Andrés José Padovani Galarraga [gal-lar-RAH-ga] (born June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. Events 1100-1899 1178 - Five Canterbury monks see what was possibly the Giordano Bruno crater being formed. It is believed that the current oscillations of the moons distance... June 18, 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i.e., one that looked the same upside down - since 1881, and the last until 6009. Events January January 1 - The farthing coin, used since the 13th century, ceases to be... 1961 in Cerro Avila, Caracas. Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, close to the Caribbean Sea. As of 2004 the population of the city was 1.7 million and of the metropolitan area 3.6 million. The city was founded in 1567 as... Caracas, Venezuela) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in North America. More specifically, Major League Baseball (MLB) refers to the entity that operates North Americas two top leagues, the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure which has... Major League Baseball The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. A first baseman is the player on the team... first baseman who played for the The Washington Nationals is a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Washington, D.C.. It relocated to Washington from Montréal, Québec, Canada after the 2004 season. Although initally annouced on September 29, 2004, the move to Washington remained uncertain until a final vote by the D.C... Montreal Expos, The St. Louis Cardinals was also the name of a National Football League team based in Saint Louis, Missouri, which moved and became the Phoenix Cardinals (now known as the Arizona Cardinals) in 1988. The St. Louis Cardinals are an American Major League Baseball team based in Saint Louis, Missouri... St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies National League AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox AA Tulsa Drillers A Modesto Nuts Asheville Tourists Tri-City Dust Devils R Casper Rockies The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. They are in the Western Division of the National League. The team is... Colorado Rockies, The Atlanta Braves are a Major League Baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are in the Eastern Division of the National League. They are most recently known for their ongoing record of 13 consecutive division championships (1991-2004, except for the strike shortened 1994 season), the most in any... Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers is also the name of a statewide law enforcement agency in the state of Texas in the United States. See Texas Rangers (law enforcement). The Texas Rangers are a Major League Baseball team based in Arlington, Texas, a suburb in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. They are in... Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants AAA Fresno Grizzlies AA Norwich Navigators A San Jose Giants Augusta GreenJackets Salem-Keizer Volcanoes R Arizona Giants Edit this box The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California. They are in the Western Division of the National League. Founded... San Francisco Giants and For the Pacific Coast League franchise see: Los Angeles Angels (PCL). The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Anaheim, California and aligned in the Western Division of the American League. They are informally referred to as the Halos. Founded: 1961 (American League expansion... Anaheim Angels. He batted and threw right handed.

At six-foot-three and 235 pounds, Galarraga began his professional career in Venezuela at age of 16. Despite several injuries plagued Galarraga throughout his career, he was a very popular player both for his achievements on the field, and for his big and bright smile that was used to charm, greet, guard, and convince. He was nicknamed "The Big Cat" ("El Gran Gato") for his extraordinary quickness at first base in spite of his big frame.

Career

Venezuelan Winter League

Galarraga was signed by the Leones del Caracas club as a The position of the catcher Catcher is a position played in baseball. The catcher crouches behind home plate and receives the ball from the pitcher. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the catcher is assigned the number 2. Catching is arguably the most difficult and important task... catcher and The position of the third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in the sport of baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base, the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in a counterclockwise succession in order to score a run. In... third baseman. He made his debut in the 1978-79 season. Some of the players he had as teammates were the bigleaguers Tony Armas with the Athletics Antonio Rafael Armas Machado, better known as Tony Armas (b. July 2, 1953), was a popular hitter and one of Major League Baseballs top sluggers of the 1980s. He was prone to injuries, and that adversely affected his career. Twice an All-Star, he... Tony Armas, Baudilio José Díaz Seijas (March 23, 1953_November 23, 1990), best known as Bo Diaz, was a popular baseball catcher in the 1980s. He was born in Cúa, Miranda, Venezuela. Defensively, Diaz was strong in every area of the game. He took responsibility for getting the most out of... Bo Diaz, Jesús Manuel Marcano Manny Trillo (born December 25, 1950), also nicknamed Indio, is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Oakland Athletics (1973-74), Chicago Cubs (1975-78, 1986-88), Philadelphia Phillies (1979-82), Cleveland Indians (1983), Montreal Expos (1983), San Francisco Giants (1984-85... Manny Trillo, Gonzalo Enrique Márquez Moya ( March 31, 1946 - December 20, 1984), better known as Gonzalo Márquez [MAR-keth], was a Major League Baseball first baseman and left-handed batter who played for the Oakland Athletics (1972-73) and Chicago Cubs (1973-74). He was born in Car... Gonzalo Márquez and Leonardo Jesús Hernández (born November 6, 1959), commonly known as Leo Hernandez (er-NAN-dez), is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and right-handed batter who played for the Baltimore Orioles (1982-83, 1985) and New York Yankees (1986). A native from Santa Lucía, Miranda... Leo Hernández. Galarraga started as an utility and three seasons later he was the regular first baseman. At the recommendation of team manager Felipe Rojas Alou (born May 12, 1935 in Haina, Dominican Republic) was a professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, and Milwaukee Brewers. He has been also a sucessful manager for the Expos and Giants. Alou is the... Felipe Alou, he was signed by the Expos in 1979. At that time, some MLB scouts thought this 17-year-old power-hitting prodigy was too fat to play professionally.

