Luis Castillo (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Luis Antonio Castillo is a Major League Baseball
second baseman
who is currently a free agent. Castillo is a three-time All-Star
, three-time Gold Glove
winner, and won the World Series
with the Florida Marlins
in 2003.
by the Florida Marlins
. In 1994 he played his first year of baseball in the Gulf Coast League
, playing for the Gulf Coast Marlins
. He also set a Marlins short-season record in stolen bases, with 31.
In 1995, he was called up to the Kane County Cougars
in the Class-A Midwest League
, and was selected to the All-Star team. He injured his shoulder in July, causing him to miss the rest of the season. That year, he led the entire Marlins organization in batting average with .326, as well as being second in stolen bases.
Castillo spent most of the 1996 season in the Eastern League, but was called up to the Marlins mid-season and made his major league debut on August 8. His first major league hit came in a game against the New York Mets
, where he knocked in the game-winning run in the 10th inning. He was named to the Eastern League All-Star team and post-season All-Star team.
at second base during the 1997 season. Both at age 21, he and Edgar Rentería
were the youngest middle infield combination in the history of the National League
. He bruised his left heel mid-season, and missed the entire month of May with the injury. He was optioned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights
on July 28 and did not come back to the major leagues until the next season. Due to this, he did not play for the Marlins during the 1997 World Series
.
Castillo remained with the Charlotte Knights until being recalled to the Marlins on August 4, 1998. While in Charlotte, he had a streak of 32 consecutive games reaching base safely. With the Marlins, his highest hit streak was eight games, between August 14 and August 19. By the end of the season, he was third among Marlins minor leaguers in stolen bases, and a .203 batting average, 3 stolen bases and 10 RBIs.
Castillo improved in 1999, with many short hitting streaks. These streaks included six games from May 10 to May 17, and six games from August 1 to August 7. He also had a 22 game hitting streak in a stretch between August 9 and September 3. He finished fourth in the league in stolen bases, and was fourth among lead-off hitters in on-base percentage at .385. He was named the Marlins Most Valuable Player by the South Florida Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America
.
record of 8 in two games, set by Walt Wilmot
in 1894. In 2000 he also became the Marlins all-time stolen base leader by stealing his 116th career base on June 20 while playing the Milwaukee Brewers
. He finished the season with 62 stolen bases, leading the entire major leagues.
In 2001, Castillo had two hitting streaks, 8 games from May 6 to May 13, and 14 games from June 29 to July 22. He finished fifth in the league in stolen bases with 33. He also had a .263 batting average, 45 RBIs, and 10 triples, a career high.
In 2002, Castillo had a 35-game hitting streak, which is the longest ever by a second baseman (since matched by fellow second baseman Chase Utley
of the Philadelphia Phillies
in 2006). This was the sixth longest streak in the history of the National League
, and also the tenth longest in the history of Major League Baseball. Castillo played second base in the 2002 All-Star Game
, the first All-Star selection of his career. In 2002 he hit .305 with 39 RBIs and 48 stolen bases, leading the league in stolen bases for the second time in his career. He was again named the Marlins Most Valuable Player by the South Florida Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America
.
. Castillo was a central figure in the NLCS
Game 6 comeback by the Marlins against the Chicago Cubs
at Wrigley Field
after a foul ball that he hit was knocked away from the Cubs' Moisés Alou
by fan Steve Bartman. The Marlins went on to win that game as well as Game 7 to get to the 2003 World Series
, in which the Marlins defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees
. This was the second World Series of Castillo's career, but the first in which he actually played.
In 2004, Castillo had a .291 batting average with 47 RBIs, a career best. He also had 2 home runs and 7 triples. He was second only to Juan Pierre
on the Marlins with a .373 on-base percentage and set a Marlins record with his 425th career walk passing Gary Sheffield
's previous mark of 424. Castillo won his second straight Gold Glove and posted the National League
's second-best fielding percentage at second base (.991), behind Philadelphia's Placido Polanco
.
