Andy Abad

Infobox MLB player
name = Andy Abad


width = 150
caption =
team = Free Agent
number = --
position = First baseman
birthdate = birth date and age|1972|8|25
birthplace = city-state|West Palm Beach|Florida
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = September 10
debutyear = 2001
debutteam = Oakland Athletics
statyear = August 6, 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .095
stat2label = Runs
stat2value = 1
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 0
teams =
* Kintetsu Buffaloes (by|2000)
* Oakland Athletics (by|2001)
* Boston Red Sox (by|2003)
* Cincinnati Reds (by|2006)
awards =

Fausto Andres "Andy" Abad (born August 25, 1972 in West Palm Beach, Florida) is a professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. Abad is of Cuban descent; his father escaped Cuba during the Fidel Castro revolution. Before being drafted, he graduated from Jupiter High School in Florida, and then attended Middle Georgia College. He resides in Jupiter, Florida.

Minor Leagues, Nippon League

The left-handed hitting and throwing Abad was drafted in the 16th round (443rd overall) in the by|1993 amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox, who assigned him to the Gulf Coast Red Sox of the Gulf Coast League that year.

The next year, in by|1994, Abad advanced to the Single-A Sarasota Red Sox, where he saw some success. His average jumped 40 points to .288. He remained in Sarasota through part of by|1995, where he then advanced to the Double-A Trenton Thunder. His average dropped to .240 while with Trenton that year.

He was sent back down to Single-A Sarasota in by|1996, but he didn't stay there long. After hitting .287 for the Single-A team, he was again called up to Double-A Trenton, where he hit .277 with the Thunder.

In by|1997, Abad only played 45 games, all with Double-A Trenton. He hit .303 that year, the first of multiple .300-plus seasons.

In by|1998, Abad started out with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He hit 16 home runs and stole 10 bases. He finished the season with a .307 average. The next season, he hit 15 home runs and again posted 10 steals. On October 15, 1999, Abad was released from his contract.

Abad went overseas, and played in Japan with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in by|2000. Following the 2000 season, the Oakland Athletics signed him to a contract. He started in their Triple-A club, the Sacramento River Cats. There he had one of the best seasons of his minor league career, hitting .301 with 19 home runs. Abad hit .529 during the 2001 Pacific Coast League playoffs.

After the by|2001 season, Abad granted free agency and later picked up by the Florida Marlins where he spent the by|2002 season with their Triple-A affiliate, the Calgary Cannons.

In by|2003, he signed, again, with Boston. He started out the season with Triple-A Pawtucket, of which he was a former member. While with Pawtucket, he hit .304 with 13 homers and made the International League All-Star team.

Abad was picked up by Pittsburgh in by|2004. Abad hit .292 with 15 homers with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. He was then released, and subsequently signed by the Cleveland Indians. He played the by|2005 season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. During the season, he hit .293 with a career high 20 home runs and was voted the team co-MVP

In the minors in by|2006 with the Triple-A Louisville Bats, he hit .267 with 9 home runs. He was granted free agency and later signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in by|2007 where his was assigned to the Nashville Sounds. With them, he hit .316 in 269 at-bats. Abad became a free agent at the end of the season. He signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Triple-A Mexican League for by|2008. After playing 30 games for the team, he was released in late April.

He has pitched in seven minor league games: one in 1994 and 1996, two in 2002, and one game in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Combined, he has a 3.86 ERA in 10 innings pitched. He has allowed 12 hits and 2 home runs, committed 4 errors, and tossed 4 strikeouts.

Oakland Athletics

Abad made his Major League Baseball debut in mlby|2001 as a pinch hitter for Jeremy Giambi, resulting in a fly-out. This was his only plate appearance of the year.

Boston Red Sox

Abad returned to the big leagues in mlby|2003 for a little more than a week with the Boston Red Sox. Appearing in 9 games (17 at-bats), he hit just .118. He was again granted free agency after the season.

Cincinnati Reds

In mlby|2006, he was on the Cincinnati Reds opening day 25-man roster. In 5 games in the Majors that year, he went 0 for 3, drawing two walks.

External links