Tony Batista
Encyclopedia
Leocadio Francisco "Tony" Batista (born December 9, 1973) is a former Major League Baseball
infielder
who is currently a free agent
. He played in the major leagues from to and to , and with the Softbank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League
in .
, the Toronto Blue Jays
, the Baltimore Orioles
, and the Montreal Expos
, before moving on to Japan
for the 2005 season. After returning from Japan he played for the Minnesota Twins and then the Washington Nationals.
He has played first base, second base, shortstop
, third base
and designated hitter
. He is known for his unique batting routine.
He has good power, hitting 221 home run
s, but has only a .251 batting average
and seldom walk
s, with a .298 OBP
.
He was elected to the American League
All-Star
team twice ( and ).
when they learned that their starting shortstop Alex Gonzalez, would be lost to them for the season in June of . Batista was a solid player for the Jays, being voted to the 2000 American League All-Star Team and after two good seasons, was put on waivers in only to be immediately picked up by the Baltimore Orioles
who were looking for someone to fill the legendary shoes of Cal Ripken, who was retiring at the end of that season. In one memorable incident, while playing with the Jays, Batista barely beat out a throw from third base for an infield single. Batista ran past first base, all the way down the first baseline to SkyDome's outfield wall, 328 feet away from home plate. After reaching the outfield wall, Batista walked all the way back to first base.
2002, the first post-Cal Ripken game. Batista hit a grand slam
off Roger Clemens
in a 10-3 win over the New York Yankees
.
, hitting 32 of them. Despite his .241, Batista was a fan-favorite for his power.
of Japan. In 2005, he batted .263, with 27 home runs and 90 RBI. After the season ended, he was released by the Hawks who wished to adhere to the team's policy of raising young players.
On December 15, 2005, Batista signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins
, worth $1.25 million if he made the team out of spring training
. On June 13, 2006, the Twins designated him for assignment, ending his tenure with the team. He was replaced at third by Nick Punto
.
. He joined the Nationals' major-league roster on May 8, 2007. He started a few games at first base, and was used mainly as a pinch-hitter. On December 17, 2007, the Nationals outrighted him to the minor leagues, and on March 10, 2008, Batista signed a minor league contract with the Nationals, but was released in early May.
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...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who is currently 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....
. He played in the major leagues from to and to , and with the Softbank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
in .
Career
His major league career began in 1996. He played for the Oakland A's, the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona 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...
, 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 ....
, 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...
, and 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...
, before moving on to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for the 2005 season. After returning from Japan he played for the Minnesota Twins and then the Washington Nationals.
He has played first base, second base, 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...
, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and designated hitter
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...
. He is known for his unique batting routine.
He has good power, hitting 221 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, but has only a .251 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 :...
and seldom walk
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...
s, with a .298 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...
.
He was elected to the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team twice ( and ).
Blue Jays years (1999–2001)
Tony Batista was acquired 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 ....
when they learned that their starting shortstop Alex Gonzalez, would be lost to them for the season in June of . Batista was a solid player for the Jays, being voted to the 2000 American League All-Star Team and after two good seasons, was put on waivers in only to be immediately picked up by 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...
who were looking for someone to fill the legendary shoes of Cal Ripken, who was retiring at the end of that season. In one memorable incident, while playing with the Jays, Batista barely beat out a throw from third base for an infield single. Batista ran past first base, all the way down the first baseline to SkyDome's outfield wall, 328 feet away from home plate. After reaching the outfield wall, Batista walked all the way back to first base.
Baltimore Orioles (2001-2003)
Batista played for the Orioles for 72 games in 2001 and the entire 2002 and 2003 seasons, being named an All-Star in 2002 and posting many season career highs. One of Batista's greatest moments as an Oriole was Opening DayOpening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
2002, the first post-Cal Ripken game. Batista hit a 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...
off Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
in a 10-3 win over the 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...
.
Montreal Expos (2004)
Batista played for the Expos in 157 games in the 2004 season. In the team's final year in Montreal, Batista was tied for first on the team in home runs with Brad WilkersonBrad Wilkerson
Stephen Bradley "Brad" Wilkerson is a former American college and professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball for eight seasons in the 2000s. Wilkerson played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Montreal Expos...
, hitting 32 of them. Despite his .241, Batista was a fan-favorite for his power.
2005 season
After the 2004 season, he signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank HawksFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
of Japan. In 2005, he batted .263, with 27 home runs and 90 RBI. After the season ended, he was released by the Hawks who wished to adhere to the team's policy of raising young players.
On December 15, 2005, Batista signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota 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...
, worth $1.25 million if he made the team 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...
. On June 13, 2006, the Twins designated him for assignment, ending his tenure with the team. He was replaced at third by Nick Punto
Nick Punto
Nicholas Paul Punto is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed....
.
Washington Nationals (2007)
On February 14, 2007, he signed a minor-league deal with the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He joined the Nationals' major-league roster on May 8, 2007. He started a few games at first base, and was used mainly as a pinch-hitter. On December 17, 2007, the Nationals outrighted him to the minor leagues, and on March 10, 2008, Batista signed a minor league contract with the Nationals, but was released in early May.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Starting Lineups