Santiago Casilla (born July 25, 1980) is a Dominican 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 ...
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue (medical), fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection (sports), ejection, or for other strategic ...
. He 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) from 2004 to 2018 for the
Oakland Athletics
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
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 ...
. Casilla threw four pitches: a
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
,
slider
Slider or Sliders may refer to:
Arts
* K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise
* '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex
* ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series
* ...
,
curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
, and
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
.
Casilla originally signed with Oakland under the name of Jairo Garcia, listing his birthdate as 1983. He debuted with Oakland in 2004, pitching briefly for them that year and the next. In January 2006, he revealed his true name and age. 2007 marked the first time he pitched more than four games in a year for Oakland; he an initial boost to their
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
but missed the latter part of the season with an injury. He appeared in 51 games in 2008, then was allowed to become a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
after posting a 5.96
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) in 2009.
The Giants signed Casilla in 2010; after starting the season in the minor leagues, he was called up in May and remained with the team for the rest of the season. Casilla won the
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 ...
with the Giants that fall; he also won World Series championships in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
and
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, one of only eight players with the team for all three championships. He replaced
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
as the
closer for the Giants in late 2011 and again at the beginning of 2012, when Wilson was injured.
Sergio Romo
Sergio Francisco Romo (born March 4, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami ...
replaced him as the closer halfway through 2012, but Casilla reclaimed the role in 2014, holding it until the end of 2016. Three times with the Giants, he posted an ERA under 2.00.
After Casilla struggled in 2016, he became a free agent. The Athletics signed him in 2017, and he closed for them until they acquired
Blake Treinen
Blake M. Treinen (, born June 30, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Baker Wildcats and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits baseball tea ...
in August. He pitched the first half of 2018 with them, then finished the year in the minor leagues for 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 ...
.
Early life
Santiago Casilla was born on July 25, 1980, in
San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic
San Cristóbal is a city in the southern region of Dominican Republic. It is the municipal (''municipio'') capital of the San Cristóbal province. The municipality is located in a valley at the foothills of the mountains belonging to the Cordiller ...
. He attended high school in
Sabana Grande de Palenque
Sabana Grande de Palenque is a municipality (''municipio'') of the San Cristóbal province in the Dominican Republic.
History
It was elevated to the category of municipal district of the San Cristóbal municipality on January 1, 1945 and to the ...
.
Casilla wanted to be a baseball player, but he was still unsigned at the age of 19, and most
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)
scouts
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
in the Dominican Republic were more interested in signing younger
prospects. Obtaining false papers from a friend, Casilla began pitching under the name of Jairo Garcia, listing his birthday as March 7, 1983.
On January 31, 2000, he was signed as an amateur
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
by the
Oakland Athletics
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 ...
.
Professional career
Minor leagues
Casilla made his professional debut with the
rookie league Dominican Summer League Athletics
The Dominican Summer League Athletics or DSL Athletics are a Minor League Baseball team of the Dominican Summer League that began play in 1989 as a rookie-level affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Boca Chica, Santo Domingo, Do ...
in 2000. Appearing in 11 games, 10 of which he
started, he had a 6–2
record and a 3.26
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA).
[ (Note: May need to click "View More Bio Info+" to see some of the information.)] In 2001, he pitched in 12 games (7 starts) for the rookie league
Arizona League Athletics
The Arizona Complex League Athletics are a Minor League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, which plays as a Rookie-level team in the Arizona Complex League and has served as a farm team for the Oakland Athletics organization since 1988. Th ...
, posting a 4–2 record, a 2.85 ERA, 50
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s, 7
walks, and 37
hits allowed
In Baseball statistics, hits allowed (HA) signifies the total number of hits allowed by a pitcher.
See also
*Baseball statistics
Baseball statistics play an important role in evaluating the progress of a player or team.
Since the flow of a bas ...
in
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
.
When the 2002 season began, Casilla remained with the Arizona League Athletics. In 13 games (8 starts), he had a 2–1 record, a 2.44 ERA, 66 strikeouts, 17 walks, and 56 hits allowed in 59 innings pitched before getting promoted to the
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium. ...
of 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 ...
short season
Northwest League
The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Pacific Northwest, Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Maj ...
on August 24.
