Édgar Rentería facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Édgar Rentería |
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Rentería with the Cincinnati Reds in 2011
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: August 7, 1975 Barranquilla, Colombia |
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| debut | |||
| May 10, 1996, for the Florida Marlins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2011, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .286 | ||
| Hits | 2,327 | ||
| Home runs | 140 | ||
| Runs batted in | 923 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Édgar Enrique Rentería Herazo (born August 7, 1975), also known as "the Barranquilla Baby", is a former professional baseball player from Colombia. He played as a shortstop, which is a key defensive position between second and third base. Édgar batted and threw with his right hand. He played for several teams during his career, including the Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, and Cincinnati Reds.
Édgar Rentería was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. He signed with the Florida Marlins in 1992 and made his big league debut in 1996. He became famous for his clutch hitting, especially in the World Series. In 1997, his hit in Game 7 won the World Series for the Marlins. Later, in 2010, he won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award with the San Francisco Giants after hitting important home runs in Games 2 and 5.
Contents
- Early Life and Baseball Start
- Professional Baseball Journey
- Major Accomplishments
- Personal Life and Legacy
- See also
Early Life and Baseball Start
Édgar Rentería was born on August 7, 1975, in Barranquilla, Colombia. He went to Instituto Los Alpes High School in his hometown. When he was 16, a scout named Levy Ochoa signed him to play for the Florida Marlins.
Professional Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Édgar began his professional career in 1992 with the Gulf Coast League Marlins. He had a batting average of .288, meaning he got a hit almost 29% of the time he tried. He also had 47 hits in 43 games. However, he made 24 errors, which are mistakes in fielding.
In 1993, he played for the Kane County Cougars. His batting average dropped to .203, but he improved his fielding, making only 34 errors. By 1994, he moved up to the Brevard County Manatees, where his batting average rose to .253 and his fielding got even better.
His big breakthrough came in 1995 with the Portland Sea Dogs. He batted .289, hit seven home runs, and stole thirty bases. Before the 1996 season, Baseball America magazine said he was the best young player in the Marlins' system. He started 1996 with the Charlotte Knights, batting .278 before being called up to the major leagues.
Florida Marlins (1996–1998)
1996: Rookie Season
On May 9, 1996, Édgar was called up to the Florida Marlins because their shortstop, Kurt Abbott, was injured. He played his first game on May 10. On May 19, he became the team's starting shortstop. He got his first hit, a single, in his very first try against pitcher Steve Trachsel. His first home run came on June 11.
Édgar played so well that when Kurt Abbott returned from injury, the Marlins moved Abbott to second base so Édgar could stay at shortstop. From July 25 to August 16, Édgar had a 22-game hitting streak, which was the longest for a rookie since 1989. He finished his first season with a .309 batting average and 16 stolen bases. He came in second for the National League Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award.
1997: World Series Champion
In 1997, Édgar continued to shine. He hit his first inside-the-park home run on April 5. He also had several game-winning hits throughout the season. He finished the year with a .277 batting average and 32 stolen bases.
The Florida Marlins made it to the playoffs for the first time in their history. They won the 1997 National League Division Series and the 1997 National League Championship Series, which led them to the 1997 World Series against the Cleveland Indians. In Game 7, the score was tied in the eleventh inning. With two outs, Édgar hit a "walk-off" single, meaning his hit immediately won the game. This hit scored Craig Counsell and gave the Marlins their first ever World Series championship!
1998: All-Star Season
In 1998, Édgar had a .302 batting average by the time of the MLB All-Star Game, and he was the only Marlin chosen to play in it. He had a fourteen-game hitting streak in June. On August 24, he sprained his right knee and was out for a few weeks. He ended the year with a .282 batting average and a career-high 41 stolen bases. On December 14, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.
St. Louis Cardinals (1999–2004)
1999: New Team, Same Speed
In 1999, Édgar hit his first home run as a Cardinal on May 16. He hit two home runs in one game on May 31. He also stole four bases in a game on September 5. He finished the season with a .275 batting average and led the Cardinals with 37 stolen bases.
2000: Silver Slugger Award
In 2000, Édgar was chosen for the All-Star Game again. He hit home runs in three straight games in April. He also broke a Cardinals' record for most home runs by a shortstop. He finished the season with a .278 batting average and led the team with 21 stolen bases. He won the Silver Slugger Award for shortstops, which is given to the best offensive player at each position. The Cardinals made the playoffs but lost in the championship series.
2001: Playoff Home Run
In 2001, Édgar hit his first playoff home run in Game 3 of the 2001 NLDS. Even though his batting average was low for part of the season, he finished strong, raising it to .260. He led the Cardinals with 17 stolen bases.
2002: Gold Glove and More
Édgar had a great season in 2002. He hit his first "grand slam" (a home run with the bases loaded) on August 18. He hit another grand slam on September 4 and had a career-high five runs batted in (RBI) in that game. He finished the season with a .305 batting average and won his second Silver Slugger Award. He also won his first Gold Glove Award, which is given to the best defensive player at each position. He was the first Cardinals' shortstop to win a Gold Glove since the famous Ozzie Smith in 1992.
