J. P. Arencibia
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Paul Arencibia (born January 5, 1986 in Miami, Florida
) is an American professional baseball
catcher
with the Toronto Blue Jays
of Major League Baseball
.
up until his draft day selection by Toronto in 2007. Prior to the 2007 draft questions arose whether Arencibia would stick as a catcher or whether a move to first base would be in order for him. After the draft the Blue Jays decided to keep him at the catcher's position and work with him on his defense.
21st overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
. He was assigned to Toronto's Low A ball affiliate, the Auburn Doubledays
of the New York - Penn League
. Arencibia struggled during the early part of the season but hit well during the stretch and into the playoffs, helping the Doubledays win the NY-Penn League championship. He began the 2008 season with the Dunedin Blue Jays
of the Florida State League
. By the FSL all-star break, he led the league or was near the top in many offensive categories, finishing the first half of the season batting .315 with 13 homers, 22 doubles and 62 RBI. He was named as the starting catcher for the Eastern Division in the FSL All-Star Game.
After the game, the Blue Jays promoted him to their AA team, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
of the Eastern League. During the off-season of 2008, Arencibia took part in the Arizona Fall League
as a member of the Phoenix Desert Dogs
. Since 2009 Arencibia has been playing for the Las Vegas 51s
, the Blue Jays' AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League
.
Arencibia was promoted to the major leagues on August 4, 2010 with a batting average of .303 and leading the PCL with 31 HRs. He was called up to replace the injured John Buck, who had been placed on the 15 day disabled list for a right thumb laceration. He started in his first major league game for the Toronto Blue Jays
on August 7, 2010 against the Tampa Bay Rays
. In his first at-bat, Arencibia hit a 2-run home run on the first pitch from James Shields, becoming the 28th player in history to hit a home run on his first major league pitch. In his following plate appearances, he hit a double, a single and then a solo home run and received a curtain call
from the fans at the Rogers Centre
while finishing the game just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle
. Arencibia is the fifth player ever to hit two home runs in his first game. Arencibia also became the first person in the modern era with 4 hits and 2 home runs in a major league debut; he is also the first Blue Jay to have four hits in a debut, and the first Blue Jay since Junior Felix
to hit a home run on his first at bat.
On August 18, 2010, Arencibia was optioned back to AAA Las Vegas to make room for the return of John Buck from the disabled list. He was recalled from Las Vegas on September 1.
's perfect game, being walked after a 12 pitch at-bat. On June 3 against the Baltimore Orioles
, Arencibia hit his first career grand slam
in an 8–4 victory. As of June 4, Arencibia led all major league rookies with 9 home runs, which is already a Blue Jays club record, surpassing the previous record of five, shared by Pat Borders (1988) and Greg Myers (1990).
In a game against the Kansas City Royals
on August 25, Arencibia hit his 20th home run of the season, tying the single season record for home runs by Blue Jays catchers (John Buck
hit 20 in 2010). While playing at home against the Tampa Bay Rays
on August 29, Arencibia stole a base, his first career stolen base on his first attempt.
In a game against the Boston Red Sox
on September 7, Arencibia hit his 21st home run of the season, breaking a tie with John Buck for most home runs by a Blue Jays' catcher in a single season.
He led all major league catchers in passed ball
s in 2011, with 12.
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
) is an American 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...
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...
with the 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 ....
of 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...
.
College career
Arencibia attended the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
up until his draft day selection by Toronto in 2007. Prior to the 2007 draft questions arose whether Arencibia would stick as a catcher or whether a move to first base would be in order for him. After the draft the Blue Jays decided to keep him at the catcher's position and work with him on his defense.
Professional career
Arencibia was drafted by the Toronto Blue JaysToronto 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 ....
21st overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
. He was assigned to Toronto's Low A ball affiliate, the Auburn Doubledays
Auburn Doubledays
The Auburn Doubledays are a minor league baseball team in Auburn, New York, USA, that is owned and operated by Auburn Community Baseball. They are a member of the Short-Season Class A New York-Penn League and have been a farm team of the Houston Astros , the Toronto Blue Jays , and Washington...
of the New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
. Arencibia struggled during the early part of the season but hit well during the stretch and into the playoffs, helping the Doubledays win the NY-Penn League championship. He began the 2008 season with the Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...
of the Florida State League
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...