He finished the year with three starts for the Canadians, losing all of them and posting a 7.30 ERA.
Casilla participated in extended
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 2003, delaying the start of his minor league season until May 19, when he was assigned to the
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their ho ...
of the Single-A
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
.
He pulled his left hamstring in July and was on 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
...
from the 12th to the 29th.
In 14 games (9 starts), he had an 0–1 record, a 2.55 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 19 walks, and 40 hits allowed in innings pitched.
Oakland Athletics, first stint (2004–2009)
2004
In 2004, Casilla became a full-time
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue (medical), fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection (sports), ejection, or for other strategic ...
. Starting the season with Kane County, he was used as the Cougar
closer, recording 16
saves while posting a 1–0 record, an 0.30 ERA, 49 strikeouts, 6 walks, and 16 hits allowed in 25 games (30 innings pitched).
On June 24, he was called up by the
Double-A Midland RockHounds
The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, whic ...
of the
Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
.
In 13 games, he had a 2–0 record, two saves, a 1.50 ERA, 32 strikeouts, 15 walks, and 10 hits allowed in 18 innings pitched.
On July 30, he was promoted to the
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 yea ...
of the
Triple-A 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 ...
(PCL); he made three appearances for them before getting called up to Oakland for the first time on August 9.
Casilla made his
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) debut that same day, holding 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 ...
scoreless for the final 2 innings of an 8–2 victory.
He appeared in two more games before being sent back to Sacramento on August 18.
In 11 games for Sacramento, he had a 1–2 record, 1 save, a 3.95 ERA, 21 strikeouts, nine walks, and 10 hits in innings.
The Athletics called him back up in
September
September is the ninth month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the third of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the fourth of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. September in the Northern H ...
, but he only appeared in one more game. In his four outings for Oakland, he had no record, no saves, a 12.71 ERA, five strikeouts, nine walks, and five hits allowed in innings.
2005
Casilla started the 2005 season with Midland. Serving as their closer, he recorded six saves in 10 games, with a 1.08 ERA, 30 strikeouts, nine walks, and nine hits allowed in innings.
On May 10, he was promoted to the River Cats, where he also served as the closer.
The Athletics called him up on June 17, and he faced 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 ...
that evening in his lone appearance before getting returned to Sacramento four days later.
In 44 games with Sacramento, he had a 3–6 record, 20 saves, a 4.47 ERA, 73 strikeouts, 20 walks, and 45 hits allowed in innings pitched.
Promoted to Oakland again in September, he pitched in two more games before the end of the year. In his three total appearances for Oakland, he had a 3.00 ERA, 1 strikeout, 1 walk, and 2 hits allowed in 3 innings pitched.
2006
In January 2006, during the MLB offseason, Casilla had his agent tell the Athletics his real name and age. "It certainly changes what you ultimately think his upside would be," said Athletics assistant
general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
(GM)
David Forst
David Lee Forst (born May 18, 1976) is an American baseball executive with the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball. He is the general manager of the Athletics.
Early and personal life
Forst was born in Santa Monica, California, and rais ...
, though Forst also observed that the ability to throw kept Casilla a viable MLB prospect.
Due to U.S. security concerns over the name change, Casilla was a month late reporting to spring training and was instantly assigned to work with the minor leaguers.
Called up from Sacramento on May 21, he appeared in two games, posting an 11.57 ERA before getting returned to Sacramento on May 27. His season ended on June 21 because of a right shoulder strain.
In 25 games for Sacramento, he had a 2–0 record, 4 saves in 8 opportunities, a 3.27 ERA, 32 strikeouts, 10 walks, and 25 hits allowed in 33 innings.
2007
![Scasilla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Scasilla.jpg)
In 2007, Casilla was recalled by the Athletics on June 3 after going 2–1 with a 4.13 ERA and 29
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s in 24 innings for Sacramento.
He stepped into a depleted
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
that had lost
Huston Street
Huston Lowell Street ( ; born August 2, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels.
After ...
,
Justin Duchscherer
Justin Craig Duchscherer UKE-shur(born November 19, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics.
Playing career Early career
Duchscherer (nickname: " ...
, and
Kiko Calero
Enrique Nomar "Kiko" Calero (born January 9, 1975) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.
