Sample Player Profile Page

CASTILLO, LUIS


Nickname:	N/A	Position:	2B
Home:	San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic	Team:	METS-D.L.
Height:	5' 11"	Bats:	S
Weight:	195	Throws:	R
DOB:	9/12/1975	Agent:	Seth and Sam Levinson
Birth City:	San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic	Draft:	1992 - Marlins - Free agent - Out of Dom. Rep. (at age 17)
Uniform #:	1		1992 - Marlins - Free agent - Out of Dom. Rep. (at age 17)

YR	LEA	TEAM	SAL(K)	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	OBP	SLG	AVG
1994	GCL	Marlins			216	49	57	8	0	0	16	31		37	36			.264
1995	MWL	KANE CO.			340	71	111	4	4	0	23	41		55	50			.326
1996	EL	PORTLAND			420	83	133	15	7	1	35	51		66	68			.317
1996	NL	MARLINS	$109.00	41	164	26	43	2	1	1	8	17		14	46			.262
1997	NL	MARLINS	$154.00	75	263	27	63	8	0	0	8	16		27	53			.240
1997	IL	CHARLOTTE			130	25	46	5	0	0	5	8						.354
1998	IL	CHARLOTTE			381	74	109	11	2	0	15	41		75	68			.286
1998	NL	MARLINS	$170.00	44	153	21	31	3	2	1	10	3		22	33			.203
1999	NL	MARLINS	$225.00	128	487	76	147	23	4	0	28	50		67	85			.302
2000	NL	MARLINS	$390.00	136	539	101	180	17	3	2	17	62		78	86			.334
2001	NL	MARLINS	$2,200.00	134	537	76	141	16	10	2	45	33		67	90			.263
2002	NL	MARLINS	$3,250.00	146	606	86	185	18	5	2	39	48		55	76			.305
2003	NL	MARLINS	$4,850.00	152	595	99	187	19	6	6	39	21		63	60			.314
2004	NL	MARLINS	$4,667.00	150	564	91	164	12	7	2	47	21		75	68			.291
2005	NL	MARLINS	$4,986.00	122	439	72	132	12	4	4	30	10		65	32			.301
2006	AL	TWINS	$5,485.00	142	584	84	173	22	6	3	49	25	11	56	58	.358	.370	.296
2007	AL	TWINS	$5,750.00	85	349	54	106	11	3	0	18	9	4	29	28	.356	.352	.304
2007	NL	METS		50	199	37	59	8	2	1	20	10	2	24	17	.371	.372	.296
2008	GCL	GCL-Mets		3	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0		.000	.000
2008	FSL	ST. LUCIE		5	15	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0		.067	.067
2008	EL	BINGHAMTON		5	16	1	4	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	3		.250	.250
2008	NL	METS	$6,250.00	87	298	46	73	7	1	3	28	17	2	50	35	.355	.305	.245
2009	NL	METS	$6,250.00	142	486	77	147	12	3	1	40	20	6	69	58	.387	.346	.302
2009	GCL	GULF COAST		52	178	17	39	6	0	1	14	7	1	13	25	.275	.270	.219
2009	FSL	LAKELAND		3	10	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.200	.200	.200
2010	FSL	ST. LUCIE		4	13	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	.313	.231	.154
2010	FSL	LAKELAND		14	49	1	8	0	0	0	3	0	0	2	8	.192	.163	.163
2010	GCL	GULF COAST		19	65	5	21	3	0	0	6	3	2	2	9	.343	.369	.323
2010	NL	METS	$6,250.00	78	240	25	57	4	2	0	17	7	3	37	22	.337	.271	.238
2010	FSL	ST. LUCIE		4	13	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	.313	.231	.154
2010	FSL	LAKELAND		15	51	2	9	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	8	.218	.176	.176
2010	GCL	GULF COAST		19	65	5	21	3	0	0	6	3	2	2	9	.343	.369	.323
2010	NL	METS	$6,250.00	79	242	27	57	4	2	0	17	8	3	39	22	.339	.269	.236
2010	FSL	ST. LUCIE		4	13	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	.313	.231	.154
2010	FSL	LAKELAND		16	54	2	9	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	9	.207	.167	.167
2010	GCL	GULF COAST		19	65	5	21	3	0	0	6	3	2	2	9	.343	.369	.323
2010	NL	METS	$6,250.00	79	242	27	57	4	2	0	17	8	3	39	22	.339	.269	.236
2010	FSL	ST. LUCIE		4	13	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	.313	.231	.154
2010	FSL	LAKELAND		16	54	2	9	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	9	.207	.167	.167
2010	GCL	GULF COAST		19	65	5	21	3	0	0	6	3	2	2	9	.343	.369	.323
2010	NL	METS	$6,250.00	79	242	27	57	4	2	0	17	8	3	39	22	.339	.269	.236

