Geno Espineli
Encyclopedia
Eugene Macalalag "Geno" Espineli (born September 8, 1982 in Houston, Texas
) is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
for the San Francisco Giants
organization. Espineli is of Filipino
ancestry and played baseball
at the University of Texas and Texas Christian University
. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 14th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft
.
A full-time reliever in his first two professional seasons, Espineli started
some games for Double-A Connecticut
in and became a full-time starter for Connecticut in . Espineli, a reliever again in , started the season with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies
. He was named a PCL
All-star
and also to the U.S. Olympic team
before being called up to the majors on July 20. He made his debut that same day, pitching one scoreless inning.
When Espineli made his debut with San Francisco on July 23, , with 0.2 innings of perfect relief against the visiting Washington Nationals
, many believe he became the first full-blooded Filipino to ever play in the major leagues.
Espineli signed a minor league contract with an invitation to 2011 spring training with the Colorado Rockies
. On May 13, 2011, Espinelli signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants
.
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for 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....
organization. Espineli is of Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
ancestry and played 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...
at the University of Texas and Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 14th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft
2004 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
.
A full-time reliever in his first two professional seasons, Espineli started
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
some games for Double-A Connecticut
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,...
in and became a full-time starter for Connecticut in . Espineli, a reliever again in , started the season with the Triple-A 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...
. He was named a PCL
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
All-star
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
and also to the U.S. Olympic team
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
before being called up to the majors on July 20. He made his debut that same day, pitching one scoreless inning.
When Espineli made his debut with San Francisco on July 23, , with 0.2 innings of perfect relief against the visiting 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...
, many believe he became the first full-blooded Filipino to ever play in the major leagues.
Espineli signed a minor league contract with an invitation to 2011 spring training with 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...
. On May 13, 2011, Espinelli signed a minor league contract 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....
.