In his final season with the Marlins, Castillo won his third Gold Glove award in a row. He led the majors in batting versus left-handed pitchers with a .423 average. Castillo was also a member of the 2005 National League
All-Star team, and replaced Jeff Kent
of the Los Angeles Dodgers
at second base in the 2nd inning. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins on December 2, 2005, in exchange for two minor leaguers, Scott Tyler and Travis Bowyer
. The Marlins replaced Castillo at second base with Dan Uggla
, a Rule 5 selection from the Arizona Diamondbacks
.
. He had an impressive first month of hitting, batting .432 with 19 hits. Over that stretch, Castillo drove in runs in five straight games from April 13 to April 19. Castillo had three four-hit games for the Twins this season, on April 15, August 5, and August 9. He had a six-game hitting streak from May 6 to May 13, and recorded his 300th career stolen base while facing the Chicago White Sox
on August 26.
In the 2007 season Castillo set a new Major League Baseball record, going 143 games at second base without an error. He also recorded his 1,500th career hit on May 29 while facing the Chicago White Sox
. Castillo was traded by the Twins to the New York Mets
on July 30, 2007 for two minor league players, catcher Drew Butera
and outfielder Dustin Martin. He finished the season with a .301 batting average with 1 home run, 38 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. On November 18 the Mets re-signed him to a 4-year contract worth a reported $25 million.
In 2008, a year plagued with injuries and several bench stints, Castillo hit .245 in 87 games, but still managed to steal 17 bases in 19 attempts.
In 2009 spring training Castillo led all major league players in walks, with 17 from 56 official at bats. On March 16, 2009, Castillo was presented the opportunity to bat right-handed instead of being a switch hitter. Although flattered by the offer, he declined, and continued to be a switch hitter throughout the rest of his career. Although the Mets struggled as a team, Castillo enjoyed a bounce-back year in '09, hitting .302 with 77 runs scored and a .387 on-base percentage. On June 12, Castillo dropped a popup for a two-run walk-off error at Yankee Stadium
, earning him a measure of infamy in the Mets–Yankees rivalry.
On June 4, 2010, the Mets put Castillo on the DL for foot problems in his right and left foot. He was replaced by Rubén Tejada
who played at second base in the Mets 5-4 win against the Florida Marlins
at Citi Field. He was criticized along with Carlos Beltran
and Oliver Perez
for not going to the hospital that had soldiers who had amputated arms and legs, he claimed that he did not want to be horrified by the experience. Castillo commented on not being happy with his playing time and "has to work something out this offseason". During Spring Training of 2010, he was booed by the home fans at Digital Domain Park where the Mets play their spring training games. He was released from the Mets spring training
roster on March 18, 2011.
. On March 22, he reported to Phillies training camp. Castillo was released shortly thereafter on March 30, 2011.
. He is married and has two children – Luis Jr., born on October 12, 2001, and Adonai, born on July 30, 2009.
In his spare time, Castillo enjoys playing dominoes
and billiards. He lives in Caldwell, New Jersey.
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...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who is currently a free agent. Castillo is a three-time 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...
, three-time Gold Glove
Rawlings 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...
winner, and won the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
with the Florida 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...
in 2003.
Early career
On August 19, 1992 Castillo was signed as a non-drafted free agentFree 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....
by the Florida 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...
. In 1994 he played his first year of baseball in the Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
, playing for the Gulf Coast Marlins
Gulf Coast Marlins
The Gulf Coast League Marlins are one of the Rookie Level minor league affiliates of the Miami Marlins. The team plays in Jupiter, Florida, at Roger Dean Stadium...
. He also set a Marlins short-season record in stolen bases, with 31.
In 1995, he was called up to the Kane County Cougars
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Geneva, Illinois, about 35 miles west of Chicago....
in the Class-A Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
, and was selected to the All-Star team. He injured his shoulder in July, causing him to miss the rest of the season. That year, he led the entire Marlins organization in batting average with .326, as well as being second in stolen bases.
Castillo spent most of the 1996 season in the Eastern League, but was called up to the Marlins mid-season and made his major league debut on August 8. His first major league hit came in a game against the New York Mets
New 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...
, where he knocked in the game-winning run in the 10th inning. He was named to the Eastern League All-Star team and post-season All-Star team.
