Paul Bako
Encyclopedia
Gabor 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. He is officially listed at 6 in 3 in (1.91 m) and 210 pounds (95.3 kg).
Bako attended high school and college in his home state of Louisiana
, winning two conference championships at the University of Southwest Louisiana
. After reaching the majors with the American League
's Detroit Tigers
in 1998, Bako spent seven seasons in the National League
, playing with six different teams. He returned to the American League with the Baltimore Orioles
and the Kansas City Royals
, then played for the Cincinnati Reds
and the Philadelphia Phillies
for one season each.
—who later retired his number 6—with the ninth pick of the sixth round by the Cleveland Indians
. He chose not to sign, and attended the University of Southwest Louisiana
. In his college career, Bako caught for the Ragin' Cajuns during two consecutive conference championship seasons: 1991 in the American South Conference
, when they finished with a 49–20 record, 14th-best among Division I squads; and 1992 in the Sun Belt Conference
, when Southwestern Louisiana's pitching staff amassed a 3.50 earned run average
, 29th-best in Division I. In 1993, he was named to the second team of the all-Sun Belt Conference baseball team, and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds
in the fifth round of the 1993 June draft.
, a rookie-league farm team of the Reds located in Montana. During the 1993 season, Bako amassed a .314 batting average
, second-highest on the team that season behind Chris Sexton
. Bako walked
22 times, stole
5 bases, and batted in
30 runs, while excelling defensively compared to the other catcher on the team. His fielding percentage
was .988, and he posted only four errors
that season. He was also named a Pioneer League All-Star.
Bako moved on to the high-A Winston-Salem Spirits in the Carolina League
for the 1994 and 1995 seasons. He struggled during the 1994 season, batting only .204 with 3 home run
s and 26 runs batted in (RBI). 1995 was more successful, with an 81-point boost in batting average (.285), 7 home runs and 11 doubles
. After the season, Baseball America
rated him the top-ranked catching prospect in the Reds' farm system.
Bako's 1995 performance earned him a promotion to the Southern League
's Chattanooga Lookouts
, the Reds' AA-level affiliate, for 1996, where he was named a Southern League All-Star. He was second on the team in strikeouts (93) and fifth among regulars with a .294 batting average. He hit a career-high eight home runs during that season, adding 27 doubles and 48 RBI in 360 at bat
s. In 1997, playing for the Indianapolis Indians
, Bako was a teammate of Pedro Martínez
, whom he rejoined in 2009 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies
, as well as brothers Aaron
and Bret Boone
. That year, he batted .243 and matched his previous year's career-high home run total. He had 78 hits in 321 at bats. Bako's game management earned him a reputation, even in the minor leagues. Brett Tomko
, who played with Bako in the minors in 1996 as a member of the Lookouts and in 1997 with Indianapolis, recalled one of their mound conversations:
On November 11, 1997, Bako was traded by the Reds to the Detroit Tigers
in an offseason deal that included Donne Wall
. After playing 13 games with the Tigers' AAA-level affiliate—the Toledo Mud Hens
—in 1998, Bako was called up to the major league club.
double, came the next day off Bill Swift
, when he went 2-for-5 against the Seattle Mariners
in a 17–3 Tigers win. He hit his first major league home run on May 15 against the Oakland Athletics
; it came off Mike Mohler
in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runners (Damion Easley
, Joe Randa
) on base. He also went 4-for-4 against the New York Yankees
on July 21. Bako's rookie season was arguably his most successful: he posted a .272 batting average, hit 3 home runs, batted in 30 runs, and collected 106 total bases
. After the season, the Tigers traded Bako to the Houston Astros
in a seven-player deal that included Brad Ausmus
.
