Edgar Rentería
Encyclopedia
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo (renteˈɾi.a; born August 7, 1975), nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombia
n professional baseball shortstop
. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins
, the St. Louis Cardinals
, the Boston Red Sox
, the Atlanta Braves
, the Detroit Tigers
, San Francisco Giants
and Cincinnati Reds
.
Born in Barranquilla
, Colombia
, Rentería was signed by the Florida Marlins
in 1992. He debuted with them in 1996, and he finished second to Todd Hollandsworth
in Rookie of the Year Award balloting. In 1997, his RBI single off of Charles Nagy
in the eleventh inning of Game 7 of the 1997 World Series
won the first World Series in Marlins' history. He was selected to his first All-Star Game in 1998, and he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
following the season. He was the starting shortstop for the Cardinals for six years, and he was selected to the All-Star Game in 2000, 2003, and 2004. In 2002 and 2003 he won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards. Following the 2004 season, he signed with the Boston Red Sox
. After a year with them, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves
. He was selected to another All-Star Game in 2006, but following the 2007 season he was traded to the Detroit Tigers
. After 2008, he became a free agent, and he signed with the San Francisco Giants
. In the 2010 World Series
, Rentería won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award after he hit game-winning home runs in Game 2 and Game 5, the final game. He became a free agent again after the season, and he signed with the Cincinnati Reds
.
, Colombia
. As a youth, he attended Instituto Los Alpes High School in Barranquilla. After high school, he was signed for the Florida Marlins
at the age of sixteen by scout Levy Ochoa.
and forty-seven hits
in forty-three games
that year. However, his fielding percentage
was only .897, and he made twenty-four errors
. In 1993, he played for the Kane County Cougars
of the Midwest League
. He only batted .203 in 116 games with them, but he only committed thirty-four errors that year, and his fielding percentage increased to .934.
In 1994, Rentería was promoted to the Brevard County Manatees
of the Florida State League
. His average went up to .253 and his fielding percentage climbed to .959. 1995 saw Rentería have a breakout season with the Portland Sea Dogs
of the Eastern League. He batted .289 with them, and he hit seven home run
s and stole thirty bases. Entering the 1996 season, Baseball America ranked Rentería as the best prospect in the Marlins' organization. He started the season with the Charlotte Knights
of the International League
, and he batted .278 with two home runs and fifteen runs batted in in twenty-eight games with them.
following an injury to shortstop Kurt Abbott
. His first game came on May 10, in a 4–2 win over the Colorado Rockies
, when he entered the game in the ninth inning as part of a double switch. He did not have any at bats in that game, though, and he was just a backup infielder
when he first came up because Alex Arias
had replaced Abbott as the everyday shortstop. However, Rentería replaced Arias as the starting shortstop on May 19 against the Chicago Cubs
. He got his first hit (a single) in his first at bat (against Steve Trachsel
) in a 3–2 Marlins victory. He got four hits in a game for the first time on June 10 in a 5–2 win over the Montreal Expos
. His first home run came the next day, off of Ugueth Urbina
of the Expos, in a 3–2 loss. Rentería did so well as a shortstop that the Marlins moved Abbott over to second base when he came off of the disabled list. On June 23, Rentería strained a hamstring on a groundout in the sixth inning of a 5–3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He was placed on the disabled list
the next day, but he remained the starting shortstop when he returned on July 11. From July 25 to August 16 he had a twenty-two game hitting streak
, which was the longest for a rookie
since Jerome Walton
of the Chicago Cubs had a thirty game streak in . Rentería finished the season with a .309 batting average, sixty-eight runs scored, and sixteen stolen bases in 106 games. He was second behind Los Angeles Dodgers
outfielder
Todd Hollandsworth
in National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award balloting.
of his career to tie a game against the Cincinnati Reds
on April 5, and he won the game 4–3 with an RBI single in the eleventh inning
. On April 27, he had a game–winning single in the ninth inning that gave the Marlins a 4–3 win over the Dodgers. From May 13 to May 29, he had a thirteen game hitting streak. From July 16 through July 18, he had three hits in three straight games. On August 15, his RBI single in the ninth inning gave the Marlins a 6–5 victory over Pittsburgh. Rentería finished the season with a .277 batting average, 171 hits, and thirty-two stolen bases in 154 games. That year, the Florida Marlins won the wild card
to advance to the playoffs for the first time in their history. In Game 1 of the 1997 National League Division Series
(NLDS), Rentería's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth off of Roberto Hernández gave the Marlins a 2–1 victory over the San Francisco Giants
. The Marlins swept the Giants in the series and defeated the Atlanta Braves
in the 1997 National League Championship Series
(NLCS) to face the Cleveland Indians
in the World Series
. In Game 7, with the score tied at two and two out in the eleventh inning, Rentería hit an RBI single off of Charles Nagy
to score Craig Counsell
. The hit won the game 3–2 and won the first World Series
in Marlins' history.
. He had a fourteen game hitting streak from June 8 to June 22, which was the longest by a Marlin in 1998. During the streak, on June 9, he had his first career pinch hit when he singled home Dave Berg
in the ninth inning to give the Marlins a 5–4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays
. Also, on June 14, he scored the winning run in a 5–4 win over the New York Mets. For his contributions from June 8 through 14, he won the NL Player of the Week
Award. On July 13, he scored four runs (which tied a Florida record) in an 8–7 win over the Expos. On August 24, he sprained his right knee sliding into second base in the third inning of a 7–4 loss to San Francisco. He was placed on the disabled list the next day, but he was reactivated on September 9. He finished the year with a .282 batting average and 146 hits in 133 games, along with a career high forty-one stolen bases. On December 14, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
for Armando Almanza
, Braden Looper
, and Pablo Ozuna
.
of the Dodgers in a 5–4 victory. He had three RBI, including the game-winner, on May 23 in an 8–3 victory over Los Angeles. He had two home runs on May 31 in a 5–2 win over Florida. On June 12, he had three hits, including a game–winning single in the fourteenth inning, in an 8–7 victory over the Detroit Tigers
. From June 21 to July 1 he had a ten game hitting streak, his longest of the season. On July 9, he had four hits in a 5–4 loss to the Giants. He had four hits again on August 31 in an 8–1 victory over the Marlins. On September 5, he stole four bases in a 13–9 win over the Milwaukee Brewers
. He hit ten home runs in a season for the first time when he homered on September 10 in an 11–5 win over Pittsburgh. Rentería finished the season with a .275 batting average. He led the Cardinals with 154 games, 585 at bats, 161 hits, thirty-six doubles
, and thirty-seven stolen bases (which was also the seventh most in the National League).
