Felipe López (born May 12, 1980) is a
Puerto Rican 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 ...
infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.
Standard arrangement of positions
In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...
.
High school career
In 1998, López graduated from
Lake Brantley High School
Lake Brantley High School (LBHS) is located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, a suburban community approximately 13 miles (20 km) north of Orlando. It is a public high school serving grade levels 9–12 in Seminole County, FL, operated by Se ...
in
Altamonte Springs, Florida
Altamonte Springs is a suburban city in central Florida in Seminole County, Florida, United States, which had a population of 46,231 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is in the northern suburbs of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metro ...
where he set school records by
hitting .521 with 15
doubles, five
triples, seven
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, 28
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 ...
and 34
stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
s in his senior year. He was also voted
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
's Player of the Year, was a ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' All-USA selection, and was rated by ''
Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
'' as the best defensive high school shortstop in the country.
Professional career
Toronto Blue Jays (2001–02)
López was a 1st round pick of the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
(8th pick overall) in 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 ...
. He made his Major League debut on August 3, 2001, and played second base and shortstop part-time.
Cincinnati Reds (2003–06)
On December 1, 2002, the Blue Jays traded the
switch-hitting Lopez as part of a four-team trade with the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
,
Oakland A's
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
, and 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 ...
. The Toronto Blue Jays sent him to the Cincinnati Reds, who sent pitcher
Elmer Dessens
Elmer Dessens Jusaino eh-SENZ(born January 13, 1971) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Personal life
Elmer Dessens was born on January 13, 1971, in Hermosillo, Mexico. At age 10, he worked as a ne ...
to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks sent
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Erubiel Durazo
Erubiel Durazo Cárdenas (born January 23, 1975) is a Mexican former professional baseball player. Durazo played for the Arizona Diamondbacks (–) and the Oakland Athletics (–) in Major League Baseball.
Major league career
He helped the Dia ...
to the Oakland Athletics, who, in turn, sent minor league pitcher Jason Arnold to the Blue Jays.
After backing up
Barry Larkin
Barry Louis Larkin (born April 28, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player. He played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2004.
He briefly played in the minor leagues before making h ...
during the and seasons, López earned the starting job in . López's first season as the Reds' regular shortstop was his breakthrough. He hit 23 home runs and stole 15 bases while compiling a .291 batting average with a .352
on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
. He was selected to the 2005
National League All-Star team.
Washington Nationals (2006–08)
López was traded by the Reds on July 13, 2006, to the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
along with
Austin Kearns
Austin Ryan Kearns (born May 20, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2002 through 2013 for the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, and ...
and
Ryan Wagner for
Gary Majewski,
Bill Bray,
Royce Clayton
Royce Spencer Clayton (born January 2, 1970) is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Co ...
,
Brendan Harris, and
Daryl Thompson, a minor league prospect. In 2006, he tied for the Major League lead in
errors at shortstop, with 28, and had the lowest
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
(.954).
When first traded to the Nationals, López's original jersey number was 7, however when
Damian Jackson
Damian Jacques Jackson (born August 16, 1973) is a former major league second baseman who played 11 seasons for nine Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. He batted and threw right-handed.
Early life
Jackson grew up in Los Angeles, but moved to N ...
was traded, he turned in his number 7 for Jackson's previous jersey number 2.
In , he had the lowest fielding percentage of all NL shortstops, .957, and often found himself switching between the position of shortstop and second base. This switch was due to the recovery of the Nationals original shortstop, Christian Guzman, who had injured himself in 2005, though he later gave the position back to Lopez after sustaining yet another injury during the 2007 season.
On April 24, 2008, López hit a
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 ...
to give Washington a 7–3 lead en route to a 10–5 victory over the Mets. On July 31, 2008, López was released by the Nationals.
St. Louis Cardinals (2008)
López was signed by 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 ha ...
on August 5, 2008.