In the 1985-86 season Galarraga played a full 65-games schedule, leading the league in In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run, with no errors on the play that result in the batter achieving extra bases. Home runs are among the most popular aspects... homeruns (14) and In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around all three bases and returns safely to home plate. The object of the game is for a team to score more runs than its opponent. In baseball statistics, a player who advances around all the bases to score... runs (47); Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsmen, respectively. Batting average in baseball In baseball, the batting average is defined as the ratio of hits to at bats. The Major League Baseball batting average championship is awarded to the... batting .297, and was second in In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. There are certain exceptions: a player does not receive an RBI if he hits into a double play, if an error is charged on... runs batted in (37) and In baseball, a double is the act of a batter safely reaching second base by striking the ball and getting to second before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. Typically, a double... doubles (10). In 13 overall seasons he hit .271 with 61 homers and 282 RBI in 555 games. Beside this, the stockily-built young player showed good instincts for streching In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. To do this, the batter must reach first... singles, taking the extra base, compiling a significant number of In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base by striking the ball and getting to third before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. Because a hit... triples and The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1985 In baseball statistics, stolen bases (denoted by SB) is a count of the number of bases successfully stolen by a player. In the 19th century, stolen bases were credited when a baserunner reached an extra base on a... stolen bases.

Minor leagues

In the Part of the History of baseball series. A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor leagues are baseball leagues which are at a lower pay level and play in smaller cities and towns than do Major League Baseball. In North America, most but not all of... minors, Galarraga played for The Florida State League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the state of Florida. The league originated in 1919 with teams in Bartow, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Sanford and Tampa. The league closed down in 1928 and resumed play in 1936 and has continued uninterrupted, except for a... West Palm Beach (1979, 1982-83), Calgary Outlaws were a minor league baseball team in the Canadian Baseball League. Based in Calgary, Alberta, they shared Burns Stadium with the Calgary Dawgs. In 2003, the only Canadian Baseball League season, they had best record when the league was suspended at the All-Star break and were thus... Calgary (1979-80), The New York - Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a short-season Class A league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early... Jamestown (1981), Categories: Baseball stubs | Minor league baseball teams | Jacksonville sports ... Jacksonville (1984) and Categories: Baseball stubs | Minor league baseball teams | Indiana sports | Indianapolis, Indiana ... Indianapolis (1985).

Galarraga earned the Montreal job by being named Double-A The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. The original league was formed in 1885, but it had to shut down in 1899. A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in 1900, consisting of twelve teams. The Association ended in 1961... Southern League In American sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. Initially used in professional sports, the term is now also commonly used... MVP for Jacksonville in 1984, with .289 BA, 27 homeruns and 87 RBI. Also, he led the league in In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e. the sum of his/her hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. Only bases from safe hits count... total bases (271), In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the power of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats. Total bases can be calculated from commonly used baseball statistics by using the formula TB = 1B + (2*2B) + (3*3B) + (4*HR). Slugging percentage forms... slugging percentage (.508), In baseball statistics, an intentional base on balls (denoted by IBB), often called an intentional walk, is used in baseball to count the number of times a walk was issued with no intent of ever allowing a hit. Since most managers call for the intentional walk by holding up four... intentional base on balls (10), In baseball, being hit by a pitch refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the pitcher. In baseball statistics, hit by pitch (denoted by HBP) records the number of times a batter is awarded first base by virtue of being hit... hit by pitches (9), and in After stepping on second base, the fielder throws to first to complete a double play In baseball, a double play (denoted on statistics sheets by DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. The most common type of double play occurs with a runner... double plays (130) and In baseball statistics, total chances (denoted by TC) represents the number of plays that a defensive player participated in. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Categories: Baseball statistics | Stub ... total chances (1428) on first base. Prior to his majors promotion, he hit .269, 25, 85 with Indianapolis in 121 games, being named Alternate meaning: Rookie of the Year (movie) The Rookie of the Year award is traditionally given to first-time professional athletes who have demonstrated superb athleticism in their sport. The honor is awarded to members of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and the National... Rookie of the Year in the Triple-A The International League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. It plays at the AAA (Triple-A) level, which is one step below major league baseball. The league was created from the mergers of member teams from three precursor leagues, the Eastern... International League.

