Placido Polanco #27

Placido Enrique Polanco...Married Lily Ruiz; one daughter, Aide Rose (June 4, 2000), and one son, Ishmael (Nov. 3, 2003)...1991 graduate of Santa Clara High School (Santo Domingo, DR), where he played baseball and was a two-time MVP in basketball...Played baseball for Miami Dade Community College (FL)...Was active in Cardinals Care, taking part in annual Cardinals Care/RBI golf tournament and visits to Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis...Honored with Stockton/Broeg Award by the St. Louis chapter of the BBWAA for outstanding achievement in both 2000 and 2001...Hosted children from local Little League teams in 2010, providing game tickets and concessions...Donated new sneakers to Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia as part of Phillies shoe drive...Hobby: Golf...Signed by: John DiPuglia.

2012

Recorded 2,000th career hit on May 14 vs. Houston, homering off of David Carpenter...On 15-day disabled list from July 26 (retro to July 23)-Aug. 19 with lower back inflammation...At time of DL placement, was leading MLB third basemen in fielding percentage (.990)...Went back on DL Sept. 7 (retro to Sept. 5) with lower back inflammation and missed remainder of season.

2011

Was elected the starting 3rd baseman for the NL All-Star team; his 2nd All-Star election and 1st at 3rd base...Won his 3rd career Gold Glove and first as a 3rd baseman to become the second player in MLB history to win at multiple positions (Darin Erstad)...For the 2nd straight season, led all ML 3rd basemen in fielding % (.977)...Was T-3rd in the NL in SF (8) and was the 2nd-hardest hitter to strike out (1 SO/11.89 PA)...Finished with the 6th-best AVG vs LHP among NL hitters (.336)...Made his 12th career Opening Day start (5th as a Phillie) and 11th straight (1999, 2001-11)...Batted .398 (41-103) through his first 26 games...Had 8 RBI in the 3-game series vs NYM (4/5-7), which was his highest RBI total in any series of his 14-year career...Set a Phillies record for most hits in April (41; previous: 38, by Chase Utley in April 2008)...Set a career best for RBI in a month (19) in April (previous: 18 RBI in July 2003 and September 2004)...Reached base safely in 26 straight games (.404 OBP), 4/10-5/9...Hit his 100th career HR (3rd career grand slam), 6/11 vs CHI (Carlos Zambrano)...Was on the 15-day DL, 7/15-29 (retroactive to 7/5) with lower back inflammation...Left the game, 8/6 at SF, with hip soreness before eventually being placed on the 15-day DL on 8/17 (retroactive to 8/7) with a sports hernia; activated on 8/22...Had surgery to repair a sports hernia, 10/11 (Dr. William Meyers).

2010

Finished with the fewest errors (5) ever by a Phillie who played at least 120 games at 3rd base (previous record was Mike Schmidt . 6 errors in 124 games in 1986) ... Led all ML 3rd basemen in fielding % (.986) and finished 2nd in NL in DP (32) ... Made a career-high 121 starts at 3rd base and 9 starts at 2nd base ... Had an 85-game errorless streak, 6/4-9/27, including 80 games at 3rd base ... Finished 2nd in the NL in SO/PA (12.81), day avg (.359) and singles (130), T-2nd in 4-hit games (4), T-6th in multi-hit games (51) and SF (8), 8th in road avg (.306) and 9th in avg vs RHP (.305) ... Set a Phillies record for most RBI (6) on Opening Day (career high) and became the first Phillie in history to hit a grand slam on Opening Day (2nd career) ... Had a season-high 12-game hitting streak (6/17-7/20), an 11-game hit streak (7/31-8/12) and a 9-game hit streak (6/4-15) ... Was on the 15-day DL with left elbow inflammation, 6/29 (retroactive to 6/26)-7/16 ... Scored a run in 7 straight games, which tied the team season high, 6/22-7/19 ... Struck out 1 time in his last 18 games (76 AB) and 3 times in his final 25 games (102 AB) ... Had surgery to remove bone fragments and repair the extensor tendon in his left elbow, 10/29 (Dr. Michael Ciccotti)

