textually translated from English as El Gran Gato, although his nickname in his native Venezuela was El Gato) for his extraordinary quickness at first base in spite of his big frame. Galarraga was a five time All-Star
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
, won two National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s and two NL Silver Slugger
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
awards, and won the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and Viagra...
after his successful return to baseball following cancer treatment.
Venezuelan Winter League
Galarraga was signed by the Leones del CaracasLeones del Caracas
The Leones del Caracas is a Venezuelan baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Since its inception, the team has played in the Estadio Universitario in Caracas...
club as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. He made his debut in the – season. Some of the players he had as teammates included big-leaguers Tony Armas
Tony Armas
Antonio Rafael Armas Machado is a former Venezuelan professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was one of the top sluggers in the American League in the early 1980s. Twice Armas led the league in home runs, and led all of Major League Baseball in RBIs in...
, Bo Diaz
Bo Diaz
Baudilio José Díaz Seijas was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds between and...
, Manny Trillo
Manny Trillo
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo , also nicknamed "Indio", is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from to...
, Gonzalo Márquez
Gonzalo Márquez
Gonzalo Enrique Márquez Moya was a professional baseball first baseman. A left-handed batter, he played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs...
and Leo Hernández
Leo Hernández
Leonardo Jesús Hernández , commonly known as Leo Hernandez , is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and right-handed batter who played for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees ....
. Galarraga originally started as a utility player, but three seasons later he became the regular first baseman of the team. At the recommendation of team manager Felipe Alou, he was signed by the Expos in 1979. At that time, some MLB scouts thought that the 17-year-old power-hitting prodigy was too overweight to play professionally.
Minor leagues
In the minorsMinor 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...
, Galarraga played for West Palm Beach
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
(1979, –), Calgary
Calgary Outlaws
The Calgary Outlaws were an independent minor league baseball team in the Canadian Baseball League. Based in Calgary, Alberta, they shared Foothills Stadium with the Calgary Dawgs. In 2003, the only Canadian Baseball League season, they had the best record when the league was suspended at the...
(1979–), Jamestown , Jacksonville
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
and Indianapolis
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
(1985).
Galarraga earned the Montreal job by being named Double-A Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
for Jacksonville in 1984, with .289 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 27 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 87 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He also led the league in total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(271), slugging percentage (.508), intentional base on balls
Intentional base on balls
In baseball, an intentional base on balls, usually referred to as an intentional walk and denoted in baseball scorekeeping by IBB, is a walk issued to a batter by a pitcher with the intent of removing the batter's opportunity to swing at the pitched ball...
(10), hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
es (9), and in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s (130) and total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(1428) on first base. Prior to his majors promotion, he hit .269, 25, 85 with Indianapolis in 121 games, being named Rookie of the Year in the Triple-A International League
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...
.
Expos 1985-1991
The Big Cat made his debut with Montreal on August 23, 1985. That year Galarraga struggled, hitting .187 (14-for-75) with two homers and four RBI in 24 games. He had a promising start in , but it was halted when he suffered a knee injury. Galarraga had eight home runs and was leading all NL rookies in runs batted in (25) when he suffered the knee injury. Galarraga received arthroscopic surgery on the knee on July 10. He was activated one month later, only to be re-injured the following day after pulling muscles in his rib cage. He returned to action in September, ending with .271, 10 HR, and 42 RBI in 105 games.Overshadowed by some teammates, Galarraga survived a tough rookie year and quietly enjoyed a consistently strong season. He hit .305, 13 HR, 90 RBI, finishing second in the league in doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(40). Despite his size, he displayed solid defense, being adept at scooping throws out of the dirt and excellent quickness turning the 3-6-3 double play. Cardinals' manager Whitey Herzog
Whitey Herzog
Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...
called him "the best-fielding right-handed first baseman I've seen since Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
."
In , Galarraga emerged from the shadows to become the best player on the Expos. He had an MVP-type season with a .302 batting average, 99 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 92 RBI, and 29 home runs. He also led the league in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(184) and doubles (42), and earned an All-Star berth for the first time in his career. was a rough season however. Galarraga became a target of Montreal fans' frustration when he tailed off after the All-Star game. That year he led the league in strikeouts (158), dropping his production to .257, 23 HR, and 85 RBI. He fell five RBI short of becoming the first Expo to string together three straight seasons with 90 or more runs batted in. Despite the rough season, Galarraga blasted his first grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
, stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
home for the first time in his career, and was rewarded with a Gold Glove Award for his stellar play at first base.
Galarraga's season had Expos mumbling that the team should lower its expectations for the slick-fielding first baseman. For the second consecutive season, the Big Cat failed to repeat the standards he set in his first two full seasons. He hit .256 with 20 home runs and 87 RBI, almost a mirror image of his previous season. For the third consecutive year, he led the league in strikeouts. Smart pitchers exploited his impatience at the plate and didn't give him good pitches to hit. Even without any improvement with the bat, Galarraga continued to make tremendous contributions on the field, scooping up infielder's errant throws, starting 3-6-3 double plays, and winning his second Gold Glove. That season he also had a six-RBI game, two four-RBI games, and hit his first career inside-the-park
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
homer.
