Jose Bautista: Master of hitting in Major League Baseball – Part 1
Toronto Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista was nominated as the best player of the year award in 2010, but before this season, he was not even considered among the good players. However, it is the season, which entered him into many awards, including most home-run
blasters, master slugger and many others.
His performance was so brilliant in the 2010 season that he managed to get his first American League Player of the Month award since he joined the Majors on April 4, 2004. Besides this, he grabbed Silver Slugger Award and American League’s Hank Aaron Award.
Not to mention, he has also snatched many other small distinctions and honours throughout his career.
The Story of Bautista started on October 19, 1980 in Santo Domingo in a baseball loving family. He was blessed not only with the born ability to make a mark in the sports but was also bestowed with the parents, who were helpful for him in every step of his
career.
He completed his schooling in Colegio San Juan Bautista De La Salle high school, premises that were considered the best coaching house for the young baseball lover at that time. This sporting environment helped Bautista to polish his born abilities to the
highest level.
The doors to the Majors opened for Bautista in the year of 2010 when Pittsburgh Pirates signed him in the first draft of the 2000 season for their Minor League team. His first professional year with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A club “Williamsport” proved
tremendously excellent, as he stood third in the home-runs and fourth in the RBIs in 2001. His first home-run was scored on July 3, against the New Jersey.
It impressed not only the fans but also the Pirates' officials, who started considering him their up-coming star in Majors. Bautista got promoted to the Pirates' Triple-A club Hickory in 2002. He proved his appointment as the reliable slugger an accurate
decision when he scored an RBI single in each of his first five games of the series. He performed throughout the season, ended it with fourth position in on-base percentage and managed to enter his name in the South Atlantic League’s All-Star team. It was
the first achievement for the right-hander at the National Level.
Although his hitting and strong batting contributions were enough to make him the part of the Major League club, the Pirates administration wanted him to get some more experience in minor league. Therefore, he was sent to another Triple-A “Lynchburg” in
2003 to polish his abilities to the Majors level.
Finally, he managed to force the officials to call him for the Major League games. However, the Pirates did not make this call but Baltimore Orioles appreciated his game taking him to their club just before the start of the 2004 season. Orioles gave him
a debutant cap on April 4, 2004 against one of the strongest team of that time, the Boston Red Sox. Although he did not get much chance to prove him as a young gritty hurler, he still managed to score one run on just seven pitches.
Despite showing reliable hitting and under pressure strokes, Bautista still kept on jumping from one team to other. First Tampa Bay Rays announce him their off waiver on June 3 of 2004 then after just 25 days the Kansas City Royals acquired him on June 28
in a trade. Royals traded him to New York Mets on July 30 where he could not play even a single game and Pirates acquired him back to their side.
Continued in Part 2
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