2009

Won the AL Gold Glove for 2nd basemen and led all AL 2nd basemen in fielding % (.997)...Set career highs in games (153) and RBI (72)...Was the 2nd-hardest batter to strike out in the AL (1 SO/14.7 PA)...Named the best hit-and-run artist and 2nd-best defensive 2nd baseman in the AL by Baseball America...Batted .310 (39-126) with RISP, including .346 (18-52) from 8/3 through the end of the season...Had a 67-game errorless streak, 5/13-8/6, and a 53-game errorless streak, 8/8-10/6

2008

Hit .307 in 141 games for the Tigers during the 2008 season, marking the third time in his four seasons with the club he has hit .300-or-better...Fanned once every 14.6 plate appearances -- hardest batter in the American League to strike out...Topped all league second basemen with 323 putouts...Tabbed the best hit-and-run artist and best defensive second baseman in the American League by Baseball America...Committed his first error at second base since July 1, 2006 at Pittsburgh on April 8 at Boston, snapping a stretch of 186 errorless games and 911 total errorless chances -- both established major league records for a second baseman...Connected for two home runs on April 30 at Yankee Stadium against New York to equal a career high -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first Tigers player with a multiple-home run game at Yankee Stadium since Cecil Fielder on May 9, 1996...equaled the high with two home runs on August 5 at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox...Equaled a career best with five hits on May 7 versus Boston -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first Tigers player with five hits and a walk-off RBI in the same game since Kirk Gibson on May 14, 1982 versus Minnesota...Tied for third in the American League with 10 doubles during May, while he tied for seventh with 35 hits -- hit .330 (35x106) in 27 games during the month...Collected multiple hits in five straight games June 8-12 -- matched his longest such single-season streak, established August 15-20, 2005...Posted a season-best 11-game hitting streak June 8-20, batting .500 (24x48) with nine runs scored, three doubles, a triple, home run and nine RBI -- equaled the high with an 11-game hitting streak July 12-27, batting .333 (17x51) with 13 runs scored, four doubles, a home run and three RBI...Led all American League players with a .386 batting average (39x101) in 24 games during June, while he tied for third with 39 hits...scored 16 runs during the month, while he collected four doubles, a triple, home run and 14 RBI...Batted .317 (33x104) with 20 runs scored, seven doubles, two triples, three home runs and 13 RBI in 25 games during August..Hit .321 (52x162) against lefthanded pitchers -- sixth in the American League with a .321 batting average versus lefties...batted .301 (126x418) with righties on the mound...Batted .315 (91x289) in 68 games on the road...hit .299 (87x291) in 73 games at Comerica Park.

2007

Established career highs with 105 runs scored, 200 hits, 36 doubles and 67 RBI in his third season with Detroit...Third in the American League with a .341 batting average, while he was fifth with 200 hits and 10th with 105 runs scored...Toughest batter to strike out in the American League, fanning once every 21.4 plate appearances...Hit by a pitch 11 times, tied for ninth-most in the league...Elected to start at second base for the American League's all-star squad -- first all-star selection at the major league level...Did not commit an error in his 141 games at second base -- has not committed an error since July 1, 2006 at Pittsburgh, a stretch of 181 games and 888 total chances without an error...established a major league record for a second baseman with the 181 games and 888 total chances without an error...All nine of his home runs during the season came with the bases empty -- according to David Vincent, he established a club record for home runs in a season when all home runs have come with the bases empty (surpassed Johnny Grubb's record of eight home runs in 1984)...Second in the American League with 65 multi-hit games -- most multi-hit games by a Tigers player since at least 1957...Tabbed the best hit-and-run artist and second-best defensive second baseman and rated as possessing the third-best strike-zone judgement in the American League by Baseball America...Collected multiple hits in each of his first six games at Comerica Park April 2-20, batting .500 (15x30) -- first major leaguer to collect multiple hits in each of his first six games at home to begin a season since Chet Lemon of the Chicago White Sox did so April 10-27, 1979...Hit safely in each of his first 13 games at home April 2- May 1, batting .452 (28x62) -- his 13-game hitting streak at home to open a season is the longest by a Tigers player since Alan Trammell also hit safely in his first 13 games at Tiger Stadium April 10-May 1, 1984...Hit .356 (37x104) with 16 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, home run and 12 RBI in 25 games during April -- led the American League with 37 hits during the month, while he was fourth with a .356 batting average...his 37 hits during the month are the most by a Tigers player in April since at least 1957...Established a career high with three doubles on May 18 versus St. Louis...Second in the American League with 27 runs scored during June, while he tied for seventh with eight doubles and tied for ninth with 36 hits -- hit .343 (36x105) in 25 games during the month...Equaled a career high with five hits on July 27 at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...Batted .367 (33x90) in 21 games during July, seventhbest in the American League...scored 16 runs during the month, while collecting seven doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI...Matched a career high with two stolen bases on September 5 versus the Chicago White Sox...Collected a season-high four RBI on September 8 versus Seattle...Tied for fifth in the American League with 36 hits during September -- batted .343 (36x105) with 18 runs scored, six doubles, one home run and 11 RBI in 26 games during the month...Hit .335 (111x331) in 79 games prior to the all-star break -- fourth in the American League with a .335 batting average before the break, while he tied for fifth with 111 hits and tied for sixth with 62 runs scored...batted .348 (89x256) in 63 games following the all-star break -- tied for 10th in the league with 89 hits after the break...Batted .364 (51x140) with runners in scoring position, fourth-best in the American League...Hit .357 (89x249) with runners on base, seventh-best in the league...Batted .345 (153x443) against righthanded pitchers -- third in the league with the .345 batting average, while he was eighth with a .396 on-base percentage...hit .326 (47x144) with lefties on the mound...Third in the league with a .341 batting aveage (95x279) in 68 games on the road...batted .341 (105x308) in 74 games at Comerica Park -- seventh in the league with a .341 batting average at home.

2006

Limited to 110 games in his first full season with the Tigers after suffering a left shoulder separation on August 15...Named the third-best hit-and-run batter in the American League by Baseball America...Collected his 1,000th career hit off Brad Halsey on April 19 at Oakland...Hit safely in 14 of his 15 games July 1-22, batting .338 (22x65) with 10 runs scored, three doubles and eight RBI...Did not commit an error over his final 40 games at second base July 2-October 1...Recorded a hit in seven straight at-bats against Oakland July 21-22...Landed on the disabled list on August 16 with a left shoulder separation -- suffered the injury making a diving catch the previous night in Boston...Reinstated from the disabled list on September 22, he batted .308 (8x26) with a home run and eight RBI over his final seven games...Batted .285 (91x319) in 75 games prior to the all-star break...hit .317 (45x142) in 35 games following the all-star break...Hit .396 (38x96) with runners in scoring position...Collected three hits during both Game Two and Game Four of the American League Championship Series on October 11 and 14, respectively, versus Oakland, matching the club record for hits during a league championship series game...Named the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series...in the four-game series, he batted .529 (9x17) with a double and two RBI.