1997–99
Castillo started playing full time for the MarlinsFlorida 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...
at second base during the 1997 season. Both at age 21, he and Edgar Rentería
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
were the youngest middle infield combination in the history of the 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...
. He bruised his left heel mid-season, and missed the entire month of May with the injury. He was optioned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
on July 28 and did not come back to the major leagues until the next season. Due to this, he did not play for the Marlins during the 1997 World Series
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
.
Castillo remained with the Charlotte Knights until being recalled to the Marlins on August 4, 1998. While in Charlotte, he had a streak of 32 consecutive games reaching base safely. With the Marlins, his highest hit streak was eight games, between August 14 and August 19. By the end of the season, he was third among Marlins minor leaguers in stolen bases, and a .203 batting average, 3 stolen bases and 10 RBIs.
Castillo improved in 1999, with many short hitting streaks. These streaks included six games from May 10 to May 17, and six games from August 1 to August 7. He also had a 22 game hitting streak in a stretch between August 9 and September 3. He finished fourth in the league in stolen bases, and was fourth among lead-off hitters in on-base percentage at .385. He was named the Marlins Most Valuable Player by the South Florida Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
.
2000–02
Castillo started the 2000 season with a seven game hitting streak from April 5 to April 12, though he was placed on the disabled list with a strained back shortly afterwards. A week after coming back, he set a single-game team record with four stolen bases on May 17. He had 3 in the next game, falling short of the National LeagueNational 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...
record of 8 in two games, set by Walt Wilmot
Walt Wilmot
Walter Robert Wilmot was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played over parts of 10 seasons with the Washington Nationals , Chicago Colts and New York Giants . Listed at 5 ft 9 in, 165 lb., Wilmot was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
in 1894. In 2000 he also became the Marlins all-time stolen base leader by stealing his 116th career base on June 20 while playing the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He finished the season with 62 stolen bases, leading the entire major leagues.
In 2001, Castillo had two hitting streaks, 8 games from May 6 to May 13, and 14 games from June 29 to July 22. He finished fifth in the league in stolen bases with 33. He also had a .263 batting average, 45 RBIs, and 10 triples, a career high.
In 2002, Castillo had a 35-game hitting streak, which is the longest ever by a second baseman (since matched by fellow second baseman Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 2006). This was the sixth longest streak in the history of the 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...
, and also the tenth longest in the history of Major League Baseball. Castillo played second base in the 2002 All-Star Game
2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 73rd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues that make up Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home of...
, the first All-Star selection of his career. In 2002 he hit .305 with 39 RBIs and 48 stolen bases, leading the league in stolen bases for the second time in his career. He was again named the Marlins Most Valuable Player by the South Florida Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
.
2003–05
Castillo was a member of the National League All-Star team in 2003, his second career All-Star selection. He also led the Marlins in hitting and won his first career Gold Glove AwardGold 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...
. Castillo was a central figure in the NLCS
2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
Game 6 comeback by the Marlins against 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...
at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
after a foul ball that he hit was knocked away from the Cubs' Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
by fan Steve Bartman. The Marlins went on to win that game as well as Game 7 to get to the 2003 World Series
2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
, in which the Marlins defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. This was the second World Series of Castillo's career, but the first in which he actually played.
In 2004, Castillo had a .291 batting average with 47 RBIs, a career best. He also had 2 home runs and 7 triples. He was second only to Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
on the Marlins with a .373 on-base percentage and set a Marlins record with his 425th career walk passing Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
's previous mark of 424. Castillo won his second straight Gold Glove and posted the 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...
's second-best fielding percentage at second base (.991), behind Philadelphia's Placido Polanco
Plácido Polanco
Plácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers. He is a third baseman, but in the past has played second base and shortstop...
.
In his final season with the Marlins, Castillo won his third Gold Glove award in a row. He led the majors in batting versus left-handed pitchers with a .423 average. Castillo was also a member of the 2005 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...
All-Star team, and replaced Jeff Kent
Jeff Kent
Jeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...
of the Los Angeles 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...
at second base in the 2nd inning. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins on December 2, 2005, in exchange for two minor leaguers, Scott Tyler and Travis Bowyer
Travis Bowyer
Travis Charlton Bowyer is a relief pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization. He is listed at 6 foot, 3 inches and 210 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed....