Bako appeared in 73 games for the 1999 Astros; he got at least one hit in his first six games with Houston after beginning the season in the minor leagues, highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance on April 30, the anniversary of his debut. He added another 4-for-4 game to his résumé on July 29 against the Colorado Rockies
. Bako hit .256 with 2 home runs, 17 RBI, and 16 runs scored in the 1999 season; he was part of Houston's roster for the 1999 National League Division Series
, but did not play. After one game for the Astros in 2000, Houston traded Bako to the Florida Marlins
. He played his first game for Florida on April 13, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Bako played for the Marlins until July 20, batting .242 with 14 RBI. He was waived on July 21 and claimed by the Atlanta Braves
, who acquired Bako from their division rivals
. He batted .190 with the Braves and played in his first career game at first base
in the last two months of the 2000 season.
Bako remained with the Braves for the 2001 season, where he was the backup to Javy López
. He batted .212, amassing the third-highest (20) walk total among Atlanta's bench players and batting in 15 runs. His top performances of the season were a 3-for-4 game against the Montréal Expos
in August and a 2-for-3 night—with 2 walks—in October against Florida. Bako appeared in three games during the 2001 National League Division Series
(NLDS), his first playoff appearances, and three more during the National League Championship Series
(NLCS). In Game 3 of the NLDS, Bako went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run in the second inning; he also batted in a third run on a squeeze bunt
in the fourth.
In a trade of catchers, the Braves acquired Henry Blanco
from the Milwaukee Brewers
in exchange for Bako and José Cabrera. Bako played in 87 games for the Brewers in 2002, his most extensive playing time since his rookie season; behind him, the team used four additional catchers. Bako batted .235 with four home runs for the season. His top performance of the year was against the Minnesota Twins
in interleague play
; Bako went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning and a bases-loaded
single
to drive in a third run.
After the 2002 season, Milwaukee traded Bako to the Chicago Cubs
, where he spent two complete seasons; 2003 and 2004 were the only consecutive seasons that Bako spent with the same organization. Over his two years, he backed up Damian Miller
and Michael Barrett, and was reunited with former Braves teammate Greg Maddux
in 2004. In his first Chicago season, Bako batted .229 with 22 walks and 13 doubles; a 4-for-5 performance in his second game of the year was his best of the season. In that game, he batted three times against the Reds with the bases loaded, notching a triple, two singles and six RBI. Bako batted only .203 for the Cubs in 2004. He hit one home run and eight doubles, displaying his defense with a .989 fielding percentage. His top performance that year was in the second game of a doubleheader against Florida, when he went 3-for-3 and batted in two runs.
for the 2005 season. He batted .250 for the Dodgers in 13 games with two doubles and four RBI. He backed up both Jason Phillips and Dioner Navarro
in 2005, but underwent season-ending surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament
in June of that season. The Dodgers granted Bako free agency after the season, and he signed with the Kansas City Royals
in December 2005. After beginning the 2006 season in the minor leagues, Bako returned to the majors with the Royals, where he batted .209 backing up John Buck. He played in 60 games with the Baltimore Orioles
in 2007, amassing five extra-base hits and batting .205. He tied for the highest total of walks off the Orioles' bench and batted in eight runs for the season.
On February 1, 2008, Bako signed a minor league
contract with an invitation to spring training
with the Cincinnati Reds
. At the end of spring training, he was added to the 40-man roster. Though he batted only .217, Bako appeared in a career-high 99 games in 2008, hitting 6 home runs and notching 35 RBI. On January 30, 2009, the Chicago Cubs
signed Bako to a one-year contract. However, he was unconditionally released near the end of spring training. On May 18, Bako signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, and was called up from the Reading Phillies
to the major league roster on June 9. He became the Phillies' only backup catcher when the Phillies waived "folk hero" Chris Coste
on July 10; Coste had broken into the big leagues for the first time with Philadelphia at age 33. The next day, Bako came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning against Pittsburgh Pirates
closer Matt Capps
with the score tied, 7–7; the Phillies had been behind by four runs before home runs by Matt Stairs
and Ryan Howard
tied the game. With the bases loaded, Bako hit a single through the left side of the infield, driving in the winning run (Raúl Ibáñez
) and sealing the Phillies' fourth consecutive victory in a season-high ten-game winning streak
. After the acquisition of starting pitcher Cliff Lee
, Bako caught all of his first five starts with the Phillies, when Lee posted a 5–0 record and an 0.68 earned run average
. Bako said, "With as many strikes as he throws and as many weapons as he has, it's a lot of fun to catch him." Manager Charlie Manuel
, however, denied that Bako was scheduled to be Lee's personal catcher, as he had done for Maddux in 2001. "[Bako]'s not his personal catcher… Of course you guys will write whatever you want to write. If you want him to be his personal catcher, go right ahead. But I'll handle it anyway, so it doesn't matter."
