Richard Santo Aurilia (born September 2, 1971 in
BrooklynBrooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located southwest of Queens on the western tip of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is an
infielderBaseball teams take turns, one "out" in the field and one "in" at bat. The nine fielding positions are commonly grouped as three outfielders, four infielders, and "the battery"...
in
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
who is currently with the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
. He bats and throws
right-handedRight-handedness is the form of handedness in which one has greater coordination and dexterity in the right hand than in the left hand. Right-handed individuals will perform everyday tasks such as writing, cooking and carrying out one's personal hygiene with the right hand.A variety of studies...
.
The 24th round pick of the
Texas RangersThe Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in Texas, representing the Dallas-Ft.Worth metropolitan area. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Rangers have played in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, located in...
in the
1992 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.-Other notable players:Raul Ibanez, 36th round, Seattle Mariners .-External links:*-References:...
, Aurilia worked in the Rangers minor league system before being traded with
first basemanFirst 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. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
Desi WilsonDesi Bernard Wilson was a first baseman for the San Francisco Giants in the 1996 season. He was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 1991 amateur draft, and traded to the Giants along with Rich Aurilia for pitcher John Burkett....
to the San Francisco Giants for
pitcherIn 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 it or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is...
John BurkettJohn David Burkett is a retired Major League pitcher. He went 166-136 with a 4.31 ERA in 15-year Major League career with the San Francisco Giants, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. His best season came in 1993 when he went 22-7 with a 3.65 ERA for the Giants...
in .
Before being drafted by Texas, Aurilia was a standout at
St. John's UniversitySt. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Vincentian Fathers in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. In 1960, the school was relocated...
, where he represented the Red Storm as an All-Big East selection in .
Aurilia is also a graduate of
Xaverian High SchoolXaverian High School is a private, all-male, college-preparatory school located in Brooklyn, New York The school was founded in 1957 by the Xaverian Brothers. The school is a member of the Catholic High School Athletic Association . Xaverian is governed by a president and board of trustees...
in Brooklyn, New York and University of Texas.
Richard Santo Aurilia (born September 2, 1971 in
BrooklynBrooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located southwest of Queens on the western tip of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is an
infielderBaseball teams take turns, one "out" in the field and one "in" at bat. The nine fielding positions are commonly grouped as three outfielders, four infielders, and "the battery"...
in
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
who is currently with the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
. He bats and throws
right-handedRight-handedness is the form of handedness in which one has greater coordination and dexterity in the right hand than in the left hand. Right-handed individuals will perform everyday tasks such as writing, cooking and carrying out one's personal hygiene with the right hand.A variety of studies...
.
The 24th round pick of the
Texas RangersThe Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in Texas, representing the Dallas-Ft.Worth metropolitan area. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Rangers have played in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, located in...
in the
1992 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.-Other notable players:Raul Ibanez, 36th round, Seattle Mariners .-External links:*-References:...
, Aurilia worked in the Rangers minor league system before being traded with
first basemanFirst 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. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
Desi WilsonDesi Bernard Wilson was a first baseman for the San Francisco Giants in the 1996 season. He was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 1991 amateur draft, and traded to the Giants along with Rich Aurilia for pitcher John Burkett....
to the San Francisco Giants for
pitcherIn 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 it or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is...
John BurkettJohn David Burkett is a retired Major League pitcher. He went 166-136 with a 4.31 ERA in 15-year Major League career with the San Francisco Giants, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. His best season came in 1993 when he went 22-7 with a 3.65 ERA for the Giants...
in .
High school and college
Before being drafted by Texas, Aurilia was a standout at
St. John's UniversitySt. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Vincentian Fathers in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. In 1960, the school was relocated...
, where he represented the Red Storm as an All-Big East selection in .
Aurilia is also a graduate of
Xaverian High SchoolXaverian High School is a private, all-male, college-preparatory school located in Brooklyn, New York The school was founded in 1957 by the Xaverian Brothers. The school is a member of the Catholic High School Athletic Association . Xaverian is governed by a president and board of trustees...
in Brooklyn, New York and University of Texas. He was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame, and his number
2222 is the natural number following 21 and preceding 23.- In mathematics :Twenty-two is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2 and 11....
was retired by local baseball league, Our Lady of Grace.
Major league career
Aurilia made his major league debut on September 6, as a defensive replacement in a game against the
Montréal ExposThe Montreal Expos is the name of a Major League Baseball team that was located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until the end of the 2004 season, when the team was moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals....