Expos 1985-1991

The Big Cat made his debut with Montreal on August 23, See also: 1984 in sports, 1986 in sports and the list of years in sports. Auto Racing Stock car racing: Bill Elliott won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Darrell Waltrip Ken Schrader enters NASCAR CART Racing - Al Unser Sr won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Danny Sullivan Formula One Championship... 1985. He struggled on the way in, hitting .187 (14-for-75) with two homers and four RBI in 24 games. His promising start in 1986 was halted with a knee injury. Galarraga had eight homeruns and was leading all NL rookies in runs batted in (25) when he suffered a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery on July 10. He was activated one month later, only for to be re-disabled the following day after pulling muscles in his rib cage. He returned to action on September, ending with .271, 10, 42 in 105 games.

Overshadowed by some teammates, Galarraga survived tough rookie year and, quietly, he had a consistently 1987 season. He hit .305, 13, 90, finishing second in the league in doubles (40). Despite his size he displayed solid defense, being adept to scoop throws out of the dirt and excellent quickness turning the 3-6-3 double play. Cardinals' manager Whitey Herzog (born November 9, 1931) is a former major league baseball player and manager. He was born Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog in New Athens, Illinois. As an outfielder and left-handed batter, Herzog played for the Washington Senators (1956-58), Kansas City Athletics (1958-60), Baltimore Orioles (1961-62... Whitey Herzog called him "the best-fielding right-handed first baseman I've seen since Gil Hodges (April 4, 1924 - April 2, 1972) was an American baseball player in Major League Baseball. He played for the Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers (1943, 1947-61) and New York Mets (1962-63). Hodges was originally signed by the Dodgers as a third baseman. After serving in the... Gil Hodges."

In 1988 Galarraga emerged from the shadows to become the best player on the Expos. He had MVP-type season with a .302 of batting average, 99 runs, 92 RBI and 29 homeruns; led league in hits (184) and doubles (42), and earned an The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is an annual exhibition baseball game between the best players from the National League and the American League. The All-Star Game usually occurs in mid-July and marks the middle of the Major League Baseball season. The venue is chosen by Major... All-Star berth for the first time. In 1989, Galarraga became target of Montreal fans' frustration when he tailed off after All-Star game. That year he led the league in strikeouts (158), dropping his production to .257, 23, 85. He fell five RBI short of becoming first Expo to string together three straight seasons with 90 or more runs batted in. In the mid-season, he blasted his first In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run, with no errors on the play that result in the batter achieving extra bases. Home runs are among the most popular aspects... grand slam and also The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1985 In baseball statistics, stolen bases (denoted by SB) is a count of the number of bases successfully stolen by a player. In the 19th century, stolen bases were credited when a baserunner reached an extra base on a... stole home for first time in his career. Beside this, his stellar play in first base was rewarded with a In American baseball, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to simply as the Gold Glove, is the award annually given to the Major League player judged to be the most superior individual fielding performance at each position (in each league), as voted by the managers and coaches in each... Gold Glove award.

Galarraga's 1990 season had Expos mumbling that the team should lower its expectations for the slick-fielding first baseman. For the second consecutive season, the Big Cat failed to repeat the standards he set in his first two full seasons. He hit .256 with 20 homeruns and 87 RBI, almost a mirror image of his previous season. For third consecutive year he led the league in strikeouts. Smart pitchers exploited his impatience at the plate and didn't give him good pitches to hit. Even without any improvement with the bat, Galarraga makes a tremendous contribution on the field, sccoping up infielder's errant throws, starting 3-6-3 double play, and going either to his right or his left. He won his second Gold Glove. In that season he had a six-RBI game, two four-RBI games, and hit his first career In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run is a play where a hitter scores a home run without hitting the ball out of play. Inside-the-park home runs are rare events, generally occurring only a handful of times during any given season. The play requires both a... inside-the-park homer.