2003: Best Batting Average
In 2003, Édgar had an amazing year. He hit two home runs and had five RBI in a game on April 13. He got five hits in a single game for the first time on June 12. He was selected for the All-Star Game after batting .331 in the first half of the season. He also became the first National League shortstop since 1985 to have 100 RBI in a season. He finished the year with a career-high .330 batting average, which was fourth best in the NL. He also set a Cardinals' record for doubles by a shortstop with 47. He won both a Silver Slugger Award and a Gold Glove Award for the second year in a row.
2004: Another World Series Appearance
In 2004, Édgar hit his third career grand slam on June 9. He had a ten-game hitting streak and was chosen for the All-Star Game again. He finished the year with a .287 batting average. The Cardinals made it to the 2004 World Series, but they lost to the Boston Red Sox. Édgar was the last batter of the World Series for the second time in his career. After the season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
Boston Red Sox (2005)
In December 2004, the Boston Red Sox signed Édgar to a four-year contract. He hit his first home run with the Red Sox on April 14, 2005. He had a great stretch in May, with four straight games where he got at least three hits. During this time, he hit another grand slam. He finished the year with a .276 batting average. However, he struggled defensively, making a career-high 30 errors. The Red Sox were not happy with his performance, and he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in December.
Atlanta Braves (2006–2007)
Édgar started 2006 with a 23-game hitting streak, which was the second longest that year. On July 3, he hit his 100th career home run. He was selected for the All-Star Game after batting .318 in the first half of the season. He finished the year with a .293 batting average and improved his defense, making only 13 errors.
In 2007, Édgar hit two home runs on Opening Day, which was a rare feat for a Braves player. He had an eighteen-game hitting streak from April 20 to May 12. He also had five hits in a game on June 16. He finished the year with a career-high .332 batting average, which was tied for third best in the National League. Because the Braves had a young shortstop prospect, Édgar was traded to the Detroit Tigers in October.
Detroit Tigers (2008)
In 2008, Édgar hit his fifth career grand slam on April 16. He hit his sixth grand slam on June 7. On June 17, he got his 2,000th career hit. He finished the year with a .270 batting average. After the season, the Tigers decided not to keep him, and he became a free agent again.
San Francisco Giants (2009-2010)
2009: Dealing with Injuries
In December 2008, Édgar signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants. He hit a grand slam on April 21, 2009. He dealt with several injuries throughout the year, including a strained hamstring and an elbow injury that required surgery in September. Because of his injuries, he finished the season with a career-low .250 batting average.
2010: World Series MVP
Édgar started 2010 well, batting .320 by the end of April. However, he continued to struggle with injuries, including groin and biceps problems, which kept him out of many games. When he returned in September, another player, Juan Uribe, was playing well at shortstop, so Édgar became a reserve player. On September 23, with the Giants needing to win to make the playoffs, Édgar gave a speech to his teammates, telling them he wanted to make the playoffs in what might be his last year. The Giants did make the playoffs! He finished the regular season with career-lows in games played (72) and hits (67).
2010 Postseason: World Series Hero
In the 2010 NLCS, Édgar got his starting job back. Even though he only had one hit in that series, he scored the winning run in Game 3. This led him to start in the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers.
In Game 2, Édgar hit a home run that broke a scoreless tie and gave the Giants a 1-0 lead. He also had a two-run single later in the game. Before Game 5, with the Giants leading the series, Édgar joked with a teammate that he was going to hit a home run. In the seventh inning, with the score tied, Édgar hit a three-run home run that won the series for the Giants! This made him only the fourth player in history to have two World Series-winning hits. For his amazing performance, he was named the 2010 World Series Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player from Colombia to win this award.
Cincinnati Reds (2011)
On January 7, 2011, Édgar signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds. He started the season as a utility player, meaning he could play different positions. He retired from Major League Baseball on March 22, 2013.
Career Highlights and Statistics
In his 16 seasons, Édgar Rentería played in 2,152 games. He had a career batting average of .286, meaning he got a hit almost 29% of the time. He collected 2,327 hits, 140 home runs, and 923 RBI. He also stole 294 bases. His fielding percentage was .970, showing he was a very good defensive player.
Major Accomplishments
- Delivered the game-winning hit in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series.
- Chosen for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game five times (1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006).
- Won the Gold Glove Award twice (2002, 2003) for his excellent defense.
- Won the Silver Slugger Award three times (2000, 2002, 2003) for his great hitting.
- Had a 24-game hitting streak across the end of 2005 and start of 2006.
- Got his 2,000th career hit on June 18, 2008.
- Named the 2010 World Series MVP after hitting game-winning home runs in Games 2 and 5 of the series. He is one of only four players to have multiple World Series-winning hits.
Personal Life and Legacy
Édgar Rentería has two brothers, Evert and Édinson Rentería, who also played minor league baseball. In 1998, Édgar and his brother Édinson started "Team Rentería" to help baseball in Colombia. They teach professional players and hold clinics for young amateur players. In 1999, Team Rentería helped create the Colombian Professional Baseball League, which is still active today.
In 1997, the president of Colombia, Ernesto Samper, gave Édgar Colombia's highest honor, the "San Carlos Cross of the Order of the Great Knight."
In 2010, it was announced that the new baseball stadium in his hometown of Barranquilla would be named in his honor. The Estadio Édgar Rentería opened in 2018. It is now home to the Caimanes de Barranquilla team in the Colombian Professional Baseball League.
See also
In Spanish: Édgar Rentería para niños
- List of Gold Glove Award winners at shortstop
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
