Eugenio Vélez
Encyclopedia
Eugenio Vélez Vancomper (born May 16, 1982 in San Pedro de Macorís
) is a Dominican
professional baseball
infielder
and outfielder
who is a free agent.
signed him on August 27, 2001. He had to beg his mother, who wanted him to be an engineer, to sign for him (because he was only 19), but she reluctantly did. He began his professional career with the Pulaski Blue Jays
in 2003. After three solid years in the minors, he was selected by the San Francisco Giants
from the Toronto Blue Jays
in the 2005 minor league Rule 5 Draft
.
. He had a great year, winning the South Atlantic League
's Most Valuable Player award. He won the award by batting .315 with 63 extra base hits, 64 stolen bases and organization-high 91 runs batted in. Next year, he was placed on the Giants 40-man roster. He started the year with the AA Connecticut Defenders
, but he played so well he earned a promotion to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies
. However, he only played four games with Fresno before the Giants called him up for the first time ever. He made his debut on September 5, as a pinch hitter, as the Giants beat the Colorado Rockies
5-3. He finished the year with four stolen bases, although he only had three hits in 11 at-bats (in addition to two walks).
In 2008, Vélez made the Giants out of spring training, but he was sent down to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies
in May for Travis Denker
. After playing well at Fresno, though, he was recalled on July 8, 2008. On August 30, 2008, he hit his first career home run
against the Cincinnati Reds
. In 2009, Vélez once again made the Giants out of spring training. He would play in both San Francisco and Fresno during the year, but he spent more time with the Giants. He finished the year with a very good .267 batting average. Vélez made the Opening Day
roster in 2010
. His first appearance of the season came in the Giants' 10-4 victory to complete a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros
at Minute Maid Park
on April 7. He entered the contest replacing Mark DeRosa
in left field
as part of a double switch in the seventh inning
. The front of his jersey
read "SAN FRANCICSO." It was the second year in a row that Majestic Athletic
, MLB's official uniform supplier, committed a jersey misspelling
. Vélez' poor play during the start of the '10 season led to his removal from the Giants active roster when the Giants acquired Pat Burrell
. He was called up at times during the later part of the '10 season. On July 26, while sitting in the dugout during a Giants' 10-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks
, Vélez was struck in the head by a foul ball and hospitalized briefly. He was on the disabled list for a short time after that, but he was fine. Vélez was frequently used as a pinch hitter during the final weeks of September '10, during the Giants' play off push against the San Diego Padres
, but he failed to approach the numbers posted by the Giants' normal pinch hitter, Travis Ishikawa
.
. He joined the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
. He hit .339 in 55 games with the Isotopes and on July 4, 2011 he was called up to the Dodgers. On August 22, Vélez tied J. D. Drew
for the worst offensive start for the Dodgers since 1919
by failing to get a hit in his first 25 at-bats. On September 23, he struck out three times to break a 75-year old record for most at-bats in a season without a hit (36) and tie a 102 year old record for most consecutive at-bats without a hit spanning more than one season (45).
In the last game of the season, Vélez ground out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, finishing the year 0 for 37, the most at-bats in a season without a hit by a position player in Major League history. He also extended his overall hitless streak to 46 at-bats, breaking the record previously shared by Bill Bergen
, Dave Campbell and Craig Counsell
.
On October 4, the Dodgers outrighted Vélez to AAA, removing him from the 40-man roster.
San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic.-Demographics:...
) is a Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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...
and 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...
who is a free agent.
Toronto Blue Jays
Vélez's career began when the Toronto Blue JaysToronto 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 ....
signed him on August 27, 2001. He had to beg his mother, who wanted him to be an engineer, to sign for him (because he was only 19), but she reluctantly did. He began his professional career with the Pulaski Blue Jays
Pulaski Blue Jays
The Pulaski Mariners are a minor league baseball team based in Pulaski, Virginia, United States. They are an Advanced Rookie League team in the Appalachian League, and a farm team of the Seattle Mariners. The team plays its home games at Calfee Park. They have previously been affiliated with...
in 2003. After three solid years in the minors, he was selected by 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....
from 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 ....
in the 2005 minor league Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
.
San Francisco Giants
In 2006, the Giants assigned Vélez to the A Augusta GreenJacketsAugusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988...
. He had a great year, winning the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
's Most Valuable Player award. He won the award by batting .315 with 63 extra base hits, 64 stolen bases and organization-high 91 runs batted in. Next year, he was placed on the Giants 40-man roster. He started the year with the AA Connecticut Defenders
Connecticut Defenders
The Connecticut Defenders were a minor league baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut. The team, which played in the Eastern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 season, when the Defenders relocated to Richmond,...
