Andrés Yungo Torres Feliciano Jr., (born January 26, 1978) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...
. He stands tall and weighs and is a switch-hitter. Torres played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
,
Texas Rangers,
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
and
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
.
Born in New Jersey, Torres grew up in Puerto Rico before returning to the United States to attend
Miami-Dade Community College
Miami Dade College (Miami Dade, MDC or Dade) is a public college in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1959, it has a total of eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers throughout Miami-Dade County. It is the largest college in the Florida College ...
. He was a track star at Miami-Dade and did not begin playing baseball until later. In 1998, he was drafted by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
in the fourth round of the
1998 Major League Baseball draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998. A total of 1445 players were drafted over the course of 50 rounds.
First round selections ...
. Torres played in their minor leagues until 2002, when he made his major league debut. In 2003, he got a chance to be the everyday
center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...
for the Tigers, but after 23 games they chose to replace him. He played only three games for them in 2004 before he was outrighted to the minors and released upon request. In 2005, Torres resurfaced with the
Texas Rangers but only appeared in eight games. He spent the next three years in the minor leagues.
Torres returned to the majors in 2009, as a reserve outfielder for the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. In 2010, he became their everyday center fielder and leadoff hitter, winning the
Willie Mac Award
The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Willie McCovey. It has been presented annually since 1980 to the most inspirational player on the San Francisco Giants, as voted upon by Giants players, coaches, training staff, and more recently, Giants ...
and helping the team win its first
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
since 1954. After the 2011 season (in which Torres battled injuries and lost playing time in September), he was traded to the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. He spent one season with the Mets, starting in center field for the most part except for a stretch in which he platooned with
Kirk Nieuwenhuis
Kirk Robert Nieuwenhuis, (born August 7, 1987) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Milwaukee Brewers. He currently is the head ...
, before re-signing with the Giants in 2013. He was used in a platoon split with
Gregor Blanco
Gregor Miguel Blanco Pedraza (born December 24, 1983) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, ...
in 2013 before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in August. After going unsigned to begin 2014, Torres signed a minor league deal with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
in June, but opted out of his contract in late July after not getting called up.
Early life
Torres was born in
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[Aguada, Puerto Rico
Aguada (; , ), originally San Francisco de Asís de la Aguada, is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the western coastal valley region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, east of Rincón, west of Aguadilla and Moca; and north of Añ ...]
, with his family when he was one year old.
He played very little baseball as a child in Puerto Rico, and did not become serious about becoming a professional baseball player until he was 18.
He attended Dr. Carlos Gonzalez High School and
Miami-Dade Community College
Miami Dade College (Miami Dade, MDC or Dade) is a public college in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1959, it has a total of eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers throughout Miami-Dade County. It is the largest college in the Florida College ...
.
At Miami-Dade, he was a track and field star, running the
100 meters
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contest ...
in 10.37 seconds. In 1997, the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
drafted him in the 23rd round of the
Major League Baseball Draft
The first-year player draft is the primary mechanism of Major League Baseball (MLB) for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on a lo ...
, but he chose not to sign. He was then drafted by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
in the fourth round of the
1998 Major League Baseball draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998. A total of 1445 players were drafted over the course of 50 rounds.
First round selections ...
, and that time he signed.
Career
Detroit Tigers (2002–2004)
Torres failed to
bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...
higher than .236 his first two years in the minors, but he did
steal several bases. However, in 2000, while playing for the
Single-A
Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A, Double-A (baseball), Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classif ...
advanced
Lakeland Tigers
Lakeland is primarily a toponym. It may refer to:
Places Australia
*Lakeland, Queensland
Canada
*Lakeland (electoral district), a federal electoral district in Alberta
*Lakeland County, a former municipal district in Alberta
* District of La ...
of the
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
, Torres posted what was arguably the best minor league season in his career. With Lakeland, he batted .296 while leading the league with 65 stolen bases.
