Yorvit Torrealba

Yorvit Torrealba
Texas Rangers – No. 8
Catcher
Born: July 19, 1978 (1978-07-19) Caracas, Venezuela
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 5, 2001 for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics (through 2011)
Batting average	.260
Home runs	52
Runs batted in	309
Teams
San Francisco Giants (2001–2005) Seattle Mariners (2005) Colorado Rockies (2006–2009) San Diego Padres (2010) Texas Rangers (2011–present)

Yorvit Adolfo Torrealba ([ʝorˈβit toreˈalβa]; born July 19, 1978, in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers. He previously played for the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. He bats and throws right-handed.

Professional career

San Francisco Giants

Torrealba signed with the San Francisco Giants as a minor league free agent on September 14, 1994. He made his major league debut with the Giants on September 5, 2001 as a September call up. Torrealba became the Giants back up catcher for the 2002 season after a strong spring training. During Torrealba's early career, his defensive abilities were his key strength, particularly his ability to throw out baserunners. He had 136 at-bats in 2001 and 200 in 2002.

Yorvit showed some potential, but when Benito Santiago left via free agency in 2003, the Giants opted to trade for A.J. Pierzynski rather than test Torrealba as a full-time player. He continued to serve as the backup catcher when the Giants signed Mike Matheny prior to the 2005 season; in fact, he played less than when Pierzynski was the starter. Torrealba expressed frustration over his lack of playing time to the media more than once, saying he believed he was capable of playing every day. Manager Felipe Alou publicly discussed the possibility of converting Torrealba into a utility player to get him more playing time, but that never came to pass.

Seattle Mariners

Torrealba was traded, along with pitcher Jesse Foppert, to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Randy Winn at the trading deadline of the 2005 season. The Mariners were in the midst of a 93-loss season and were rebuilding, and Torrealba competed for the opportunity to be Seattle's starting catcher.

Colorado Rockies

After the 2005 season, the Seattle Mariners traded Torrealba to the Colorado Rockies for Marcos Carvajal after signing Kenji Johjima to be their starting catcher. With the Rockies, Torrealba had a chance to be the starting catcher, but lost the job after he was injured prior to the 2006 season, establishing Danny Ardoin as the Rockies starting catcher. Torrealba's injury was a lingering shoulder injury that was caused by overtraining.

Torrealba batting for the Rockies in 2007.

During November 2007, rumors that Torrealba would sign with the Mets intensified. Torrealba and the Mets agreed on a deal for $14.4 million over three years. The deal had seemed to be done, but with the failing of Yorvit's physical he was never sent to New York. Torrealba would later file a grievance against the Mets. On November 29, 2007, he re-signed with the Rockies.

Torrealba began the 2007 season for the Rockies platooning with rookie catcher Chris Iannetta. When Iannetta struggled, Torrealba won the starting job. On May 29, 2007, against the St. Louis Cardinals, Torrealba hit a grand slam, the 3rd of his career. He finished the season with a .255 average and 47 RBIs in 396 at-bats and he threw out only 17 percent of potential base-stealers, down from his success in previous seasons. Torrealba had some big hits for the Rockies during late 2007, when the Rockies won 12 of their last 13 to force a one-game playoff against the San Diego Padres, which the Rockies won. Torrealba homered off Jake Peavy in that game. Torrealba also hit a 3-run home run off of former teammate Liván Hernández in Game 3 of the 2007 National League Championship Series.

Through the 2007 season, Torrealba has posted a .251 batting average with 30 home runs and 173 RBIs in 440 games. As a catcher, he has compiled a .997 fielding average with only seventeen errors in 2587 chances; Torrealba's defense has been above average throughout his career. He has thrown out over 32% of all baserunners attempting to steal. His ability to throw out runners was a career low 19.7% in 2007. Due to his impressive postseason play, Torrealba has recently been dubbed "Mr. Rocktober."

Torrealba has an unusual throwing motion, as he brings his hand to earside and then snaps his arm in a quick motion, although it seems to work for him with his success at throwing out baserunners.

On November 6, 2009, the Rockies decided to go with youngster Chris Iannetta as their primary catcher and declined their 2010 contract option with Torrealba, him making him a free agent.

San Diego Padres

Torrealba during his tenure with the Padres in 2010.

On February 9, 2010, Torrealba and the San Diego Padres signed a one-year contract with a mutual option for a second year. In 2010, he batted .271, and led the league's catchers in fielding percentage, at .996. Following the season, Torrealba declined the option, but was later offered arbitration by the Padres.

Texas Rangers

Torrealba agreed to a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $6.25 million. Torrealba homered in his second game with his new team.

In 2011, he batted .273 with 7 home runs. On defense, he was third in the league in errors by a catcher, with 9.

Personal life

Torrealba's parents gave him his name when they could not decide between Yorman and Victor. They decided to combine the two into "Yorvit". Torrealba's parents still reside in Venezuela.

Torrealba has a son named Yorvit Eduardo. In June 2009, Yorvit Torrealba was unexpectedly placed on the Rockies' restricted list. On June 4, 2009, it was announced that the reason for his absence was that his 11 year old son and "his two uncles" had been kidnapped. The abductors set Yorvit and the other family members free without picking up the $50,000 that had been agreed upon. He then moved his son out of Venezuela to Miami. Yorvit Eduardo tossed the first pitch in the third game of the 2009 National League Division Series against the Phillies.

See also

• List of players from Venezuela in Major League Baseball

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• NLCS NOTEBOOK: Torrealba not Rockies' first choice