Robert Andino

Robert Andino

Andino with the Baltimore Orioles
Somerset Patriots
Infielder
Born: April 25, 1984
Miami, Florida
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 4, 2005 for the Florida Marlins
Career statistics
(through 2013 season)
Batting average .232
Home runs 18
Runs batted in 96
Teams

Robert Lazaro Andino (born April 25, 1984) is a Cuban-American professional baseball infielder for the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners. He is of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent.

Baseball career

Florida Marlins

Andino was selected in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2002 MLB Draft by the hometown Florida Marlins out of Miami Southridge High School.[1][2]

He was promoted to the Marlins for the first time on September 2, 2005.[3] He made his major-league debut two days later on September 4 when he replaced Álex González at shortstop in the eighth inning of a 71 loss to the New York Mets at Dolphins Stadium. His only at bat was a groundout to shortstop José Reyes to end the game.[4] His first hit in the majors was a ground-rule double off Vicente Padilla in the fourth inning of a 102 defeat at home to the Philadelphia Phillies on September 17.[5]

The Marlins initially saw him as their "shortstop of the future." Other players, including Hanley Ramírez, knocked him out of that role.

On April 1, 2008, Andino hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning off New York Mets reliever Matt Wise for his first career home run.[6]

Baltimore Orioles

In an exchange of players out of options, Andino was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Hayden Penn on April 1, 2009.[7] He made his first appearance for the Orioles on April 9, 2009, pinch-hitting for César Izturis.

He made a barehanded catch of a Justin Morneau pop fly in foul territory during the sixth inning of a 61 win over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on August 24, 2011. He had slightly overran the ball while approaching the tarpaulin roll parked against the fence on the third-base side.[8]

Andino with the Mariners.

During the last two weeks of the 2011 campaign, Andino made three clutch hits that helped prevent the Boston Red Sox from clinching the American League Wild Card. The first was a two-out bases-clearing double down the right-field line off Jonathan Papelbon in the eighth inning of a 75 win at Fenway Park on September 20.[9] Six nights later on September 26, he became the first Oriole to achieve an inside-the-park home run at Camden Yards with a three-run shot off Josh Beckett in the sixth inning of a 63 triumph. With runners on second and third and two outs, he sent the ball to deep straightaway center field where it initially landed in Jacoby Ellsbury's glove. It was jarred loose when Ellsbury collided with the fence. Andino was able to score standing up when the relay throw skipped past Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.[10] The feat was witnessed by his father Robert Sr. who was attending a professional game involving his son for the first time.[11] Andino struck against Papelbon again with a two-out game-winning single to left field in the ninth inning of the regular-season-ending 43 victory at home on September 28.[12] His clutch performances were dubbed by the Boston sports media as "The Curse of the Andino," an obvious pun on the Curse of the Bambino.[13]

On September 7, 2012, Andino hit his career-high seventh home run of the season against New York Yankees pitcher Cody Eppley.

Seattle Mariners

On November 20, 2012, Andino was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Trayvon Robinson. On May 24, 2013, he was designated for assignment to make room for catcher Jesús Sucre. He was outrighted to the Tacoma Rainiers on May 27.[14]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On July 31, 2013, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named later or cash.[14] He was assigned to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.

On January 7, 2014, the Pirates signed Andino to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training.[15]

Somerset Patriots

On March 31, 2015, Andino signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

References

  1. 2002 Major League Baseball Draft, Rounds 110 Pro Sports Transactions.
  2. Rodriguez, Juan C. "Marlins Call Up Andino From Double-A," Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Saturday, September 3, 2005.
  3. "Marlins reinstate Josh Willingham from DL; Select Robert Andino," Florida Marlins press release, Friday, September 2, 2005.
  4. Mack, Charlie. "Marlins fall short of sweep," MLB.com, Sunday, September 4, 2005.
  5. Robert Andino (2005 batting gamelogs) Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. Andino delivers walk-off win
  7. Fordin, Spencer. "O's send Penn to Marlins for Andino," MLB.com, Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
  8. Schelling, Jordan. "Andino's hands-on grab highlights victory," MLB.com, Thursday, August 25, 2011.
  9. Ghiroli, Brittany. "Andino's clutch double propels O's past Sox," MLB.com, Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
  10. Seidel, Jeff. "Andino's inside-the-parker lifts O's over Sox," MLB.com, Tuesday, September 27, 2011.
  11. Palmer, Matt. "Showalter is a manager's manager," CSNBaltimore.com, Tuesday, September 27, 2011.
  12. Ghiroli, Brittany. "Burn notice: O's rally, end Sox's playoff dreams," MLB.com, Thursday, September 29, 2011.
  13. Ghiroli, Brittany. "Talent helps Andino rise past tough history," MLB.com, Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
  14. 14.0 14.1 "Mariners trade Triple-A infielder Robert Andino to Pittsburgh Pirates organization for a player to be named later". Seattle Mariners. July 31, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  15. Adams, Steve (January 7, 2014). "Pirates Sign Robert Andino". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved February 28, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Andino.