Gregor Blanco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gregor Blanco |
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Blanco with the San Francisco Giants in 2016
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: December 24, 1983 Caracas, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| March 30, 2008, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 2018, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .255 | ||
| Home runs | 26 | ||
| Runs batted in | 235 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Grégor Miguel Blanco Pedraza (born December 24, 1983) is a former professional baseball player from Venezuela. He was an outfielder, which means he played in the part of the field farthest from home plate. Grégor played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). These teams included the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
His nickname was "White Shark". This is because "blanco" means "white" in Spanish. He also played for a team in Venezuela called Los Tiburones de La Guaira, which means "The Sharks of La Guaira".
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Grégor Miguel Blanco Pedraza was born on December 24, 1983. His hometown is Caracas, Venezuela.
Before joining MLB, Grégor played in the Venezuelan Winter League. He was a great player for the Tiburones de La Guaira team. He often played as the center fielder and the leadoff hitter. This means he was usually the first batter for his team. He had very good batting averages in those seasons.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Atlanta Braves (2008–2010)
Grégor Blanco first signed with the Atlanta Braves on July 4, 2000. He joined them as a free agent, meaning no team had drafted him. In 2008, he earned a spot as a backup outfielder for the Braves. He started playing more often when another player got injured.
Kansas City Royals (2010)
In 2010, Grégor was traded to the Kansas City Royals. This trade happened on July 31. He moved to the Royals along with two other players.
Washington Nationals
In 2011, Grégor was traded again, this time to the Washington Nationals. Later that year, he played in the Venezuelan Winter League again. He had an amazing season and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for 2011.
San Francisco Giants (2012–2016)
Grégor Blanco signed with the San Francisco Giants in November 2011. He made it onto their team for the 2012 season. This was a very important time in his career.
- The Amazing Catch
On June 13, 2012, Grégor made an incredible play. He made a diving catch in the outfield during a game. This catch was super important because it helped Matt Cain pitch a perfect game. A perfect game means no opposing player reaches base at all. People called it "The Catch" because it was so memorable.
- Another No-Hitter
On July 13, 2013, Grégor was part of another historic game. He caught the final out of Tim Lincecum's first no-hitter. A no-hitter means the opposing team gets no hits. This was the first no-hitter ever at Petco Park, where the game was played.
- World Series Champion
Grégor Blanco helped the San Francisco Giants win the World Series twice! They won in 2012 and again in 2014. These are the biggest championships in baseball.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2017)
In 2017, Grégor signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played for them for one season.
Second Time with San Francisco Giants (2018)
Grégor returned to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. He played for them again for part of the season.
New York Mets
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In 2018, Grégor signed a contract with the New York Mets. He played for their Triple-A team, the Syracuse Mets. He played well, hitting home runs and stealing bases. After the 2019 season, he became a free agent.
After Playing Baseball
On February 6, 2020, Grégor Blanco decided to retire from playing baseball. He then took on a new job working in the baseball operations department for MLB.
Personal Life
Grégor Blanco is married to Mirna Castro de Blanco. They have three children: Grenyer Blanco, Gregor Blanco Jr., and Grecia Blanco. His father's name is Hernan Blanco. He also has two brothers, Gregory and Gregsman.
See also
In Spanish: Gregor Blanco para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
