Benito Santiago
Encyclopedia
Benito Santiago Rivera (born March 9, 1965 in Ponce, Puerto Rico
) is a Puerto Rican former professional
baseball
player. He played for twenty seasons as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
from to , most notably for the San Diego Padres
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Santiago was considered the premier catcher in the National League
.
free agent
by the San Diego Padres
on September 1, . After playing four seasons in the minor leagues
, he made his Major League debut with the Padres on September 14, 1986
at the age of 21. The next year, Santiago established a Major League record for a rookie by hitting safely in 34 straight games. It was also the longest hitting streak
by a catcher in major league history. He ended the season with what would be career-highs in hits (164), doubles (33) and batting average
(.300). Santiago was the unanimous selection for the National League Rookie of the Year Award
. Although he struggled defensively, leading the league in errors
and passed ball
s, his hitting performance earned him the 1987 Silver Slugger Award which is awarded annually to the best offensive
player at each position
.
While Santiago initially made an impression with his offensive statistics, he soon became known for his defensive prowess, most notably for his strong throwing arm. Santiago was known for his ability to throw out would be base stealers
from a kneeling position. In 1988
, he led National League catchers in assists
and in baserunners caught stealing
with a 45% average when the league average was 30%. Although he still led the league's catchers with 12 errors, it was an improvement over the 22 he had committed the previous season. Santiago was awarded the first of three consecutive Gold Glove Award
s in . Santiago also claimed his second succesive Silver Slugger Award as the Padres improved to finish in third place in the National League Western Division
.
Although he was hitting for only a .236 average at mid-season in 1989, his defensive reputation earned him the starting catcher's role in the 1989 All-Star Game
. He was awarded the National League Gold Glove Award for catchers, as the Padres climbed to second place in the season's final standings.
Santiago rebounded in 1990
and was hitting for a .317 batting average with 9 home runs in mid-June when he was hit by a pitch and had to miss six weeks of the season. He finished the season with a .270 average along with 11 home runs and 53 runs batted in to earn his third Silver Slugger Award. He was also named as a reserve player for the National League team in the 1990 All-Star Game
and won his third consecutive Gold Glove Award.
Before the 1991
season, Santiago asked for a four-year contract worth $11 million, but lost his arbitration case and was awarded a one-year contract worth $1.65 million. A disgruntled Santiago announced that he would leave the Padres when he became eligible for free agency after the 1992 season. He was also disillusioned when the Padres traded away players such as Joe Carter
and Jack Clark
. In June, Padres manager, Greg Riddoch
, benched Santiago for his lack of hustle on the playing field. Despite the difficulties, Santiago led the league's catchers with 100 assists and posted a career-high 87 runs batted in.
Santiago returned to arbitration before the 1992 season, this time winning a $3.3 million one-year contract that made him the highest paid catcher in baseball. In September 1992, the Padres announced that they would not seek to re-sign Santiago, in what was seen as a cost-cutting measure.
and hit the first home run
in team history. Despite hitting for a .273 average in 1994
, he was granted free agency after the season as the Marlins were ready to promote their young catching prospect, Charles Johnson. On April 17, 1995
, the Cincinnati Reds
signed him and he briefly recovered his form batting
.286. On January 30, 1996
, he joined the Phillies
, where he became the first player to hit a grand slam
off Greg Maddux
in the regular season after Maddux had been pitching for nearly ten years. Santiago also hit a home run in four consecutive at bat
s in the same season. Santiago ended the season with a career-high 30 home runs along with 85 runs batted in for the last place Phillies.
Santiago then signed a contract to play for the Blue Jays
(-) where he lost almost the entire 1998 season to a serious injury sustained in a car crash in Florida
. A free agent again, he played 89 games for the Cubs
in and played for Cincinnati in .
on March 17, 2001
. He played in 133 games and helped the Giants finish in second place, two games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks
in the National League West. He shared the 2001 Willie Mac Award
with Mark Gardner
, which recognized the spirit and leadership of each. Santiago had another good year in 2002
, appearing in 126 games and finishing third among National League catchers with a .995 fielding percentage
. He earned his fifth All-Star berth and ended the season with a .278 batting average with 74 runs batted in as the Giants once again finished second to the Diamondbacks and claimed the National League Wild Card
berth.
The Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves
in the first round of the play-offs then met the St. Louis Cardinals
in the 2002 National League Championship Series
. Santiago hit two home runs in the series along with 6 runs batted in, and was awarded the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
as the Giants defeated the Cardinals in five games. In the 2002 World Series
against the Anaheim Angels
, Santiago delivered 5 runs batted in as the Giants were defeated in a seven-game series.
In 2003
, the 38 year old Santiago continued to perform well, hitting fifth in the batting order
behind Barry Bonds
, he appeared in 108 games while posting a .279 batting average with 56 runs batted in.
. By June 18, he was hitting .274 with six home runs and 23 RBI
when he was hit by a pitch
from Geoff Geary
that broke his hand. After the season, the Royals traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates
for Leo Núñez
, a minor league pitcher
. The Pirates let Santiago go after a mere 23 at bats in favor of giving playing time to young David Ross
. Santiago signed with the New York Mets
to a minor-league contract, but he appeared in only a handful of games. He opted out of his Triple-A contract, but did not play in the major leagues in .
, accumulating 1,830 hits
in 6,951 at bats for a .261 career batting average along with 217 home runs, 920 runs batted in and an on base percentage
of .307. He ended his career with a .987 fielding percentage.
A five-time All-Star, Santiago was known for his strong defensive skills, leading National League catchers three times in assists, once in fielding percentage and once in baserunners caught stealing. As began, Santiago was tied for eighth on the all-time list of games caught with Brad Ausmus
, with 1,917.
investigators as one of the athletes alleged to have received anabolic steroids. He was linked to performance enhancers in the book Game of Shadows
.
On December 13, 2007, Santiago was written about in the Mitchell Report
on page 134. "At the end of the 2003 season, Mike Murphy, a Giants clubhouse attendant, was cleaning out Santiago’s locker when he found a sealed package of syringes. Murphy brought the syringes to the training room, handed them to Conte, and told Conte that he had found them in Santiago’s locker. Conte responded that he “would take care of it.” Murphy recalled that the Giants’ assistant athletic trainer Dave Groeschner also was present in the training room during this conversation."
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
) is a Puerto Rican former professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played for twenty seasons as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from to , most notably for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Santiago was considered the premier catcher in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
.
Early years
Santiago was signed as an amateurAmateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
on September 1, . After playing four seasons in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, he made his Major League debut with the Padres on September 14, 1986
1986 San Diego Padres season
-Offseason:* January 28, 1986: Dane Iorg was signed as a free agent by the Padres.* March 25, 1986: Mario Ramírez was released by the Padres.-Regular season:* August 17, 1986: Pete Rose played in the last game of his career...
at the age of 21. The next year, Santiago established a Major League record for a rookie by hitting safely in 34 straight games. It was also the longest hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
by a catcher in major league history. He ended the season with what would be career-highs in hits (164), doubles (33) and batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(.300). Santiago was the unanimous selection for the National League Rookie of the Year Award
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
. Although he struggled defensively, leading the league in errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
and passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s, his hitting performance earned him the 1987 Silver Slugger Award which is awarded annually to the best offensive
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
player at each position
Baseball positions
There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. Each position conventionally has an associated number which is used to score putouts...
.
While Santiago initially made an impression with his offensive statistics, he soon became known for his defensive prowess, most notably for his strong throwing arm. Santiago was known for his ability to throw out would be base stealers
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
from a kneeling position. In 1988
1988 San Diego Padres season
The 1988 season was the 20th season in Padres history. Tony Gwynn set a National League record by having the lowest batting average to win a batting title...
, he led National League catchers in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and in baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
with a 45% average when the league average was 30%. Although he still led the league's catchers with 12 errors, it was an improvement over the 22 he had committed the previous season. Santiago was awarded the first of three consecutive Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s in . Santiago also claimed his second succesive Silver Slugger Award as the Padres improved to finish in third place in the National League Western Division
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
.
Although he was hitting for only a .236 average at mid-season in 1989, his defensive reputation earned him the starting catcher's role in the 1989 All-Star Game
1989 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1989 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 60th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 1989 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, the home of...
. He was awarded the National League Gold Glove Award for catchers, as the Padres climbed to second place in the season's final standings.
Santiago rebounded in 1990
1990 San Diego Padres season
-Offseason:* November 16, 1989: Don Schulze was released by the Padres.* December 6, 1989: Fred Lynn was signed as a free agent by the Padres.* December 6, 1989: Sandy Alomar, Jr., Carlos Baerga and Chris James were traded by the Padres to the Cleveland Indians for Joe Carter.* December 12, 1989:...
and was hitting for a .317 batting average with 9 home runs in mid-June when he was hit by a pitch and had to miss six weeks of the season. He finished the season with a .270 average along with 11 home runs and 53 runs batted in to earn his third Silver Slugger Award. He was also named as a reserve player for the National League team in the 1990 All-Star Game
1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 61st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 1990 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the...
and won his third consecutive Gold Glove Award.