, who was injured. He homered in three straight games from April 9–11, and he set a new career high on the eleventh with four RBI in a 10–6 victory over the Houston Astros
. On April 16, he reached base five times in a 14–13 loss to Colorado. On August 29, he hit his sixteenth home run of the year in a 3–1 loss to the Marlins. The home run broke Solly Hemus
's record for most home runs by a Cardinals' shortstop. On September 4, his three run triple gave the Cardinals a 4–2 win over the Expos. He finished the season with a .278 batting average and 156 hits in 150 games. He led the Cardinals with twenty-one stolen bases, and his seventy-six RBI were the second most by a Cardinals' shortstop (in 1921 Doc Lavan
had eighty-two). His seventy-six RBI were also second only to Jim Edmonds
's 108 that season, and he led the team with thirty-two doubles. He also won the National League's Silver Slugger Award for a shortstop. The Cardinals made the playoffs and swept the Atlanta Braves
in the NLDS
, but they were defeated in five games by the New York Mets
in the NLCS
.
in a 13–9 loss to Colorado at Coors Field
. On April 18, he walked and scored the winning run on a wild pitch
by Randy Johnson
in a 3–1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks
. He had a pinch hit single on May 10 against Pittsburgh that provided the winning run in an 11–5 victory. His RBI single off of John Rocker
of Cleveland on July 8 gave the Cardinals a 4–3 victory. However, his batting average was only .226 by July 26. Rentería batted .299 in his last fifty–eight games, though, to raise his batting average to .260 by the end of the season. During those games, Rentería had a ten game hitting streak from August 8 to August 17. Rentería finished the season with seventeen stolen bases, which led the Cardinals. In Game 3 of the 2001 NLDS, Rentería hit his first playoff home run, off of Brian Anderson
of Arizona, in a 5–3 loss. However, the Diamondbacks defeated the Cardinals in five games on their way to winning the World Series
.
in a 4–2 victory. On June 27, he hit his nineteenth double, which tied his 2001 season total. He got his one thousandth hit on July 26 off of Jon Lieber
of the Cubs in an 8–4 victory. Two nights later against the Cubs, he hit a three–run game–winning home run to cap off a six–run ninth inning by the Cardinals that won the game 10–9. Two nights after that, he hit two home runs in a 5–0 victory over the Marlins. On August 18, he hit his first career grand slam
to lift the Cardinals to a 5–1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies
. He hit another grand slam on September 4 and had a career–high five RBI in a 10–5 victory over Cincinnati. He finished the season with a .305 batting average and 166 hits, and he won his second Silver Slugger Award. He also won his first Gold Glove Award
, and he became the first Cardinals' shortstop to win a Gold Glove Award since Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith
won one in 1992. Rentería only batted .194 in the playoffs, but the Cardinals made it all the way to the NLCS, where they were swept by San Francisco.
. The next day, Roger Clemens
of the New York Yankees
struck out Rentería for his four thousandth strikeout
on the way to winning
his three hundredth game as the Yankees beat the Cardinals 5–2. Rentería was selected to the All–Star Game after he had a .331 batting average by the break, and he became the first Cardinals' player since Delino DeShields
in 1997 to have twenty stolen bases before the All–Star break. On September 18, he had four hits and five RBI in a 13–0 win over Milwaukee. He won his second Player of the Week Award after he had twelve runs batted in from September 15 to September 21. On September 27, the final game of the season, Rentería became the first NL shortstop since Hubie Brooks
in 1985 (and the first Cardinals' shortstop) to have one hundred RBI in a season when he had the game–winning RBI in a 3–2 win over Arizona. He finished the year fourth in the NL in stolen bases (thirty-four) and batting average (a career-high .330), and he won a Silver Slugger Award after setting career highs in hits (194) and doubles (forty-seven). He also won a Gold Glove Award, and he became the first Cardinals' shortstop to win Silver Slugger Awards and Gold Glove Awards in back-to-back years.
, he hit his third career grand slam in a 12–4 victory over the Cubs. He had a ten game hitting streak, his best of the year, from June 22 to July 3. During the streak, on June 26 against the Kansas City Royals
, his RBI single in the tenth inning gave the Cardinals a 3–1 victory. Also, on July 2, he scored four runs in a 11–2 victory over the Seattle Mariners
. He was one of three Cardinals selected to the All–Star Game. He had four hits again on July 15 in a 7–2 win over Cincinnati. On August 8, he had five hits in a 6–2 win over the Mets. He had five RBI on August 22 in an 11–4 victory over Pittsburgh. Rentería finished the year with a .287 batting average, and he had ten home runs, seventy-two RBI, and eighty-four runs. The Cardinals made the World Series
that year, but they were swept by Boston. Rentería was the final batter of a World Series for the second time in his career, when he grounded out against Keith Foulke
to end Game 4 as the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years. However, he was one of only three Cardinals position players to bat above .250 in the Series as he batted .333. Following the year, he became a free agent.