, but he played so well he earned a promotion to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
. However, he only played four games with Fresno before the Giants called him up for the first time ever. He made his debut on September 5, as a pinch hitter, as the Giants beat 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...
5-3. He finished the year with four stolen bases, although he only had three hits in 11 at-bats (in addition to two walks).
In 2008, Vélez made the Giants out of spring training, but he was sent down to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
in May for Travis Denker
Travis Denker
Travis Norton Denker is a right-handed second baseman who currently plays in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.Prior to playing professional baseball, Denker attended Brea Olinda High School....
. After playing well at Fresno, though, he was recalled on July 8, 2008. On August 30, 2008, he hit his first career 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...
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....
. In 2009, Vélez once again made the Giants out of spring training. He would play in both San Francisco and Fresno during the year, but he spent more time with the Giants. He finished the year with a very good .267 batting average. Vélez made the Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster in 2010
2010 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants are an American Major League Baseball team. Their 2010 season marked their 128th year in Major League Baseball, and their fifty-third year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season...
. His first appearance of the season came in the Giants' 10-4 victory to complete a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros
2010 Houston Astros season
The 2010 Houston Astros season was the 49th season in the history of the franchise. The team, managed by first-year manager Brad Mills, began their 11th season at Minute Maid Park and 46th as the Astros on April 5. After finishing 74-88 the year before in 5th place, the Astros finished 76-86 in 4th...
at Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
on April 7. He entered the contest replacing Mark DeRosa
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...
in left field
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
as part of a double switch in the seventh inning
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
. The front of his jersey
Baseball uniform
A baseball uniform is a type of uniform worn by baseball players. Most baseball uniforms have the names and uniform numbers of players who wear them, usually on the backs of the uniforms to distinguish players from one other. Baseball shirts , pants, shoes, socks, caps, and glove are parts of...
read "SAN FRANCICSO." It was the second year in a row that Majestic Athletic
Majestic Athletic
Majestic Athletic is a maker of sports apparel. The company is also the current uniform provider for Major League Baseball. It has been a subsidiary of VF since 2007.-Origins:Majestic was founded by Faust Capobianco III in 1976...
, MLB's official uniform supplier, committed a jersey misspelling
Spelling
Spelling is the writing of one or more words with letters and diacritics. In addition, the term often, but not always, means an accepted standard spelling or the process of naming the letters...
. Vélez' poor play during the start of the '10 season led to his removal from the Giants active roster when the Giants acquired Pat Burrell
Pat Burrell
Patrick Brian "Pat" Burrell , nicknamed "Pat the Bat," is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He stands tall and weighs . He bats and throws right-handed...
. He was called up at times during the later part of the '10 season. On July 26, while sitting in the dugout during a Giants' 10-4 win 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...
, Vélez was struck in the head by a foul ball and hospitalized briefly. He was on the disabled list for a short time after that, but he was fine. Vélez was frequently used as a pinch hitter during the final weeks of September '10, during the Giants' play off push against the San Diego Padres
San 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...
, but he failed to approach the numbers posted by the Giants' normal pinch hitter, Travis Ishikawa
Travis Ishikawa
Travis Takashi Ishikawa |Washington]]) is an American Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently with the San Francisco Giants organization...
.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On December 13, 2010 he signed a minor league contract with an invite to spring training with the Los Angeles DodgersLos 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...
. He joined the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
. He hit .339 in 55 games with the Isotopes and on July 4, 2011 he was called up to the Dodgers. On August 22, Vélez tied J. D. Drew
J. D. Drew
David Jonathan "J. D." Drew is an American professional baseball right fielder who is a free agent. He is a left-handed hitter, and began his major league career in with the St. Louis Cardinals...
for the worst offensive start for the Dodgers since 1919
1919 Brooklyn Robins season
The Brooklyn Robins finished the season in fifth place.- Offseason :* February 1, 1919: Jake Daubert was traded by the Robins to the Cincinnati Reds for Tommy Griffith.- Notable transactions :...
by failing to get a hit in his first 25 at-bats. On September 23, he struck out three times to break a 75-year old record for most at-bats in a season without a hit (36) and tie a 102 year old record for most consecutive at-bats without a hit spanning more than one season (45).
In the last game of the season, Vélez ground out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, finishing the year 0 for 37, the most at-bats in a season without a hit by a position player in Major League history. He also extended his overall hitless streak to 46 at-bats, breaking the record previously shared by Bill Bergen
Bill Bergen
William Aloysius "Bill" Bergen was a Major League Baseball catcher in the early 20th century. Bergen was born in North Brookfield, Massachusetts on June 13, 1878...
, Dave Campbell and 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...
.
On October 4, the Dodgers outrighted Vélez to AAA, removing him from the 40-man roster.