Before the 1991
1991 San Diego Padres season
-Offseason:* December 3, 1990: Frank Seminara was drafted by the San Diego Padres from the New York Yankees in the 1990 rule 5 draft.* December 12, 1990: Mark Parent was traded by the Padres to the Texas Rangers for Scott Coolbaugh....
season, Santiago asked for a four-year contract worth $11 million, but lost his arbitration case and was awarded a one-year contract worth $1.65 million. A disgruntled Santiago announced that he would leave the Padres when he became eligible for free agency after the 1992 season. He was also disillusioned when the Padres traded away players such as Joe Carter
Joe Carter
Joseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays....
and Jack Clark
Jack Clark (baseball)
Jack Anthony Clark , also known as "Jack the Ripper," is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1975 through 1992, Clark played for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox...
. In June, Padres manager, Greg Riddoch
Greg Riddoch
Greg Riddoch is a former manager in Major League Baseball. He was the manager of the San Diego Padres from 1990 to 1992. His career record was 200-194. During his career, he also served as a bench coach for the Padres, as well as third base coach for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and director of...
, benched Santiago for his lack of hustle on the playing field. Despite the difficulties, Santiago led the league's catchers with 100 assists and posted a career-high 87 runs batted in.
Santiago returned to arbitration before the 1992 season, this time winning a $3.3 million one-year contract that made him the highest paid catcher in baseball. In September 1992, the Padres announced that they would not seek to re-sign Santiago, in what was seen as a cost-cutting measure.
Decline and trades
On December 16, 1992, Santiago signed with the newly established franchise Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and hit the first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in team history. Despite hitting for a .273 average in 1994
1994 Florida Marlins season
The 1994 Florida Marlins season started off with the team trying to improve on their record from 1993. Their manager was Rene Lachemann. They played home games at Joe Robbie Stadium. They finished with a record of 51-64, last in the National League East...
, he was granted free agency after the season as the Marlins were ready to promote their young catching prospect, Charles Johnson. On April 17, 1995
1995 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 1995 season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Reds winning the National League Central, and the National League Division Series in three straight games over the Los Angeles Dodgers before losing the National League Championship Series in four games to the...
, the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
signed him and he briefly recovered his form batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.286. On January 30, 1996
1996 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Phillies finished fifth in the National League East with a record of 67 wins and 95 losses.-Offseason:...
, he joined the Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, where he became the first player to hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
off Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
in the regular season after Maddux had been pitching for nearly ten years. Santiago also hit a home run in four consecutive at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s in the same season. Santiago ended the season with a career-high 30 home runs along with 85 runs batted in for the last place Phillies.
Santiago then signed a contract to play for the Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(-) where he lost almost the entire 1998 season to a serious injury sustained in a car crash in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. A free agent again, he played 89 games for the Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in and played for Cincinnati in .
Resurgence with the Giants
Santiago arrived in San FranciscoSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
on March 17, 2001
2001 San Francisco Giants season
-Offseason:*November 18, 2000: Bill Mueller was traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Chicago Cubs for Tim Worrell. *January 11, 2001: Eric Davis was signed as a Free Agent with the San Francisco Giants. -Regular season:...
. He played in 133 games and helped the Giants finish in second place, two games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, in their fourth year of existence, looked to improve on their 2000 season. They had to contend in what was a strong National League West Division....
in the National League West. He shared the 2001 Willie Mac Award
Willie Mac Award
The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Willie McCovey. It has been presented annually since 1980. It is awarded to the player on the San Francisco Giants who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership consistently shown by McCovey throughout his long career, voted upon by the players and...
with Mark Gardner
Mark Gardner (baseball player)
Mark Allan Gardner is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and current bullpen coach for the San Francisco Giants.-Playing career:...
, which recognized the spirit and leadership of each. Santiago had another good year in 2002
2002 San Francisco Giants season
The 2002 San Francisco Giants season was the 120th in franchise history, and the franchise's 45th season in San Francisco. The season ended with the Giants winning the National League pennant but losing to the Anaheim Angels in the 2002 World Series....
