Vinny Rottino
Encyclopedia
Vincent Antonio Rottino (born April 7, 1980) is an Italian
–American
professional baseball
catcher
for the New York Mets
of Major League Baseball
. He generally plays at catcher
, first base, and outfield
.
He graduated from St. Catherine's High School
in Racine, and then went to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin
.
on February 3, 2003. In his fourth year with the Brewers organization, he made his major league debut as a September call up in . He played in 9 games, batting
.214.
Rottino began the season in Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds
. He spent nearly the entire season there before being recalled by Milwaukee on September 1. On September 29, , Rottino hit a walk-off single
in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat the San Diego Padres
4–3 and clinch the first winning season for the Milwaukee Brewers
since .
He repeated most of his previous season's fashion in 2008, playing most of the season at Triple-A, then receiving a call-up in September.
Rottino was the starting catcher for Team Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
.
In 2009, Rottino accepted an assignment to Double-A Huntsville
. On July 31, 2009, he was traded by the Brewers to the Los Angeles Dodgers
for Claudio Vargas
.
On November 16, 2011, Rottino signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
–American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
for 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...
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...
. He generally plays at 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...
, first base, and outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
.
He graduated from St. Catherine's High School
St. Catherine's High School (Racine, Wisconsin)
St. Catherine's High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Racine, Wisconsin. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee.-History:St. Catherine's traces its origins to the fall of 1864, when the Racine Dominican Sisters...
in Racine, and then went to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
.
Career highlights
Rottino originally signed with the Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted 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....
on February 3, 2003. In his fourth year with the Brewers organization, he made his major league debut as a September call up in . He played in 9 games, batting
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 :...
.214.
Rottino began the season in Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
. He spent nearly the entire season there before being recalled by Milwaukee on September 1. On September 29, , Rottino hit a walk-off single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat 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...
4–3 and clinch the first winning season for 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...
since .
He repeated most of his previous season's fashion in 2008, playing most of the season at Triple-A, then receiving a call-up in September.
Rottino was the starting catcher for Team Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
.
In 2009, Rottino accepted an assignment to Double-A Huntsville
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
. On July 31, 2009, he was traded by the Brewers to 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...
for Claudio Vargas
Claudio Vargas
Claudio Vargas Almonte is a former Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers...
.
On November 16, 2011, Rottino signed a minor league contract with 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...
.