Tony Blanco
Encyclopedia
Tony Hemiphere Blanco is a professional baseball
player (mainly playing as first baseman
, third baseman
and outfielder
), He last played in Major League Baseball
for the Washington Nationals
. During , his rookie season, he hit
.177 with one home run
and seven RBI
.
Blanco began his career in the farm system of the Boston Red Sox
as third base. In , he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
. As a top prospect in the Reds organization in , Blanco made a name for himself while playing for the Potomac Cannons of the Carolina League
. Blanco was picked up by the Nationals as a Rule 5 Draft
choice in 2005 and started the year playing for the Potomac Nationals. Blanco was invited to spring training
for the big league club and quickly made it to the roster early in 2005, playing in 56 games. He has not played in the majors since then.
In , Blanco played for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers
in the Colorado Rockies
organization batting .323 with 23 home runs and 88 RBI. After the 2008 season, Blanco played in the Dominican Winter League for the Estrellas Orientales
. He was acquired by the Chunichi Dragons, which released their cleanup hitter Tyrone Woods
due to his high wage, shortly after that.
His first year in NPB was very successful, and became known especially for his power. Including a grounded home run in Nagoya Dome
(first in dome history), light unit above the advertisement board in Tokyo Dome
, also the top-level stand in Nagoya and Osaka Dome. He finished his first season with an impressive 39 HR and 110 RBI, both leading in Central League, along with a .275 batting average. Other than the HR and RBI award, he was also rewarded as Central League Performance Award in Interleague game (11 HR and 24 RBI) and won the Home Run Derby before the All-star game (which he was also playing as Central League first baseman).
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player (mainly playing as first baseman
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...
, third baseman
Third baseman
A 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...
and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
), He last played 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...
for the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. During , his rookie season, he hit
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 :...
.177 with one 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...
and seven RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
Blanco began his career in the farm system of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
as third base. In , he was traded to 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....
. As a top prospect in the Reds organization in , Blanco made a name for himself while playing for the Potomac Cannons of 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...
. Blanco was picked up by the Nationals as a Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
choice in 2005 and started the year playing for the Potomac Nationals. Blanco was invited 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...
for the big league club and quickly made it to the roster early in 2005, playing in 56 games. He has not played in the majors since then.
In , Blanco played for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
in 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...
organization batting .323 with 23 home runs and 88 RBI. After the 2008 season, Blanco played in the Dominican Winter League for the Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1954 and 1968.-Retired numbers:-Trivia:...
. He was acquired by the Chunichi Dragons, which released their cleanup hitter Tyrone Woods
Tyrone Woods
Tyrone Woods is a Nippon Professional Baseball first baseman who is currently a free agent. He was the 5th pick of the Montreal Expos in the MLB draft as a high school third baseman. His debut year showed no indication of the heights he would reach as a pro player...
due to his high wage, shortly after that.
His first year in NPB was very successful, and became known especially for his power. Including a grounded home run in Nagoya Dome
Nagoya Dome
Nagoya Dome , constructed in 1997, is a baseball field, located in the city of Nagoya, Japan. The dome has the capacity to seat up to 38,414 people . It is an example of a geodesic dome....
(first in dome history), light unit above the advertisement board in Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
, also the top-level stand in Nagoya and Osaka Dome. He finished his first season with an impressive 39 HR and 110 RBI, both leading in Central League, along with a .275 batting average. Other than the HR and RBI award, he was also rewarded as Central League Performance Award in Interleague game (11 HR and 24 RBI) and won the Home Run Derby before the All-star game (which he was also playing as Central League first baseman).