signed Rentería to a four-year, forty million dollar contract with an option for 2009 to replace free agent Orlando Cabrera
at shortstop. On April 14, he hit his first home run with the Red Sox off of Randy Johnson
of the Yankees. His double in the eighth inning of that game was the game winner in an 8–5 victory for Boston. From May 26 to May 29, he had four straight games with at least three hits, the longest streak since George Brett
had six (the record) in 1976. During that stretch, on May 28, he went three for three with a grand slam and five RBI in a 17–1 victory over the Yankees. The next day, he had four hits, including a home run, in a 7–2 victory over New York. For his efforts that week, he won his third career Player of the Week Award. He set a new career high for hits in a month when he had forty hits in August, second in the major leagues. He had a game-winning single on September 24 off of B. J. Ryan of the Baltimore Orioles
in a 4–3 victory. The win moved the Red Sox into a tie with the Yankees for the AL East lead. He scored one hundred runs in a season for the first time when he scored both runs in a 7–2 loss to Toronto on September 28. He finished the year with a .276 batting average and 172 hits. He struggled defensively, though, as he led the major leagues with a career high thirty errors, and Red Sox fans soon began booing him after he only batted .228 in April. He batted only .231 in the playoffs that year as the Red Sox were swept by the Chicago White Sox
, who went on to win the World Series
. The Red Sox were also disappointed with his performance, and on December 8 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves
for prospect Andy Marté
.
started 1976 with a thirty game streak. He missed nine games after straining his rib cage on April 15 against San Diego, but he was not placed on the disabled list. On May 8, he had four hits and hit two home runs for the first time since 2003 in a 13–12 win over the Cubs. On July 3, he hit his one hundredth career home run off of Anthony Reyes
in a 6–3 victory over St. Louis. He was selected to the 2006 All-Star Game after he batted .318 with nine home runs in the first half of the season. On August 17, he had his first hit in twenty-four at bats in a 5–0 win over the Washington Nationals
. He finished the year with a .293 batting average, fourteen home runs, and seventy RBI. His defense also flourished, as he only committed thirteen errors.
On Opening Day (April 2) in 2007, Rentería hit two home runs (including the game-winning one in the tenth) in a 5–3 victory over Philadelphia. He became the third Atlanta Brave to hit two home runs on Opening Day, joining Fred McGriff
and Joe Torre
. From April 20 to May 12, he had an eighteen game hitting streak, which was the longest by a Brave in 2007. During the streak, he had four hits for the twentieth time in his career on April 27 in a 9–7 victory over Colorado. On May 15, he hit two home runs in a 6–2 win over the Nationals. He had four hits on May 30 in a 9–3 win over the Brewers. He had five hits for the first time since 2004 on June 16 in a 6–2 victory over the Indians. On August 3, he was placed on the disabled list for the first time since 1998 after he sprained his ankle the previous day. Rentería returned on August 22, but he returned to the DL a day later when he reinjured his ankle after facing only one pitch. He was activated again on September 7, and he returned to the Braves' lineup the next day. He finished the year with a .332 batting average (tied for third in the NL and a new career high), twelve home runs, and fifty-seven RBI. He was one of only four major league shortstops in 2007 to bat over .300 with over ten home runs and fifty RBI (the others were Derek Jeter
, Hanley Ramírez
, and Miguel Tejada
). However, because of the emergence of shortstop prospect Yunel Escobar
, Rentería was traded to the Detroit Tigers
on October 29 for Jair Jurrjens
and Gorkys Hernández
.
) in a 5–1 victory over San Francisco. He finished the year with a .270 batting average, 136 hits, and ten home runs. After the season, the Tigers declined his option on October 30, and they chose not to offer arbitration on December 1, which made him a free agent.
with an option for 2011. He had five RBIs and became the first player to hit a grand slam off of Jake Peavy
in an 8–3 victory over San Diego on April 21, 2009. On April 29, he had four hits in a 9–4 victory over the Dodgers. He tied an eventual 7–4 loss to the Mets on May 14 with a single in the eighth inning, but he strained a hamstring advancing to first base and had to leave the game with an injury. He missed six games with the injury before he returned to the lineup on May 22. From May 8 through June 6, despite batting only .250, he reached base safely in twenty straight games. He had a game-winning grand slam on August 30, which gave the Giants a 9–5 win over Colorado. He missed nineteen of the final twenty games of the season with biceps tendonitis and a sprained AC joint, and on September 26 he had surgery to remove bone spurs and chips from his right elbow. Dealing with injuries all year, Rentería finished the season with a career-low .250 batting average and only 115 hits and forty-eight RBI.
announced that Juan Uribe
, who had been playing well while substituting for Rentería at short, would remain the starting shortstop, which made Rentería a reserve player. He had four hits on September 16, in a 10–2 win over the Dodgers. On September 23, with the Giants trailing San Diego in the NL West, Rentería delivered a speech during a team meeting in which he told his teammates it could be his last year, and he wanted the Giants to make the playoffs. The Giants managed to overtake San Diego, and they did make the playoffs. Rentería finished the year with career-lows in games (seventy-two), hits (sixty-seven), home runs (three, tied with his 1998 total), and RBI (twenty-two). During the season, he also began contemplating retirement.
. In Game 2 of the series, against the Texas Rangers
, he broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when he homered off of C. J. Wilson to give the Giants a 1–0 lead. He later added a two-run single in the eighth inning as the Giants won 9–0. Before Game 5, with the Giants leading the series 3–1, Rentería joked with teammate Andrés Torres
that he was going to hit a home run. In the seventh inning, with runners at second and third, two outs, and no score, Rentería hit a three-run home run off of Rangers' pitcher Cliff Lee
that won the series for the Giants. The feat made him only the fourth player to have two series-winning hits in history, along with Yogi Berra
, Joe DiMaggio
, and Lou Gehrig
. For his contributions, he was named the 2010 World Series Most Valuable Player, making him the first player from Colombia to achieve this feat. The Giants declined his option on November 5, but Rentería did announce that he planned to play in 2011. The Giants did offer him a one-year, one million dollar contract as a utility player, but Rentería declined.
worth $2.1 million plus another $900,000 in performance bonuses. He began the season as a utility player, since Paul Janish
began the year at shortstop. Through 2011, he led all active major league shortstops in career errors, with 272.
. The league is still in existence today, although the 2010–11 season has been cancelled due to harsh weather. In 1997, Colombian president Ernesto Samper
presented Rentería with Colombia's highest honor, the "San Carlos Cross of the Order of the Great Knight."