As the 2009 season wore on, regular catcher Carlos Ruiz spent some time recuperating from an injury, allowing Bako expanded playing time near the end of the season. From September 18 to September 29, Bako played in all but one of the team's games; his best stretch was from September 24 through September 27, when he went 6-for-13 with 2 RBI over three games. He finished the year with a .224 batting average. After winning the National League East
for the third consecutive year, the Phillies faced the Colorado Rockies
in the National League Division Series
, the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the National League Championship Series
, and the New York Yankees
in the World Series
; Bako did not appear in any games during the postseason. After the 2009 season, Bako filed for free agency; considered retirement, according to teammate Scott Eyre
; and did not play during the 2010 season.
, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
. He and former Orioles first baseman David Segui
are part-owners of the company.
, during the offseason. He has a wife, Laurie, and two children: a son named Will and a daughter, Abbey.
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...
who is currently a 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....
. Bako is an example of a baseball "journeyman
Journeyman (sports)
A journeyman or journeywoman is an athlete or professional sports player who is technically competent, but unable to excel. In certain parts of the world the term has less negative connotations and the inability to excel is not needed for a player to be labelled thus.-Definitions:Alexandra Allred...
", having played for 11 different major league teams during his 12-year career. He is officially listed at 6 in 3 in (1.91 m) and 210 pounds (95.3 kg).
Bako attended high school and college in his home state of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, winning two conference championships at the University of Southwest Louisiana
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
. After reaching the majors with the American League
American League
The 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...
's Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in 1998, Bako spent seven seasons 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...
, playing with six different teams. He returned to the American League with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and the Kansas City Royals
Kansas 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...
, then played for 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....
and the Philadelphia 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...
for one season each.
High school and college
In 1990, Bako was drafted out of Lafayette High SchoolLafayette High School (Louisiana)
Lafayette High School is a public four-year high school located in Lafayette, Louisiana.With an enrollment of 2279 students, Lafayette High is one of the largest schools in the state of Louisiana...
—who later retired his number 6—with the ninth pick of the sixth round by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He chose not to sign, and attended the University of Southwest Louisiana
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
. In his college career, Bako caught for the Ragin' Cajuns during two consecutive conference championship seasons: 1991 in the American South Conference
American South Conference
The American South Conference was in the NCAA. The conference existed from 1987 to 1991.-Membership:*Arkansas State *UCF *Lamar *Louisiana–Lafayette *Louisiana Tech *New Orleans...
, when they finished with a 49–20 record, 14th-best among Division I squads; and 1992 in the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
, when Southwestern Louisiana's pitching staff amassed a 3.50 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 29th-best in Division I. In 1993, he was named to the second team of the all-Sun Belt Conference baseball team, and was selected by 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....
in the fifth round of the 1993 June draft.
Minor leagues
Bako began his professional career with the Pioneer League's Billings MustangsBillings Mustangs
The Billings Mustangs are a minor league baseball team based in Billings, Montana. The Mustangs are the Pioneer League Rookie affiliate of the Major League Cincinnati Reds. The team has been a part of the Pioneer League since 1948 with a five-year gap between 1964 and 1968, and has been affiliated...
, a rookie-league farm team of the Reds located in Montana. During the 1993 season, Bako amassed a .314 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 :...
, second-highest on the team that season behind Chris Sexton
Chris Sexton
Chris Sexton is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Colorado Rockies and the Cincinnati Reds. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 10th round of the 1993 amateur draft but made it to the big leagues with the Rockies after being traded for Marcus Moore in 1995. He made...
. Bako walked
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
22 times, stole
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...
5 bases, and batted in
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...