, appearing in 126 games and finishing third among National League catchers with a .995 fielding percentage
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...
. He earned his fifth All-Star berth and ended the season with a .278 batting average with 74 runs batted in as the Giants once again finished second to the Diamondbacks and claimed the National League Wild Card
Major League Baseball Wild Card
In Major League Baseball, the wild-card playoff spot is given to the team in each league with the best record among the non-division winners. It was established for Major League Baseball's playoffs in 1994 with the intention of helping the best teams that did not win their division to still have a...
berth.
The Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves
2002 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*October 26, 2001: Aaron Small was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 4, 2001: John Smoltz was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 17, 2001: Julio Franco was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....
in the first round of the play-offs then met the St. Louis Cardinals
2002 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 2002 season was the team's 121st season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 111th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-65 during the season and won the National League Central division by 13 games over the Houston Astros...
in the 2002 National League Championship Series
2002 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 2002 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri-Game 2:Thursday, October 10, 2002 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri-Game 3:Saturday, October 12, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, California-Game 4:...
. Santiago hit two home runs in the series along with 6 runs batted in, and was awarded the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
The second round of the Major League Baseball post-season is known as the League Championship Series . This series has a best-of-seven playoff format, and currently follows the Division Series, in which the three division champions and one wild card team from each league play against each other...
as the Giants defeated the Cardinals in five games. In the 2002 World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
against the Anaheim Angels
2002 Anaheim Angels season
The Anaheim Angels 2002 season was the franchise's 42nd, and it ended with the team's first American League pennant and World Series championship....
, Santiago delivered 5 runs batted in as the Giants were defeated in a seven-game series.
In 2003
2003 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team.-Offseason:*November 15, 2002: Tsuyoshi Shinjo was released by the San Francisco Giants. *December 7, 2002: Marquis Grissom signed as a Free Agent with the San Francisco Giants....
, the 38 year old Santiago continued to perform well, hitting fifth in the batting order
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
behind Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
, he appeared in 108 games while posting a .279 batting average with 56 runs batted in.
Later years
On December 11, 2003, Santiago, again a free agent, signed with the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. By June 18, he was hitting .274 with six home runs and 23 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
when he was hit by a pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
from Geoff Geary
Geoff Geary
Geoffrey Michael Geary is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a reliever for the York Revolution of the Atlantic League.-Biography:...
that broke his hand. After the season, the Royals traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
for Leo Núñez
Leo Núñez
Juan Carlos Oviedo ) is a pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Miami Marlins as the team's closer. He bats and throws right-handed.-Playing career:...
, a minor league pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. The Pirates let Santiago go after a mere 23 at bats in favor of giving playing time to young David Ross
David Ross (catcher)
David Wade Ross is an American professional baseball player who has been a catcher for eight Major League Baseball seasons. Ross played college baseball for Auburn University and the University of Florida, and participated in two College World Series. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers,...
. Santiago signed with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
to a minor-league contract, but he appeared in only a handful of games. He opted out of his Triple-A contract, but did not play in the major leagues in .
Career statistics
In a twenty-year major league career, Santiago played in 1,978 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1,830 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 6,951 at bats for a .261 career batting average along with 217 home runs, 920 runs batted in and an on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .307. He ended his career with a .987 fielding percentage.
A five-time All-Star, Santiago was known for his strong defensive skills, leading National League catchers three times in assists, once in fielding percentage and once in baserunners caught stealing. As began, Santiago was tied for eighth on the all-time list of games caught with Brad Ausmus
Brad Ausmus
Bradley David "Brad" Ausmus is a former All Star catcher in Major League Baseball, and currently a special assistant for the San Diego Padres....
, with 1,917.
Steroid allegations
In 2003, Santiago was named by FBIFederal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
investigators as one of the athletes alleged to have received anabolic steroids. He was linked to performance enhancers in the book Game of Shadows
Game of Shadows
Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports is a bestselling non-fiction book published on March 23, 2006 and written by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle...
.
On December 13, 2007, Santiago was written about in the Mitchell Report
Mitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
on page 134. "At the end of the 2003 season, Mike Murphy, a Giants clubhouse attendant, was cleaning out Santiago’s locker when he found a sealed package of syringes. Murphy brought the syringes to the training room, handed them to Conte, and told Conte that he had found them in Santiago’s locker. Conte responded that he “would take care of it.” Murphy recalled that the Giants’ assistant athletic trainer Dave Groeschner also was present in the training room during this conversation."