Slowed by injuries, Galarraga struggled through worst offensive season of his career in 1991. Disabled with strained left hamstring between May and July, later he had a new arthroscopic surgery to repair damage to undersurface of his left kneecap. Montreal missed his glove as much as his bat, committing 43 infield errors in 53 games without him. In that season Galarraga hit .219, 9, 33 in 107 games. He stole home for second time in his career and hit his 100th career homerun. At the end of the season he was traded to the Cardinals.

Cardinals: 1992

Galarraga had a second chance with St. Louis. But early in the year a pitch broke his wrist and he didn't recover until July. He batted .296 after the All-Star break and hit all ten of his homers after July 1st for a .497 second-half slugging percentage. He finished with a .243 BA and 39 RBI, but made a good impression on Cardinals batting coach Donald Edward Baylor (born June 28, 1949) is a Major League Baseball coach and a former player and manager. During his 19-year playing career, he was a power hitter who played as a first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter. He played for six different American League teams, primarily the... Don Baylor. When Baylor became the first Rockies manager in off-season, he recommended that Colorado take a chance on Galarraga and sign him as a free agent. And The Big Cat got a new life in his career.

Rockies: 1993-1997

In a 1993 season full of remarkable individual achievements, Galarraga flirted with the .400 mark for a while. His final .370 BA was an amazing 127-point increase over his previous year mark, leading the National League batters, and was the highest average by a right-handed hitter since Joseph Paul DiMaggio (born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio November 25, 1914 in Martinez, California - March 8, 1999 in Hollywood, Florida) was an American baseball player. A picture player at bat and in center field, many rate his 56-game hitting streak (from May 15 - July 16, 1941) as the top baseball... Joe DiMaggio batted .381 in See also: 1938 in sports, 1940 in sports and the list of years in sports. Many sporting events did not take place because of World War II. Auto Racing August 11 - Jean Bugatti, automobile designer and the 30-year-old son of Ettore Bugatti, died in a crash on the... 1939.

Despite missing 42 games with assorted injuries, The Big Cat compiled 56 multi-hit games to lead the league. He added 22 homers, 98 RBI, 71 runs, 35 doubles, four triples, a .403 In baseball statistics, on base percentage (OBP) (sometimes referred to as on base average (OBA)) is a measure of how often a batter gets to first base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielders choice. It may be calculated as: (H + BB + HBP) / (AB + BB... on base percentage, and his .602 slugging percentage was second in the league. His .370 mark also is highest average ever by a Hispanic, as used in the United States, is one of several terms used to categorize US citizens, permanent residents and temporary immigrants, whose background hail either from the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America or relating to a Spanish-speaking culture. According to the US Census Bureau, Hispanics form an... Hispanic American player, while becoming the first player on an expansion team as well as the first The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela)1 is a country in northern South America.2 It borders the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Off the Venezuelan coast are... Venezuelan to win a batting title. Anthony Keith Tony Gwynn (born May 9, 1960 in Los Angeles, California) is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. Widely considered one of the best hitters of his generation, Gwynn played for the San Diego Padres (1982-2001). He threw and batted left-handed. A graduate of San Diego... Tony Gwynn hit .358 to finish as runner-up in the title race.

Galarraga's improvement began when Baylor drastically opened up his stance to make him quicker on inside pitches. The new stance also helped Galarraga generate more power to the opposite field. At the same time, facing the pitcher with two eyes gave him a better view at pitches, lowering his strikeout rate and making him much more consistent at the plate with a better contact. Galarraga finished 10th in the MVP selection, but won The Sporting News (TSN) is an American-based sports newspaper, currently affiliated with the Fox network. It was established in 1886, and in its first decades came to become the dominant American publication covering baseball – so much so that it acquired the nickname The Bible of Baseball. Throughout much... The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award. After the season, and for third time, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

In the strike shortened See also: 1993 in sports, 1995 in sports and the list of years in sports. Auto Racing Stock car racing: Sterling Marlin won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Dale Earnhardt CART Racing - season championship won by Al Unser, Jr Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Jr. Formula One Championship - Germany (F1 World... 1994 season, Galarraga set a new National League record in April by driving in 30 runs in a month. He seemed to be on his way to a terrific year again, when he fractured his right hand on July 28. At this time, Colorado had climbed to within a half-game of first place The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. Please see its entry on Wikipedia:Templates for deletion for comments and voting. For the 1930s NFL team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles... Dodgers. Without him, the Rockies went 3-10 the rest of the way. Galarraga paced club with 31 homers (fifth in the league), and batted .319 with 85 RBI.