During that season, he was promoted to the
Double-A Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pla ...
of the
Southern League for a short period of time; however, he struggled with Jacksonville, batting just .148. Detroit switched their Double-A affiliate to the
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are an United States, American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving ...
of the
Eastern League in 2001; Torres spent the season with them but was limited to 64 games because of shoulder surgery.
He batted .294 with 74
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...
and 19 stolen bases.
2002
Torres was considered Detroit's "leadoff hitter of the future" in 2002, according to Jason Beck of ''
MLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. (a subsidiary of MLB). MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports column ...
''.
He began the season with the
Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...
of the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
but was soon called up by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
on April 7.
He made his major league debut that same day and notched his first hit, a
triple
Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble":
Sports
* Triple (baseball), a three-base hit
* A basketball three-point field goal
* A figure skating jump with three rotations
* In bowling terms, three strikes in a row
* ...
against
CC Sabathia
Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. (born July 21, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the New York Yankees. He also played for the Cleveland Indians and Milwauke ...
in a 5–1 loss to the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. He batted .211 and was sent back to Toledo on April 26 after he had no hits in 12 at bats during a series against the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
.
In 115 games for Toledo, Torres batted .266, tying
Nick Punto
Nicholas Paul Punto (born November 8, 1977) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers ...
for the league lead with 42 stolen bases, tying
Omar Infante
Omar Rafael Infante n-FAHN-tay(born December 26, 1981) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Miami M ...
for fourth in the league in triples (eight), and finishing fourth in the league with 80 runs scored. The Tigers initially chose not to call up Torres in September when rosters expanded; he did not rejoin them until September 20 following injuries to
Bobby Higginson
Robert Leigh Higginson (born August 18, 1970) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Amateur career
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Higginso ...
and
Hiram Bocachica
Hiram Gabriel Bocachica Colón (born March 4, 1976) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, and San D ...
. In 19 games (70
at bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
s) with the Tigers, Torres batted .200 with 14 hits, three
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBI), and two stolen bases.
2003
The next season, Torres failed to make the Tigers out of spring training, but he split the season between Detroit and Toledo. He was called up on April 29 to play centerfield and bat leadoff for the Tigers.
After he batted .224 in 23 games, the Tigers traded for
Alex Sánchez on May 27 to replace Torres in centerfield and sent Torres to Toledo to make room for Sánchez. He was recalled on June 18 to be a reserve outfielder when
Ernie Young
Ernest Wesley Young (born July 8, 1969) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current coach for the United States national baseball team. He played in parts of eight seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five different ...
was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
. On this stint, Torres tried to improve his hitting by batting exclusively right-handed, saying, "I feel better from the right side." He batted .208 in 23 games on this stint before being sent back to Toledo on August 2 to make room for
A. J. Hinch
Andrew Jay Hinch (born May 15, 1974) is an American professional baseball coach and former player who is the manager of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hinch played catcher for the Oakland Athletics (–), Kansas City Royals ( ...
to return from the disabled list. Torres was recalled one final time, in September.
On September 14, Torres hit his first home run, a solo shot off of
Jimmy Gobble
Billy James Gobble (born July 19, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who last played in the Colorado Rockies organization.
High school career
Gobble attended John S. Battle High School in Bristol, Virginia and started four years on t ...
of the Royals in a 7–2 loss. In 59 games (168 at bats) with the Tigers, he batted .220 with 37 hits, one home run, and five stolen bases.
Despite playing only 70 games in Toledo, Torres finished fifth in the International League with 27 stolen bases.
2004
Torres was initially sent to the minors to begin 2004 but was recalled on April 7 without playing a game for Toledo when
Dmitri Young
Dmitri Dell Young (born October 11, 1973) is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left fielder, first baseman, and designated hitter, for the St. Louis Cardinals ...
broke his leg.
He only appeared in three games (and didn't even have a plate appearance) before the Tigers attempted to outright him to the minors. Instead of going to the minors, Torres requested his release. He was granted free agency on April 22.
Chicago White Sox organization (2004)
Just four days after getting released by the Tigers, Torres signed with the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. He spent the rest of the 2004 season with the International League
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 20 ...
