baseball born january professional baseball catcher mlb nicknames include bad grew david panama resolved play major_league_baseball father grandmother died weeks seven years old way phillies farm system playing level finally making debut phillies fulfilling childhood dream battled progression system including feeling position change language barrier spoke spanish teammates team officials spoke english spent season major leagues remained strong postseason performance including walk hit phillies playoff run concluded victory world series earned nickname october despite players team subsequently called heart soul phillies serves constant source encouragement alike teammates following seasons core group players led phillies consecutive playoff appearances best season holding batting average earning appearance finishing voting began season game suspension subsequently spent time disabled list ultimately playing fewer games time mlb career player national_league catch hitters major_league_baseball early life grew david panama oldest sons father police officer mother elementary school teacher seven years old father patrolling police tire blew causing vehicle flip throwing ditch crushing fell weeks grandmother died cancer result new father starting work shortly coffee farm supplement family income age earning day promised widowed mother major_league_baseball support family subsequently began attending college earn degree physical education dropped shortly began attend phillies baseball academy upbringing contributed approach game mother insisted academically allow play baseball school baseball love responsible organizing community games natural leadership skills flourished boy chosen play instead toy cars neighborhood organize baseball games brought balls bats picked teams ordered positions acute understanding game lead playing catcher eventually suited perfectly professional career minor leagues followed dream playing professional baseball attending dominican_republic played catcher time moving initial position second base ready quit looked felt like year old tall athletic prospects surrounding uncle convinced phone conversation stick phillies signed amateur free agent december professional debut team compiled batting average home runs runs batted rbis games prior season met phillies minor league catching coordinator served mentor sought learn spanish sought learn english helped mold eventual prospect ultimately starting catcher came america progressing play hitting games earned promotion playing class performance similar quality seasons promoted class advanced played parts seasons struggled plate compiling batting average games hit games year earned promotion spent entire season double reading phillies posting batting average hitting home runs second addition strong offensive numbers threw attempted base field gained original form nickname quiet individual frequently word equivalent bomb panama breath teammate began address later shortened nickname usage strong performance earned promotion played triple posted better batting average fewer home runs reading home runs rbis games season played native panama world baseball classic final season minor leagues games hit home runs rbis earning international_league star accolades moved forth triple major league phillies year long making mlb debut philadelphia_phillies present brought major league level phillies starting catcher went disabled list debuted returned sent minors went june phillies recalling recalled july hit major league home run pitcher optioned minor leagues recall august essentially september overall big league club hit home runs rbis permanently joined phillies roster opening day seasons minor leagues ultimately grabbed hold job starting catcher let phillies signed season concerns ability catch hit generally hold season major league level seasons longer minor leagues season confidence earned trust phillies pitching staff including veteran commented real body language confident going june stole home end double steal home win cincinnati_reds steal home eventually played games season phillies regular starting catcher committed errors tied second best mlb games played multi hit games hit home runs rbis batting average conclusion season named star rookie team entered season focused predominantly defense specifically helping pitcher pitcher performance pitcher succeed fail starts pitching hitting nice working pitcher job want feel like person struggled hit consistently season specifically half beginning year july hit home runs rbis pitching staff pitchers era throwing catcher era best catcher national_league vote confidence manager secure position late july multi hit game new_york_mets helped break slump ultimately regular season hit home runs rbis despite struggles plate regular season integral phillies postseason success phillies clinched commented glory winning crucial baseball game clinched series witnessed growing panama television happened noting moment culminated hard work years subsequently game world series tapped ground ball base line walk infield single mlb history noted heard cheering knew okay win phillies eventually won world series time games began october ended october suspended way rain performance playoffs earned nickname october spanish initially elected play world baseball classic receiving president panama agreed play team early season suffered muscle strain right oblique lost playing time disabled list early season debate phillies starting catcher summarized debate ultimately endorsed wrote established superior hitter solely expect draw walks yes superior stats major couple exceptions fared high minors sic