Professional career
Calero is a graduated from University Gardens High School in Puerto Rico and attended Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus. He ...
to 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
...
. Casilla started off well, going 2–1 with two saves and an 0.43 ERA in his first 17 games.
He picked up his first MLB save on June 6, retiring
Manny Ramirez
Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Lo ...
on a
fly ball to end the eighth inning and pitching a scoreless ninth in a 3–2 win over 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 ...
. On June 19, he entered a game against 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 ...
with the bases loaded and struck out
Brandon Phillips
Brandon Emil Phillips (born June 28, 1981) is an American professional baseball second baseman and partial owner of the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland ...
to keep a run from scoring. He then struck out three batters in a scoreless top of the ninth inning, pumping his fist as he walked off the mound, though the Athletics failed to rally in the bottom of the inning and lost 5–2.
Starting on July 15, however, he had a 7.28 ERA in 29 games over the remainder of the season.
Umpire
John Hirschbeck
John Francis Hirschbeck (born September 7, 1954) is a former umpire for Major League Baseball. He worked in the American League from 1984 to 1999 and worked in both leagues from 2000 to 2016. He was a crew chief at the time of his retirement, and ...
ejected Casilla from a game against the
Tampa Bay Devil 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) East division. Since its inception, the team's home venu ...
on August 23 for
throwing a pitch at
Brendan Harris
Brendan Michael Harris (born August 26, 1980) is an American retired professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Minnesota T ...
.
In 46 games for Oakland, he had a 3–1 record, two saves, a 4.44 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 23 walks, and 43 hits allowed in innings pitched.
2008
"Casilla opened the season on a major league roster for the first time in 2008. He pitched well in his first 21 games, posting an 0.93 ERA and limiting hitters to a .185
batting average against
In baseball statistics, batting average against (denoted by BAA or AVG), also known as opponents' batting average (denoted by OBA), is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively b ...
. Then, he was on the disabled list from May 16 through June 19 with right elbow soreness. In 30 games after returning, he recorded a 5.81 ERA, and opponents batted .353 against him.
He appeared in a total of 51 games, posting a 2–1 record, two saves, a 3.93 ERA, 43 strikeouts, 20 walks, and 60 hits allowed in innings.
Over the offseason, he made nine appearances for the
Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido (English: ''Chosen One Lions'' or ''Lions of Chosen One'' or ''Picked Lions'') is a professional baseball team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Established in , Leones are the third most successful team in the Dominican Wi ...
of the
Dominican Winter League
Dominican may refer to:
* Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean
** People of the Dominican Republic
** Demographics of the Domi ...
, allowing no earned runs and collecting 4 saves.
2009
A member of Oakland's
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 ...
roster again in 2009, Casilla posted a 1.59 ERA and .079 opponent batting average in his first 9 games. Then, he was on the disabled list with a sprained right knee from May 2 through May 15. His ERA was 7.30 thereafter, and the Athletics only used him eight times in the season's final 58 days.
In 46 games, he had a 1–2 record, 0 saves, a 5.96 ERA, 35 strikeouts, 25 walks, and 61 hits allowed in innings.
After the season, the Athletics chose not to offer him a contract, making him a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
on December 10.
He again pitched for the Leones in the offseason, this time making 15 appearances. Casilla posted a 1–1 record and a 2.51 ERA, recording three saves.
San Francisco Giants (2010–2016)
2010
![Santiago Casilla at Cubs at Giants 2010-08-10 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Santiago_Casilla_at_Cubs_at_Giants_2010-08-10_1.JPG)
Casilla signed a minor league contract 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 2, 2010.
Visa
Visa most commonly refers to:
*Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company
** Visa Debit card issued by the above company
** Visa Electron, a debit card
** Visa Plus, an interbank network
*Travel visa, a document that allows ...
problems delayed his return to the United States for a month, and he began the season with the PCL's
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in do ...
.
In four games for Fresno, he allowed no runs and recorded two saves.
On May 21, he was recalled by the Giants when
Brandon Medders
Brandon Edward Medders (born January 26, 1980) is a former professional relief pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005–2008) and San Francisco Giants (2009–2010) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Medders threw a four-seam fastball ...
was placed on the disabled list. He made his Giants debut on May 21 against his former team in Oakland, striking out the only batter he faced (
Daric Barton
Daric William Barton (born August 16, 1985) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics.