On June 25, See also: 1994 in sports, 1996 in sports and the list of years in sports. Auto Racing Stock car racing: Sterling Marlin won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Jeff Gordon CART racing - season championship won by Jacques Villeneuve Indianapolis 500 - Jacques Villeneuve. (First IRL races following year). Formula One Championship... 1995, Galarraga hit three homeruns in three consecutive innings to tie a MLB record. He finished with .280, 31 homers and 106 RBI. Numbers were helped by fact he stayed healthy for first time in four years. In that season the Rockies had four players with 30 or more homeruns, matching the See also: 1976 in sports, 1978 in sports and the list of years in sports. Auto racing Stock car racing: NASCAR Championship - Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough won the Daytona 500 USAC Racing - Tom Sneva wins the season championship Indianapolis 500 - won by A.J. Foyt. Janet Guthrie became first female... 1977 Dodgers. Over the next seasons, Galarraga developed into one of the best RBI men in baseball, driving in a combined 396 runs between 1996 and 1998 (106, 150, 140). In the same period he batted .279, .303 and .318, with 31, 47, and 41 HRs. Some critics argued that his achievements were possible thanks to the thin-air, mile-high, hitter-friendly Coors Field in Denver, Colorado is the home of the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the stadium prior to its completion in 1995. The team had played its first two years at... Coors Field. But Galarraga belted many homers on the road that travelled over 450-foot. In the '97 season he hit a mammoth homerun off Kevin Brown (born March 14, 1965) is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who currently plays for the New York Yankees. Born in McIntyre, Georgia, Brown eventually attended Georgia Tech and had originally planned a career in marine biology before eventually joining the baseball team. In 1986, he... Kevin Brown; a grand slam that landed 20 rows deep in the upper deck at The Florida Marlins are a Major League Baseball team based in Miami, Florida, USA. They are in the Eastern Division of the National League. Founded: 1993 (National League expansion) Home ballpark: Dolphins Stadium NOTE: The City of Miami and Marlins are negiotiating on building a new ballpark near the Orange... Marlins' Dolphins Stadium (originally named such, later named Joe Robbie Stadium and then Pro Player Stadium, and now back to Dolphins Stadium) is an American football and baseball stadium in Miami, Florida. The stadium has been home to the Miami Dolphins since 1987 and to the Florida Marlins since 1993. The... Pro Player Stadium and was alternately measured at 573 and 529 feet. Previously, he smashed two homers in two games that traveled 455-foot and 451-foot respectively, totalizing 1,435 feet, an average of 478 feet each.

A free agent at the end of the season, Galarraga signed a 3-year contract with Atlanta.

Braves: 1998, 2000

In his first season in Atlanta Galarraga silenced his critics. He proved that he could still produce great power numbers in lower altitudes, hitting .305 with 44 homeruns and 121 RBI.

During 1999 spring training, Galarraga developed a sore back. Hydrobaths, massages, muscle relaxers and stretching would not stop the nagging soreness. He was referred to a medical oncologist at Atlanta for a through physical exam and an MRI. When the diagnosis came in, it stopped the famous Galarraga smile. On his second lumbar vertebra in his lower back he had a tumor known as Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a type of cancer. Lymphoma is a general term for cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. Hodgkins disease is one type of lymphoma. All other lymphomas are grouped together and are called non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Lymphomas account for about 5 percent of... Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention caused by a compromised lymphatic system. The lymphatic system collects and filters the interstitial fluid of the body. Lymphedema is relatively little recognized as being a serious health problem. Doctors and medical staff who practice in fields where this disease is uncommon... lymphatic cancer. He missed the entire season while undergoing treatment.