years younger relatively impressive high minors ultimately regular starter finished season hot streak games hit doubles home run rbis base percentage late september missed week games left wrist despite missed time started games set career highs home runs base balls posting batting average rbis walked times struck rare feat modern major league hitters postseason led team batting average recorded having reached base phillies games usage nickname wrote hitter hits like regular season turns come autumn season filled moments catcher perfect game florida hitter cincinnati_reds game october time catcher caught hitters season hit walk home run second career lead phillies spent time late june early july concussion according manager returned efficient swing allowed hit better power pitchers led team batting average base percentage statistics led national_league received votes valuable player postseason perform past years games hit home runs rbis fans voted factor player year mlb year baseball awards received called rock plate presented replica young award returned phillies season everyday starting catcher started games phillies won winning percentage spent time lower phillies final games posted batting average overall finished best catcher era major leagues batting average home runs rbis batting average second team trailing began season strongly season bright spot disappointing team june led average contributed stellar half season earned placement team reserve analysts including espn felt numbers starting nod ultimately went fan voting shortly announcement star piece entitled evolution summarized career major prospect reserve catcher starting catcher order hitter middle order hitter time career star star break spent month disabled list statistical totals time injury best national_league led doubles route posting batting average home runs rbis career highs finished 28th mvp voting consecutive season received votes november suspended games pay mlb testing positive called suspension effective start season drug prescribed treating described central nervous system increase attention span decrease season debut april new_york_mets field placed grade strained came hit game tied career high los_angeles_dodgers august hit final months season past performance season compiled batting average home runs rbis games lowest major league total season free agent signed november year contract worth plus club option fourth season giving phillies option bring fourth season discretion writer suggested year thought phillies turned subsequent offseason season received exemption mlb use exemption given percent mlb players despite percent american population diagnosed condition slow start earned player week accolades late april hit phillies road trip sustained concussion june forced disabled list began rehabilitation assignment july september plate combined hitter thrown cole victory atlanta braves hitter caught career ties second major_league history caught played games batting home runs rbi overall fine season shouldn lost amid october underwent minor shoulder surgery increasing age wear catching places body phillies reduced workload spring training hoping fresh regular season regardless insisted catching pitchers bullpen sessions develop feel pitcher july catcher national_league second catcher major_league_baseball history catch hitters teammate cole hit chicago_cubs overall lost starting job significant declines aspects game particularly previously excelled including framing pitches ranked worst league mental aspect game errors player profile batting developed order hitter patient hitter inclined work count finally hitter solid gap gap power strong plate discipline helps draw walks avoid strikeouts walks strikeouts course career rarity modern era baseball career progressed hit middle lineup taken aggressive approach plate consequently struck home run totals increased versatility production plate encouraged manager utilize spots ranging second seventh batting order prime career best hitting mlb entering stolen bases seasons particularly fast initially caused conversion catcher won catching catching seeks day pitcher takes successes failures personally refusing blame pitchers accepts equal responsibility phillies pitchers trust ability games ability improvement coincided increased proficiency english cole attributes prowess calling games preparation commenting think aware hitter trying count gives good target like understands thinking speaking saying catcher help makes job easier realizes importance role phillies opining catcher job bring energy happiness game good throwing arm improved years course career thrown attempted base exactly average percentage hitters thrown playing style sports_illustrated piece featuring published july role heart soul team silent consensus teammates words closer heart soul team player runaway winner team poll asking phillies batman choose robin proving effect extends far superhero pitching staff player circulated asking families hearts minds bodies felt man went player game start exchange new touch yesterday low today fist pounds hearts tomorrow hard chest protector tore team leaders kept tight taking charge forever asking questions called endearing player sold crowds night average season crossing cultural moat hispanic players game attends uniform guards chest protector mask yes cup fans feel like little secret little golden favorite phillies fans crossed cultural moat hispanic players fan base teammates games teammates help team loose relaxed role leader overall man refuses conceal emotions positive negative serves constant source encouragement alike teammates
Carlos Ruiz (baseball)