Benito Santiago facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Benito Santiago |
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Santiago with the Florida Marlins in 1993
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: March 9, 1965 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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| debut | |||
| September 14, 1986, for the San Diego Padres | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 11, 2005, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .263 | ||
| Home runs | 217 | ||
| Runs batted in | 920 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Benito Santiago Rivera (born March 9, 1965) is a former professional baseball player from Puerto Rico. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 20 seasons, from 1986 to 2005. He is best known for his time with the San Diego Padres. While with the Padres, he won the Silver Slugger Award four times and the Gold Glove Award three times. Santiago was a five-time All-Star. Many considered him the best catcher in the National League during his years with the Padres. In 2015, Santiago was honored by being inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.
Contents
Baseball Career Highlights
Starting in the Major Leagues
Benito Santiago began his professional baseball journey when the San Diego Padres signed him on September 1, 1982. After playing four seasons in the minor leagues, he made his big league debut. He was just 21 years old when he first played for the Padres on September 14, 1986.
The next year, Santiago set a new Major League record for a rookie. He got a hit in 34 games in a row. This was also the longest hitting streak ever by a catcher in baseball history. He finished that season with his highest numbers for hits (164) and doubles (33). His batting average was also a career-best .300. Santiago was chosen unanimously as the 1987 National League Rookie of the Year. Even though he made some errors defensively, his great hitting earned him the 1987 Silver Slugger Award. This award goes to the best offensive player at each position.
Santiago first impressed people with his hitting. But he soon became famous for his strong defense, especially his powerful throwing arm. He was known for being able to throw out players trying to steal bases even from a kneeling position. In 1988, he led all National League catchers in assists. He also threw out 45% of baserunners trying to steal, which was much higher than the league average of 30%. Santiago won the first of his three straight Gold Glove Awards in 1988. He also won his second Silver Slugger Award in a row.
In 1989, Santiago was chosen as the starting catcher for the All-Star Game. This was because of his excellent defensive reputation. He won his second National League Gold Glove Award that year. In 1990, Santiago was hitting very well before an injury made him miss six weeks. He still finished the season with a .270 batting average and earned his third Silver Slugger Award. He was also an All-Star reserve player and won his third straight Gold Glove Award.
Before the 1991 season, Santiago had some disagreements about his contract. Despite these issues, he still played well. He led the league's catchers with 100 assists and had a career-high 87 runs batted in. In September 1992, the Padres decided not to re-sign Santiago.
From 1991 to 1994, Santiago wore a jersey with the number 09. This made him one of the few professional athletes to wear a number with a leading zero.
Moving to Other Teams
On December 16, 1992, Santiago joined the new Florida Marlins team. He hit the first home run in the team's history. After the 1994 season, he became a free agent. He then signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1995. In 1996, he joined the Philadelphia Phillies. While with the Phillies, he hit a grand slam off famous pitcher Greg Maddux. Santiago also hit a home run in four straight at bats that season. He finished 1996 with a career-high 30 home runs.
Santiago then played for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1997 to 1998. He missed most of the 1998 season due to a serious injury from a car crash. After that, he played for the Chicago Cubs in 1999 and returned to Cincinnati in 2000.
Success with the Giants
Santiago joined the San Francisco Giants on March 17, 2001. He played in 133 games and helped the Giants finish second in their division. He also shared the 2001 Willie Mac Award, which recognizes a player's spirit and leadership. Santiago had another strong year in 2002. He played in 126 games and had a .995 fielding percentage, which was third best among National League catchers. He was chosen for his fifth All-Star team. The Giants earned a wild card spot for the playoffs.
The Giants won their first playoff series against the Atlanta Braves. Then they faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2002 National League Championship Series. Santiago hit two home runs and had 6 runs batted in during this series. He was named the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award as the Giants won in five games. In the 2002 World Series against the Anaheim Angels, Santiago had 5 runs batted in. However, the Giants lost the series in seven games.
In 2003, Santiago was 38 years old but continued to play well. He appeared in 108 games and had a .279 batting average.
Later Years and Retirement
On December 11, 2003, Santiago signed with the Kansas City Royals. In 2004, he broke his hand after being hit by a pitch. After that season, the Royals traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played only a few games for the Pirates before they released him. Santiago signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets but played only a handful of games. He did not play in the major leagues after 2005.
On August 8, 2015, Benito Santiago was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.
Career Statistics
Over his 20-year Major League career, Benito Santiago played in 1,978 games. He had 1,830 hits in 6,951 at bats, giving him a career batting average of .261. He also hit 217 home runs and had 920 runs batted in. His career fielding percentage was .987.
Santiago was a five-time All-Star. He was known for his excellent defensive skills. He led National League catchers three times in assists and once in fielding percentage. He also led the league once in throwing out baserunners trying to steal. As of 2010, Santiago was tied for eighth all-time in games caught, with 1,917.
Personal Life
Benito Santiago has a son named Benito Santiago Jr.. His son is a professional basketball player from Puerto Rico. He currently plays for the Mets of Guaynabo in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN), which is the top basketball league in Puerto Rico.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a catcher leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
- San Diego Padres award winners and league leaders