. The Marlins replaced Castillo at second base with Dan Uggla
Dan Uggla
Daniel Cooley Uggla is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball....
, a Rule 5 selection from the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
.
Minnesota Twins
In 2006 Castillo began his only full season playing for the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He had an impressive first month of hitting, batting .432 with 19 hits. Over that stretch, Castillo drove in runs in five straight games from April 13 to April 19. Castillo had three four-hit games for the Twins this season, on April 15, August 5, and August 9. He had a six-game hitting streak from May 6 to May 13, and recorded his 300th career stolen base while facing the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on August 26.
In the 2007 season Castillo set a new Major League Baseball record, going 143 games at second base without an error. He also recorded his 1,500th career hit on May 29 while facing the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. Castillo was traded by the Twins to the New York Mets
New 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...
on July 30, 2007 for two minor league players, catcher Drew Butera
Drew Butera
Andrew Edward Butera is a major league baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. The 6'1", 210 lbs. right-hander is the son of former Major league catcher Sal Butera, who played for the Twins from to and again in...
and outfielder Dustin Martin. He finished the season with a .301 batting average with 1 home run, 38 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. On November 18 the Mets re-signed him to a 4-year contract worth a reported $25 million.
New York Mets
Castillo had a strong finish to the 2007 season after being traded. He reached base safely in 40 of his last 46 games, and scored 34 runs in his last 42 games. In 50 games as a Met, Castillo batted .296 with 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.In 2008, a year plagued with injuries and several bench stints, Castillo hit .245 in 87 games, but still managed to steal 17 bases in 19 attempts.
In 2009 spring training Castillo led all major league players in walks, with 17 from 56 official at bats. On March 16, 2009, Castillo was presented the opportunity to bat right-handed instead of being a switch hitter. Although flattered by the offer, he declined, and continued to be a switch hitter throughout the rest of his career. Although the Mets struggled as a team, Castillo enjoyed a bounce-back year in '09, hitting .302 with 77 runs scored and a .387 on-base percentage. On June 12, Castillo dropped a popup for a two-run walk-off error at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
, earning him a measure of infamy in the Mets–Yankees rivalry.
On June 4, 2010, the Mets put Castillo on the DL for foot problems in his right and left foot. He was replaced by Rubén Tejada
Ruben Tejada
Rubén Darío Tejada is a Panamanian professional baseball player. He played second base and shortstop for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball for most of the first half of the 2010 season....
who played at second base in the Mets 5-4 win against the Florida 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...
at Citi Field. He was criticized along with Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
and Oliver Perez
Oliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
for not going to the hospital that had soldiers who had amputated arms and legs, he claimed that he did not want to be horrified by the experience. Castillo commented on not being happy with his playing time and "has to work something out this offseason". During Spring Training of 2010, he was booed by the home fans at Digital Domain Park where the Mets play their spring training games. He was released from the Mets 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...
roster on March 18, 2011.
Philadelphia Phillies
On March 21, 2011, Castillo signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. On March 22, he reported to Phillies training camp. Castillo was released shortly thereafter on March 30, 2011.
Personal life
Castillo graduated from the class of 1991 at Colegio San Benito Abad in the Dominican RepublicDominican 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...
. He is married and has two children – Luis Jr., born on October 12, 2001, and Adonai, born on July 30, 2009.
In his spare time, Castillo enjoys playing dominoes
Dominoes
Dominoes generally refers to the collective gaming pieces making up a domino set or to the subcategory of tile games played with domino pieces. In the area of mathematical tilings and polyominoes, the word domino often refers to any rectangle formed from joining two congruent squares edge to edge...
and billiards. He lives in Caldwell, New Jersey.
Awards and honors
- 3-time NL All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005)
- 3-time NL Gold Glove Award (2B) (2003, 2004, 2005)
Achievements
- 2-time MLB Stolen Bases Leader (2000, 2002)
- World Series Champion with the Florida Marlins (2003)
See also
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases