Einar Díaz #2

Full name Einar Antonio Diaz...Has two children, Tony and Alexis...Resides in Panama and South Carolina... First name is pronounced aa-NAR...signed with the Indians at the age of 17 in 1990...Attended high school and played amateur baseball in hometown of Chiriqui, Panama...His brother, Lino, is the assistant director, player development - Latin American operations for the Cleveland Indians.

2006

Went 2-for-3 (.677) with the Dodgers and caught just one inning. Acquired for cash considerations from the Indians on Aug. 12. Was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas and injured his hamstring during his first game there on Aug. 14. Was 3-for-7 with two RBI in two games for the 51s before having his contract purchased by Los Angeles on Sept. 1. Made his Dodger debut on Sept. 3 against Colorado, and singled as a pinch-hitter in his only at-bat. Collected his second and final hit of the season on Sept. 16, a pinch-hit single. Played in 65 games for Triple-A Buffalo, batting .218 with three homers and 29 RBIs. Became just the fourth Dodger from Panama, joining Olmedo Saenz, Roberto Kelly and Manuel Barrios.

2005

Spent the season in St. Louis, his 4th team in as many seasons...Was the first Panamanian-born player to see game action in a Cardinals uniform...Spent the 2005 season as the back-up catcher to Yadier Molina and the St. Louis Cardinals...Einar hit .208 (27-130) with 6 2B, 1HR & 17 RBI in 58 games for the National League Central Division champion Cardinals...Compiled a .995 fielding % in 50 games behind the plate for the Cards and made 30 starts (211TC, 1E)...He hit .262 (17-65) with runners on and .306 (11-36) with RISP...Played four innings at 1B on August 28 at Washington, his 2nd time at that position in 2005...Saw first career game action at first base on May 25 vs. PIT...Walked a career-high three times on August 21 vs. SF...Had his season-high 4-game hit streak snapped on August 17 vs. Arizona (4-12, .333)...Batted .269 (7-26) with three RBI in the spring after seeing limited AB's early in camp due to a pulled ribcage muscle.

2004

As Montreal's backup in their final season in Canada, was limited to 55 games and 139 at-bats...The Expos went 15-22 with Diaz as their starting catcher (37GS)...Played 11 games in June, more than April (6) and May (3) combined...Was used more frequently the rest of the season, playing 11 games in July, 10 games in August and 14 games in September/October...Performed better in the season's second half as playing time increased...Hit .197 (13-for-66) with two doubles, one triple and four RBI before the All-Star Break, .247 (18-for-73) with four doubles, a home run and seven RBI after the break...July was his best month of the season, batting .296 (8-for-27) with one double, three RBI and 3RS...Threw out 5 of 27 (19%) runners attempting to steal...With Expos shorthanded due to a rash of injuries, appeared defensively at third base in the 9th inning on 8/26 vs. LA -- did not have a ball hit to him.

2003

Started 95 games behind the plate...tied for the team lead in sacrifices (4) while matching his career-high for home runs (4)...had a .228 average in his first 37 games through May 25...hit .308 (41-133) in his next 38 contests to improve to .271 on July 29...batted just .218 (19-87) in his final 26 games...had 3 hits twice...season-high hitting streak was 8 games, June 25-July 5...matched his career best with 3 RBI on 3 occasions...drove in 31 runs in final 67 games after just 5 in first 34 contests...went 113 games and 353 at-bats between home runs on May 1, 2002 and May 22, 2003 against Tampa Bay...ranked 11th among AL catchers with a .989 (8 E/708 TC) fielding percentage in 101 games...tied for fifth in the league in double plays (9) and tied for third in passed balls (8)...threw out 22 of 71 runners attempting to steal, a 31% success rate that ranked as third best among AL catchers (70 or more attempts)...in career has tossed out 160 of 492 (32.5%) attempted base stealers...tied for third on club in hit by pitch (10)...threw out Eric Owens at second base to end game on April 15 vs. Anaheim...had game-winning single in bottom of ninth inning, August 31 against Minnesota...started just 5 of the season's last 23 games beginning September 3.

2002

Started 69 games at catcher as Sandy Alomar's backup, including 20 of Bartolo Colon's 30 starts...threw out 17 of 51 (33.3%) attempted base stealers and fielded .994...had career best 5 hits on May 5 at Toronto.

2001

In first season as regular catcher, made 126 starts behind the plate and appeared in 134 games, most for a Cleveland backstop since Dave Duncan (136) in 1974...tied for third in AL in hit by pitch (16) and shared team lead in doubles (34), most among major league catchers...batting .305 through August 9 before having a .212 average in final 43 games...his .338 (52-154) average after the sixth inning was fifth highest in the AL...had AL's third best fielding percentage among catchers at .992 and set a team record for total chances (1060)...threw out 46 of 130 runners trying to steal, a 35.4% success rate that was the league's best among catchers with at least 64 attempts...tossed out 12 of 23 runners (52.1%) from June 25-July 28...started all 5 games of Division Series vs. Seattle with .313 (5-16) average.

2000

Performed admirably in another season as Sandy Alomar's back-up in 2000, making 69 starts at catcher for the Indians, who were 37-32 (.536) in his starts...Tossed out 17 of the 51 (33.3%) runners attempting to steal off him this year, including 8 of his last 13 (61.5%) on the year...The 33.3% would have ranked 2nd among AL catchers had he played in enough games... In his major league career he has thrown out 61 of 178 (34.3%).

Made just 27 starts in the second half, going 26-98 (.265)...Altogether he appeared in 74 games at catcher for the Indians in 2000 and compiled a fielding % of .994 (631TC, 4E)... The .994 fielding % would have ranked T1st among AL catchers had he played in enough games...Made just 1 error in 31 second half games...Started 15 straight games in Alomar's absence from April 19-May 7.

