Felix Pie
Encyclopedia
Félix Pie is a Dominican
professional baseball
outfielder
who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs
and Baltimore Orioles
.
, the Chicago Cubs Rookie affiliate, in . He played in 55 games and hit
.321, with 4 home runs and 37 runs batted in. He was called up to Boise
where he played in 2 games. He played for the Lansing Lugnuts
, then one of the Cubs' Single-A affiliates in . There, he hit .285 with 4 home runs and 47 runs batted in.
In , he played for the Daytona Cubs
, another one of the Cubs Single-A affiliates. He hit .299 with 8 home runs and 47 runs batted in. In , he played for the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx
. He hit .304 with 11 home runs and 25 runs batted in. His season was shortened due to a broken ankle suffered during the season. He was likely going to be called up to the Chicago Cubs along with Adam Greenberg to replace the struggling Corey Patterson
and Jason Dubois
. But due to his injury, the Cubs called up outfielder
Matt Murton
instead of Pie. In , his season began poorly, as he hit .222 in June and slugged only .343, but soon after he broke out of his slump to end with a batting average of .282, on-base percentage of .341, and slugging percentage of .451. Pie is also one of the most highly touted Dominican prospects to reach the major leagues. Pie played 55 games of the 2007 season with the Iowa Cubs.
rates continued to be much higher than average. Pie was called up from Triple-A Iowa
on April 17, , and was in the starting lineup, replacing the injured Alfonso Soriano
. At the time of his call-up, Pie was batting .444 with one home run
and six RBI
in 36 at-bats. Before the 2007 season, Pie was ranked as the number one prospect in the Cubs organization. He was nicknamed "The Cat."
Pie got his first major league hit on April 17, 2007, a double
off Greg Maddux
of the San Diego Padres
. He scored his first run
in the same inning on a Derrek Lee
hit
. In the same game, Pie also threw a runner out at home plate
from center field which gave the Cubs a chance to win the game. On April 23, Pie changed his number from 17 to 20. Pie recorded his first major league home run on April 27, 2007, off Anthony Reyes
of the St. Louis Cardinals
. Pie was sent back down to the minors, but he was recalled on June 3, 2007 and remained with the club until July 13, when he was sent back down to Triple-A to get more regular at-bats. However, the Cubs recalled Pie from the minors in order to replace an injured Alfonso Soriano and Ángel Pagán
on August 8, 2007. On August 9, Pie was brought back up to Chicago.
When the Cubs traded their starting left-handed
center fielder Jacque Jones
in November 2007, general manager Jim Hendry
indicated that the club wasn't necessarily looking outside for a veteran, with Pie and Sam Fuld
in the mix. Fuld pushed Pie for the center field spot during spring training
(Piniella in late February said that Pie was only "a head or nose in front" of Fuld). "He's ready to go out there in spring training lined up next to Pie and compete to play center field," Hendry said of Fuld. Pie fell victim to the spring training injury bug that afflicted the Cubs. Originally deemed "a minor surgery on the groin region," Cubs.com reported the injury as "a twisted testicle
", an injury more commonly known as testicular torsion
. The surgery involved sewing the outer layer of the testicle to the scrotum
wall. The surgery was deemed successful, and Pie reported back to spring training.
Pie won the center field job competition in spring training, and started opening day in center field. However, due to a slow start and the signing of former Toronto Blue Jays
outfielder Reed Johnson
, Pie by May 2008 was utilized mostly in a platoon with Johnson and as a defensive replacement. The Cubs signed Jim Edmonds
on May 14, 2008, and optioned Pie to Iowa to get some more work and play everyday.
for Garrett Olson
and Single-A pitcher Henry Williamson. In the 2009 season
, Pie started in left field for the Orioles for most of April and part of May. However, his struggles at the plate and occasional mental lapses led to the Orioles calling up rookie Nolan Reimold
, who had been playing well with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides
and quickly seized the opportunity to become the Orioles' starting left fielder. While on the bench for most of June and July, Pie worked extensively on improving his swing and pitch recognition with Orioles' hitting coach Terry Crowley
. Injuries to Orioles' center fielder Adam Jones
and Nolan Reimold's nagging Achilles problem allowed Pie to play more regularly later in the season, and he showed significant improvement compared to his April performance. On August 14, 2009, Pie took full advantage of a spot in the starting lineup by hitting for the cycle
, becoming only the fourth Oriole to ever do so. Pie won the starting left field assignment in 2010 after a very strong spring, but landed on the 60-day disabled list not long into the season, where he remained until July 6, 2010.