He debuted August 6 when the Cardinals played 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 played left field and recorded a single in his first at bat, finishing the game 1 for 3. Lopez closed out the season batting .385 with the Cardinals and brought his season average up to .283. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2009)
On December 12, 2008, López signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lopez hit two home runs in his first two at-bats in his first game with the Diamondbacks, which is the first time that has happened since
Richie Sexson
Richmond Lockwood Sexson (born December 29, 1974), nicknamed "Big Sexy", is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for five teams from 1997 to 2008. He is also the field manager for the Windy City ThunderBolts in the ...
in 2005 with the Seattle Mariners. Lopez and teammate Tony Clark were also the first players to hit a home run from both sides of home plate on Opening Day in a 9–8 win over 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 ...
.
Lopez hit lead-off for The Diamondbacks, and posted a .305 average through 84 games, as well as 6
Home Runs
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
, 25
RBI, and 44 runs.
Milwaukee Brewers (2009)
On July 19, the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
acquired López in exchange for minor league outfielder
Cole Gillespie
Cole Braden Gillespie (born June 20, 1984) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and ...
and pitcher Roque Mercedes. He went 4 for 4 in his debut with the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
.
In 2009, Lopez tied for the Major League lead in errors by a second baseman, with 17.
Second stint with St. Louis Cardinals (2010)
On February 27, 2010, López signed a one-year deal with 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 ha ...
. López' base salary will be $1 million plus performance incentives of $1.2 million.
On April 17, 2010, López started against 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 ...
at shortstop, was moved to third base, and then pitched in the 18th inning of the game. Although the Cardinals eventually lost the game in the 20th inning, López pitched a scoreless inning, giving up only one hit and a walk. He then went on the DL, and came back and took over as the starting third baseman for the Cardinals after
David Freese
David Richard Freese (born April 28, 1983) is an American former professional baseball Infielder, infielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began his MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was a key player during the 2011 Major Leag ...
had a season ending foot injury. He eventually became the backup when the Cardinals acquired
Pedro Feliz
Pedro Julio Feliz (born April 27, 1975), is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Feliz hi ...
.
On September 21, 2010, López was released by the St. Louis Cardinals because he wasn't fitting in with the team's focus on younger players.
Boston Red Sox (2010)
López was claimed by 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 ...
, but he rejected the claim to become a free agent and signed 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 ...
, because he would not feel a part of the team as he would be ineligible for the Padres post-season roster. On September 28 López made his debut with the Red Sox.
Tampa Bay Rays (2011)
On February 2, 2011, López signed a minor league deal with the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
with an invite to spring training. On May 3, the Rays designated him for assignment to make room on the 25-man roster for
Evan Longoria
Evan Michael Longoria (born October 7, 1985), nicknamed "Longo", is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2008 through 2017, and the S ...
coming off the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
. He had his contract purchased on May 22 when
Reid Brignac
Reid Michael Brignac (pronounced Brin-yack) (born January 16, 1986), is an American professional baseball manager and former professional baseball infielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, New ...
was placed on the bereavement list.
On June 12, 2011, López was designated for assignment again when
Elliot Johnson was activated from the 15-day disabled list.
Return to Milwaukee (2011)
Lopez was traded back to the Milwaukee Brewers on July 28, 2011, for cash considerations. On August 21, after recording a .182 batting average in 51 plate appearances for Milwaukee, he was designated for assignment. After the 2011 season, he elected for free agency.
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 t ...
References
External links
CPBL
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Felipe
1980 births
Living people
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Boston Red Sox players
CTBC Brothers players
Cincinnati Reds players
Dunedin Blue Jays players
Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Taiwan
Hagerstown Suns players
Lake Brantley High School alumni
Louisville Bats players
Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
Major League Baseball second basemen
Major League Baseball shortstops
Major League Baseball third basemen
Milwaukee Brewers players
Nashville Sounds players
National League All-Stars
Sportspeople from Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Canada
Silver Slugger Award winners
St. Catharines Stompers players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Syracuse SkyChiefs players
Tampa Bay Rays players
Tennessee Smokies players
Toronto Blue Jays players
Washington Nationals players
2009 World Baseball Classic players
Brother Elephants players