2005

Opened the season with the Philadelphia Phillies, before joining the Tigers as part of a three-player deal on June 8...named the Tiger of the Year by Detroit's chapter of the BBWAA...Second among all major league players with a .331 batting average between Philadelphia and Detroit...Recorded a 14-game hitting streak May 25-June 15, batting .529 (28x53) with 13 runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI...Collected a season-high four hits for the Phillies on May 28 at Atlanta -- matched the high three times with the Tigers: July 29 at Oakland and September 10-11 versus Kansas City...became the first Tigers player to collect back-to-back four hit-games since Ray Boone did so versus Boston on July 11-12, 1957...Equaled a career best with two home runs on June 4 versus Arizona...Belted a walk-off home run in the 10th inning on June 19 versus San Francisco, a two-run shot off Scott Eyre...Committed his first error of the season on June 24 at Arizona, his first error since August 3, 2004 -- snapped a stretch of 416 total errorless chances...Combined to hit .385 (35x91) in 23 games during June for the Phillies and Tigers -- tied for ninth-best in the majors...Established a career best with five RBI versus the New York Yankees on July 1...Left the game on July 10 at Tampa Bay in the fourth inning with a strained left hamstring tendon -- landed on the disabled list retroactive to July 12 with the injury on July 22...reinstated from the disabled list on July 27...Third in the American League with a .367 batting average (18x49) in 13 games during July...Signed a four-year contract extension on August 2, keeping him in a Tigers uniform through 2009...Batted .324 (36x111) with 18 runs scored, five doubles and 10 RBI in 26 games during August -- tied for fifth in the league with 36 hits during the month. September/October after hitting .330 (36x109) with 18 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple, four home runs and nine RBI -- tied for 11th in the league with 36 hits...In 70 games prior to the all-star break, he hit .319 (84x263)...batted .345 (82x238) in 59 games following the all-star break -- second-best in the American League...Combined to hit .397 (94x237) in 62 games at home -- best among all major league players...batted .273 (72x264) in 67 games on the road...Finished eighth among all major leaguers with a .348 batting average (56x161) against lefthanded pitchers...batted .324 (110x340) with righties on the mound...Hit .380 (38x100) with runners in scoring position and .360 (64x178) with runners on base -- both batting averages were third-best in the majors...Fanned once every 22.04 plate appearances -- best among all major league players...Led all major league second basemen with a combined .995 fielding percentage between Philadelphia and Detroit.

2004

Hit a career-high 17 HR and had 2nd-most career RBI (55), despite missing nearly 1 month due to an injury...His .298 avg was 2nd-best on club and his highest since 2001 with STL (.307)...Led all NL 2nd basemen with .995 fielding %, which broke Manny Trillo's club record for the position (.994 in 1982)...Was 8th-hardest batter to strike out in NL (1 SO/14.2 PA)...Was hit by pitches 12 times, tied for 8th most in NL...Made 105 starts at 2nd base and 11 at 3rd base...As a 3rd baseman, hit .468 (22-47) in 13 games...Hit .290 (18-62) through first 15 games, then hit .140 (7-50) in next 12 games before being placed on 15-day DL with a strained left quadriceps muscle, 5/8...Activated on 6/7...Went 0-for-his-first-22 with RISP; streak was broken with bases-loaded single, 6/9 at CWS...Hit .337 (30-89) with RISP for remainder of season...Had 1 HR through first 124 at-bats of season and 16 through remaining 379 at-bats...From 8/1 through remainder of season, led team in HR (12) and tied for most RBI (37)...Slugged the club's 4th walk-off HR of season, 8/28 vs MIL (9th inning)...Walk-off HR came in 1st game of season-high 11-game hit streak, 8/28-9/10 (.391, 18-46, 4 HR, 9 RBI, .739 SLG)...His 7 HR in August were the most of any month in his career...Followed Jimmy Rollins with back-to-back homers to lead off a game, 9/9 at ATL; 1st back-to-back HR for the team to lead off a game since 4/16/96 at MTL (Lenny Dykstra and Mickey Morandini)...His 15th HR, 9/10 at NYM, tied the club record for HR in a season (186)...Finished season with 9-game hit streak (.447, 17-38, 1 HR, 7 RBI).

2003

Reached career highs in HR (14), RBI (63) walks (42), stolen bases (14) and slugging % (.447); tied his high in runs (87) ... 3rd-hardest batter to strike out in NL (14.6 PA/SO) ... Scored career-high 4 runs, 4/5 vs PIT ... Was hit in the hand by a pitch from Josh Beckett, 4/15 vs FLA, and missed 7 games before being placed on 15-day DL with a spiral fracture of the right ring finger, 4/24, retroactive to 4/16 ... Activated 5/1 ... Was hitting .206 (7-34) with RISP through 5/31 and hit .370 (21-73) for remainder of season ... Began season 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts before being caught, 7/24 at CHI ... Had 1st career multi-steal game (2), 6/22 vs BOS ... Hit .500 (19-38) during season-best 10-game hit streak, 7/3-13 (4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB) ... Tied career high with 4 RBI on back-to-back nights, 7/24-25 at FLA ... Hit .400 (40-100) in 25 July games, 3rd-best avg in NL ... Switched from 2nd base to 3rd base, 8/14, following recall of 2B Chase Utley ... At time of switch, he was ranked 1st among NL 2nd basemen with .992 fielding % (96 G, 4 E) ... Missed 16 games with left quadriceps muscle contusion, 8/31-9/16 ... Had 41 multi-hit games ... Started 99 games at 2B and 21 at 3B ... Rated best to hit and run with by Baseball America.