(outside a six-game rehab stint), batting .295 with 95 hits in 87 games and tying with
Jason Tyner
Jason Renyt Tyner (born April 23, 1977) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. His MLB career spanned nine seasons from 2000 through 2008 for the New York Mets (2000), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000-2003), Minnesota Twins (2005-2007), and Cleve ...
for eighth in the league in stolen bases, with 23. After the season, he filed for free agency.
Texas Rangers (2005)
On November 16, 2004, Torres was signed by the
Texas Rangers.
He started 2005 with the Triple-A
Oklahoma RedHawks
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New M ...
of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, but he only played in 15 games (due to a sprained right shoulder) before getting called up by the Rangers on May 15 when
Gary Matthews Jr.
Gary Nathaniel Matthews Jr. (born August 25, 1974) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1999 to 2010. Matthews is the son of the 1973 Rookie of the Year, 1979 All-Star, and former ...
, went on the disabled list.
However, the Rangers designated him for assignment on June 12 and outrighted him to Oklahoma City on June 17 after he batted .158 in eight games with them.
Torres suffered a right abdominal strain a week later which ended his season.
Minnesota Twins organization (2006)
Torres signed with the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
on December 25, 2005. He spent the entire 2006 season with the Triple-A
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...
of the International League, batting .236 with them in 116 games and tying for second in the league with nine triples (tied with
Joe Thurston
Joseph William Thurston (born September 29, 1979) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and second baseman. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Florida Marlins ...
behind Wayne Lindon's 12).
He became a free agent after the season.
Detroit Tigers organization (2007)
Unsigned through February in 2007, Torres called the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
and asked for a job.
The Tigers signed him on March 2 and assigned him assigned to Erie, where he was named the Eastern League Player of the Week for April 30 through May 6 after he batted .550. He batted .292 with 17 stolen bases in 85 games before being promoted to Toledo. His 11 triples led the Eastern League despite the fact that he only appeared in 85 games.
At Toledo, Torres also batted .292 in 42 games. He was caught stealing bases (six) more times than he stole successfully (five), but in only 42 games, he managed to tie for second in the league with nine triples (tied again with Thurston behind
Brian Bixler's 10). Following the year, he again filed for free agency.
Chicago Cubs organization (2008)
On November 20, 2007, Torres signed with the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
.
In 2008, he engaged a private hitting instructor named Chris O'Leary to help him out. He began trying to model his swing after
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", ...
, instead of merely trying to put the ball on the ground and run to first base, which is what he had been doing. He spent the entire season with the
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. The ...
of the Pacific Coast League, batting .306 in 118 games with 11 home runs. He finished fifth in the league with 91 runs scored, tied for second in the league with 10 triples (tied with
Trent Oeltjen
Trent Carl Wayne Oeltjen (; born 28 February 1983 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is 6'1" (185 ...
and
Nate Schierholtz
Nathan John "Nate" Schierholtz (born February 15, 1984) is an American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants (2007–2012), Philadelphia Phillies (2012), Chicago Cubs ...
behind
Tim Raines Jr.
Timothy Raines Jr. (born August 31, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He is the son of Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Famer Tim Raines. Raines played for the Baltimore Orioles organization through , playing for the ...
's 13), and led the league with 29 stolen bases. However, the Cubs did not re-sign him and he once again filed for free agency following the season.
San Francisco Giants (2009–2011; first stint)
2009
Torres signed with the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
on January 9, 2009.
After a strong spring training, he was named to the Giants' Opening Day roster as a reserve outfielder. Except for a minor league rehab assignment, he spent the entire year in the majors. He was placed on the disabled list on April 27 with a strained left hamstring. After a rehab assignment, he was activated on May 26. On June, 15 he hit the 48th "Splash Hit" home run at
AT&T Park
Oracle Park is a Major League Baseball stadium in the SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Since 2000, it has been the home of the San Francisco Giants. Previously named Pacific Bell Park, SBC Park, and AT&T Park, the stadium's curren ...