Fortunately, slugger Galarraga returned to the field in high spirits and good form after undergoing chemotheraphy and a strict workout routine. In his third at-bat of the Opening Day in the See also: 1999 in sports, 2001 in sports and the list of years in sports. Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Bobby Labonte Indy Racing League - Buddy Lazier won the season championship Indianapolis 500- Juan Pablo Montoya CART Racing - Gil de Ferran won... 2000 season, Galarraga knocked the winning run with a homerun and showed his smile again. In April and May, he was tied for first place in home runs in the National League and was batting .300. Galarraga finished his comeback campaign hitting .302 with 28 HRs and 100 RBI, and even played in the All-Star Game in front of the home fans at Turner Field is the major outdoor stadium of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The stadium was originally constructed as the 85,000-seat Centennial Olympic Stadium and used for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics. Immediately after the 1996 Summer Paralympics, which followed the Olympics, much of the north end of stadium was... Turner Field.

A free agent after the season, Galarraga signed with the Rangers.

Rangers, Giants and Expos: 2001-2003

The change of scenery affected the hot-hitting Galarraga. At 40, he found himself lost in a new league, facing different pitchers, and specially, with star Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964 in Havana, Cuba) is a Major League Baseball player. He signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2004 season. This is his second term with the Orioles; he played in Baltimore from 1994 through 1998. Palmeiro holds the distinction... Rafael Palmeiro as the incumbent first baseman for the Rangers. Galarraga was used basically as DH is an initialism that can stand for various things including: Designated hitter, in Baseball Dermatitis herpetiformis, the skin disease the IATA code for Independence Air the nickname for the Diffie-Hellman algo This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... DH, Baseball In Baseball, a Pinch hitter is a common term for a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted for at any time the ball is dead; the manager may use any player not yet in the game as a substitute. Pinch hitters are often used to replace a starting player... pinch-hitter and occasional starter against left-handed pitchers. After his disappointed .235, 10 homers, 34 RBI numbers in 72 games, he was traded to the Giants in the mid-season. Then, Galarraga signed with Montreal in 2002 and returned to the Giants in 2003, when he signed a minor league contract before the season. As a part-time player with San Francisco, he batted .301 (82-272) with 12 HRs and 42 RBI.

Angels: 2004

In This year in baseball: 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-June February 15: Alex Rodriguez is traded to the New York Yankees. April 12: Barry Bonds ties his godfather Willie Mays for third on the all-time career home runs list with his 660th home run coming in the fifth... 2004, Galarraga beat cancer for a second time. He underwent two three-week periods of chemotherapy and was hospitalized for 23 days for additional treatment for the same Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that sidelined him in 1999 when he was with the Braves. When rosters were expanded in September 1, Galarraga came back to the majors from the Angels' Part of the History of baseball series. A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor leagues are baseball leagues which are at a lower pay level and play in smaller cities and towns than do Major League Baseball. In North America, most but not all of... AAA affiliate in Categories: Baseball stubs | Minor league baseball teams | Salt Lake City sports ... Salt Lake. Although he served mostly as a bench player in Anaheim, he was widely regarded in the clubhouse, especially among younger players such as Vladimir Alvino Guerrero (born February 9, 1976 in Nizao, Peravia, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball player. Many feel he is the best all-round player in the Majors because he regularly hits for a high average, hits for power, steals bases and fields his position at a very... Vladimir Guerrero, for whom he became a voice of experience. Galarraga saw action in a few games, and hit one homer to reach 399 for his career total.

Farewell

As appeared in The News

Port St. Lucie is a city located in St. Lucie County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 88,769. Geography Port St. Lucie is located at 27°1633 North, 80°2118 West (27.275772, -80.355029)1. According to the United... Port St. Lucie, Florida., March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). There are 277 days remaining. Events up to 19th century 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Edward IV of England. 1638 - Swedish... March 29, This year in baseball: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Calendar May 23: Baseball Hall of Fame Game - Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers, at Cooperstown, N.Y. July 12: All-Star Game, at Comerica Park, Detroit July 31: Hall of Fame inductions, Cooperstown, N.Y. October 4: Division... 2005 - The five-time The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is an annual exhibition baseball game between the best players from the National League and the American League. The All-Star Game usually occurs in mid-July and marks the middle of the Major League Baseball season. The venue is chosen by Major... All-Star Andrés Galarraga announced his retirement Tuesday with a minimum of fuss, apparently sparing The New York Mets are a Major League Baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City. They are in the Eastern Division of the National League. Founded: 1962 (National League expansion) Home ballpark: Shea Stadium (1964-present) Former home ballpark: Polo Grounds (1962-1963) Uniform colors... Mets The general manager in the sense contemplated in this article is the executive of a professional sports team responsible primarily for acquiring the rights to player personnel, negotiation of their contracts and reassignment or dismissal of players no longer desired on the team. Many other businesses have a person referred... General Manager Omar Minaya and In baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager; this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. The manager sets the line-up and starting pitcher before each game as well as making substitutions throughout the game. How much control a manager... Willie Randolph a possible argument over whether to keep him on the roster.