2002

Began season with STL as Opening Day 3rd baseman . . . Had a 10-game hit streak to start the season, 4/1-13 (.313, 15-48) . . . Hit in a season-best 13 straight games, 6/6-20 (.327, 17-52, 2 HR, 8 RBI) . . . Had 1st career multi-HR game, 6/19 vs ANA (2 HR), tying his career high with 4 RBI . . . Collected career-high 5 hits, 7/7 vs LA . . . Traded to Phillies, 7/29 . . . Had a 10-game hit streak, 8/18-29 (.395, 17-43, 5 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI) . . . Missed 2 games with the flu, 9/8-9 . . . Hit safely in 38 of his 53 games (72%) with Phillies . . . Hit a career-high 9 HR, nearly doubling his previous high of 5 in 2000. . . Finished tied for 3rd in NL in sac hits (13), 7th in avg vs LHP (.338) and was the 5th-hardest batter to strike out (1 SO/14.5 PA). . . For STL, made 78 appearances at 3B, 13 at SS and 6 at 2B; all of his 53 games with the Phillies were at 3rd base . . . Had a .978 fielding % (8 E, 370 TC) at 3rd base, ranking 2nd in the NL, behind only ATL's Vinny Castilla (.982, 6 E, 337 TC).

2001

One of the unsung heroes of the Cardinals' 2001 squad, Placido provided quality play in a variety of roles...Made 132 starts, including 92 at third base, 29 at shortstop, 10 at second base and once at DH...Batted .306 and ranked third on the team with 173 hits...Notched a National League-best 20 three-hit games on the year. Ranked seventh in the N.L. with a .350 batting average vs. LHPs. His average vs. RHPs was .292...Ranked as the sixth-toughest batter to strike out in the N.L., doing so just once every 14.2 plate appearances...Batted .324 at home and .288 on the road...Put together six hitting streaks of six games or more, topped by a career-best 20-game streak (28-for-84; .333), 7/21-8/11. The streak was the third-longest in the N.L. and seventh longest in the majors last season...Batted .340 (32-for-94) in the month June and led the club with a .333 (28-for-84) batting average in July...Started at third base and went 1-for-3 off Mike Hampton on Opening Day (4/2) at COL...Went 3-for-5 as the Cards posted a 9-4 win over Randy Johnson on 4/8 at ARI...Had three hits on 5/4 at ATL and had a fourth hit taken away on a diving catch by SS Rafael Furcal...Hit .457 with seven multiple-hit games during an 11-game hitting streak, 6/15-26...Hit all three of his home runs in July. Each of the three HRs put the Cardinals on the board for the first time, including 7/16 vs. MIN, 7/19 at HOU and 7/27 at CHI...Equaled a career-high with four hits on 7/4 at MIL...Had three hits and the game-winning RBI 7/15 vs. MIN...Ended the year with a 6-for-13 (.462) series vs. HOU, 10/5-7.

2000

Versatile infielder spent his first full season in the Majors and was nearly flawless in whatever he was asked to do... started 65 games, and appeared in 51 games at 2B, 35 at 3B and 29 at SS... established career highs in nearly every offensive catagory including games, at-bats, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBI... his .324 batting average with runners in scoring position was tops on the team (min. 50 at-bats) and he struck out just seven times in 79 at-bats with RISP... hit safely in 22 of 30 starts following the All-Star break. Overall, he batted .318 as a starter... was 4-for-15 (.267) as a pinch-hitter, driving in 6 runs. Struck out just two times in the pinch... matched career high with 4 RBI on 9/23 at CHI, including a 3-run HR (No. 5)... went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI on 9/21 vs. HOU... reached base four times on 9/16 (3-for-4, BB) vs. CHI and scored 3 runs... his RBI single was GWRBI in 9/14 win over the Cubs... popped a 3-run pinch-HR in the 8th on 9/3 vs. NY, giving Cards a 3-1 lead... went 3-for-4 on 8/27 at ATL with RBI doubles in both the 7th and 8th innings... singled, walked and scored game-tying run in the 7th on 9/1 vs. NY... batted leadoff 6/29 at CIN and went 3-4 with a BB, sac. fly, 2 runs and 2 RBI... went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI on 5/21 at PIT... hit his first career grand slam on 4/23 vs. COL for HR No. 3... had a career-best 4 hits on 4/13 at COL, including his 2nd career leadoff HR... paced the Cardinals with a .439 (25-for-57) batting avg. in 25 spring games.