Minor league career
Barton was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ...
) in a 6–1 defeat.
On June 6, after Giants closer
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
had blown a save against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
but San Francisco had retaken the lead in the 10th inning, Casilla relieved Wilson with one out and runners on first and second, retiring both batters he faced to earn his first
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) save.
After he allowed three runs and blew a lead against 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 ...
on July 23, though the Giants still won the game 7–4, his ERA rose from 2.25 to 3.48.
However, in his final 28 games of the season, Casilla's ERA was 1.04.
On August 10, he set a career high with three innings pitched, allowing no runs, though the Giants lost 8–6 to 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 52 games, he had a 7–2 record, two saves, a 1.95 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 50 hits allowed in innings pitched.
On Casilla's success with the Giants, sportswriter Carl Steward observed that the Giants' signing of him "turned out to be the biggest theft
iants GMBrian Sabean
Brian R. Sabean (born July 1, 1956), nicknamed "Sabes", is a former baseball executive. He was the executive vice president of baseball operations of the San Francisco Giants. He served as the team's general manager for eighteen seasons, from 1997 ...
ever made against his cross-bay counterpart
Billy Beane
William Lamar Beane III (born March 29, 1962) is an American former professional baseball player and current front office executive. He is the executive vice president of baseball operations and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics of Majo ...
".
The Giants reached the playoffs as winners of the
NL West
The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed for the 1969 season when the National League expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a re ...
. In Game 4 of the
NL Division Series (NLDS) against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, with San Francisco leading 3–2, Casilla pitched a scoreless seventh inning. He also got two outs in the eighth inning before left-hander
Javier López was summoned to finish the inning. The Giants won 3–2, clinching a trip to the
NL Championship Series (NLCS) against 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 ...
.
Casilla came on in relief in Game 2 with the Giants trailing 3–1, the bases loaded, but two outs in the seventh. However, he gave up a bases-clearing double to
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin Rollins (born November 27, 1978), nicknamed "J-Roll", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (–), Los Angeles Dodgers (), and Chicago White ...
, and San Francisco lost 6–1. In Game 4, he allowed another bases-clearing double, this time to
Placido Polanco but with only two men on base. Casilla also gave up a run of his own on a
wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, or the batter (on an uncaught third stri ...
. However, the Giants won 6–5 and went on to defeat the Phillies in six games. Against the
Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the
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 ...
, Casilla entered with the Giants up 8–4 and two runners on in the sixth. He struck out
Elvis Andrus
Elvis Augusto Andrus Torres (born August 26, 1988) is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics and ...
, then pitched a scoreless seventh as the Giants won 11–7. Casilla earned his first World Series ring as the Giants won the series in five games to win their first title since 1954.
2011
Casilla returned to the Giants in 2011, but after pitching on Opening Day (March 31), he was placed on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow. The injury had affected his velocity since spring training. After returning on May 28, he pitched well, keeping his ERA under 2.00 for most of the season.
He took over as San Francisco's closer after Wilson went on the disabled list on August 21.
Over the remainder of the year, he was a perfect 6-for-6 in save chances.
In 49 games, he had a 2–2 record, a 1.74 ERA, 45 strikeouts, 25 walks, and 33 hits allowed in innings pitched.
Among NL relief pitchers, only
Eric O'Flaherty had a lower ERA, with an 0.98 figure.
2012
In 2012, Casilla took over as the Giants closer again after Wilson was injured and lost for the season in April.
He converted 20 of his first 21 save opportunities but blew 5 of his next 9 save situations, posting a 7.71 ERA from June 23 through August 7.
Bochy removed him from the role on August 7, replacing him with
Sergio Romo
Sergio Francisco Romo (born March 4, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami ...
and
Javier López for the rest of the year.
Casilla picked up his first career base hit, a bases-loaded, two-out
RBI ground ball single between Diamondbacks first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt
Paul Edward Goldschmidt (born September 10, 1987) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Lightly recruited out of The Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas, Goldsch ...
and second baseman
Aaron Hill, on September 14 in a 6–2 win. "I think we were all kind of shocked he made contact," Giants manager
Bruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy (; born April 16, 1955), nicknamed "Boch" and "Headly", is an American professional baseball manager and former catcher who is the current manager of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the San Diego ...
stated. "He found a good place." In 73 games, he had a 7–6 record, a 2.84 ERA, 55 strikeouts, 22 walks, and 55 hits allowed in innings pitched.