30 runs, while excelling defensively compared to the other catcher on the team. His 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...
was .988, and he posted only four 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 ...
that season. He was also named a Pioneer League All-Star.
Bako moved on to the high-A Winston-Salem Spirits in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
for the 1994 and 1995 seasons. He struggled during the 1994 season, batting only .204 with 3 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...
s and 26 runs batted in (RBI). 1995 was more successful, with an 81-point boost in batting average (.285), 7 home runs and 11 doubles
Double (baseball)
In 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....
. After the season, Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
rated him the top-ranked catching prospect in the Reds' farm system.
Bako's 1995 performance earned him a promotion to the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
's Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
, the Reds' AA-level affiliate, for 1996, where he was named a Southern League All-Star. He was second on the team in strikeouts (93) and fifth among regulars with a .294 batting average. He hit a career-high eight home runs during that season, adding 27 doubles and 48 RBI in 360 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 1997, playing for the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, Bako was a teammate of Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
, whom he rejoined in 2009 as a member of the Philadelphia 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...
, as well as brothers Aaron
Aaron Boone
Aaron John Boone is a former Major League Baseball infielder whose famous home run off Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield won the 2003 American League Championship Series for the New York Yankees. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, Washington...
and Bret Boone
Bret Boone
Bret Robert Boone is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.-Personal life:Boone was born in El Cajon, California to Susan G. Roel and Bob Boone. He is a graduate of El Dorado High School and the University of Southern California. He is the grandson of former major leaguer Ray Boone and...
. That year, he batted .243 and matched his previous year's career-high home run total. He had 78 hits in 321 at bats. Bako's game management earned him a reputation, even in the minor leagues. Brett Tomko
Brett Tomko
Brett Daniel Tomko is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St...
, who played with Bako in the minors in 1996 as a member of the Lookouts and in 1997 with Indianapolis, recalled one of their mound conversations:
Bako: Are you really trying out here?
Tomko: What do you mean?
Bako: Because your stuff is horrible today and if you don't try a little harder, you're not going to make it out of this inning.
On November 11, 1997, Bako was traded by the Reds to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in an offseason deal that included Donne Wall
Donne Wall
Donnell Lee Wall , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1995-2002....
. After playing 13 games with the Tigers' AAA-level affiliate—the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
—in 1998, Bako was called up to the major league club.
1998–2000
Bako made his major league debut with the Tigers on April 30, 1998, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. His first major league hit, a bases-loadedBases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
double, came the next day off Bill Swift
Bill Swift
William Charles Swift is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.After graduating South Portland High School, Swift attended the University of Maine. Swift pitched for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and was a first-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners following his senior year at Maine...
, when he went 2-for-5 against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
in a 17–3 Tigers win. He hit his first major league home run on May 15 against the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
; it came off Mike Mohler
Mike Mohler
Michael Ross Mohler is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Mohler played for the Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, and Arizona Diamondbacks from 1993 to 2001. Attended East Ascension High School and Nicholls State University, playing on both...
in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runners (Damion Easley
Damion Easley
Jacinto Damion Easley is a former Major League Baseball player who is currently Executive Director of Warrior Baseball Academy. He is also an assistant coach for the Peoria Padres.-Biography:...
, Joe Randa
Joe Randa
Joseph Gregory Salvatore Randa is a former Major League Baseball player. He was primarily a third baseman during his career. His nickname is "The Joker" due to his resemblance to the comic book character in Batman and his ever-present smile, especially during his plate appearances...
) on base. He also went 4-for-4 against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
on July 21. Bako's rookie season was arguably his most successful: he posted a .272 batting average, hit 3 home runs, batted in 30 runs, and collected 106 total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
. After the season, the Tigers traded Bako to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in a seven-player deal that included 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....
.