"He wanted to step down with dignity", said Minaya, who was The Washington Nationals is a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Washington, D.C.. It relocated to Washington from Montréal, Québec, Canada after the 2004 season. Although initally annouced on September 29, 2004, the move to Washington remained uncertain until a final vote by the D.C... Montreal's The general manager in the sense contemplated in this article is the executive of a professional sports team responsible primarily for acquiring the rights to player personnel, negotiation of their contracts and reassignment or dismissal of players no longer desired on the team. Many other businesses have a person referred... general manager when Galarraga played there in This year in baseball: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 8 - Ozzie Smith is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Smith, named on 91.7 percent of the ballots, is the 37th player to be elected in his... 2002. "Today, he set a great example for old players". Minaya signed the 43-year-old Galarraga, who has 399 In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run, with no errors on the play that result in the batter achieving extra bases. Home runs are among the most popular aspects... home runs, as a right-handed Baseball In Baseball, a Pinch hitter is a common term for a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted for at any time the ball is dead; the manager may use any player not yet in the game as a substitute. Pinch hitters are often used to replace a starting player... pinch-hitter. But Galarraga struggled most of A Grapefruit League game at the LA Dodgers camp in Vero Beach, Florida Spring training in Major League Baseball is a series of exhibition games which precedes the regular season. It serves the purpose of both auditioning players for final roster/position spots and giving players practice prior to competitive... spring training, Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsmen, respectively. Batting average in baseball In baseball, the batting average is defined as the ratio of hits to at bats. The Major League Baseball batting average championship is awarded to the... batting .235 with 3 homers, 7 In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. There are certain exceptions: a player does not receive an RBI if he hits into a double play, if an error is charged on... runs batted in and 12 In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and incompetence on the part of the batter, although for power hitters it is recognized... strikeouts in 34 In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. A player has an at bat every time he comes to bat except under the following circumstances: He receives a base on balls (BB). He is hit by pitch (HBP). He hits a... at-bats. Randolph favors versatile players on his bench, and Galarraga plays only The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. A first baseman is the player on the team... first base. (*)

"This is a sad day for me, but I honestly felt it was the right time to step away", Galarraga said in a statement. "I just wasn't playing up to the expectations that I have set for myself throughout my entire career, and I wanted to walk away on my own terms".

"Playing has been a part of my life for so long, but I just felt this was the right time to give a younger guy a chance to play." (**)

Resources

• New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/sports/baseball/30andres.html?) (*)
• USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-03-29-roundup_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA) (**)

Batting statistics

Fielding statistics

Highlights

• 5-time All-Star (1988, 1993, 1997-98, 2000)
• Led league in batting average (1993)
• Led league in homeruns (1996)
• Led league in runs batted in (1996-97)
• Led league in hits (1988)
• Led league in doubles (1988)
• Led league in total bases (1988)
• Twice Gold Glove Award (1989-90)
• 6-time Top 10 MLB Award (1988, 1993-94, 1996-98)
• Twice named by The Sporting News for the This article refers to the American baseball league. For the English cricket league of the same name, please see National League (cricket). The term National League generally refers to the organization more properly referred to as the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, the older (founded on February 2, 1876... NL Silver Slugger Award In Major League Baseball, the Louisville Silver Slugger award is given annually to the best offensive player at each position in each league. Winners are picked by major league managers and coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players. Selections are based on a... Silver Slugger team (1988, 1996)
• Named by The Sporting News for the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award (1993)
• Twice led league first basemen in double plays and total chances (1995-96)
• Led league first basemen in In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by PO or fly-ball when appropriate) is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods: tagging a runner with the ball touching a base that a runner on a force play is trying to reach catching... putouts (1995)

