Vicente Padilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vicente Padilla |
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Padilla with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 27, 1977 Chinandega, Nicaragua |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: June 29, 1999, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| NPB: April 4, 2013, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 2, 2012, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| NPB: August 9, 2013, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 108–91 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.32 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,121 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 3–6 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.84 | ||
| Strikeouts | 40 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Vicente de la Cruz Padilla (born September 27, 1977) is a former professional baseball pitcher from Nicaragua. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These teams included the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Contents
Vicente Padilla's Baseball Journey
Playing for Nicaragua
Padilla played for the Nicaragua national baseball team in the 1998 Baseball World Cup. He helped his team win the Bronze medal as the closer. A closer is a pitcher who finishes the game. He also played in the Central American Games that same year. His team finished in second place.
Starting with the Arizona Diamondbacks
After working on his pitching skills, Padilla signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998. He started playing in the minor leagues in 1999. He played for the Class-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks. Later, he moved up to the Class-AAA Tucson Sidewinders.
Padilla made his first Major League game on June 29, 1999. He pitched for the Diamondbacks in 2000. He finished that season with a 2–1 record and a 2.31 ERA. His first win came on May 9 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Time with the Philadelphia Phillies
In July 2000, Padilla was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He became a starting pitcher in 2002. He made his first start on April 3 against the Atlanta Braves. He won that game.
He finished the 2002 season with 14 wins and 11 losses. His ERA was 3.28 in 32 starts. He was chosen to play in the All-Star Game that year. He faced some injuries in 2004 and 2005. After the 2005 season, Padilla was traded to the Texas Rangers.
Playing for the Texas Rangers
During the 2006 season, Padilla sometimes struggled with his control on the mound. This means his pitches sometimes went where he didn't intend. He occasionally hit batters with his pitches. This led to some arguments on the field with other teams.
In 2006, he and Kevin Millwood both won 15 games. This was a great achievement for the Rangers' pitchers. In 2008, he won 11 games on the road. This matched a club record.
In July 2009, Padilla had the swine flu. He was believed to be the first major U.S. athlete to get the illness. In August 2009, the Rangers decided to release Padilla. This was due to challenges he had getting along with teammates.
Joining the Los Angeles Dodgers
In August 2009, Padilla signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made seven starts for the Dodgers in August and September. He finished with a 4–0 record and a 3.20 ERA.
In October 2009, Padilla was the winning pitcher in a key playoff game. This was Game 3 of the 2009 National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched very well in that game. He also pitched well in Game 2 of the 2009 National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. However, he lost the deciding Game 5, and the Phillies advanced.
In November 2009, Padilla had an accident and injured his leg, but it wasn't serious. In 2010, Padilla was chosen to be the Dodgers' opening day starting pitcher. He faced several injuries that year. He only started 16 games, finishing with a 6–5 record. His best game was a complete-game shutout against the San Diego Padres.
In 2011, he started the season injured. He returned as a relief pitcher. A relief pitcher comes into the game after the starting pitcher. He even became the Dodgers' closer for a short time. However, he got injured again and needed neck surgery. He only played in nine games that year. After the season, he became a free agent.
Playing for the Boston Red Sox
In January 2012, Padilla signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox. He made the team and pitched out of the bullpen. The bullpen is where relief pitchers warm up. He became a free agent after that season.
Time with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
In January 2013, Padilla signed a one-year deal with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. This team is part of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan. He became a free agent after that season.
Padilla's Pitching Style
Padilla used many different types of pitches during his career. These included a fastball, a curveball, a sinker, a slider, and a changeup. His fastball was his main pitch, reaching speeds of 92–94 miles per hour.
He was also one of the few pitchers to throw an eephus pitch. This is a very slow curveball that travels around 55 miles per hour. Padilla sometimes hit batters with his pitches. His total of 106 hit batters is one of the highest in baseball history. He led the American League in hit batters in 2006.
See also
In Spanish: Vicente Padilla para niños
- List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
