Víctor Santos

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Víctor Santos
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Cincinnati Reds – No. 52
Pitcher
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB Debut
April 9, 2001 for the Detroit Tigers
Selected MLB Statistics (through August 2, 2006)
Win-loss	21-40
Strikeouts	357
ERA	5.04
Innings pitched	510.2
Teams
Detroit Tigers (2001 - 2002) Colorado Rockies (2002) Texas Rangers (2002 - 2003) Milwaukee Brewers (2003 - 2005) Pittsburgh Pirates (2006) Cincinnati Reds (2007-current)

Víctor Irving Santos (born October 2, 1976 or possibly earlier[1], San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Cincinnati Reds. Previously, Santos played with the Detroit Tigers (2001), Colorado Rockies (2002), Texas Rangers (2003), Milwaukee Brewers (2005) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2006). He bats and throws right handed.

[edit] Career

Santos signed with the Detroit Tigers as a non-drafted free agent in 1995. Although he allowed some unearned runs, Santos posted a 0.00 ERA over his first 27.1 innings in the majors, the longest such streak to start a career since Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980-81 (34 innings). For his effort, he was named Detroit rookie of the year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.

Santos was traded to the Colorado Rockies in 2002 and acquired by the Texas Rangers before the 2003 season. Then he signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers before being called up for the 2004 season, where he earned his way onto the starting rotation. After two years with Milwaukee, he made an unusual route via the Kansas City Royals and the Rule 5 draft onto the major-league roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 2006 season.

The Pirates granted him free agency on October 6, 2006, immediately after the 2006 season ended. On January 8, 2007 he signed a minor league deal with the Reds.

[edit] Early Life

As with many Dominican players, it is unclear whether Santos's official age is accurate. His biography lists that he graduated from Passaic High School in Passaic, New Jersey in 1995, though Santos was a four-year starter on the baseball team at Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey.[2] In 1994, he was named Most Valuable Player of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball tournament, where he was the winning pitcher twice in the Peacocks' three-game sweep. Santos is the first former Peacock baseball player to reach the majors.