Bako appeared in 73 games for the 1999 Astros; he got at least one hit in his first six games with Houston after beginning the season in the minor leagues, highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance on April 30, the anniversary of his debut. He added another 4-for-4 game to his résumé on July 29 against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. Bako hit .256 with 2 home runs, 17 RBI, and 16 runs scored in the 1999 season; he was part of Houston's roster for the 1999 National League Division Series
1999 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets:-Game 1, October 5:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaA pitcher's duel between Shane Reynolds and Greg Maddux highlighted Game 1. The Astros struck first in the top of the second when Tony Eusebio singled in Carl Everett. Gerald Williams would tie the game in...
, but did not play. After one game for the Astros in 2000, Houston traded Bako to the Florida Marlins
Florida 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...
. He played his first game for Florida on April 13, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Bako played for the Marlins until July 20, batting .242 with 14 RBI. He was waived on July 21 and claimed by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, who acquired Bako from their division rivals
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
. He batted .190 with the Braves and played in his first career game at first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
in the last two months of the 2000 season.
2001–2004
Javy López
Javier 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 batted .212, amassing the third-highest (20) walk total among Atlanta's bench players and batting in 15 runs. His top performances of the season were a 3-for-4 game against the Montréal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in August and a 2-for-3 night—with 2 walks—in October against Florida. Bako appeared in three games during the 2001 National League Division Series
2001 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Houston vs. Atlanta:The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, despite having the worst record among playoff teams. With that record, 2001 was also the Braves' worst season since 1990, when they had the worst record in baseball...
(NLDS), his first playoff appearances, and three more during the National League Championship Series
2001 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 16, 2001 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, ArizonaThe 2001 NLCS began with an excellent pitching matchup of multiple-Cy Young Award winners Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux. Reggie Sanders plated a run in the first with a single to give Arizona a 1–0 lead. Meanwhile, Johnson...
(NLCS). In Game 3 of the NLDS, Bako went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run in the second inning; he also batted in a third run on a squeeze bunt
Squeeze play (baseball)
In baseball, the squeeze play is a maneuver consisting of a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out at first base, but providing the runner on third base an opportunity to score...
in the fourth.
In a trade of catchers, the Braves acquired Henry Blanco
Henry Blanco
Henry Ramón Blanco is a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He currently plays in Major League Baseball as a catcher and is currently a free agent...
from the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in exchange for Bako and José Cabrera. Bako played in 87 games for the Brewers in 2002, his most extensive playing time since his rookie season; behind him, the team used four additional catchers. Bako batted .235 with four home runs for the season. His top performance of the year was against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in interleague play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
; Bako went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning and a bases-loaded
Bases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
to drive in a third run.
After the 2002 season, Milwaukee traded Bako to the Chicago 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...
, where he spent two complete seasons; 2003 and 2004 were the only consecutive seasons that Bako spent with the same organization. Over his two years, he backed up Damian Miller
Damian Miller
Damian Donald Miller is a former Major League Baseball catcher who last played for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school years:...
and Michael Barrett, and was reunited with former Braves teammate 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 2004. In his first Chicago season, Bako batted .229 with 22 walks and 13 doubles; a 4-for-5 performance in his second game of the year was his best of the season. In that game, he batted three times against the Reds with the bases loaded, notching a triple, two singles and six RBI. Bako batted only .203 for the Cubs in 2004. He hit one home run and eight doubles, displaying his defense with a .989 fielding percentage. His top performance that year was in the second game of a doubleheader against Florida, when he went 3-for-3 and batted in two runs.
2005–2009
As a free agent, Bako signed with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for the 2005 season. He batted .250 for the Dodgers in 13 games with two doubles and four RBI. He backed up both Jason Phillips and Dioner Navarro
Dioner Navarro
Dioner Favian Navarro Vivas is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher, who is a free agent.-New York Yankees:In 2000, Navarro was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent...
in 2005, but underwent season-ending surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in June of that season. The Dodgers granted Bako free agency after the season, and he signed with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas 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...
in December 2005. After beginning the 2006 season in the minor leagues, Bako returned to the majors with the Royals, where he batted .209 backing up John Buck. He played in 60 games with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in 2007, amassing five extra-base hits and batting .205. He tied for the highest total of walks off the Orioles' bench and batted in eight runs for the season.
On February 1, 2008, Bako signed a minor league
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...
contract with an invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with 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....