Despite only serving as the closer for part of the year, Casilla tied with
Kenley Jansen
Kenley Geronimo Jansen (born September 30, 1987) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
Signed by the ...
for 10th in the NL with 25 saves.
The Giants won the NL West again in 2012. Casilla appeared in all five games of the
NLDS
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against 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 ...
.
In Game 1, he came on with San Francisco trailing in the ninth and allowed two runs, though only one was earned, as the Giants lost 5–2. However, he allowed no runs in the other four games, as San Francisco won the series in five games.
In the
NLCS against 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 ...
, Casilla pitched in his sixth playoff game in a row in Game 1, did not pitch in the next three, and pitched in three straight to finish the series. He did not allow any runs as San Francisco rallied from a 3–1 deficit to defeat the Cardinals in seven games.
Against 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 Game 2 of the
2012 World Series
The 2012 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2012 season. The 108th edition of the World Series, the series was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion San Francisco Giants and th ...
, Casilla relieved
Madison Bumgarner
Madison Kyle Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989), commonly known by his nickname, "MadBum", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he pitched for the San Francisco Giants ...
to begin the eighth with the Giants leading 1–0. He threw a scoreless inning, helping preserve a 2–0 victory. In Game 4, he came on with two outs in the ninth and got
Gerald Laird
Gerald Lee Laird III (born November 13, 1979) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Ca ...
to ground out to end the inning, then picked up the win after the Giants scored in the 10th, sweeping 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 ...
to win the series.
2013
On December 17, 2012, Casilla received a contract extension for $15 million over three years, along with an option for a fourth season.
Prior to the 2013 MLB season, Casilla represented the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
, pitching five scoreless innings as his country won the tournament.
He pitched two scoreless innings for a save on April 13 against the Cubs when Romo was unavailable after pitching 4 out of the 5 previous days. On May 21, Casilla was placed on the 15-day disabled list with knee soreness, ultimately requiring surgery to remove a cyst. He did not return until July 13. On September 11, he had his second save of the year, pitching a scoreless ninth in a 4–3 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 ...
. In 57 games, he had a 7–2 record, two saves, a 2.16 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 25 walks, and 39 hits allowed in 50 innings pitched.
2014
On May 22, 2014, Casilla was placed on the disabled list after tweaking his hamstring while running to first base. Bochy had told him not to even bother swinging, but he disregarded his manager's orders. "I was shocked he was running like that. Guess he thought he had a hit," Bochy said. He was activated on June 16.
In 28 outings through June 29, Casilla posted a 1.11 ERA.
On June 30, Bochy removed the struggling Romo from the closer role on that date, announcing that the team intended to go to a closer-by-committee. However, Casilla got most of the opportunities for the rest of the season. He converted 17 saves for the rest of the year, blowing only one on August 27, in a game the Giants won anyway.
In 54 games, he had a 3–3 record, 19 saves, a 1.70 ERA, 45 strikeouts, 15 walks, and 35 hits allowed in innings.
The Giants made the playoffs in 2014 as a
Wild Card team, then defeated the Pirates in the
NL Wild Card Game. In the
NLDS
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against 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 ...
, Casilla made three scoreless appearances, earning two saves as the Giants defeated Washington in four games.
Against the Cardinals in the
NLCS, he pitched scoreless innings in three of the first four games, earning saves in Game 1 and Game 4.
He entered a tied Game 5 in the top of the ninth and loaded the bases by giving up a walk and a couple of hits, but
Jeremy Affeldt
Jeremy David Affeldt (; born June 6, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He threw and batted left-handed and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds and San Franc ...
got
Oscar Taveras
Oscar Francisco Taveras (June 19, 1992 October 26, 2014) was a Dominican–Canadian professional baseball outfielder who played one season for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Known as ''"El Fenómeno"'' (Spanish for ...
to ground out to end the inning with no runs scoring, and
Travis Ishikawa
Travis Takashi Ishikawa (born September 24, 1983) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. Ishikawa has also ...
homered in the bottom of the inning to give the Giants a 6–3 triumph, clinching a 4–1 series victory.