. This would begin his long, solid run as the Giants
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...
. On June 14, , during his first stint with the Giants, Aurilia hit the first-ever
grand slamIn the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all the bases occupied by baserunners, thereby scoring four runs - the most possible on a single play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in
interleague playInterleague 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...
at the expense of the
Anaheim Angels'The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The Angels have been based in Angel Stadium of Anaheim since 1966...
Allen WatsonAllen Kenneth Watson is a high school baseball coach and former left-handed starting pitcher in professional baseball. He is a graduate of Christ The King Regional High School in Flushing, New York and attended New York Institute of Technology-Baseball career:Allen Watson was picked by the St...
, a former teammate. The Giants went on to win the game 10-3. would prove to be a banner year for Aurilia as he collected a
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...
best 206
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....
, all leading to a .324
batting averageBatting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. The two statistics are related, in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages....
with 37
home runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring runs for himself and each runner who was already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play...
s, 97
RBIRuns batted in or RBI 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...
, an NL All-Star nod, and a Silver Slugger Award. However, career best 37 home run year in 2001 was overshadowed by
Barry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds. He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007.Bonds has led a controversial...
' record breaking 73 home run season.
From 1999-2001, he led NL shortstops in home runs. Production trailed off in , but Aurilia shined once again in San Francisco's failed 2002 run for a
World SeriesThe World Series has been the annual championship series of the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada since 1903, concluding the postseason of Major League Baseball...
Championship. In 14 postseason games that season, he batted .296, with 5 homers and 14 RBI (an NL record for a shortstop in the postseason). He also was a
Roberto Clemente AwardThe Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It is named for Hall of Fame...
nominee.
After more offensive stagnation in , the Giants severed their nine-year relation with the shortstop, granting him
free agencyIn professional sports, a free agent is a player, whose contract with a team has expired, who's eligible to sign with another franchise. The term came into wide use in North America after sports leagues stopped using a "reserve clause" after much acrimonious collective bargaining, which provided a...
on October 27. Soon after, Aurilia signed on with the
Seattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are an American 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...
to patrol the M's infield. The lifetime
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...
r could not get a grip on
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, that eventually aspired to major league...
pitching, and was dealt to the
San Diego PadresThe 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.The Padres are one of four teams...
. He continued to struggle in spacious
PETCO ParkPetco Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California, USA. It opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. Before then, the Padres shared Qualcomm Stadium with the NFL's San Diego Chargers...
, and was not tendered a contract for .
Needing a veteran infielder, the Reds signed Aurilia to a minor league contract, on January 22, . The versatile infielder played well for the Reds collecting 14 home runs and 68 RBI as Cincinnati's shortstop,
second basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, and
third basemanA third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. The Reds then re-signed him on January 8, .
Aurilia served as an everyday player spending time rotating between shortstop, second base, first base and third base for the Reds in 2006. He finished the year with 23 home runs, 70 RBI, and a batting average of exactly .300—his highest in all three categories since 2001.
In the 2006 offseason, Aurilia signed a two-year, $8 million contract with his old team, the Giants. During the season, he appeared in 99 games (mostly at first base), starting in 81 of them. Aurilia was placed on the 15-day
disabled listIn Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with a neck injury that had been slow to heal, limiting his range of movement and causing headaches. At the time, he was batting only .236 with two home runs. Aurilia returned to the Giants' lineup on July 4, hitting a home run in a 9-5 win over the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the Central Division of the National League....
. He finished the season batting .252 with five home runs, 33 RBI, and a .304 on-base percentage.
On February 9, , Aurilia re-signed with the
San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California who currently play in the National League West Division. One of the oldest baseball teams, the Giants hold the honor of having won the most games of any team in the history of baseball...
to a minor league deal. It was announced on April 4 that Aurilia had made the Giants final roster.
Personal life
Aurilia appeared on the
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
General HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama and is currently credited by the Guiness Book of World Records as being the second longest-running soap opera in production and the second longest running drama in television in production. It premiered on the ABC television network on April...
in 2003. For his non-speaking role as Juror No. 9 in a court room scene, he was accompanied by his wife, Raquel (Juror No. 10).
The Aurilias are very active in the
Make-A-Wish FoundationThe Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.-History:...
. He and Raquel have 2 sons: Chaz Aiden, (born Aug. 18, 2001) and Gavin Shea, (born Oct. 1, 2003).
See also
- List of NL Silver Slugger Winners at Shortstop
- Top 500 home run hitters of all time
External links