, against
John Lackey
John Derran Lackey (born October 23, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2002 through 2017 for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Ch ...
in a 9–7 loss to the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
. He was again placed on the disabled list on July 31 with the same injury he suffered earlier in the year; he was out until September 1.
On September 20, he hit two home runs against
Randy Wolf
Randall Christopher Wolf (born August 22, 1976) nicknamed "Wolfie", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, ...
in a 6–2 loss to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
. He finished the year with a career high .270 batting average and tied for eighth (along with
Craig Counsell
Craig John Counsell (born August 21, 1970) is an American former professional baseball player who is the manager for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Counsell became the Brewers' manager in May 2015; he became the longest-te ...
,
Gerardo Parra
Gerardo Enrique Parra (born May 6, 1987) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants ...
,
Everth Cabrera
Everth Cabrera (born November 17, 1986) is a Nicaraguan professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles. He led the National League (NL) in stolen bases in 2012, and was an ...
, and
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre (born August 14, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000–2013 for the Colorado Rockies, Florida/Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Ch ...
) in the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) with eight triples despite only playing 75 games.
2010:World Series Champion
![Andrés Torres at bat at 2010 NLDS Game 2 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Andr%C3%A9s_Torres_at_bat_at_2010_NLDS_Game_2_3.JPG)
In 2010, Torres began the season as a backup outfielder again. On April 25, he replaced
Eugenio Vélez
Eugenio Vélez Vancomper (born May 16, 1982) is a Dominican former professional baseball utility player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers from 2007 to 2011.
Career
Toronto Blue Jays ...
(who had been filling in for the injured
Aaron Rowand
Aaron Ryan Rowand (born August 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball center fielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and the San Francisco Giants and won two World Series cham ...
) as the Giants' center fielder, playing six games until Rowand's return on May 1.
Upon Rowand's return, Torres returned to a reserve role until May 9, when he became a starting outfielder for the rest of the season after
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa (born February 26, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2013. He played for the Atlanta Braves (1998–2004), Texas Rangers (2005–2006), Chicago Cubs ...
hurt his wrist.
On May 30, he had a game-ending RBI single in the 10th inning against
Carlos Rosa
Carlos Rosa Mayi (born September 21, 1984) is a former professional baseball pitcher.
Career
Rosa began the season in Double-A with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, where he led the Texas League in Earned run average, ERA and Walks plus hits p ...
to give the Giants a 6–5 victory over the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. By midseason, he had replaced Rowand as the Giants' everyday center fielder and leadoff hitter.
After the Giants blew a 9–2 lead over the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
on July 28, Torres had a game-ending single in the 10th inning against
Clay Hensley
Clayton Allen Hensley (born August 31, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Hensley has played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, and San Francisco Giants.
Early life
Hensley attended Lamar U ...
to give the Giants a 10–9 win. After the Giants blew a 7–3 lead on August 12, Torres had a game-ending RBI single against
Andrew Cashner
Andrew Burton Cashner (born September 11, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red ...
in the ninth inning to give the Giants an 8–7 victory over the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
. On the morning of September 12, Torres woke up with severe stomach pain and was diagnosed with
appendicitis
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...
. He underwent an
appendectomy
An appendectomy, also termed appendicectomy, is a Surgery, surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedure to treat complicated acu ...
the same day.
He returned to the lineup roughly two weeks later, and on October 1 it was announced that he had won the 2010
Willie Mac Award
The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Willie McCovey. It has been presented annually since 1980 to the most inspirational player on the San Francisco Giants, as voted upon by Giants players, coaches, training staff, and more recently, Giants ...
. Torres said upon receiving the award, "It's the best. It's an honor for me from my teammates. I've been blessed and I'm happy and just thank God for everything, putting me here and these guys treating me like a family."
In 139 games (507 at bats), Torres hit .268 with 84 runs scored, 136 hits, 16 home runs, and 63 RBI.