Pie was designated for assignment by Baltimore on August 23, 2011. After the 2011 season, he elected for free agency.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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...
who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
Minor league career
Pie started with the Mesa CubsMesa Cubs
The Arizona League Cubs are a minor league baseball team in Mesa, Arizona, USA. They are a Class R team in the Arizona League, and have been a farm team of the Chicago Cubs since 2005. The Cubs play home games at Fitch Park.-Year-by-year record:...
, the Chicago Cubs Rookie affiliate, in . He played in 55 games and hit
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 :...
.321, with 4 home runs and 37 runs batted in. He was called up to Boise
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks are a minor league baseball team, located in Boise, Idaho. The team is currently a farm team for the Chicago Cubs and play in the Short-Season Class A Northwest League.-History:...
where he played in 2 games. He played for the Lansing Lugnuts
Lansing Lugnuts
The Lansing Lugnuts are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays, that plays in the Midwest League.The Midwest League came to Lansing, Michigan in 1996. The franchise began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1955; after two seasons it moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where it...
, then one of the Cubs' Single-A affiliates in . There, he hit .285 with 4 home runs and 47 runs batted in.
In , he played for the Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...
, another one of the Cubs Single-A affiliates. He hit .299 with 8 home runs and 47 runs batted in. In , he played for the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx
The Jackson Generals are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The team is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and plays their home games at Pringles Park; opened in 1998, the park currently holds 6,000 fans.From their inaugural season...
. He hit .304 with 11 home runs and 25 runs batted in. His season was shortened due to a broken ankle suffered during the season. He was likely going to be called up to the Chicago Cubs along with Adam Greenberg to replace the struggling Corey Patterson
Corey Patterson
Donald Corey Patterson is an American professional baseball free agent outfielder in Major League Baseball. He is the older brother of outfielder Eric Patterson.-Amateur career:...
and Jason Dubois
Jason Dubois
Jason Bradford Dubois is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft...
. But due to his injury, the Cubs called up 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...
Matt Murton
Matt Murton
Matthew Henry Murton is an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan...
instead of Pie. In , his season began poorly, as he hit .222 in June and slugged only .343, but soon after he broke out of his slump to end with a batting average of .282, on-base percentage of .341, and slugging percentage of .451. Pie is also one of the most highly touted Dominican prospects to reach the major leagues. Pie played 55 games of the 2007 season with the Iowa Cubs.
Chicago Cubs
Pie was a highly-touted young prospect, and put on the fast-track to reaching the big-league club, although he did not start the season in the major leagues. Pie's strikeoutStrikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
rates continued to be much higher than average. Pie was called up from Triple-A Iowa
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
on April 17, , and was in the starting lineup, replacing the injured Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs....
. At the time of his call-up, Pie was batting .444 with one 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...
and six 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...
in 36 at-bats. Before the 2007 season, Pie was ranked as the number one prospect in the Cubs organization. He was nicknamed "The Cat."
Pie got his first major league hit on April 17, 2007, a double
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....
off Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He scored his first run
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...
in the same inning on a Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee , or "D-Lee", is a Major League Baseball first baseman. Lee has played with the San Diego Padres , the Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.Lee was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2003,...
hit
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....
. In the same game, Pie also threw a runner out at home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
from center field which gave the Cubs a chance to win the game. On April 23, Pie changed his number from 17 to 20. Pie recorded his first major league home run on April 27, 2007, off Anthony Reyes
Anthony Reyes
Anthony Loza Reyes is a right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent.Reyes has a younger brother, Erik, who pitched for Concordia University Irvine in .-High School:...
of the 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...
