Julio Lugo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Julio Lugo |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Lugo with the St. Louis Cardinals
|
|||
| Shortstop | |||
| Born: November 16, 1975 Barahona, Dominican Republic |
|||
| Died: November 15, 2021 (aged 45) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 15, 2000, for the Houston Astros | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 23, 2011, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .269 | ||
| Home runs | 80 | ||
| Runs batted in | 475 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Julio Cesar Lugo (born November 16, 1975 – died November 15, 2021) was a talented baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 12 seasons. During his career, he played for several teams, including the Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Atlanta Braves. One of his biggest achievements was winning the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2007. Julio was also the older brother of baseball pitcher Ruddy Lugo.
Contents
Julio Lugo's Baseball Journey
Julio Lugo was born in the Dominican Republic. When he was 13, he moved to Sunset Park, Brooklyn in the United States. He went to Fort Hamilton High School, where he played baseball. He also played in a youth baseball league in Brooklyn that had other famous players like Manny Ramírez. After high school, he continued to play college baseball at Connors State College in Oklahoma.
Starting with the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros chose Lugo in the 1994 MLB draft. He officially joined the team in May 1995. He started his professional career in 1995 with the Auburn Astros, a minor league team. He played well, hitting for a .291 batting average.
Julio slowly moved up through the Astros' minor league teams. By 2000, he reached the Triple-A level. Soon after, he was called up to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut on April 15, 2000. That year, Lugo played in 116 games for the Astros. He hit .283 with 10 home runs and 40 runs batted in (RBIs). He was a versatile player, playing at shortstop, second base, and even in the outfield.
In 2001, Lugo played in 140 games, hitting 10 home runs. The next year, in 2002, he played in 88 games. His season ended early in August when his left arm was broken by a pitch from Kerry Wood.
Overall, Julio Lugo played 366 games for the Astros. He had a .268 batting average with 28 home runs and 114 RBIs. He also played in one postseason series with Houston in 2001.
Time with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
In May 2003, Lugo joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He played in 117 games for them that season, hitting .275 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. He even hit home runs in four games in a row against the Toronto Blue Jays in September.
In 2004, Lugo played in 157 games, hitting .275 with seven home runs and 75 RBIs. The next year, 2005, was even better for his batting average, as he hit .295 in 158 games. In the first half of 2006, he continued to play well for the Devil Rays, hitting .308. In one game against the Baltimore Orioles on July 22, he hit two home runs in a single inning! During his time with Tampa Bay, Lugo played in 505 games. He had a .287 batting average with 40 home runs and 212 RBIs.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
In 2006, Lugo was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played in 49 games for them, hitting .219. He also played in the 2006 National League Division Series with the Dodgers. After the season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
Winning with the Boston Red Sox
On December 5, 2006, Julio Lugo signed a four-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. He was expected to be a leadoff hitter, but his manager, Terry Francona, moved him lower in the batting order.
During the 2007 season, Lugo had a tough time hitting for a while. But then, he started hitting much better. He had a 14-game hitting streak in July, which was the best of his career. He also set a club record by stealing 20 bases in a row without being caught. Lugo finished the regular season with a .237 batting average, eight home runs, and 73 RBIs in 147 games.
The Red Sox had a fantastic season and made it to the 2007 World Series. They swept the Colorado Rockies in four games, winning the championship! Lugo played in 14 postseason games for Boston and hit very well in the World Series, with a .385 batting average.
In 2008, Lugo played in 82 games. He injured his left leg in July and missed the rest of the season. He hit .268 with one home run and 22 RBIs that year. In March 2009, he had surgery on his right knee. He returned to play in late April, hitting .284 in 37 games. Overall, Lugo played in 266 games for the Red Sox from 2007 to 2009. He had a .251 batting average with 10 home runs and 103 RBIs.
Later Baseball Teams
On July 22, 2009, Lugo was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in 51 games for them, hitting .277 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. He played both shortstop and second base. He also played in the 2009 National League Division Series with the Cardinals.
In 2010, Lugo was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He played in 93 games, hitting .249 with no home runs and 20 RBIs. He mainly played second base but also spent time at shortstop, third base, and left field.
Lugo signed with the Atlanta Braves in May 2011. He played in 22 games for them, hitting .136. The Braves released him in September.
Julio Lugo did not play in Major League Baseball after 2011. He played his final professional season in 2013 in an independent baseball league.
In his 12 seasons in MLB, Julio Lugo played in 1352 games. He had a career batting average of .269, with 80 home runs and 475 RBIs. He also stole 198 bases. Besides MLB, he played three seasons in the Dominican Winter League and represented the Dominican Republic three times in the Caribbean Series.
Julio Lugo's Life Outside Baseball
Julio Lugo had a family with one son and two daughters, and an older son from a previous marriage.
In 2013, he was honored by being inducted into the Connors State College athletic hall of fame, where he played college baseball.
In 2018, the Boston Red Sox held their first alumni game since 1993. Julio Lugo played in the game and hit a two-run home run off of famous pitcher Pedro Martínez.
Sadly, Julio Lugo passed away from a heart attack on November 15, 2021, just one day before his 46th birthday.
See also
In Spanish: Julio Lugo para niños