He ranked fourth in the NL in doubles (43, behind
Jayson Werth
Jayson Richard Gowan Werth (born May 20, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2002 to 2017. His 15-season career was split among the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, P ...
's 46 and
Matt Holliday
Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980) is an American professional baseball coach and former left fielder who is the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 2004 to 2018 for the Col ...
's and
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played his entire career for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2020. Braun also played right field and firs ...
's 45) and ranked seventh in the NL in triples (eight). He finished the year having led the Giants in stolen bases with 26.
Torres batted .115 in his first seven playoff games before batting .406 over the last eight. In the first four games of the
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2010 season. The 106th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the Nati ...
against the
Texas Rangers, he had extra-base hits, tying a Giants' playoff record for most consecutive games with an extra-base hit.
He had a home run off
Colby Lewis
Colby Preston Lewis (born August 2, 1979), popularly nicknamed "Cobra", is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, and Texas Rangers and in Nippon Pro ...
in Game 3 of the World Series; however, the Giants lost that game 4–2. In Game 4, he doubled twice, driving in a run and scoring another as the Giants won 4–0. Torres also had two stolen bases but was caught twice in the postseason.
He won his first World Series ring as the Giants defeated the Rangers in five games to win their first World Series since 1954.
2011
After injuring his left Achilles tendon on April 9, Torres spent time on the disabled list from April 15 to May 10. On May 30, Torres hit his first career
grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
against
Kyle McClellan
Kyle William McClellan (born June 12, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. McClellan was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 25th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He also played for the Texas Rangers.
E ...
in a 7–3 victory over the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
. Three days later, he scored three runs in a 12–7 victory over St. Louis. On July 15, Torres had three hits, scored three runs, drove in two runs, stole a base, and slammed into the wall while making a nice catch to rob
Kyle Phillips of a two-RBI double in a 6–1 victory over the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
. He went on the disabled list a second time, from August 13 through August 28, with a bruised right leg. After Torres batted just .228 through the beginning of September, he lost quite a bit of playing time to
Cody Ross
Cody Joseph Ross (born December 23, 1980), nicknamed "Toy Cannon" and "Ross the Boss," is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 12 seasons with the Detroit Tigers (2003), Los Angeles Do ...
and
Justin Christian
Justin Barnett Christian (born April 3, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees in 2008 and the San Francisco Giants in 2011 and 2012.
Career Amateur career
Christi ...
for the remainder of the year.
In 112 games (348 at bats), Torres hit .221 with 77 hits, 24 doubles, four home runs, and 19 RBI. He led the Giants in stolen bases once again, with 19.
New York Mets (2012)
![Andrés Torres (2012)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Andr%C3%A9s_Torres_%282012%29.jpg)
On December 7, 2011, the Giants traded Torres and
Ramón Ramírez to the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
for
Ángel Pagán
Ángel Manuel Pagán (born July 2, 1981) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants.
Pagán's original contract in Major League Base ...
. The Mets and Torres settled their case of arbitration on January 17, 2012, with Torres earning $2.7 million for the 2012 season.
On
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
(April 5) 2012, Torres re-injured his left calf—which he had previously hurt during 2012 spring training—and spent much of April on the disabled list. He was activated on April 30. However, though he would receive most of the starts in center field, he began to platoon with
Kirk Nieuwenhuis
Kirk Robert Nieuwenhuis, (born August 7, 1987) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Milwaukee Brewers. He currently is the head ...
, who had filled in for him when he was on the disabled list. This continued until July 29, when Nieuwenhuis was returned to the minor leagues, enabling Torres to be the full-time starter for the rest of the season. Torres endured a career-worst 0 for 18 streak that he finally snapped with a hit against
Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Jose Betancourt (born April 29, 1975) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies, as well as in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) ...
on August 20 in a 3–1 loss to the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
.
In 132 games (374 at bats), he hit .230 with 86 hits, 17 doubles, seven triples, three home runs, 35 RBI, and 13 stolen bases (in 18 attempts). As a right-handed hitter, he batted .286. He joined
José Reyes as the only players in Mets' history to have two games in a season with a triple and home run.