Collected a career-high 5 hits on May 5 at Toronto, going 5-5 w/3 2B, 2RS and 2 RBI...Over his last 31 games on the year he hit .223 (29-130) w/10 RBI and he hit 1 homer after May 28 on August 6 vs. Anaheim...Einar caught 20 of Bartolo Colon's 30 starts...Colon's ERA with Diaz catching was 3.34 (132.0IP, 102H, 49ER)...Made his first major league appearance at third base on August 24 vs. Oakland in the 7th inning of an 11-7 Oakland win...Did not record a chance.

Overall in 2000, Indians pitchers recorded an ERA of 4.34 (624.2IP, 589H, 301ER) while Einar was behind the plate compared to an ERA of 5.22 (817.2IP, 922H, 474ER) when Sandy Alomar was behind the dish.

1999

Rookie catcher spent his first full season at the big league level and did an outstanding job in relief of an injured Sandy Alomar, who missed nearly four months of action due to left knee surgery...Was pressed into full-time duty from 5/11-9/6 when Alomar was placed on the disabled list after surgery...Overall on the year he made 108 starts at catcher for the Tribe, with the Indians compiling a mark of 63-45 (.583) in his 108 starts...Overall in the starts he hit .286 (110-385) with 18 2B, 3 HR and 29 RBI...Overall on the year he appeared in 119 games at catcher with a .988 fielding % (842TC, 10E), the 12th best mark among league catchers...The rookie catcher's 110 hits finished 7th among AL rookies and led all rookie catchers and his efforts earned him a spot on the Baseball Digest Major League Rookie All Star Team...Compiled a career-best 9 game hitting streak from 9/8-25...On the year he threw out 36 of 104 runners attempting to steal off him (34.6%), the 5th best mark among AL catchers...He started off the year 1 for 14 in throwing out runners and tossed out 35 of his last 90 would-be basestealers (38.9%)...Over his last 24 games on the season, he hit .345 (29-84) with 6 2B, 1 HR and 3 RBI...Became the first Indians catcher since Andy Allanson (10SB) in 1986 to steal 10 or more bases in a single-season...Was 0 for 1 in two late-inning stints in the Division Series games vs. Boston in relief of Sandy Alomar...Is 0 for 5 in six career post-season games.

1998

Began the season at AAA Buffalo after being designated for assignment at the end of spring training (on 3/29) and outrighted to Buffalo on 4/7 after clearing waivers...Spent most of the season with the Bisons, hitting a career-high .313 (130-415) with 21 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR and 63 RBI in 115 games for Buffalo...Hit a team-best .382 (42-110) with runners in scoring position with 3 HR and 56 RBI...The .313 average led all International League catchers and earned him a spot on the IL Post-Season All-Star Team...The .313 average was the 8th highest mark in the IL...Threw out 37.2% (42-113) of the baserunners attempting to steal off him at Buffalo in 113 games at catcher (.986 fldg %, 873TC, 12E)....In his minor league career he has now thrown out 39.8% (255- 641) of the runners attempting to steal off him...Had his contract purchased from Buffalo by the Indians on 8/31...Made 14 starts for the Tribe after 8/31, hitting .222 (10-45) in those starts w/2 HR and 9 RBI, including a career-high 3 hits in his '98 debut on 8/31 vs. Anaheim...Hit his first major league home run on 9/9 at Toronto, a 2-run shot off Woody Williams...Hit his 2nd HR off Pat Rapp and drove in a career-best 3-runs on Sept. 20 vs. Kansas City...Was 0 for 4 in 4 post-season games, starting game 5 of the ALCS vs. New York in place of an injured Sandy Alomar (lower back).

1997

Spent the entire regular season at AAA Buffalo before a September promotion to the big league level...Appeared in 105 games at catcher and 3 games at third base...He hit .214 (6-28) with 2 RBI in 8 games in the American Association playoffs for the A.A. Champion Bisons...Was recalled to Cleveland on 9/12 after the conclusion of the A.A. playoffs...Appeared in 5 games and made his first and only start at the major league level vs. Minnesota on 9/27 (Night)...Collected his first major league hit and RBI at Kansas City on 9/19 (G1)...Hit RBI double and scored in the 8th inning off Tim Belcher.

1996

Spent most of the regular season with the AA Canton-Akron Indians before making his major league debut with the Tribe after a September call-up...Appeared in 103 games at catcher and made 3 appearances at third base for the Little Indians...Threw out 44 of 128 (34%) baserunners attempting to steal on the season...Also struck out only 22 times in 417 plate appearances...His ratio of 1 strikeout every 18.95 PA was the best among Eastern League batters...Was recalled from AA Canton-Akron to the big leagues on 9/1 when rosters were expanded after the post-season roster deadline...Made major league debut as a defensive replacement for Tony Pena on 9/9 vs. California...Caught Jose Mesa in the 9th inning of a 4-3 win...First major league plate appearance came in the last game of the regular season on 9/29 at Kansas City...Lined out to 3rd off Hipolito Pichardo in his only ML at bat.

1995

Led all Carolina League catchers with a .992 fielding percentage at Kinston. Threw out 47.5 percent of potential base-stealers.

1994

Posted break-out season: Hit .279 with 16 HR and 71 RBI in 121 G. Named to South Atlantic League All-Star Team. Named Best Defensive Catcher and 7th-best prospect in his league by Baseball America.

1993

Moved to C after playing 3B for his first 2 seasons in Cleveland's system. Turned out to be a permanent position switch.