JP22
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n professional baseball shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
Born in Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Rentería was signed by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in 1992. He debuted with them in 1996, and he finished second to Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Mathew Hollandsworth is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , and Cincinnati Reds...
in Rookie of the Year Award balloting. In 1997, his RBI single off of Charles Nagy
Charles Nagy
Charles Harrison Nagy is an American former Major League Baseball All-Star right-handed pitcher who played for 14 seasons in the major leagues from to , mostly with the Cleveland Indians, and currently serves as the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Early life and amateur career:Nagy...
in the eleventh inning of Game 7 of the 1997 World Series
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
won the first World Series in Marlins' history. He was selected to his first All-Star Game in 1998, and he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
following the season. He was the starting shortstop for the Cardinals for six years, and he was selected to the All-Star Game in 2000, 2003, and 2004. In 2002 and 2003 he won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards. Following the 2004 season, he signed with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. After a year with them, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. He was selected to another All-Star Game in 2006, but following the 2007 season he was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. After 2008, he became a free agent, and he signed with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. In the 2010 World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
, Rentería won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award after he hit game-winning home runs in Game 2 and Game 5, the final game. He became a free agent again after the season, and he signed with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
Early years
Rentería was born on August 7, 1975, in BarranquillaBarranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. As a youth, he attended Instituto Los Alpes High School in Barranquilla. After high school, he was signed for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
at the age of sixteen by scout Levy Ochoa.
Minor leagues
Rentería started his professional career in 1992 with the Gulf Coast League Marlins. He had a .288 batting averageBatting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and forty-seven hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in forty-three games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
that year. However, his fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
was only .897, and he made twenty-four errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. In 1993, he played for the Kane County Cougars
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Geneva, Illinois, about 35 miles west of Chicago....
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. He only batted .203 in 116 games with them, but he only committed thirty-four errors that year, and his fielding percentage increased to .934.
In 1994, Rentería was promoted to the Brevard County Manatees
Brevard County Manatees
The Brevard County Manatees are a minor league baseball team of the Florida State League, and are the A-Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers...
of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. His average went up to .253 and his fielding percentage climbed to .959. 1995 saw Rentería have a breakout season with the Portland Sea Dogs
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
of the Eastern League. He batted .289 with them, and he hit seven home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and stole thirty bases. Entering the 1996 season, Baseball America ranked Rentería as the best prospect in the Marlins' organization. He started the season with the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, and he batted .278 with two home runs and fifteen runs batted in in twenty-eight games with them.
1996
On May 9, Rentería was called up to the MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
following an injury to shortstop Kurt Abbott
Kurt Abbott
Kurt Thomas Abbott is a former Major League Baseball player who played primarily as a shortstop from -....
. His first game came on May 10, in a 4–2 win over the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, when he entered the game in the ninth inning as part of a double switch. He did not have any at bats in that game, though, and he was just a backup infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
when he first came up because Alex Arias
Alex Arias
Alejandro Arias is a former infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1992–2002....
had replaced Abbott as the everyday shortstop. However, Rentería replaced Arias as the starting shortstop on May 19 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. He got his first hit (a single) in his first at bat (against Steve Trachsel
Steve Trachsel
Stephen Christopher Trachsel , nicknamed "The Human Rain Delay", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is known for the long amount of time he takes to deliver the ball to home plate in between pitches. Games in which he pitches are known to be considerably longer than most games, leading...
) in a 3–2 Marlins victory. He got four hits in a game for the first time on June 10 in a 5–2 win over the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. His first home run came the next day, off of Ugueth Urbina
Ugueth Urbina
Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlins win the 2003 World Series...
of the Expos, in a 3–2 loss. Rentería did so well as a shortstop that the Marlins moved Abbott over to second base when he came off of the disabled list. On June 23, Rentería strained a hamstring on a groundout in the sixth inning of a 5–3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
the next day, but he remained the starting shortstop when he returned on July 11. From July 25 to August 16 he had a twenty-two game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
, which was the longest for a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
since Jerome Walton
Jerome Walton
Jerome O'Terrell Walton is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs , California Angels , Cincinnati Reds , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
of the Chicago Cubs had a thirty game streak in . Rentería finished the season with a .309 batting average, sixty-eight runs scored, and sixteen stolen bases in 106 games. He was second behind Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Mathew Hollandsworth is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , and Cincinnati Reds...
in National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award balloting.
1997
In 1997, Rentería hit the first inside–the–park home runInside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
of his career to tie a game against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
on April 5, and he won the game 4–3 with an RBI single in the eleventh inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
. On April 27, he had a game–winning single in the ninth inning that gave the Marlins a 4–3 win over the Dodgers. From May 13 to May 29, he had a thirteen game hitting streak. From July 16 through July 18, he had three hits in three straight games. On August 15, his RBI single in the ninth inning gave the Marlins a 6–5 victory over Pittsburgh. Rentería finished the season with a .277 batting average, 171 hits, and thirty-two stolen bases in 154 games. That year, the Florida Marlins won the wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
to advance to the playoffs for the first time in their history. In Game 1 of the 1997 National League Division Series
1997 National League Division Series
-Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves:-San Francisco vs. Florida:The San Francisco Giants made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1989 World Series. The Florida Marlins were in the postseason for the first time ever.-Game 1, September 30:...
(NLDS), Rentería's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth off of Roberto Hernández gave the Marlins a 2–1 victory over the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. The Marlins swept the Giants in the series and defeated the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the 1997 National League Championship Series
1997 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 1997 at Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Marlins scored three unearned runs in the first inning off Greg Maddux, thanks to a Fred McGriff error, when Moisés Alou hit a bases-clearing double to left...