1999

Split the season between St. Louis (88 games) and Triple-A Memphis (29 games)... played three infield positions and batted .277 for the Cardinals... had three stints with the Cardinals. After opening the year with the big league club, was optioned to Memphis on 7/16 and recalled on 8/1. Was optioned for the second time on 8/20 and recalled again on 9/7... hit safely in 35 of his 46 games started (50-for-166, .301), including 10 of his last 11 starts (14-for-39, .359)... batted .346 vs. left-handers and .237 vs. right-handers. Posted a .326 batting average in day games and a .242 mark under the lights... his best month was June, when he batted .365 (19-for-52)... enjoyed the most success vs. DET (.571 in three games), KC (.429 in three games), NY (.333 in four games) and HOU (.321 in 11 games)... was 4-for-13 (.308) with one RBI as a pinch-hitter... started at second base on Opening Day (4-for-5) and went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk vs. MIL... compiled a season-high five-game hitting streak from 6/3 to 6/9. Batted .538 (7-for-13) in the streak, which covered four starts and one pinch-hitting appearance... went 3-for-3 at DET on 6/6... his lone home run of the year was a leadoff shot at ATL off Terry Mullholland on 9/7... posted three hits in a 13-6 win vs. HOU on 9/18.

1998

Split the season between Triple-A Memphis and St. Louis, batting .254 in 45 games with the Cardinals... compiled an 11-game hitting streak 8/25 to 9/6, tying for the second-longest streak on the Club... tied for third on the team with two triples... committed only one error in his first 29 big league games, playing 24 straight errorless games in that span... made his Major League debut on 7/3 at CIN... in his first start, 7/5 at CIN, batted leadoff and went 2-for-4... was the only Cardinal to pinch-hit for Mark McGwire, on 7/20 at SD (a 13-1 Cards win)... hit his first career homer 8/25 against Florida's Rafael Medina.

1997

Ranked second in the farm system with 148 hits and tied for eighth with 71 runs... led Texas League second basemen with a .979 fielding average and 425 assists, and tied for the lead with 110 double-plays at Class AA Arkansas... averaged only one strikeout per 10 at-bats... had errorless streaks of 26 games (4/13 to 5/13) and 29 games (7/2 to 8/4)... in July, played in the Class AA All-Star Game and the Texas League All-Star Game... hit safely in 21 consecutive games 6/4 to 6/22 (29-for-86) and followed that with a 12-game streak 7/10 to 7/22 (18-for-49)... singled twice in an eight-run fifth inning 6/9 vs. Jackson... went 63 at-bats (15-plus games) without striking out, 7/31 to 8/15.

1996

Led the Florida State League with 157 hits while playing in a league-high 137 games... won the league's fielding title at second base (.993 average), making just four errors in 585 total chances... May was a good month on both sides of the ball, as he led the league in hits (43, .352) and did not commit an error... his 35-game errorless streak ended 6/4... had a 13-game hitting streak 4/13 to 4/27 (16-for-58)... his streak of 71 at-bats (18 games) without striking out ended 8/6 vs. Tampa.

1995

Struck out just once every 13.1 plate appearances at Class A Peoria, ranking as the second-toughest hitter to fan in the Midwest League... hit .385 in seven games vs. West Michigan... played in the Winter Instructional League, batting .257 in 23 games.

1994

Assigned to the Arizona League after being selected in the June draft... batted .290 in July... homered and drove in four runs in a 9-7 victory over the A's affiliate on 8/3.