Henry Ramón Blanco is a Venezuelan
professionalBaseball 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....
baseballBaseball 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 currently plays in
Major League BaseballMajor 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...
as a
catcherCatcher 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...
and is currently a free agent. Although Blanco is a light-
hittingIn 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, he is regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.
Professional career
Blanco began his professional baseball career in
1989The 1989 team came down to earth after the success of the 1988 season, finishing further down in the standings falling to fourth place in the Western Division of the National League.-Offseason:...
when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur
free agentIn 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....
. He didn't begin to play as a catcher until . After 7 years in the
minor leaguesMinor 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 finally blossomed in when he hit for a .313
batting averageBatting 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 :...
in 91 games for the
Albuquerque DukesThe Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.-History:The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class-D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. Frank Huelman was the league leader in home runs,...
of the
Pacific Coast LeagueThe Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. Blanco made his major league debut with the Dodgers on July 25,
1997The 1997 Los Angeles Dodgers season, under manager Bill Russell, was a season in American baseball. It was competitive all season long before finally fading down the stretch; the Dodgers finished in second place behind their longtime rivals, San Francisco Giants, in the Western Division of the...
. He returned to play for Albuquerque in and was granted free agency in October of that year.
In December 1998, Blanco signed a contract to play for the Colorado Rockies and won the starting catcher's role for the
1999The Colorado Rockies' 1999 season was the seventh overall for the team. Jim Leyland debuted as the Rockies' new manager, although, he resigned following the end of the season. Colorado finished with a record of 72-90, last in the National League West....
season. Hitting for a .232 batting average, he embellished his defensive credentials by leading
National LeagueThe 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...
catchers with 39 baserunners
caught stealingIn 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...
. In December 1999, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a three-team trade. Blanco caught the majority of the Brewers' games in
2000The Milwaukee Brewers' 2000 season involved the Brewers' finishing 3rd in the National League Central with a record of 73 wins and 89 losses.-Offseason:* November 19, 1999: Jason Bere was signed as a free agent by the Brewers....
, posting a .236 batting average with 7 home runs, 31 runs batted in. He led National League catchers with a 58.2% baserunners caught stealing percentage, the highest percentage since when
Bob BooneRobert Raymond Boone is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and...
also had a 58.2% success rate. His batting average fell to .210 in the
2001The Milwaukee Brewers' 2001 season involved the Brewers' finishing 4th in the National League Central with a record of 68 wins and 94 losses.-Offseason:*December 20, 2000: Brian Lesher was signed as a Free Agent with the Milwaukee Brewers....
season and, in March
2002-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....
, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for
Paul BakoGabor Paul Bako II is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. Bako is an example of a baseball "journeyman", having played for 11 different major league teams during his 12-year career...
and José Cabrera.
While Blanco served as a reserve catcher with the Braves working behind
Javy LopezJavier López Torres is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
, he also became known as
Greg MadduxGregory 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...
' personal catcher, a role he inherited from fellow Venezuelan catcher, Eddie Pérez. Although he only produced 22 runs batted in, he had 5 game-winning RBIs and provided solid defense, helping the Braves win the National League Eastern Division title. Blanco was the starting catcher for the Braves in Game 3 of the
2002 National League Division Series-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Atlanta vs. San Francisco:The Atlanta Braves had won their eleventh straight division title. The San Francisco Giants were making their third appearance in the postseason since 1997...
and was a late-inning replacement in Game 5 as the Braves were defeated by the
San Francisco GiantsThe 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....
. In January , Blanco signed a $1.3 million dollar, one year contract with the Braves.
The Braves repeated as Eastern Division champions in
2003-Offseason:*November 20, 2002: Donzell McDonald was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 18, 2002: Paul Byrd was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 19, 2002: Greg Maddux was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....
however, Blanco's batting average dropped to .199 and he was left off the post-season roster in favor of catcher
Johnny EstradaJohnny Pulado Estrada III is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers and the Washington Nationals.Estrada was selected in the 17th round of the 1997 Major...
as, the Braves lost to the
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs' 2003 season was the 131st season for the Cubs. The Cubs went 88-74 during the season and won the National League Central Division for the first time since the division's formation in 1994, and the team's first division title since their 1989 NL East title...
in the
2003 National League Division Series-San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...
. When the Braves assigned him to the Triple-A
Richmond BravesThe Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
at the end of the season, Blanco opted for free agency and, in December 2003, he signed a one year, $750,000 contract to play for the Minnesota Twins.
Blanco became a valuable member of the Twins when rookie catcher
Joe MauerJoseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles...
was injured early in the 2004 season. He was credited for helping the Twins pitching staff with his game-calling skills, guiding them to the lowest team earned run average in the league. Twins pitcher,
Johan SantanaJohan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
, gave Blanco credit for helping him win the American League
Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
. He caught the majority of the Twins' games helping them to clinch the
American League CentralThe American League Central Division is one of six divisions in Major League Baseball. This division was formed in the realignment in 1994, and its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States...
division title. Blanco posted career-highs with 10
home runIn 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...
s and 37 runs batted in, while leading the
American LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
catchers with a 49.2% caught stealing percentage. He started all four games of the
2004 American League Division Series-Anaheim Angels vs. Boston Red Sox:-Game 1, October 5:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkPitching dominated in Game 1 as Mike Mussina faced Johan Santana. The Twins got on the board first when Shannon Stewart singled home Michael Cuddyer. Then in the sixth, Jacque Jones hit a solo home run to make...