. Pie was sent back down to the minors, but he was recalled on June 3, 2007 and remained with the club until July 13, when he was sent back down to Triple-A to get more regular at-bats. However, the Cubs recalled Pie from the minors in order to replace an injured Alfonso Soriano and Ángel Pagán
Angel Pagán
Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...
on August 8, 2007. On August 9, Pie was brought back up to Chicago.
When the Cubs traded their starting 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...
center fielder Jacque Jones
Jacque Jones
Jacque Dewayne Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who currently is a free agent-Early life:...
in November 2007, general manager Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry is da greatest white guitar player there ever was. both herman li and thomas dookul and brandon co-oper agree...
indicated that the club wasn't necessarily looking outside for a veteran, with Pie and Sam Fuld
Sam Fuld
Samuel Babson "Sam" Fuld is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball....
in the mix. Fuld pushed Pie for the center field spot 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...
(Piniella in late February said that Pie was only "a head or nose in front" of Fuld). "He's ready to go out there in spring training lined up next to Pie and compete to play center field," Hendry said of Fuld. Pie fell victim to the spring training injury bug that afflicted the Cubs. Originally deemed "a minor surgery on the groin region," Cubs.com reported the injury as "a twisted testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
", an injury more commonly known as testicular torsion
Testicular torsion
Testicular torsion is when the spermatic cord to a testicle twists, cutting off the blood supply. The most common symptom is acute testicular pain and the most common underlying cause is a congenital malformation known as a "bell-clapper deformity". The diagnosis is often made clinically but if it...
. The surgery involved sewing the outer layer of the testicle to the scrotum
Scrotum
In some male mammals the scrotum is a dual-chambered protuberance of skin and muscle containing the testicles and divided by a septum. It is an extension of the perineum, and is located between the penis and anus. In humans and some other mammals, the base of the scrotum becomes covered with curly...
wall. The surgery was deemed successful, and Pie reported back to spring training.
Pie won the center field job competition in spring training, and started opening day in center field. However, due to a slow start and the signing of former Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
outfielder Reed Johnson
Reed Johnson
Reed Cameron Johnson is an American professional baseball outfielder. He was born in Riverside, California-College career:...
, Pie by May 2008 was utilized mostly in a platoon with Johnson and as a defensive replacement. The Cubs signed Jim Edmonds
Jim Edmonds
James Patrick "Jim" Edmonds is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds...
on May 14, 2008, and optioned Pie to Iowa to get some more work and play everyday.
Baltimore Orioles
On January 18, 2009, Pie was traded to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Garrett Olson
Garrett Olson
Garrett Andrew Olson is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.-High school:Olson attended Buchanan High School in Clovis, California...
and Single-A pitcher Henry Williamson. In the 2009 season
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
, Pie started in left field for the Orioles for most of April and part of May. However, his struggles at the plate and occasional mental lapses led to the Orioles calling up rookie Nolan Reimold
Nolan Reimold
Nolan Gallagher Reimold is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles.-Early life:Reimold was born to John and Mary Reimold on October 12, 1983 in Greenville, Pennsylvania. He attended Kennedy Catholic High School in Hermitage, Pennsylvania...
, who had been playing well with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
and quickly seized the opportunity to become the Orioles' starting left fielder. While on the bench for most of June and July, Pie worked extensively on improving his swing and pitch recognition with Orioles' hitting coach Terry Crowley
Terry Crowley
Terrence Michael Crowley is a former Major League Baseball player who now serves as the interim bullpen coach for the Baltimore Orioles.-Player career:...
. Injuries to Orioles' center fielder Adam Jones
Adam Jones (baseball)
Adam La Marque Jones is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles. Jones was born and raised in San Diego, California where he starred at Samuel F. B. Morse High School. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft by the Seattle Mariners...
and Nolan Reimold's nagging Achilles problem allowed Pie to play more regularly later in the season, and he showed significant improvement compared to his April performance. On August 14, 2009, Pie took full advantage of a spot in the starting lineup by hitting for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
, becoming only the fourth Oriole to ever do so. Pie won the starting left field assignment in 2010 after a very strong spring, but landed on the 60-day disabled list not long into the season, where he remained until July 6, 2010.
Pie was designated for assignment by Baltimore on August 23, 2011. After the 2011 season, he elected for free agency.