. At the end of spring training, he was added to the 40-man roster. Though he batted only .217, Bako appeared in a career-high 99 games in 2008, hitting 6 home runs and notching 35 RBI. On January 30, 2009, the Chicago 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...
signed Bako to a one-year contract. However, he was unconditionally released near the end of spring training. On May 18, Bako signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, and was called up from the Reading Phillies
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
to the major league roster on June 9. He became the Phillies' only backup catcher when the Phillies waived "folk hero" Chris Coste
Chris Coste
Christopher Robert Coste is an author and Major League Baseball catcher who is currently a free agent. Coste was on a Major League Baseball team for the first time in his career at age 33...
on July 10; Coste had broken into the big leagues for the first time with Philadelphia at age 33. The next day, Bako came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning against 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...
closer Matt Capps
Matt Capps
Matthew Dicus Capps , is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He is a 2002 graduate of Alexander High School in Douglasville, where he lettered in football, basketball, cross-country and baseball before receiving a scholarship at LSU...
with the score tied, 7–7; the Phillies had been behind by four runs before home runs by Matt Stairs
Matt Stairs
Matthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian professional Major League baseball outfielder, first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone...
and Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
tied the game. With the bases loaded, Bako hit a single through the left side of the infield, driving in the winning run (Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Javier Ibáñez is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.Over his career, Ibáñez, who did not make 500 plate appearances until the age of thirty, has batted .280 with 377 doubles, 252 home runs and 1054 runs batted in over sixteen Major League seasons...
) and sealing the Phillies' fourth consecutive victory in a season-high ten-game winning streak
Winning streak
Winning streak may refer to:*Winning Streak, a long-running Irish television game show**Winning Streak: Dream Ticket, a more modern version*Winning Streak , a 1970s American television game show...
. After the acquisition of starting pitcher Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
, Bako caught all of his first five starts with the Phillies, when Lee posted a 5–0 record and an 0.68 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. Bako said, "With as many strikes as he throws and as many weapons as he has, it's a lot of fun to catch him." Manager Charlie Manuel
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
, however, denied that Bako was scheduled to be Lee's personal catcher, as he had done for Maddux in 2001. "[Bako]'s not his personal catcher… Of course you guys will write whatever you want to write. If you want him to be his personal catcher, go right ahead. But I'll handle it anyway, so it doesn't matter."
As the 2009 season wore on, regular catcher Carlos Ruiz spent some time recuperating from an injury, allowing Bako expanded playing time near the end of the season. From September 18 to September 29, Bako played in all but one of the team's games; his best stretch was from September 24 through September 27, when he went 6-for-13 with 2 RBI over three games. He finished the year with a .224 batting average. After winning the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
for the third consecutive year, the Phillies faced the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
in the National League Division Series
2009 National League Division Series
The National League Division Series consisted of two concurrent best-of-five game series that determined the participating teams in the 2009 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a "wild card" team played in the two series. The NLDS began on Wednesday, October 7 and...
, the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the National League Championship Series
2009 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in the 2009 World Series. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers four...
, and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the World Series
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
; Bako did not appear in any games during the postseason. After the 2009 season, Bako filed for free agency; considered retirement, according to teammate Scott Eyre
Scott Eyre
Scott Alan Eyre is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:Eyre attended the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Idaho and was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 9th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
; and did not play during the 2010 season.
After baseball
, Bako is currently an equipment representative for the Marucci Bat CompanyMarucci Bat Company
Marucci Sports is an American manufacturer of baseball bats based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was founded in 2002 by the Louisiana State University athletic training director Jack Marucci...
, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. He and former Orioles first baseman David Segui
David Segui
David Vincent Segui, is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman. Segui played collegiate baseball for Louisiana Tech University and Kansas City Kansas Community College. During a 15-year baseball career, he played with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Montreal Expos,...
are part-owners of the company.
Personal
Bako lives in his hometown of Lafayette, LouisianaLafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, during the offseason. He has a wife, Laurie, and two children: a son named Will and a daughter, Abbey.