Slowed by injuries, Galarraga struggled through the worst offensive season of his career in 1991. Disabled with a strained left hamstring between May and July, he later had arthroscopic surgery to repair damage to undersurface of his left kneecap. Montreal missed his glove as much as his bat, committing 43 infield errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 53 games without him. That season, Galarraga hit .219, 9 HR, and 33 RBI in 107 games. He stole home for the second time in his career and hit his 100th career home run. At the end of the season, he was traded to the Cardinals for starting pitcher Ken Hill
Ken Hill (baseball)
Kenneth Wade Hill is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 14-year career, he pitched from 1988-2001 for seven different teams. He pitched in the 1995 World Series as a member of the Cleveland Indians. He also appeared in the 1994 All-Star Game in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers...
.
Cardinals: 1992
Galarraga had a second chance with St. Louis. Early in the year however, a pitch broke his wrist and he didn't recover until July. He batted .296 after the All-Star break and hit all ten of his homers after July 1 for a .497 second-half slugging percentage. He finished with a .243 BA and 39 RBI, but made a good impression on Cardinals batting coach Don BaylorDon Baylor
Donald Edward Baylor is a Major League Baseball coach currently the hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and a former player and manager. During his 19-year playing career, he was a power hitter who played as a first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter...
. When Baylor became the first Rockies manager in the off-season, he recommended that Colorado take a chance on Galarraga and sign him as a 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....
. The Big Cat was given new life for his career.
Rockies: 1993-1997
In a 1993 season full of remarkable individual achievements, Galarraga showed he was an accomplished hitter, and flirted with the .400 mark for much of the season. His final .370 BA was an amazing 127-point increase over his previous year mark. He led National League batters in batting average, and it was the highest average by a right-handed hitter since Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
batted .381 in .
Despite missing 42 games with assorted injuries, The Big Cat compiled 56 multi-hit games to lead the league. He added 22 homers, 98 RBI, 71 runs, 35 doubles, four triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, a .403 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, and his .602 slugging percentage was second in the league. His .370 mark also is highest average ever by a Hispanic American player, while becoming the first player on an expansion team as well as the first Venezuelan to win a batting title. Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
hit .358 to finish as runner-up in the title race.
Galarraga's improvement began when Baylor drastically opened up his stance to make him quicker on inside pitches. The new stance also helped Galarraga generate more power to the opposite field. At the same time, facing the pitcher with two eyes gave him a better view at pitches, lowering his strikeout rate and making him much more consistent at the plate with better contact. Galarraga finished 10th in the MVP selection, but won The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
Comeback Player of the Year Award
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and Viagra...
. After the season, and for third time, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
In the strike shortened season, Galarraga set a new National League record in April by driving in 30 runs in a month. He seemed to be on his way to a terrific year again, but he fractured his right hand on July 28. At the time of his injury, Colorado had climbed to within a half-game of the first place Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. Without him however, the Rockies went 3-10 the rest of the way. Galarraga paced the club with 31 homers (fifth in the league), and batted .319 with 85 RBI.
On June 25, 1995, Galarraga hit a home run in three consecutive innings to tie an MLB record. He finished the season hitting .280, with 31 homers and 106 RBI. His numbers were helped by the fact that he stayed healthy for the first time in four years. That season, the Rockies had four players with 30 or more home runs, matching the Dodgers. Over the next few seasons, Galarraga developed into one of the best RBI-men in baseball, driving in a combined 396 runs between and 1998 (106, 150, 140). In the same period, he batted .279, .303 and .318, with 31, 47, and 41 HRs. Some critics argued that his achievements were possible thanks to the thin-air, mile-high, hitter-friendly Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
, but Galarraga belted many homers on the road that traveled over 450 feet (137.2 m). During the '97 season, he hit a mammoth home run off Kevin Brown; a grand slam that landed 20 rows deep in the upper deck at Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
' Pro Player Stadium and was alternately measured at 573 and 529 feet (161.2 m). Previously, he smashed two homers in two games that traveled 455 feet (138.7 m) and 451 feet (137.5 m) respectively, totaling 1435 feet (437.4 m), an average of 478 feet (145.7 m) each.
The Rockies released him at the end of the season to make room at first base for prospect Todd Helton
Todd Helton
Todd Lynn Helton is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies. He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner....
. As a free agent, Galarraga signed a three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.
Braves: 1998-2000
In his first season in Atlanta, Galarraga silenced his critics. He proved that he could still produce great power numbers in lower altitudes, hitting .305 with 44 home runs and 121 RBI. This made Galarraga the first player in major league history to hit 40 or more homers in a season in consecutive years for two different teams.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...
, Galarraga developed a sore back. Treatment from trainers included hydrobaths, massages, muscle relaxers and stretching, but would not stop the nagging soreness. He was referred to a medical oncologist at Atlanta for a thorough physical exam and an MRI. When the diagnosis came in, the famous Galarraga smile disappeared. On his second lumbar vertebra in his lower back he had a tumor known as Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of lymphatic cancer
Lymphedema
Lymphedema , also known as lymphatic obstruction, is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system....