Following the season, he filed for free agency.
San Francisco Giants (2013; second stint)
On December 13, 2012, Torres agreed to a one-year non-conditional contract to return to the San Francisco Giants. He began 2013 platooning with
Gregor Blanco
Gregor Miguel Blanco Pedraza (born December 24, 1983) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, ...
in left field.
On May 8, he had a game-winning RBI single against
Antonio Bastardo
Antonio Francisco Bastardo Rafael (born September 21, 1985) is a professional baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He is from the Dominican Republic. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phil ...
in the 10th inning of a 4–3 victory over the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. From May 20 through June 30, he batted .298 with 11 doubles and 14 RBI in 35 games.
He had a game-tying RBI double against
Rex Brothers
Rex Colman Brothers (born December 18, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. After playing college baseball at Lipscomb Bisons, Lipscomb University, Brothers was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2009 Major L ...
on May 25 in an eventual 10-inning, 6–5 win over Colorado. On July 13, he began platooning with Blanco in center field after
Jeff Francoeur
Jeffrey Braden Francoeur (; born January 8, 1984), nicknamed "Frenchy", is an American former professional baseball right fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals ...
was called up.
His season came to an end on August 1, when he was placed on the disabled list with a left Achilles strain, an injury which he acknowledged prevented him from hitting for power in 2013. In 103 games (272 at bats), Torres hit .250 with 68 hits, two home runs, and 21 RBI while only managing four stolen bases. He fared better from the right side at the plate, batting .291 as opposed to batting .206 left-handed.
After the season, Torres filed for free agency.
Boston Red Sox organization (2014)
On June 11, 2014, Torres signed a minor-league deal with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. He played five games with the
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners were a baseball team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. With Major League ...
of the Single-A (short season)
New York–Penn League
The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed th ...
and 18 games with the
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...
of the International League. He batted .292 with Pawtucket.
On July 28, 2014, Torres opted out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox by exercising an out clause in his contract.
Personal life
Torres was married to Soannie Mendoza. She died on December 8, 2016, from
NUT midline carcinoma
NUT carcinoma (NC; formerly NUT midline carcinoma (NMC)) is a rare genetically defined, very aggressive squamous cell epithelial cancer that usually arises in the midline of the body and is characterized by a chromosomal rearrangement in the nucle ...
related causes. The couple has a son, Diego, born in 2004, and a daughter, Mia, born in 2012.
In 2002, Torres was diagnosed with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inap ...
(ADHD); however, he did not begin taking medication to treat it until 2007.
His medication has been helpful to him, and he is currently a spokesperson for ADHD. In 2012, Plan A Films produced a feature-length documentary about Torres titled ''Gigante'', discussing his ADHD. The film was directed by Chusy Haney-Jardine. Though a screening for the movie was shown at the
NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Health is an academic medical center located in New York City, New York, United States. The health system consists of NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Long Island School of Medicine, both part of New York University (NYU), and m ...
on May 31, 2012, the movie was never released.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico currently has the fourth-most active players in Major League Baseball (MLB) among Latin American jurisdictions, behind the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba. More than three hundred players from the archipelago have played in the ...
References
*
External links
Gigante
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torres, Andres
1978 births
Living people
People from Aguada, Puerto Rico
Major League Baseball outfielders
Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
Baseball players from Paterson, New Jersey
Detroit Tigers players
Texas Rangers players
San Francisco Giants players
New York Mets players
Jamestown Jammers players
Miami Dade Sharks baseball players
West Michigan Whitecaps players
Lakeland Tigers players
Jacksonville Suns players
Erie SeaWolves players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Bristol White Sox players
Charlotte Knights players
Oklahoma RedHawks players
Rochester Red Wings players
Iowa Cubs players
Arizona League Giants players
San Jose Giants players
Fresno Grizzlies players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
St. Lucie Mets players