(NLCS) to face the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. In Game 7, with the score tied at two and two out in the eleventh inning, Rentería hit an RBI single off of Charles Nagy
Charles Nagy
Charles Harrison Nagy is an American former Major League Baseball All-Star right-handed pitcher who played for 14 seasons in the major leagues from to , mostly with the Cleveland Indians, and currently serves as the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Early life and amateur career:Nagy...
to score Craig Counsell
Craig Counsell
Craig John Counsell is a Major League Baseball infielder.Counsell grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and attended Whitefish Bay High School, where he played baseball. His father worked for the Milwaukee Brewers...
. The hit won the game 3–2 and won the first World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in Marlins' history.
1998
In 1998, Rentería had a .302 batting average by the All-Star break, and he was the only Marlin selected to the MLB All-Star Game. His RBI single in the eleventh inning on May 1 gave the Marlins a 6–5 victory over the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He had a fourteen game hitting streak from June 8 to June 22, which was the longest by a Marlin in 1998. During the streak, on June 9, he had his first career pinch hit when he singled home Dave Berg
Dave Berg (baseball)
David Scott Berg is a former Major League Baseball utility player. Originally selected by the Florida Marlins in the 38th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft, Berg last played for the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks in the Texas Rangers organization...
in the ninth inning to give the Marlins a 5–4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. Also, on June 14, he scored the winning run in a 5–4 win over the New York Mets. For his contributions from June 8 through 14, he won the NL Player of the Week
Player of the Week
The Player of the Week award is a Major League Baseball award named by each of the American and National Leagues each week of the regular season...
Award. On July 13, he scored four runs (which tied a Florida record) in an 8–7 win over the Expos. On August 24, he sprained his right knee sliding into second base in the third inning of a 7–4 loss to San Francisco. He was placed on the disabled list the next day, but he was reactivated on September 9. He finished the year with a .282 batting average and 146 hits in 133 games, along with a career high forty-one stolen bases. On December 14, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for Armando Almanza
Armando Almanza
Armando N. Almanza is a former left-handed relief pitcher, who last played for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also played for the Florida Marlins and the Atlanta Braves in his career....
, Braden Looper
Braden Looper
Braden LaVerne Looper is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-High school:Looper was a scholar athlete while a student at Mangum High School in Mangum, Oklahoma...
, and Pablo Ozuna
Pablo Ozuna
Pablo José Ozuna is a retired Dominican Republic professional baseball utility player. During his major league career, he played for the Florida Marlins the Colorado Rockies , the Chicago White Sox , and the Los Angeles Dodgers ....
.
1999
On May 16, Rentería hit his first home run as a Cardinal off of Ismael ValdesIsmael Valdez
Ismael Valdez Alvarez is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. His professional baseball career began at age 17 when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league organization. After a three year climb through the Dodgers farm system, Valdez made his major league debut at the age of 20...
of the Dodgers in a 5–4 victory. He had three RBI, including the game-winner, on May 23 in an 8–3 victory over Los Angeles. He had two home runs on May 31 in a 5–2 win over Florida. On June 12, he had three hits, including a game–winning single in the fourteenth inning, in an 8–7 victory over the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. From June 21 to July 1 he had a ten game hitting streak, his longest of the season. On July 9, he had four hits in a 5–4 loss to the Giants. He had four hits again on August 31 in an 8–1 victory over the Marlins. On September 5, he stole four bases in a 13–9 win over the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He hit ten home runs in a season for the first time when he homered on September 10 in an 11–5 win over Pittsburgh. Rentería finished the season with a .275 batting average. He led the Cardinals with 154 games, 585 at bats, 161 hits, thirty-six doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and thirty-seven stolen bases (which was also the seventh most in the National League).
2000
In 2000, Rentería had a .273 average by the All–Star break, and he was selected to the All–Star Game to replace teammate Mark McGwireMark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
, who was injured. He homered in three straight games from April 9–11, and he set a new career high on the eleventh with four RBI in a 10–6 victory over the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. On April 16, he reached base five times in a 14–13 loss to Colorado. On August 29, he hit his sixteenth home run of the year in a 3–1 loss to the Marlins. The home run broke Solly Hemus
Solly Hemus
Solomon Joseph Hemus is a retired infielder, manager and coach in American Major League Baseball.As a player with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, Hemus was primarily a shortstop, although he also saw significant time as a second baseman. He compiled a lifetime batting average...
's record for most home runs by a Cardinals' shortstop. On September 4, his three run triple gave the Cardinals a 4–2 win over the Expos. He finished the season with a .278 batting average and 156 hits in 150 games. He led the Cardinals with twenty-one stolen bases, and his seventy-six RBI were the second most by a Cardinals' shortstop (in 1921 Doc Lavan
Doc Lavan
John Leonard "Doc" Lavan was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played 12 seasons with the St. Louis Browns , Philadelphia Athletics , Washington Senators , and St. Louis Cardinals...
had eighty-two). His seventy-six RBI were also second only to Jim Edmonds
Jim Edmonds
James Patrick "Jim" Edmonds is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds...
's 108 that season, and he led the team with thirty-two doubles. He also won the National League's Silver Slugger Award for a shortstop. The Cardinals made the playoffs and swept the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the NLDS
2000 National League Division Series
-St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves:-Game 1, October 4:Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaGiants Pitcher Liván Hernández allowed one run and five hits over a inning effort, backed by a three-run home run by Ellis Burks as the Giants cruised to an easy 5–1 victory.-Game 2, October...
, but they were defeated in five games by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in the NLCS
2000 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 11, 2000 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Mets jumped on Cardinals starter Darryl Kile right from the outset. Rookie Timo Pérez led off the game with a double into the right field corner, and following a walk to Edgardo Alfonzo, scored on a double by Mike Piazza...
.