PERSONAL:
GROWING UP IN THE DOMINICAN In the Dominican Republic, Castillo's Dad worked in the sugar cane fields. And his Mom made lunches for factory workers. Luis delivered them at noon on a bike with one pedal and flip-flops on his feet as brakes. He had no real shoes. One day he couldn't stop the bike before wiping out, losing the lunches and the day's income bringing a memory that still pains him. The house Luis grew up in did not have running water. It had four beds piled in each of the two bedrooms -- eight beds in all. Like most Dominican youngsters, Luis had to use a glove that was reshaped out of a milk carton. But when he was 12, he got a hand-me-down glove from a friend.	Luis fielded only one grounder in his first Marlins tryout, which the scout deemed enough and eventually signed him for $2,800. "That's not much money," Castillo recalled. "But when you have nothing, it is a lot." He used the bonus to buy a moped so his family could replace worn-out bicycles. He didn't drive a car until 19, when his agent, Alex Mota, rented one so he could feel what it was like. Bicycle with one pedal? Now he chooses between driving a Mercedes or a Cadillac Escalade each day. Luis spent the 1993 season playing in the Dominican Summer League. After he failed to lay down a bunt in the ninth inning of a 2000 game, Luis walked into then Marlins manager John Boles' office after the game and shoved a wad of money into his hand -- the sum he thought he should be fined. "It's the first time in my 20 years in baseball that I've ever had a player come to me and fine himself," Boles, who refused the money, said. "It just shows you how serious he is about his team and his performance." Castillo later said, "I was mad. I let the team down. That's why I gave him the money. I wish he would've taken it."

Castillo is kind of own his own personal planet, not real aware of what goes on around him. He really doesn't care much for names, probably not knowing nearly half of his teammates' names. He doesn't know much about baseball history -- actually he knows almost nothing about it. And he knows very little about the present either. Luis built his parents a home in the Dominican Republic. Not a mansion, just a nice, little house. But he built their house before he bought one for himself and his wife. He and his wife have a son, Luis Angelo, born in December 2001. In the Marlins clubhouse, Castillo is king of the card games. Luis has a somewhat unusual approach to the game -- kind of an "if you don't think, you won't get a headache" approach. He never studys the pitchers -- not even knowing the name of that guy out there on the mound. He loses his glove between innings rather often. And he gets on the aiplane with his teammates, normally not knowing where they are going.	Castillo set a Marlins' franchise record on April 17, 2003 when he played in his 719th consecutive game, breaking Jeff Conine's mark. On June 19, 2003, one of Castillo's best friends died unexpectedly in the Dominican Republic. Luis showed up for spring training with the Mets in 2009 having lost about 17 pounds than from the year before, weighing in at 193 pounds. July 30, 2009: Luis' wife, Angie, delivered a baby girl, named Adonai. She joined her 7-year-old brother, Luis Jr., into the Castillo family. TRANSACTION REPORT 1992: The Marlins signed Luis as a free agent, out of the Dominican Republic when he was age 17. December 1, 2003: Luis signed a three-year, $16 million contract with the Marlins. It included a $2 million signing bonus. There was also a $5.2 million option for 2007 that Castillo can guarantee by getting an unspecified number of plate appearances during the life of the pact. Luis chose the Marlins' deal over a three-year offer from the Mets.

December 2, 2005: The Twins sent pitchers Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler to the Marlins, acquiring Castillo. July 30, 2007: The Mets sent C Drew Butera and OF Dustin Martin to Twins, acquiring Castillo. November 19, 2007: Luis and the Mets agreed on a 4-year, $25 million contract. Castillo gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $6 million each of the next four years. As part of the agreement, the Mets will match Castillo's donations to charity.

BATTING:
Castillo hits the ball to all fields like Tony Gwynn used to. He sets the tone for the Marlins offense. Castillo's patience at the plate and ability to wait out a walk, have made him one of the few legitimate leadoff hitters in the National League. "My game is to get on base," he realizes. He fouls off pitches and waits out either a walk, or a ball he can definitely hit. He actually could afford to be more aggressive at the plate. LEARNS TO SWITCH-HIT Luis learned how to switch-hit in Instructional League with the Marlins after the 1994 season. With 6.6 speed in the 60-yard dash, Luis can beat out at least 10-15 extra hits per year. Florida's former minor league hitting instructor, Jack Maloof worked with Castillo. "First, he had to learn to make contact lefthanded," Maloof said. "Then, he had to learn to make contact on the ground lefthanded so he could use his speed. Switch-hitting is as drastic a change as you could imagine." Luis became a successful switch-hitter.	Castillo knows he isn't strong enough to hit any homers, or many extra-base hits. So he works on hitting the ball on the ground and making solid contact. He frutrates the opposition by hitting pesky dinkers and then hitting a ball into the gap. He does better when he shortens his swing. Castillo has a fine eye at the plate. But when he falls behind in the count, he is at the pitcher's mercy. He will chase a breaking pitch out of the strike zone. In 1999, his .385 on-base percentage was the fourth-best in the NL, and second-best to Ken Caminiti's .386 for all leadoff hitters with over 550 at-bats.

