Ronny Cedeño
Encyclopedia
Ronny Alexander Cedeño (born February 2, 1983) is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball
shortstop
. He bats and throws right-handed and was born in Puerto Cabello
, Venezuela
. After the 2011 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates
, the team declined his club option, making him a free agent.
career playing in the Cubs' farm system, reaching the Double-A level in with the Diamond Jaxx
. In 116 games, he posted a .279 batting average
with six home run
s and 48 RBI
. He was selected as a midseason Southern League All-Star
.
Cedeño was called up in April 2005 to replace Nomar Garciaparra
on the Cubs' roster. He made big-league debut for the Chicago Cubs
on April 23, , but spent most of his time on the bench, as Neifi Pérez
was awarded the starting job. After the Cubs signed Enrique Wilson
, Cedeño was sent back down to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
. In 65 games at Iowa in 2005, Cedeño batted an impressive .355, and slugged over .500 for the first time in his professional career. He returned to the Cubs in June after Wilson was himself sent down to Iowa.
Cedeño became the team's starting shortstop in . In 2006, he walked
only 3.1% of the time, the lowest percentage in the National League
, and 4 of his 17 walks were intentional walks.http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2006 He also had the major league's worst walk/strikeout
ratio—0.16.
He played in the 2006 winter league for Venezuela
, and averaged .555 in 45 games with 25 runs and 28 RBI.
Cedeño began with the major league club on the bench, as the Cubs were set at shortstop and second base with César Izturis
and Mark DeRosa
. However, his offensive struggles continued and he spent several more months in Triple-A Iowa.
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 Félix Pie
and Sam Fuld
in the mix, as well as Cedeño, who has been asked to play some center field during the winter.
In , Cedeño made the major league club out of spring training
, and spent the entire season in Chicago, albeit in a bench role. As the season progressed, he saw more opportunities to start at second base and shortstop, and got many opportunities off the bench as a pinch hitter
and defensive replacement.
to the Seattle Mariners for Aaron Heilman
. Cedeno replaced Yuniesky Betancourt
as starting shortstop for the Seattle Mariners after Betancourt was put on the DL and later traded to the Kansas City Royals
.
, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin, and Nathan Adcock
to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jack Wilson and Ian Snell
.
Cedeño finished 2009 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, and a career high 10 home runs. He also drove in 38 runs, was issued a career high 19 walks, 3 of them intentional, struck out 79 times, and stole 5 bases, to go along with a .208 average, a .256 on base percentage, a .337 slugging percentage, in 341 at bats split between Seattle and Pittsburgh.
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...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. He bats and throws right-handed and was born in Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State about 75 km west of Caracas. As of 2001, the city has a population of around 154,000 people. The city is the home to the largest port in the country and is thus a vital cog in the country's vast oil...
, 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...
. After the 2011 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, the team declined his club option, making him a free agent.
Chicago Cubs
Cedeño spent his five-season minor leagueMinor 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...
career playing in the Cubs' farm system, reaching the Double-A level in with the 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...
. In 116 games, he posted a .279 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 :...
with six 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 48 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 was selected as a midseason Southern League All-Star
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...
.
Cedeño was called up in April 2005 to replace Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
on the Cubs' roster. He made big-league debut 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...
on April 23, , but spent most of his time on the bench, as Neifi Pérez
Neifi Pérez
Neifi Neftali Pérez is a Major League baseball player who most recently played for the Detroit Tigers. He played with the Colorado Rockies , Kansas City Royals , San Francisco Giants , and the Chicago Cubs...
was awarded the starting job. After the Cubs signed Enrique Wilson
Enrique Wilson
Enrique Wilson Marte is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He batted switch and threw right-handed....
, Cedeño was sent back down to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
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:...
. In 65 games at Iowa in 2005, Cedeño batted an impressive .355, and slugged over .500 for the first time in his professional career. He returned to the Cubs in June after Wilson was himself sent down to Iowa.
Cedeño became the team's starting shortstop in . In 2006, he walked
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
only 3.1% of the time, the lowest percentage in 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 4 of his 17 walks were intentional walks.http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2006 He also had the major league's worst walk/strikeout
Strikeout
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....
ratio—0.16.
He played in the 2006 winter league for 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...
, and averaged .555 in 45 games with 25 runs and 28 RBI.
Cedeño began with the major league club on the bench, as the Cubs were set at shortstop and second base with César Izturis
César Izturis
César David Izturis is a Major League Baseball shortstop who is currently a free agent. He is the half-brother of shortstop Maicer Izturis, who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Julio Izturis, who plays in the minor leagues in the San Francisco Giants organization.Izturis' greatest...
and Mark DeRosa
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...
. However, his offensive struggles continued and he spent several more months in Triple-A Iowa.
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
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
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 Félix Pie
Felix Pie
Félix Pie is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.-Minor league career:...
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, as well as Cedeño, who has been asked to play some center field during the winter.
In , Cedeño made the major league club out of 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...
, and spent the entire season in Chicago, albeit in a bench role. As the season progressed, he saw more opportunities to start at second base and shortstop, and got many opportunities off the bench as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
and defensive replacement.
Seattle Mariners
On January 28, , Cedeño was traded with Garrett OlsonGarrett 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...
to the Seattle Mariners for Aaron Heilman
Aaron Heilman
Aaron Michael Heilman is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. Heilman was drafted by the New York Mets out of Notre Dame in 2001. He came up through the Mets system as a starting pitcher but was converted to a relief pitcher in 2005...
. Cedeno replaced Yuniesky Betancourt
Yuniesky Betancourt
Yuniesky Betancourt is a Major League Baseball shortstop. He resides in Boca Raton, Florida.-Cuban leagues:...
as starting shortstop for the Seattle Mariners after Betancourt was put on the DL and later traded to 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...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On July 29, , Cedeño was traded with Jeff ClementJeff Clement
Jeffrey Burton Clement is a Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization. Clement was the Seattle Mariners' first round draft pick in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.-Amateur career:Clement was born and raised in Marshalltown, Iowa...
, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin, and Nathan Adcock
Nathan Adcock (baseball)
Nathan Masler Adcock is a baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.Before playing professionally, Adcock attended North Hardin High School...
to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jack Wilson and Ian Snell
Ian Snell
Ian Dante Snell is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. From -, he went by the name Ian Oquendo, adopting the last name of his wife, and during the 2009 World Baseball Classic he went by Ian Davila-Snell, adopting his stepfather's surname...
.
Cedeño finished 2009 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, and a career high 10 home runs. He also drove in 38 runs, was issued a career high 19 walks, 3 of them intentional, struck out 79 times, and stole 5 bases, to go along with a .208 average, a .256 on base percentage, a .337 slugging percentage, in 341 at bats split between Seattle and Pittsburgh.