2001
On April 4, 2001, Rentería went three-for-five and hit a 432 foot home run off of Denny NeagleDenny Neagle
Dennis Edward Neagle Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was last under contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the season, but he did not play due to injury...
in a 13–9 loss to Colorado at Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
. On April 18, he walked and scored the winning run on a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
by Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
in a 3–1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. He had a pinch hit single on May 10 against Pittsburgh that provided the winning run in an 11–5 victory. His RBI single off of John Rocker
John Rocker
John Loy Rocker is a retired American Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians, the Texas Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as well as the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball...
of Cleveland on July 8 gave the Cardinals a 4–3 victory. However, his batting average was only .226 by July 26. Rentería batted .299 in his last fifty–eight games, though, to raise his batting average to .260 by the end of the season. During those games, Rentería had a ten game hitting streak from August 8 to August 17. Rentería finished the season with seventeen stolen bases, which led the Cardinals. In Game 3 of the 2001 NLDS, Rentería hit his first playoff home run, off of Brian Anderson
Brian Anderson (pitcher)
Brian James Anderson is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher, who played 13 season for five teams, as well as a sports broadcaster and coach. Currently, Anderson is the color commentator on the Rays TV crew on Sun Sports....
of Arizona, in a 5–3 loss. However, the Diamondbacks defeated the Cardinals in five games on their way to winning the World Series
2001 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 27, 2001 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, ArizonaArizona showed no fear and chased Yankees starter Mike Mussina after just three innings. The Yankees gave up five unearned runs and the Diamondbacks rode Curt Schilling's seven strong innings to a 9–1 rout...
.
2002
Rentería enjoyed a better season in 2002. On April 10, he had three hits (including a game–tying single in the ninth inning) in a 6–5 win over Milwaukee. On May 6, he hit his first home run since August 20 of the previous year in a 6–5 loss to the Cubs. Four days later, he hit a game–winning home run off of Cincinnati's closer Danny GravesDanny Graves
Daniel Peter Graves is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Born to an American serviceman father and a Vietnamese mother, he is the only Vietnam-born player in the history of the major leagues, and one of the few Vietnamese-American players...
in a 4–2 victory. On June 27, he hit his nineteenth double, which tied his 2001 season total. He got his one thousandth hit on July 26 off of Jon Lieber
Jon Lieber
Jonathan Ray Lieber is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
of the Cubs in an 8–4 victory. Two nights later against the Cubs, he hit a three–run game–winning home run to cap off a six–run ninth inning by the Cardinals that won the game 10–9. Two nights after that, he hit two home runs in a 5–0 victory over the Marlins. On August 18, he hit his first career grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
to lift the Cardinals to a 5–1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He hit another grand slam on September 4 and had a career–high five RBI in a 10–5 victory over Cincinnati. He finished the season with a .305 batting average and 166 hits, and he won his second Silver Slugger Award. He also won his first Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
, and he became the first Cardinals' shortstop to win a Gold Glove Award since Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith
Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith is an American former baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996...
won one in 1992. Rentería only batted .194 in the playoffs, but the Cardinals made it all the way to the NLCS, where they were swept by San Francisco.
2003
On April 13, 2003, Rentería hit two home runs and had five RBI in an 11–8 victory over Houston. He had four RBI on April 29, in a 13–3 victory over the New York Mets. He got five hits in a game for the first time on June 12, in an 8–7 victory over the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. The next day, Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
struck out Rentería for his four thousandth strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
on the way to winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
his three hundredth game as the Yankees beat the Cardinals 5–2. Rentería was selected to the All–Star Game after he had a .331 batting average by the break, and he became the first Cardinals' player since Delino DeShields
Delino DeShields
Delino Lamont DeShields is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who enjoyed a 13-year career with 5 teams. He is currently the manager for the Dayton Dragons in the Cincinnati Reds organization....
in 1997 to have twenty stolen bases before the All–Star break. On September 18, he had four hits and five RBI in a 13–0 win over Milwaukee. He won his second Player of the Week Award after he had twelve runs batted in from September 15 to September 21. On September 27, the final game of the season, Rentería became the first NL shortstop since Hubie Brooks
Hubie Brooks
Hubert Brooks, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. During his career, he played as a third baseman, shortstop and right fielder for the New York Mets , Montreal Expos , Los Angeles Dodgers , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .Brooks played varsity baseball...
in 1985 (and the first Cardinals' shortstop) to have one hundred RBI in a season when he had the game–winning RBI in a 3–2 win over Arizona. He finished the year fourth in the NL in stolen bases (thirty-four) and batting average (a career-high .330), and he won a Silver Slugger Award after setting career highs in hits (194) and doubles (forty-seven). He also won a Gold Glove Award, and he became the first Cardinals' shortstop to win Silver Slugger Awards and Gold Glove Awards in back-to-back years.
2004
On April 10, 2004, Rentería had four hits in a 10–2 victory over Arizona. On June 9, against Mark PriorMark Prior
Mark William Prior is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2002-2006. His repertoire of pitches includes a low to mid 90s fastball, a curveball, a slurve, and a changeup.-Amateur career:Prior graduated from the...
, he hit his third career grand slam in a 12–4 victory over the Cubs. He had a ten game hitting streak, his best of the year, from June 22 to July 3. During the streak, on June 26 against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, his RBI single in the tenth inning gave the Cardinals a 3–1 victory. Also, on July 2, he scored four runs in a 11–2 victory over the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He was one of three Cardinals selected to the All–Star Game. He had four hits again on July 15 in a 7–2 win over Cincinnati. On August 8, he had five hits in a 6–2 win over the Mets. He had five RBI on August 22 in an 11–4 victory over Pittsburgh. Rentería finished the year with a .287 batting average, and he had ten home runs, seventy-two RBI, and eighty-four runs. The Cardinals made the World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
that year, but they were swept by Boston. Rentería was the final batter of a World Series for the second time in his career, when he grounded out against Keith Foulke
Keith Foulke
-Career:After graduating from Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas in 1991, he attended Galveston College and Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. He began his career in the minor-league system of the San Francisco Giants, but was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1997 with five other prospects...
to end Game 4 as the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years. However, he was one of only three Cardinals position players to bat above .250 in the Series as he batted .333. Following the year, he became a free agent.
