- Dioner Navarro
-
Dioner Navarro 
Free Agent Catcher Born: February 9, 1984
Caracas, VenezuelaBats: Switch Throws: Right MLB debut September 7, 2004 for the New York Yankees Career statistics
(through 2011 season)Batting average .244 Home runs 39 Runs batted in 197 Teams - New York Yankees (2004)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (2005–2006)
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2006–2010)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (2011)
Career highlights and awards Dioner Favian Navarro Vivas (born February 9, 1984) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher, who is a free agent.
Contents
Career
New York Yankees
In 2000, Navarro was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent. In 2003, with the Double-A Trenton Thunder, he hit .341 in 58 games and was selected as the Yankees minor league player of the year and was the top-ranked prospect in the Yankees organization heading into 2004.[1]
Navarro made his Major League debut with the Yankees on September 7, 2004, playing against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays,[2] and played in seven games, batting .429 (3-for-7) with one RBIs and two runs scored.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Before the 2005 season, Navarro was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks with Javier Vázquez and Brad Halsey for Randy Johnson. That same day, the Diamondbacks traded Navarro, Beltrán Pérez, Danny Muegge and William Juarez to the Dodgers for Shawn Green.
In 2006, both Navarro and Russell Martin were invited to spring training to compete for the starting catcher. Both played well, but at the end of the spring Navarro was named the Dodgers' catcher, and Martin was sent to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. However, while Martin thrived in Las Vegas, Navarro played only adequately in Los Angeles, and showed signs of inexperience. On May 5, 2006, Martin was called-up to the Dodgers after a wrist injury landed Navarro on the disabled list. Martin played well after the injury to Navarro, and kept the job as catcher, as Navarro was demoted to the minor leagues.
Tampa Bay Rays
On June 26, 2006, Navarro was traded along with pitcher Jae Seo and outfielder Justin Ruggiano to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for catcher Toby Hall and pitcher Mark Hendrickson. Navarro made his debut as a Ray on June 28, 2006 against the Florida Marlins going hitless with two walks.
In 2007 he batted only .227 and tied for the lead of all major league catchers in errors, with 14.
Navarro was much improved in 2008, after working on his hitting and his strength in the Venezuelan Winter League with Tiburones de La Guaira, leading his team with a .295 batting average and guiding his pitchers to the third-lowest ERA in the majors (3.60) as of July 10.[3] On July 6, it was announced that Navarro was selected to be on the American League squad for the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.
During the 2008 offseason, Navarro went to arbitration with the Rays; he lost and was given $2.1 million dollars.[4]
Of the AL players with at least 350 plate appearances in 2009, only one had a lower OBP, two had a lower AVG, and two had a lower SLG.
Navarro's batting average continued to slide in 2010, resulting in the loss of playing time to John Jaso and Kelly Shoppach. Shortly after the latter returned from injury, Navarro was sent to the Rays' Triple-A team, Durham Bulls, having cleared waivers because of service time.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Navarro signed a one year contract to return to the Dodgers for the 2011 season.[5] He began the season on the disabled list due to an injury suffered in spring training and did not join the Dodgers until April 25. Three times during the season (June 19, July 9, and July 20), he drove in the sole run in a 1-0 victory, which only happened once before (Gary Sheffield in 2001) in Los Angeles Dodger history.[6] Navarro was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on August 23, 2011. In 64 games, he batted .193 with five home runs and 17 runs batted in.[7] He was released on August 30.
Personal life
Navarro was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and married his wife, Sherley, at age 18; they have a son, Dioner Jr. (b. 2005), and she has a son, Gerson, from a previous relationship. They have lived in the Tampa Bay Area during offseasons since he was drafted and first signed by the Yankees, and currently live in Riverview, Florida.[8]
On September 27, 2003, their first wedding anniversary, Sherley suffered a cerebral aneurysm in Tampa. Doctors gave her less than a 5% chance of surviving surgery, and said it was likely she would die on September 30. She survived, and made a full recovery. Navarro has worn the #30 in her honor ever since.[9]
On July 5, 2006, days after his acquisition by the Devil Rays, Navarro's SUV was clipped by another vehicle, causing his SUV to roll over. He and his family escaped serious injury, but the other vehicle fled the scene.[10]
His son, Dioner Jr., was born with multicystic dysplastic kidney. He needed to have one of his kidneys removed in September 2006, and further surgery in 2007.[11]
His mother, who still resides in Venezuela, suffered a cerebral aneurysm in early February 2008. Navarro left the Rays' pre-spring training workouts to be with her and returned when her condition stabilized.[12]
Navarro is an animal lover who has five pets: Lilo (a French bulldog), Crystal (English bulldog), a chameleon called Jeffrey, and two birds that do not have names.[13]
References
- ^ "Dioner Navarro". The Baseball Cube. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/N/dioner-navarro.shtml. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
- ^ Chuck, Bill. 100 random things about the Red Sox, Rays, and Yankees, The Boston Globe. Published April 2, 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
- ^ Pedro Zayas, "Rays' Navarro returns to Bronx an All-Star," ESPN.com, 10 July 2008
- ^ Marlins' Uggla Wins Arbitration Yahoo Sports, February 12, 2009
- ^ http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101214&content_id=16320094&vkey=news_la&c_id=la
- ^ http://www.truebluela.com/2011/7/21/2287770/the-1-0-kings
- ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben. "Dodgers Designate Dioner Navarro For Assignment". MLBTradeRumors.com. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/08/dodgers-designate-dioner-navarro-for-assignment.html. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ Dioner Navarro: Biography and Career Highlights | raysbaseball.com: Players
- ^ http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/30/news_pf/Rays/From_near_tragedy__an.shtml
- ^ ESPN.com - Devil Rays' Navarro sidelined after traffic accident
- ^ Rays: Life keeps piling on Navarro
- ^ Notes: Navarro stronger after turmoil | raysbaseball.com: News
- ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=425900
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
Categories:- Los Angeles Dodgers players
- New York Yankees players
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays players
- Tampa Bay Rays players
- Major League Baseball catchers
- American League All-Stars
- All-Star Futures Game players
- Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
- 1984 births
- Living people
- Gulf Coast Yankees players
- Greensboro Bats players
- Tampa Yankees players
- Trenton Thunder players
- Columbus Clippers players
- Las Vegas 51s players
- People from Caracas
- Vero Beach Devil Rays players
- Durham Bulls players
- Chattanooga Lookouts players
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