He broke Edgar Renteria's Marlins record for most singles (144) in a season in mid-September 2000. And Castillo led the NL in lead-off on-base percentage (.418), number of pitches seen per at-bat (4.3) and percent of balls put into play that were grounders (82.6 percent). In 2001, Luis' bat tailed off considerably. He took too many bad pitches, unable to compensate for adjustments pitchers made against him. Injuries, which included a nagging back problem, probably were at fault for a lot of his offensive problems, because he played hurt about all year. In 2002, the Marlins had Castillo scrap his closed lefthanded batting stance and return to the open stance he used in 2000 when he hit .334. And in 2002, Luis hit .329 against lefthanded pitchers and .297 vs. righthanders. THE STREAK	In May and June 2002, Castillo put some excitement in the baseball world with a 35-game hitting streak. It finally ended on June 22 when he went 0-for-4. He was in the on-deck circle when the Marlins rallied in the bottom of the ninth with four runs to beat the Tigers, 5-4. Just 25 games into the streak, Castillo put down his 34-inch, 32-ounze brown Easton and borrowed the bat of Royals� shortstop Neifi Perez before the first game of the three-game series on June 10. It�s a bone-colored 31-ounce Old Hickory that�s 33 1/2 inches long. �This bat better not break,� Castillo said with a smile. (Note: Luis blames losing the streak on Dale Torborg, the Marlins' strength coach and son of manager Jeff Torborg. It seems Dale was not there the day Luis' 35-game hitting streak was broken. He would stretch Luis before every game of the streak, but he wasn't there the night it was broken. Luis told him, "If you told me you weren't going to be here, I wouldn't have played that day." Apparently, he's still pretty upset. He didn't talk to him for a while).

Castillo is a great bunter. Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said, "Maury Wills was the best I've seen. Rod Carew and Brett Butler were terrific bunters, too. But Louis is right there with them." The threat of Luis' ability to bunt helps him a lot. His speed an nimbleness with the bat forces opposing infielders to play in on the grass, improving the angles for him to send hard grounders past them for base hits with his slashing stroke. In 2002, Castillo played with sore legs most of the year and still set several Marlins' team records, including collecting a club record 185 hits. BREAKDOWN VS. LEFTIES AND RIGHTIES	In 2003, this switch-hitter batted .320 with all six of his home runs against lefthanded pitchers in just 172 at-bats. Against righthanded pitchers, he hit .312. In 2004, Luis hit .308 against lefthanded pitchers, .285 off righthanders. In 2004, Castillo legged out 43 infield hits, ranking second in the National League to teammate Juan Pierre's 51, and third in the Majors. Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki had 57. In 2006, Luis hit .256 with 2 homers in 195 at-bats against lefthanded pitching, and a superby .316 in 389 at-bats vs. righthanders. In 2007, Castillo hit .296 with his only home run in 142 at-bats vs. lefthanded pitchers, and .303 in 406 at-bats against righthanders.

In 2008, Luis only managed a .211 average with 3 home runs in 76 at-bats vs. lefties. And .257 with no homers in 222 at-bats vs. righthanded pitching. In 2009, Castillo hit .264 with one homer in 144 at-bats against lefthanded pitchers, and .319 with no homers in 342 at-bats off righties. Entering the 2010 season, Castillo had a .292 career batting average, which included 28 home runs and 426 RBI in 6,263 at-bats.

