Frank Catalanotto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Image:FrankCatalanotto.jpg |
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|---|---|
| Texas Rangers — No. 27 | |
| Left Field | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| September 3, 1997 for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2006) |
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| Avg | .297 |
| OBP | .362 |
| HR | 70 |
| Teams | |
Frank John Catalanotto (pronounced Ca-ta-lan-no-tow) (born April 27, 1974 in Smithtown, New York) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who plays for the Texas Rangers. Nicknamed Cat, the Long Island native bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
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[edit] Detroit Tigers
Catalanotto began his career professional baseball career in 1992 when the Detroit Tigers drafted him in the tenth round of the 1992 Amateur Draft. Primarily a second baseman in the minors, he made his major league debut at second base on September 3, 1997. While in Detroit Catalanotto battled injuries and a lack of playing time, and never once recorded a season of 300 at-bats for the Tigers. A super-sub off the bench, Catalanotto logged significant time not only at second base, but at first base and third base as well. Over his three-year span in Detroit, he was one of the strongest, and most often used pinch hitters for the Tigers, leading the American League in pinch-hit at-bats in the 1998 season.
[edit] Texas Rangers
On November 2, 1999, Catalanotto was part of an eight player blockbuster deal between the Tigers and the Texas Rangers. In the deal he was dealt to Texas along with pitchers Francisco Cordero and Justin Thompson, catcher Bill Hasselman and a minor leaguer, for slugging outfield star Juan Gonzalez, catcher Gregg Zaun and pitcher Danny Patterson.
Catalanotto made a splash to start to his Rangers career collecting ten hits, and three walks in thirteen consecutive plate appearances from April 21 to May 18, 2000. This streak stands as the Rangers franchise record for consecutive appearances reaching base. He also tied the clubs record for hits (5) on May 17.
After another season plagued by injuries in 2000, Catalanotto finally burst onto the scene in 2001 where the red-hot Catalanotto finished fifth in the A.L. in batting average (.330), and recorded a .431 batting average in August. He also logged a good deal of innings in the outfield, a position he had fielded for one inning before 2001. 2002 was another injury riddled season for Catalanotto, and the Rangers declined to offer him a contract in the 2003 offseason.
On November 19, 2006, the Texas Rangers announced that they had reacquired Catalanotto, signing him to a three-year contract worth $13 million.[1]
[edit] Toronto Blue Jays
Catalanotto was named AL player of the week after hitting .500 in the last week of the 2005 season helping him finish with an average of .301.[2] He also won the AL player of the week on July 25, 2005.[3]
June 5, 2005 at Oakland, collected the 700th hit of his Major League career and scored his 400th career run, September 22nd against Seattle.
May 1, 2004 at Chicago White Sox, set the Blue Jays record for hits in a game, going 6 for 6 in the 2nd game of a double-header
[edit] Interesting facts
- His at-bat music is "Down With the Sickness" by Disturbed.
- Honorary chairman for the National Vascular Birthmark Foundation and participates in Little league programs
- Despite being born in the United States, Catalanotto's Italian heritage made him eligible to play for the Italian national team at the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
[edit] References
- ^ Catalanotto comes back to Rangers. mlb.com (November 19, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
- ^ Catalanotto named AL Player of Week. Toronto.BlueJays.mlb.com (October 10, 2005). Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
- ^ Catalanotto named AL Player of Week. Toronto.BlueJays.mlb.com (July 25, 2005). Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
[edit] External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Frank Catalanotto at ESPN.com
- Frank Catalanotto: Boys of Tireball