. By the FSL all-star break, he led the league or was near the top in many offensive categories, finishing the first half of the season batting .315 with 13 homers, 22 doubles and 62 RBI. He was named as the starting catcher for the Eastern Division in the FSL All-Star Game.
After the game, the Blue Jays promoted him to their AA team, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a minor league baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major-league club....
of the Eastern League. During the off-season of 2008, Arencibia took part in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
as a member of the Phoenix Desert Dogs
Phoenix Desert Dogs
The Phoenix Desert Dogs are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Phoenix, Arizona. They play their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics...
. Since 2009 Arencibia has been playing for the Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
, the Blue Jays' AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
Arencibia was promoted to the major leagues on August 4, 2010 with a batting average of .303 and leading the PCL with 31 HRs. He was called up to replace the injured John Buck, who had been placed on the 15 day disabled list for a right thumb laceration. He started in his first major league game for the 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 ....
on August 7, 2010 against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. In his first at-bat, Arencibia hit a 2-run home run on the first pitch from James Shields, becoming the 28th player in history to hit a home run on his first major league pitch. In his following plate appearances, he hit a double, a single and then a solo home run and received a curtain call
Curtain call
A curtain call occurs at the end of a performance when individuals return to the stage to be recognized by the audience for their performance. In musical theater, the performers typically recognize the orchestra and its conductor at the end of the curtain call...
from the fans at the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
while finishing the game just a triple shy of 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...
. Arencibia is the fifth player ever to hit two home runs in his first game. Arencibia also became the first person in the modern era with 4 hits and 2 home runs in a major league debut; he is also the first Blue Jay to have four hits in a debut, and the first Blue Jay since Junior Felix
Junior Felix
Junior Francisco Félix Sánchez is a former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from -....
to hit a home run on his first at bat.
On August 18, 2010, Arencibia was optioned back to AAA Las Vegas to make room for the return of John Buck from the disabled list. He was recalled from Las Vegas on September 1.
2011
Arencibia was the starting catcher at the Blue Jays' home opener. He hit the team's first home run of the season, a 2-run homer to deep center. He finished the night with 2 home runs and a triple. On May 7, he broke up Justin VerlanderJustin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball....
's perfect game, being walked after a 12 pitch at-bat. On June 3 against the 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...
, Arencibia hit his first career 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...
in an 8–4 victory. As of June 4, Arencibia led all major league rookies with 9 home runs, which is already a Blue Jays club record, surpassing the previous record of five, shared by Pat Borders (1988) and Greg Myers (1990).
In a game against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
on August 25, Arencibia hit his 20th home run of the season, tying the single season record for home runs by Blue Jays catchers (John Buck
John Buck
Johnathan Richard Buck is an American Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the Miami Marlins. He went to high school in Taylorsville, Utah. He is the only active MLB player to have been born in Wyoming....
hit 20 in 2010). While playing at home against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
on August 29, Arencibia stole a base, his first career stolen base on his first attempt.
In a game against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on September 7, Arencibia hit his 21st home run of the season, breaking a tie with John Buck for most home runs by a Blue Jays' catcher in a single season.
He led all major league catchers in passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s in 2011, with 12.
Major league career statistics
| Regular season | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | G | AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... |
R 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... |
H 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.... |
HR 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... |
RBI | BA 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 :... |
OBP 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... |
| 2010 2010 Major League Baseball season The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim... |
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 .... |
MLB | 11 | 35 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | .143 | .189 |
| 2011 2011 Major League Baseball season The 2011 Major League Baseball season began on Thursday, March 31, and ended on Wednesday, September 28. This marked the first time a season began on a Thursday since , and the first time a regular season ended on a Wednesday since... |
Toronto Blue Jays | MLB | 128 | 441 | 47 | 97 | 23 | 78 | .220 | .280 |
| Totals | 139 | 476 | 50 | 102 | 25 | 82 | .214 | .274 | ||