, hitting 1 home run along with a .250 batting average as the Twins lost to the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees' 2004 season was the 102nd season for the Yankees. The Yankees opened the season by playing two games against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in Japan on March 30, 2004. The team finished with a record of 101-61, finishing 3 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. New...
.
After failing to reach a contract agreement with the Twins after the season, Blanco opted for free agency again and, in December 2004 he signed a two year, $2.7 million contract to play for the Chicago Cubs. He worked as a back up catcher to Michael Barrett although, many of the Cubs pitchers preferred pitching to Blanco as his
2005The Chicago Cubs' 2005 season was the Cub's 133rd season. The Chicago Cubs finished 79-83 ,4th place in the NL Central. This was the first season for the WGN-TV broadcast pairing of Bob Brenly and Len Kasper.-Offseason:...
catcher's earned run averageCatcher's ERA or CERA in baseball statistics is the earned run average of the pitchers pitching when the catcher in question is catching. Its primary purpose is to measure a catcher's game-calling, rather than his effect on the opposing team's running game. Craig Wright first described the...
of 3.58 was almost 1 run lower than the 4.45 average posted by Barrett.
In the
2006 Caribbean SeriesThe XLVIII edition of the Caribbean Series baseball tournament was played in 2006 in the neighboring cities of Maracay and Valencia in Venezuela, making it the first one to be played in two different cities...
, Blanco had a walk off
doubleIn baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
off the top of the opposing
shortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
's head in the championship game to give the
Leones del CaracasThe Leones del Caracas is a Venezuelan baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Since its inception, the team has played in the Estadio Universitario in Caracas...
the series championship win over the
Tigres del LiceyTigres del Licey is a professional baseball team founded in 1907 based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is one of the two franchises of the Capital city of the country, the oldest and one of the most successful teams in the Dominican league, having won 22 Dominican titles and 10 Caribbean...
. In the
2006The Chicago Cubs' 2006 season was the 134th season for the Cubs. The team finished with a record of 66-96 in last place of the National League Central Division. Chicago was managed by Dusty Baker...
major league season, he hit for a .266 batting average with a career-high 37 runs batted in and, in November, signed a two-year contract for $5.25 million to remain with the Cubs. Blanco appeared in only 22 games for the Cubs in
2007The Chicago Cubs' 2007 season began with the Cubs trying to rebound after a season in which they finished last in their division for the first time since .-Offseason:...
, missing two months of the season due to a herniated disc. The Cubs went on to win the
National League CentralThe National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League...
division although, Blanco did not appear in any post-season games. In
2008The Chicago Cubs' 2008 season was the 136th season for the Chicago Cubs. It is considered one of their most impressive regular seasons in the entire history of the franchise. Despite 97 regular season wins—the most since 1945—they failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs, losing 3-0...
, Blanco posted career-highs with a .292 batting average and a .325
on base percentageIn 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...
while serving as back up and mentor to rookie catcher
Geovany SotoGeovany Soto is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs.-Professional career:...
, who went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
After the 2008 season, Blanco's option was declined making him a free agent. In January
2009The San Diego Padres' 2009 season is a season in American baseball.-Roster:-Game log: During the Padres 6-5 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 13, 2009, Jody Gerut became the first player to open a new ballpark with a leadoff home run, hitting the first base hit and home run on the...
, he signed a $750,000, one-year contract to play for the San Diego Padres. During the 2009 season, he was a pinch-hitter, late-inning defensive replacement, and a mentor for Padres starting catcher
Nick HundleyNicholas John Hundley is a Major League Baseball catcher for the San Diego Padres. He was called up to the majors for the first time on July 3, .As a 12-year-old he played on the Santa Clarita Mudcats...
. Blanco signed a one year, 1.5 million dollar contract with the
New York MetsThe 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...
on December 3, 2009. On May 8,
2010The New York Mets' 2010 season was the franchise's 49th season and their second at Citi Field. The team was attempting to rebound from the injury plagued 2009 season as they sought their first postseason appearance since 2006...
, Blanco hit a
walk-off home runIn baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
to help the Mets defeat the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are an American Major League Baseball team. Their 2010 season marked their 128th year in Major League Baseball, and their fifty-third year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season...
5–4.
Blanco signed a one year contract on December 15, 2010, with the
Arizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks' 2011 season, the franchise's fourteenth season in Major League Baseball, included the team's first National League West championship since 2007, subsequently, their fifth division title since coming into the MLB...
.
Career statistics
In a 13 year major league career through the 2010 season, Blanco has played in 863
gamesGames 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 559
hitsIn 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 2,463 at bats for a .227 career batting average along with 60 home runs, 265 runs batted in and an
on base percentageIn 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 .291. He has a .994 career
fielding percentageIn 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...
. Although he is a light-hitter, the 39 year old Blanco has had an extended major league career due to the value of his excellent defensive abilities. He has credited former catcher
Mike SciosciaMichael Lorri Scioscia is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He has worked in that capacity since the 2000 season, and is the longest-tenured manager in Major League Baseball....
, who was the catching coordinator during his time with the Dodgers, with helping him develop his catching skills.
External links