Boston Red Sox
On December 17, the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
signed Rentería to a four-year, forty million dollar contract with an option for 2009 to replace free agent Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Luis Cabrera, nicknamed "O-Cab" and "The OC", is a Colombian-American baseball infielder.He won a World Series championship in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. He has played for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins,...
at shortstop. On April 14, he hit his first home run with the Red Sox off of Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
of the Yankees. His double in the eighth inning of that game was the game winner in an 8–5 victory for Boston. From May 26 to May 29, he had four straight games with at least three hits, the longest streak since George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
had six (the record) in 1976. During that stretch, on May 28, he went three for three with a grand slam and five RBI in a 17–1 victory over the Yankees. The next day, he had four hits, including a home run, in a 7–2 victory over New York. For his efforts that week, he won his third career Player of the Week Award. He set a new career high for hits in a month when he had forty hits in August, second in the major leagues. He had a game-winning single on September 24 off of B. J. Ryan of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in a 4–3 victory. The win moved the Red Sox into a tie with the Yankees for the AL East lead. He scored one hundred runs in a season for the first time when he scored both runs in a 7–2 loss to Toronto on September 28. He finished the year with a .276 batting average and 172 hits. He struggled defensively, though, as he led the major leagues with a career high thirty errors, and Red Sox fans soon began booing him after he only batted .228 in April. He batted only .231 in the playoffs that year as the Red Sox were swept by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, who went on to win the World Series
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
. The Red Sox were also disappointed with his performance, and on December 8 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for prospect Andy Marté
Andy Marté
Andy Manuel Marté is a Dominican professional baseball third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in Major League Baseball. On December 1, 2010, Marte signed a minor league deal with the Pirates.-Career:Marté signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves in 2000, and succeeded at...
.
Atlanta Braves
Rentería started 2006 with a twenty-three game hitting streak (counting the final game of 2005, it was twenty-four games). The twenty-three game streak in 2006 was the second-longest that year and the longest to open the season since Ron LeFloreRon LeFlore
Ronald LeFlore is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played six seasons with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Montreal Expos, retiring as a Chicago White Sox in . He stole 455 bases in his career, and was an American League All-Star selection in 1976...
started 1976 with a thirty game streak. He missed nine games after straining his rib cage on April 15 against San Diego, but he was not placed on the disabled list. On May 8, he had four hits and hit two home runs for the first time since 2003 in a 13–12 win over the Cubs. On July 3, he hit his one hundredth career home run off of Anthony Reyes
Anthony Reyes
Anthony Loza Reyes is a right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent.Reyes has a younger brother, Erik, who pitched for Concordia University Irvine in .-High School:...
in a 6–3 victory over St. Louis. He was selected to the 2006 All-Star Game after he batted .318 with nine home runs in the first half of the season. On August 17, he had his first hit in twenty-four at bats in a 5–0 win over the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He finished the year with a .293 batting average, fourteen home runs, and seventy RBI. His defense also flourished, as he only committed thirteen errors.
On Opening Day (April 2) in 2007, Rentería hit two home runs (including the game-winning one in the tenth) in a 5–3 victory over Philadelphia. He became the third Atlanta Brave to hit two home runs on Opening Day, joining Fred McGriff
Fred McGriff
Frederick Stanley McGriff is a left-handed former Major League Baseball player who starred for several teams from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. A power-hitting first baseman with a tall, lanky build, the five-time All-Star became, in , the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both...
and Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
. From April 20 to May 12, he had an eighteen game hitting streak, which was the longest by a Brave in 2007. During the streak, he had four hits for the twentieth time in his career on April 27 in a 9–7 victory over Colorado. On May 15, he hit two home runs in a 6–2 win over the Nationals. He had four hits on May 30 in a 9–3 win over the Brewers. He had five hits for the first time since 2004 on June 16 in a 6–2 victory over the Indians. On August 3, he was placed on the disabled list for the first time since 1998 after he sprained his ankle the previous day. Rentería returned on August 22, but he returned to the DL a day later when he reinjured his ankle after facing only one pitch. He was activated again on September 7, and he returned to the Braves' lineup the next day. He finished the year with a .332 batting average (tied for third in the NL and a new career high), twelve home runs, and fifty-seven RBI. He was one of only four major league shortstops in 2007 to bat over .300 with over ten home runs and fifty RBI (the others were Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, Hanley Ramírez
Hanley Ramirez
Hanley Ramirez is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2009, Ramírez won the NL batting title and is a three-time All-Star starter...
, and Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
). However, because of the emergence of shortstop prospect Yunel Escobar
Yunel Escobar
Yunel Almenares Escobar is a professional baseball shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-Early life:Escobar was born in Havana, Cuba...
, Rentería was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
on October 29 for Jair Jurrjens
Jair Jurrjens
-Childhood:Jurrjens grew in a quiet neighborhood called ´Kura Piedra´ pronounced in Dutch as ´Steenkoraal or Stenenkoraal´, and was always active in baseball. His older brother, Carl Jr., also played baseball.Jurrjens speaks English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamentu....
and Gorkys Hernández
Gorkys Hernández
Gorkys Gustavo Hernández is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization currently assigned to their triple A Indianapolis Indians of the International League....
.
Detroit Tigers
On April 16, 2008, Rentería hit his fifth career grand slam and had five RBI in a 13–2 victory over the Indians. He had four hits on April 22 in a 10–2 win over the Rangers. He had four hits again and five RBI in a 12–8 victory over Seattle on May 20. He hit his sixth career grand slam on June 7 in an 8–4 victory over the Indians. On June 17, he had his two thousandth hit (off of Jonathan SánchezJonathan Sanchez
Jonathan O. Sánchez is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals....
) in a 5–1 victory over San Francisco. He finished the year with a .270 batting average, 136 hits, and ten home runs. After the season, the Tigers declined his option on October 30, and they chose not to offer arbitration on December 1, which made him a free agent.