FIELDING:
He has a flair for the spectacular. Castillo is a fine-fielding second baseman. Former Marlins manager John Boles said way back in 1994, "If this guy isn't a Major League second baseman, then I've never seen one. I've never seen a kid this good. Ever." Luis dazzles scouts with his defense. He has soft hands, a strong arm that is good enough for shortstop and exceptional range. Luis can go from glove to hand as deftly as a card shark pulls out a fifth ace During 1995 spring training, Tony Taylor, former Phillies star infielder and then-Infield Instructor for the Marlins, said of Castillo, "For a young guy, I've never seen one with better instincts than Luis Castillo. He's like a guy who has been playing baseball for 20 years."	Luis does a superb job of turning the double play. He is a real acrobat in the field. He makes both the routine play and the spectacular. One reason Castillo rarely gets knocked down while turning a double play is his positioning. On ground balls hit to the left side, Luis turns two by planting his left foot on the middle to outer part of the bag, keeping his right foot away from runners. The positioning gives Castillo a better chance to avoid contact with runners who slide hard over the bag. He has enough arm and agility to play shortstop. He turns many base hits into groundouts. His strong arm -- maybe the strongest arm of any second baseman in the game -- allows him to make highlight plays up the middle by throwing against his body.

Because of shoulder problems in his past, Castillo doesn't dive for balls that are lined to his left as much as he should. In 2003, Castillo won his first Gold Glove. And he was a repeat winner in 2004 and 2005. (Luis received a $25,000 bonus for winning the award in 2004.) In 2004, only the Phillies' Placido Polanco (.995) had a higher fielding percentage among NL second basemen than Castillo (.911). But Castillo totaled 116 more chances. Castillo also turned 97 double plays, second to San Diego's Mark Loretta (101), and totaled a personal-best six errors. In 2005, Luis made seven errors and had a fielding percentage of .988, while he was involved in 87 double plays. In May 2007, Castillo broke Ryne Sandberg's record of 123 consecutive errorless games by a second baseman. Luis also broke Sandberg's record of 584 consecutive chances without an error. And he just kept on going with his fielding excellence. "That's a guy I've been following since I was a little kid," said Castillo, a three-time National League Gold Glove winner with the Florida Marlins. "Ryne Sandberg -- I know he's a great second baseman. I feel proud because of that."	Castillo committed his last error on May 29, 2006. His 99 straight games without an error during the 2006 season already was the single-season mark.

RUNNING:
Luis has blazing speed and knows how to use it. He should steal 50-60 bases every season. In 1996, Luis led the Eastern League in stolen bases with 51. This was despite being called up to the Marlins at the end of the year, where he stole 17 more. In 2000, Luis set the Florida Marlins team record of 62 stolen bases, breaking Chuckie Carr's old mark of 56. He is a real terror on the bases. Right now, he can beat a two-hopper to the shortstop. If he gets to first base, it is like a double. And he steals third base a lot, too. Castillo is clocked from home to first at a tremendously fast 3.65 seconds on a bunt and 3.58 seconds on a swing from the left side.	During 1998 spring training, he worked on converting from sliding head-first to feet-first. Luis swiped 16 consecutive bases before being thrown out August 7, 1999 by the Rockies Henry Blanco. That set a Marlins' single-season record. (Chuck Carr stole 18 straight over the course of the 1993-94 seasons). And Castillo's 62 stolen bases led the Major Leagues in 2000. He has the green light. He rattles opposing pitchers when he is on base. And he inspires the guy who is at the plate.

CAREER INJURY REPORT:
July 1995: Castillo required shoulder surgery, ending his season. He was injured while trying to steal second base. Ft. Wayne SS Mike Moriarty came over to field the throw from the catcher. Luis' shoulder was broken, ending his season. September 1996: He went down with a jammed left shoulder. Surgery was required to tighten the shoulder and repair damaged cartilage May 7-23, 1997: He went on the D.L. with a bruised left heel. September 9, 1999: Luis dislocated his left shoulder while diving for a ball. He required surgery on it and missed the rest of the season. Basically, he had the muscle pulled to the front of his shoulder and stapled. It had to be tightened up so it wouldn't continually dislocate.	Luis admits he is afraid of injuring his shoulder again. April 16-May 5, 2000: He went on the D.L. with a lower back strain. 2000 Season: He played through having sore ankles and legs through most of the season. 2001 Season: Marlins manager Tony Perez chewed Castillo out for not following the exercises the traning staff had prescribed for him. "When he starts feeling good, he stops doing it and the hamstring and back problems come back. That's lazy. That's what I told him�that's lazy," Perez said. September 22, 2001: Castillo suffered two torn ligaments in his left ankle while running the bases, ending his season a couple of weeks early.

May 2, 2004: Luis broke his left pinkie on his hand while sliding into second base during a game against the Giants. He didn't go on the D.L., though. May 10, 2008: Luis strained his left quad. July 3-August 23, 2008: Castillo was on the D.L. with a strained upper quad and hip flexor. It had caused him pain for several days. June 4-July 19, 2010: Luis was on the D.L. He initially had a bone bruise underneath the front of his left foot. He then began experiencing trouble with his right foot while overcompensating.