He made only two appearances in the
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 ...
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 ...
, recording an out apiece in Games 2 and 3, both losses.
For the third time in his career, Casilla became a World Series champion as the Giants defeated Kansas City in seven games.
2015
Casilla remained the Giants closer in 2015.
He picked up back-to-back wins against 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 ...
on April 22 and 23, pitching scoreless innings in 3–2 victories.
From May 2 through May 29, he converted 9 straight saves, posting an 0.87 ERA.
On May 17, in a 9–8 win over 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 ...
at
Great American Ball Park
Great American Ball Park is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It served as the home stadium of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB), and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium), the R ...
, Casilla entered the bottom on the ninth inning and struck out three batters on nine pitches, recording the save. Casilla was first Giant to pitch an
immaculate inning
In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strike zone, strikes to a Batting (baseball), batter during his time at bat. An immaculate inning occurs when a pitcher strikes out all three batters he faces in one inning, using the mi ...
since
Trevor Wilson did so in 1992. From August 13 through September 27, he converted 10 straight saves, posting an 0.56 ERA.
In 67 games, he had a 4–2 record, 38 saves in 44 opportunities, a 2.79 ERA, 62 strikeouts, 23 walks, and 51 hits allowed in 58 innings.
He tied with
Francisco Rodríguez for fifth in the NL in saves.
2016
After his successful 2015 season, Casilla struggled in 2016.
He did achieve a milestone on April 25, pitching the final innings against 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 ...
for his 100th save. On May 12, Bochy pulled him from a save situation against the Diamondbacks, opting to have left-hander López face the left-handed
Jake Lamb
Jacob Ryan Lamb (born October 9, 1990) is an American professional baseball infielder in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He made his MLB debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014, and was an All-Star in 2017. He has also played in MLB fo ...
after Casilla had loaded the bases. López got the out, but Casilla was angry with Bochy afterwards, saying, "I thought he had confidence in me." He blew his ninth save of the year on September 17 and drew boos from the fans 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 ...
. Afterwards, he told reporters, "I’m having bad luck. I try to do my best. I’m not going to be sad or kill myself. It’s a game."
Steward wrote that "after that night, public opinion essentially forced Bochy’s hand not to use him again in an important situation, particularly at home."
In 62 games, he had a 2–5 record, a 3.57 ERA, 65 strikeouts, 19 walks, and 50 hits allowed in 58 innings.
He finished sixth in the NL with 31 saves but led the NL and tied with
Nate Jones for the major league lead in
blown save
In baseball, a save (abbreviated SV or S) is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. Most commonly a pitcher earns a save by entering in the ninth inning of a game in which his team ...
s, with nine.
The Giants reached the playoffs again as a Wild Card team in 2016, then defeated 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 ...
in the
2016 NL Wild Card Game
The 2016 National League Wild Card Game was a play-in game during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2016 postseason played between the National League's (NL) two wild card teams, the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. As both teams finishe ...
. His only appearance of the
NLDS
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the Cubs came in Game 2, when he got the final two outs of the sixth inning in a 5–2 loss.
In Game 4, the Giants led 5–2 entering the ninth. Though it was a save situation, Bochy opted not to use Casilla. The Cubs rallied against five other Giants relievers and won 6–5 to clinch the series.
After the season, the Giants declined their option on Casilla, making him a free agent.
Steward observed, "He was one of their pillar players during this still-magnificent era, one of just eight to be part of all three World Series championship teams."
With the Giants, his playoff ERA was 0.92.
His 123 saves rank sixth on the franchise's all-time list. Steward suggested that had Casilla not pitched for the Giants, the team would not have won any of those World Series.
Oakland Athletics, second stint (2017–2018)
On January 20, 2017, Casilla signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Oakland Athletics.
Visa problems caused him to be three weeks late to spring training, and he decided not to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the
2017 World Baseball Classic
The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to March 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts ...
, even though he had initially been selected to the team. He was expected to compete for the closer's role, though Jane Lee 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 ...
wrote in January that the likely favorite was
Ryan Madson
Ryan Michael Madson (born August 28, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles D ...
, who had closed for the Athletics the season before.