2009
On December 4, 2008, Rentería signed a two-year, 18.5 million dollar deal with the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
with an option for 2011. He had five RBIs and became the first player to hit a grand slam off of Jake Peavy
Jake Peavy
Jacob Edward Peavy is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed...
in an 8–3 victory over San Diego on April 21, 2009. On April 29, he had four hits in a 9–4 victory over the Dodgers. He tied an eventual 7–4 loss to the Mets on May 14 with a single in the eighth inning, but he strained a hamstring advancing to first base and had to leave the game with an injury. He missed six games with the injury before he returned to the lineup on May 22. From May 8 through June 6, despite batting only .250, he reached base safely in twenty straight games. He had a game-winning grand slam on August 30, which gave the Giants a 9–5 win over Colorado. He missed nineteen of the final twenty games of the season with biceps tendonitis and a sprained AC joint, and on September 26 he had surgery to remove bone spurs and chips from his right elbow. Dealing with injuries all year, Rentería finished the season with a career-low .250 batting average and only 115 hits and forty-eight RBI.
2010
On April 7, 2010, Rentería had five hits (in five at bats) in a 10–4 victory over Houston. He started the season well, as he was batting .320 through April 30. However, on April 30, he was forced to leave a game against Colorado after two innings with an injured groin. After missing four games, he returned to the lineup on May 6, but he left that game after two innings when he reinjured the groin. He was placed on the disabled list the next day. He was activated from the DL on May 22, but, after three games, he strained a hamstring on May 25 and was placed on the disabled list again the next day. He returned to the Giants on June 19. However, he returned to the disabled list on August 11 with a biceps injury received the previous night. He returned to the Giants on September 1, but Giants' manager Bruce BochyBruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy is the manager of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to joining the Giants, Bochy had been the manager of the San Diego Padres for twelve seasons. Bochy is the only former Padres player to serve as the team's manager. He has participated in all five postseason appearances in...
announced that Juan Uribe
Juan Uribe
Juan C. Uribe Tena is a Dominican Republic professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. He began his career in 1997 when he was signed to the Colorado Rockies, and played with the team until December 3, 2003 when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox...
, who had been playing well while substituting for Rentería at short, would remain the starting shortstop, which made Rentería a reserve player. He had four hits on September 16, in a 10–2 win over the Dodgers. On September 23, with the Giants trailing San Diego in the NL West, Rentería delivered a speech during a team meeting in which he told his teammates it could be his last year, and he wanted the Giants to make the playoffs. The Giants managed to overtake San Diego, and they did make the playoffs. Rentería finished the year with career-lows in games (seventy-two), hits (sixty-seven), home runs (three, tied with his 1998 total), and RBI (twenty-two). During the season, he also began contemplating retirement.
2010 Playoffs
In the 2010 NLCS against Philadelphia, Rentería reclaimed a starting role when he started four games. He only had one hit in the series, but he scored the winning run in the Giants' 3–0 victory in Game 3, and he retained the starting job in the World Series2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
. In Game 2 of the series, against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, he broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when he homered off of C. J. Wilson to give the Giants a 1–0 lead. He later added a two-run single in the eighth inning as the Giants won 9–0. Before Game 5, with the Giants leading the series 3–1, Rentería joked with teammate Andrés Torres
Andres Torres
Andrés "Yungo" Torres Jr. is a Major League Baseball outfielder with the San Francisco Giants. He has also played for the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers.-Early life:...
that he was going to hit a home run. In the seventh inning, with runners at second and third, two outs, and no score, Rentería hit a three-run home run off of Rangers' pitcher Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
that won the series for the Giants. The feat made him only the fourth player to have two series-winning hits in history, along with Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, and Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
. For his contributions, he was named the 2010 World Series Most Valuable Player, making him the first player from Colombia to achieve this feat. The Giants declined his option on November 5, but Rentería did announce that he planned to play in 2011. The Giants did offer him a one-year, one million dollar contract as a utility player, but Rentería declined.
2011
On January 7, 2011, Rentería signed a one year contract with the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
worth $2.1 million plus another $900,000 in performance bonuses. He began the season as a utility player, since Paul Janish
Paul Janish
Paul Ryan Janish is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.-High school and college:...
began the year at shortstop. Through 2011, he led all active major league shortstops in career errors, with 272.
Accomplishments
- Delivered the game-winning single off of Charles NagyCharles NagyCharles Harrison Nagy is an American former Major League Baseball All-Star right-handed pitcher who played for 14 seasons in the major leagues from to , mostly with the Cleveland Indians, and currently serves as the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Early life and amateur career:Nagy...
in the bottom of the eleventh inning in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series1997 World Series-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
. - Five-time All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006) - Two-time Gold Glove AwardGold Glove AwardThe Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
winner (2002–03) - Three-time Silver Slugger AwardSilver SluggerThe Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
winner for shortstop (2000, 2002–03) - Had a twenty-four game hitting streak spanning the last game of 2005 and his first twenty-three games of 2006.
- Had his two thousandth career hitHit (baseball)In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
on June 18, 2008, off of Jonathan SánchezJonathan SanchezJonathan O. Sánchez is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals....
of the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. - Named the 2010 World Series MVP after hitting game-winning home runs in Games 2 and 5 of the series. He is the fourth player to have multiple World Series-winning hits, along with Yogi BerraYogi BerraLawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, and Lou GehrigLou GehrigHenry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
.
Personal
Rentería has two brothers, Edinson and Evert, who played minor league baseball. In 1998, Edgar and his brother Edinson created Team Rentería to help Colombian baseball by giving professional instruction to Colombian professional baseball players and holding youth clinics for amateurs. In 1999, Team Rentería founded the Colombian Professional Baseball LeagueColombian Professional Baseball League
The Colombian Professional Baseball League, also known as the Colombian Winter League, is a professional baseball league based in Colombia...
. The league is still in existence today, although the 2010–11 season has been cancelled due to harsh weather. In 1997, Colombian president Ernesto Samper
Ernesto Samper
Ernesto Samper Pizano is a Colombian politician. He served as the President of Colombia from August 7, 1994 to August 7, 1998, representing the Liberal Party. He was involved in the 8000 process scandal, which takes its name from the folio number assigned to it by the chief prosecutor's office...
presented Rentería with Colombia's highest honor, the "San Carlos Cross of the Order of the Great Knight."
See also
- NL Gold Glove winners at shortstop
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
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