Miscellaneous notes

• First Rockies' player ever represented at All-Star Game (1993)
• First Rockies' player to have a field refurbished and named in his honor, when Andres Galarraga Field opened at the Denver Boys & Girls Club
• Only active player that has won the three In baseball, the Triple Crown refers to: A batter who (at seasons end) leads the league in three major categories -- home runs, runs batted in, and batting average. A pitcher who (at seasons end) leads the league in three major categories -- earned run average, victories, and strike outs... triple crown stats ( As with many sports, and perhaps even more so, statistics are very important to baseball. A seemingly intrinsic part of the game is the keeping of statistics on the achievements of the players. The practice was started by Henry Chadwick in the 19th century who devised the concepts of batting... BA, HR, RBI) although in different seasons
• Set Rockies' record for RBIs before the All-Star break (84, 1997)
• Honored in the A Docudrama or Docu-Drama is a type of work (usually a movie or television show) that combines elements of Documentary and Drama, to some extent showing real events and to some extent using actors performing set pieces to take dramatic liberty with events. Docudramas of note Culloden (BBC, 1964... docudrama movie Galarraga: puro béisbol (Galarraga: Nothing But Baseball - Venezuela, 2000)
• Honored in the book Andres Galarraga - Real Life Reader Biography, by writer Sue Boulais (2003)

Big Cat quotations

• I don't like the record. You can have it. - After being hit by a pitch for the 21st time, an Atlanta Braves record.

• I thought when I first heard the word 'cancer' that I was going to die the next day. The next hardest thing then became how to tell my wife and my three daughters - After the diagnosis.

• The attention helped. I think the three main pillars of support to me during those painful treatments were my faith in God, my family and the medicine modern science has today. - Before his treatments were concluded, in late September, 1999.

• It was very difficult. I had a lot of nausea. But I always was optimistic. ... Thank God it worked, and I feel better than ever. At a news conference in May 2004, after undergoing cancer treatment for a second time.

Related links

• The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. A first baseman is the player on the team... First baseman
• In 1934, the breakfast cereal Wheaties began the practice of including pictures of athletes on its packaging to coincide with its slogan, The Breakfast of Champions. In its original form, athletes were depicted on the sides or back of the cereal box, though in 1958 Wheaties began placing the pictures... List of athletes on Wheaties boxes
• Below is the list of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 2,000 hit milestone as of 2004. Bold denotes active players. Pete Rose (4,256) Ty Cobb (4,191) Hank Aaron (3,771) Stan Musial (3,630) Tris Speaker (3,514) Carl Yastrzemski (3,419) Honus Wagner... List of major league players with 2,000 hits
• List of NL Gold Glove Winners at First Base Gold Glove AL: P | C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF NL: P | C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF Categories: Baseball Trophies and Awards ... List of NL Gold Glove Winners at First Base
• List of NL Silver Slugger Winners at First Base Silver Slugger AL: DH | C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF NL: P | C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF Categories: Baseball Trophies and Awards ... List of NL Silver Slugger Winners at First Base
• Between 1939 and 2004, 171 baseball players from Venezuela had played in Major League Baseball. This list include number of arriving, name of player, position, starting team, and date of debut. Also included in the Appendix are the 75 Venezuelan baseball players who are selected on the 40-man roster... List of players from Venezuela in Major League Baseball
• Listed below are the Major League Baseball players who have hit three (3) home runs in consecutive innings: Categories: Baseball records | Lists of sportspersons ... MLB players who have hit 3 home runs in consecutive innings
• At the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title. The following lists describe which players held, or at least shared, the title for a particular category three or... Major League Baseball titles streaks
• In the sport of Major League Baseball, a home run is the act of hitting the ball in such a manner, whether out of the park or in (see inside the park home run), that allows the batter to safely reach home and score. Hank Aaron has done it the... Top 500 home run hitters of all time

External links

• Andrés Galarraga at:
  • Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/art_hr.shtml)
  • Baseball Library (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/G/Galarraga_Andres.stm)
  • Baseball Reference stats (http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/galaran01.shtml)
  • ESPN profile (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=3774)
  • ESPN wire news (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=1893739)
  • MLB news (http://anaheim.angels.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ana/news/ana_news.jsp?ymd=20040911&content_id=855047&vkey=news_ana&fext=.jsp)
  • Stars IQ (http://www.stariq.com/pagetemplate/article-printer.asp?pageid=1209)
  • The Sporting News (http://articles.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_9_224/ai_60026772)