The Eastern Stars - Mark Kurlansky [114]
Alfonso Pacheco Soriano was born on January 7, 1976, in Quisqueya. He debuted in the major leagues on September 14, 1999, for the New York Yankees and played with them until 2004. He started as a second baseman and then became an outfielder. While playing for the Yankees in 2002 he had a .300 batting average. He was then traded to the Texas Rangers on February 16, 2004; he played for them from 2004 to 2006. On December 8, 2005, he was traded to the Washington Nationals and played for them in the 2006 season. On November 20, 2006, he started playing for the Chicago Cubs. He broke the world record of 40-40 by stealing more than 40 bases and hitting more than 40 doubles, and he is the first major-league player to reach 40-40-40, or 40 stolen bases, 40 home runs, and 40 doubles. Consistently a productive hitter, by the end of the 2008 season he had hit 309 doubles and 270 home runs, and had 705 RBIs. He had also stolen 248 bases.
2000
Lorenzo Barceló
Lorenzo Barceló was born on August 10, 1977, in Miramar. He was a right-handed pitcher signed by the Chicago White Sox, for whom he played his entire three-season major-league career. He debuted on July 22, 2000, and played his final game on April 19, 2002. His career ERA was 4.50.
Carlos Casimiro
Carlos Casimiro was born on November 8, 1976, in San Pedro de Macorís. The Baltimore Orioles signed him on April 15, 1994. He debuted in the major leagues on July 31, 2000, playing for the Orioles as a designated hitter, and played his final game on August 1, 2000. Used only as a designated hitter, Casimiro was released by the Orioles on November 1, 2000.
Lesli Brea
Lesli Brea was born on October 12, 1973, in Barrio Villa Providencia. He was a right-handed pitcher signed by the Seattle Mariners on January 20, 1996, but he debuted in the major leagues on August 13, 2000, for the Baltimore Orioles. He played two seasons for the Orioles and his final game, on June 16, 2001, was for them as well. His brief career saw the extremely poor ERA of 12.27.
Elvis Peña
Elvis Peña was born on August 15, 1974, in San Pedro de Macorís. He played shortstop and second base and was signed by the Colorado Rockies on June 22, 1993. He debuted in the major leagues on September 2, 2000, for the Rockies and played his final game on October 7, 2001, for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2000 he had a .333 batting average.
Luis Saturria
Luis Saturria was born on July 21, 1976, in San Pedro de Macorís. An outfielder, he debuted in the major leagues on September 11, 2000, for the St. Louis Cardinals and played his final game on October 5, 2001, also for the Cardinals.
2001
Victor Santos
Victor Irving Santos was born on October 2, 1976, in Barrio Restauración. A right-handed pitcher, he was signed by the Tigers on June 11, 1995. He debuted in the major leagues on April 9, 2001, for the Detroit Tigers. He did not give up one earned run in his first 27.1 innings—an ERA of 0.00. On March 25, 2002, the Tigers traded him to the Colorado Rockies. The Texas Rangers signed him as a free agent on November 17, 2002, the Milwaukee Brewers signed him as a free agent on December 2 2003, and the Kansas City Royals signed him as a free agent on November 18, 2005. In 2006 he started playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cincinnati Reds signed him as a free agent on January 8, 2007, and then sold him to the Baltimore Orioles on September 7. The San Francisco Giants signed him as a free agent on January 11, 2008. In 2002 he had a .500 batting average. At the end of the 2008 season he had a career ERA of 5.21.
Jesús Colome
Jesús de la Cruz Colome was born on December 23, 1977, in Barrio Azul. A right-handed pitcher, he was signed by the Oakland Athletics on September 29, 1996. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 28, 2000. He debuted in the major leagues on June 21, 2001, for the Devil Rays. The New York Yankees signed him as a free agent on April 15, 2006, and the Washington Nationals signed him as a free agent on November 8, 2006. At the end of the 2008 season he had a major-league