Oakland began the season without a closer named, though, and on April 11, manager
Bob Melvin
Robert Paul Melvin (born October 28, 1961) is an American former professional baseball player and coach, who is the manager of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has been named Manager of the Year three times.
Selected in t ...
said in an interview that "It's gonna be
Doolittle">eanDoolittle or Casilla depending on the match-ups". Doolittle was out during the month of May with a strained left shoulder, however, giving Casilla the bulk of the early-season opportunities.
He converted saves in 14 of 17 chances through the end of June but struggled in July, blowing three of five save opportunities. In August, he was replaced as closer by the newly acquired
Blake Treinen
Blake M. Treinen (, born June 30, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Baker Wildcats and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits baseball tea ...
.
He was 16 for 23 in save opportunities. In 63 games, he had a 4–5 record and an ERA of 4.27 with 57 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.
Casilla got his only save of 2018 on April 24, when he allowed no runs in the ninth inning of a 3–2 victory over the Rangers.
On July 13, he entered a game against the Giants with the bases loaded and no one out in the seventh. He allowed all three of the runners to score, one of which was on a wild pitch, and the Athletics lost 7–1. The next day, he 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 ...
. Five days later, he was released.
In 26 games, he had no record, a 3.16 ERA, 22 strikeouts, 22 walks, and 18 hits allowed in innings.
On July 26, Casilla signed a minor league deal with Colorado. He spent the rest of 2018 with the PCL's
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an el ...
. In 12 games, he had an 0–2 record, an 8.03 ERA, 12 strikeouts, nine walks, and 16 hits in innings.
He became a free agent on November 3.
Career statistics and scouting report
Spending parts of 15 seasons in the major leagues, Casilla appeared in 655 games. He had a 42–31 record, a 3.29 ERA, 583 strikeouts, 277 walks, and 552 hits allowed in innings pitched. Used as a closer at times during his career, he recorded 144 saves.
Casilla worked with a prototypical
power pitcher
Power pitcher is a term in baseball for a pitcher who relies on pitch velocity at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts, and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of ...
repertoire, chiefly throwing a low to mid-90s two-seam
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
and a hard-breaking
slider
Slider or Sliders may refer to:
Arts
* K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise
* '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex
* ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series
* ...
.
He also threw a
curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
and an occasional
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
.
Though relief pitchers often specialize in one or two pitches, Casilla's time as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues caused him to develop a four-pitch repertoire.
Casilla's fastball travelled up to .
Scouts praised his slider, and in 2015, Mike Petriello of ''MLB.com'' compared it to those thrown by
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Strasburg was selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the 2009 Major League ...
and
Matt Harvey
Matthew Edward Harvey (born March 27, 1989), nicknamed The Dark Knight, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, ...
.
He stopped throwing the curveball from 2007 through 2009.
Over the 2009-10 offseason, while Casilla was working out in the Dominican Republic, pitcher
Ricardo Rodríguez suggested he work on improving his curveball.
Casilla brought it back over 10 percent of the time in 2010, throwing it at least 20 percent of the time from 2014 through the end of his career.
"That pitch has helped me a lot," he said.
The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' wrote in June 2007 that "Casilla locates his fastball well," but Casilla had issues controlling his pitches at times during his career.
Unlike Giants relievers such as Wilson and Romo, Casilla usually maintained a calm demeanor on the mound. "I am emotional, but I try to keep that inside," he says.
Personal life
Casilla is married, and he has four children.
A churchgoer, he regularly carries a Bible with him.
His native language is Spanish, and even after over 10 seasons in the major leagues, he still used an interpreter when conversing with reporters.
His brother, Jose, was a pitcher in the Giants system from 2006 through 2016, making it as far as Triple-A, though he never reached the major leagues.
References
External links
Video of Casilla throwing a strike to Adam LaRoche during an intentional walk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Casilla, Santiago
1980 births
Living people
Age controversies
Albuquerque Isotopes players
Arizona League Athletics players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Fresno Grizzlies players
Kane County Cougars players
Leones del Escogido players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Oakland Athletics players
Sacramento River Cats players
San Francisco Giants players
San Jose Giants players
Stockton Ports players
Vancouver Canadians players
World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic
2013 World Baseball Classic players