Ramón Castro

:"This article is for New York Mets' catcher Ramón Castro. For other people with the same name, see Ramón Castro (disambiguation)"Infobox MLB player


width=200
name=Ramón Castro
position=Catcher
team=New York Mets
number=11
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|3|1
debutdate=August 27
debutyear=1999
debutteam=Florida Marlins
statyear=July 30, 2008
stat1label=Batting Average
stat1value=.235
stat2label=Home Runs
stat2value=48
stat3label=Runs Batted In
stat3value=161
teams=
*Florida Marlins (by|1999–by|2004)
*New York Mets (by|2005–present)

Ramón Abraham Castro (born March 1, 1976 in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the New York Mets.

In by|1994, Castro became the first player out of Puerto Rico to ever be drafted in the first round of the MLB draft. He was selected by the Houston Astros as the 17th overall selection. He was traded to the Florida Marlins in by|1998 for relief pitcher Jay Powell and made his Major League debut against the Houston Astros on April 27, 1999.

Castro is known as a good defensive catcher, but, despite showing occasional home run power, has never displayed sufficient hitting skills to win a job as a starter, along with struggling with injuries throughout his career. He spent by|1999 and by|2000 competing with Mike Redmond for playing time and, when Charles Johnson arrived in Florida, Castro spent by|2001 in the minor leagues. In by|2002, he was back in the Majors but as a third option and, in by|2003, he played behind likely Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez as the Marlins won the 2003 World Series (Castro did not appear in the series). In by|2004, Rodríguez was gone giving Castro his first opportunity as a starter but a .135 batting average and an early-June season-ending injury finished his time in Florida. Paul Lo Duca finished out the Marlins' catching duties for 2004.

The Marlins released Castro in October 2004 and, in November, he was charged for a rape that allegedly occurred in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hotel room on August 28, 2003. On November 29, he pleaded no-contest to reduced misdemeanor indecent assault charges and was sentenced to a year of probation. [http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/7943128]

In December 2004, Castro signed with the New York Mets. In by|2005, he was backup to Mike Piazza, with 41 RBIs in 209 ABs, a career-best .244 batting average, and playing solid defense.

When Piazza became a free agent after the season, it looked like Castro might again get a chance to be a starter, but the Mets traded for Paul Lo Duca who previously had replaced Castro in Florida. Injuries further reduced his role in by|2006, limiting him to 126 ABs.

When Paul Lo Duca left after the 2007 season, many fans called for Castro to start, but the job instead went to newcomer Brian Schneider. It was most likely due to his injury-riddled career, which became evident once more when he strained his hamstring late in spring training that year, missing the beginning of the season.

Castro is married with three children, and resides in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

ee also

*List of players from Puerto Rico in Major League Baseball

External links