. He missed the entire 1999 season while undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Galarraga returned to the field in high spirits and good form after undergoing chemotherapy and a strict workout routine. In his third at-bat of Opening Day in the 2000 season, Galarraga knocked the winning run with a home run and showed his smile again. In April and May, he was tied for first place in home runs in the National League and was batting .300. Galarraga finished his comeback campaign hitting .302 with 28 HRs and 100 RBI, an All-Star Game appearance in front of the home fans at Turner Field
Turner Field
Turner Field is a stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium, it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics...
, en route to his second National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.
A free agent after the season, Galarraga signed with the Texas Rangers.
Rangers, Giants and Expos: 2001–2003
The change of scenery affected the hot-hitting Galarraga. At 40, he found himself lost in a new league, facing different pitchers, and stuck in a backup position with star Rafael PalmeiroRafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985...
as the incumbent first baseman for the Rangers. Galarraga was used mainly as a DH
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, pinch-hitter and occasional starter against left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
pitchers. After he disappointed with a .235 BA, 10 HR, and 34 RBI in 72 games, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants mid-season. For the 2002 season, Galarraga re-signed with the Montreal Expos and played one year with the team. He returned to the Giants in 2003 when he signed a minor league contract before the season. As a part-time player with San Francisco, he batted .301 (82-272) with 12 HRs and 42 RBI.
Angels: 2004
In 2004, Galarraga's cancer relapsed and he underwent two three-week periods of chemotherapy and was hospitalized for 23 days for additional treatment. This was the same Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that sidelined him in 1999, but he beat it for the second time and began play with the Angels' Triple-AMinor 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...
affiliate in Salt Lake
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
. When rosters were expanded in September, Galarraga came back to the majors. Although he served mostly as a bench player in Anaheim, he was highly regarded in the clubhouse, especially among younger players such as Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Alvino Guerrero is a free agent Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter.In , he was voted the American League MVP...
, for whom he became a voice of experience. Galarraga saw action in a few games, and hit one homer to reach 399 for his career total.
Mets: 2005
Again without a team, the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
invited Galarraga to spring training, not knowing if the 43-year-old would be fit for their roster. Galarraga showed that he had some gas left in the tank offensively by socking 3 home runs, but appeared very tentative on the defensive end. Galarraga eventually retired during spring training on March 29, 2005, saying it was "the right time to give a younger guy a chance to play." He finished his career with a .288 batting average, 399 HR, and 1,425 RBI. Galarraga was just one home run short of 400 career home runs, ranking #36 all-time at the time of his retirement.
Highlights
- Led National League in Hits (184 in 1988)
- Led National League in Total Bases (329 in 1988)
- Led National League in Doubles (42 in 1988)
- Led National League in Runs Created (113 in 1988)
- Led National League in Extra-Base Hits (79 in 1988)
- Led National League in Batting Average (.370 in 1993)
- Led National League in Home Runs (47 in 1996)
- Twice led National League in RBIs (150 in 1996 and 140 in 1997)
- Ranks 69th on MLB All-Time Total Bases List (4,038)
- Ranks 83rd on MLB All-Time Doubles List (444)
- Ranks 43rd on MLB All-Time Home Run List (399)
- Ranks 57th on MLB All-Time RBI List (1,425)
- Ranks 58th on MLB All-Time Extra-Base Hits List (875)
- Ranks 95th on MLB All-Time Intentional Walks List (106)
- Was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2007(1st Rockies Baseball Player to be inducted)
- Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award 2001 (Atlanta Braves)
- The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award winner 1993 (Colorado Rockies) 2001 (Atlanta Braves)
- First Rockies player ever represented at All-Star Game (1993)
- Rockies Career Leader in At Bats per Home Runs with 15.5.
- His 150 RBI season in 1996 is still a single season record for the Rockies http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/COL/leaders_bat.shtml.
- Won the three triple crownTriple crown (baseball)In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
categories (BA, HR, RBIBaseball statisticsStatistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
) although in different seasons - Set Rockies record for RBI before the All-Star break (84 in 1997)
- Became the first player in history to win two NL Comeback Player of the Year Awards
- Honored in the docudrama movieDocudramaIn film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
Galarraga: puro béisbol (Galarraga: Nothing But Baseball - Venezuela, 2000) - Honored in the book Andrés Galarraga - Real Life Reader Biography, by writer Sue Boulais (2003)
See also
- List of athletes on Wheaties boxes
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of NL Gold Glove Winners at First Base
- List of NL Silver Slugger Winners at First Base
- MLB Comeback Player of the Year AwardMLB Comeback Player of the Year AwardThe Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and Viagra...
- Major League Baseball titles streaksMajor League Baseball titles streaksAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
External links
- Andrés Galarraga's career statistics on the Baseball Almanac site
- Andrés Galarraga's bio on the Baseball Library site
- Stars IQ
- The Sporting News