Ramon Castro #11

Married Brenda...has four children: Nathalie, Mairym, Miosotys and Garlyn...attended Vega Baja (P.R.) High School...became the first player from Puerto Rico ever selected in the first round of the amateur draft when Houston selected him with the 17th pick overall in 1994.

2011

Was limited to just 23 games after suffering a broken right hand on 7/9 vs. Minnesota, his fewest games played since 2001 (7)...was placed on the 15-day disabled list on 7/10 with a broken right hand and index finger and missed the remainder of the season...underwent season-ending surgery on 7/14 at Rush University Medical Center (performed by Dr. Mark Cohen and Dr. John fernandez)...hit .235 (16-23) with three doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI...seven of his 16 hits went for extra bases...Chicago went 9-11 in his 20 starts at catcher...pitchers owned a 4.34 ERA (84 ER/174.1 Ip) when he was behind the plate...threw out 11.1 (2-18) percent of attempted baserunners...batted .289 (13-45) with three homers vs. left-handers and .130 (3-23) vs. righties...all four of his home runs came after the third inning and three were solo shots...was 9-24 (.375) with two outs and 2-6 (.333) with runners in scoring position...hit .385 (5-13) vs. the American League Central, compared to .200 (11-55) against the rest of baseball...two of his homers came off Kansas City's Jeff francis (4/6 at Kauffman Stadium and 7/4 at U.S. Cellular field)...drew two walks in his first 15 games (46 plate appearances), compared to five in his last eight (29 pA)...reached base safely in eight of his last nine games, going 8-28 (.286) before the injury.

2010

Appeared in 37 games in his first full season with the White Sox, hitting .278 (32-115) with eight home runs and 21 RBI...37 games played were his fewest since 2006 (40) with New York-NL...10 of his 32 hits went for extra bases...eight home runs tied for the second-most in his career (also 2005)...averaged one home run per 14.4 at-bats, his best ratio since 2007 (13.1)...Chicago went 17-14 in his 31 starts at catcher...Sox pitchers compiled a 4.48 ERA (139 ER/279.0 IC) when behind the plate...hit .302 (16-53) at U.S. Cellular Field, compared to .258 (16-62) on the road ... batted .333 (19-57) with runners on base and a career-high .333 (11-33) with runners in scoring position...six of his eight home runs came after the All-Star Break...began the season on the disabled list with a bruised right heel...was recalled from his four-game rehab assignment at Class AAA Charlotte on 5/3 and reinstated from the 15-day disabled list...homered and collected a season-high four RBI on 6/9 vs. Detroit...picked up his second career stolen base on 6/20 at Washington...registered his second career multihomer game on 7/29 vs. Seattle and matched his career best with three hits (eighth time)...recorded a career-high, seven-game hitting streak from 8/3-2-28, hitting .323 (10-31) with two home runs and five RBI.

2009

Combined to hit .219 (34-155) with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 57 games between New York-NL and the White Sox...the 57 games were his most since 2005 (99 with Mets), and 36 came before the All-Star Break...was acquired from the Mets, along with cash considerations, on 5/29 in exchange for pitcher Lance Broadway...hit .253 (20-79) with three homers and 13 RBI in 26 games with the Mets and .184 (14-76) with four homers and 12 RBI in 31 games with Chicago...compiled a 4.41 ERA (197 ER/401.2 IC) when behind the plate, including a 4.57 ERA (112 ER/220.2 IC) while with the White Sox...threw out 9-40 (22.5 percent) attempted basestealers...hit .226 (33-146) as a starter and went 0-4 as a pinch hitter...appeared in 26 games (21 starts) with the Mets...made his White Sox debut on 6/3 vs. Oakland...went 2-3 with a solo home run on 6/13 at Milwaukee, his first two hits in the American League...caught Mark Buehrle's perfect game on 7/23 vs. Tampa Bay ...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first perfect game in major-league history to feature a battery that was working together for the first time.

2008

Appeared in 52 games (40 starts) with the New York Mets, hitting .245 (35-143) with seven home runs and 24 RBI...threw out 22.0 percent (5-23) of attempted baserunners...began the season on the disabled list with a strained hamstring (3/30-5/6)...went 7-20 (.350) with two home runs and fi ve RBI in seven rehabilitation games with Class A St. Lucie from 4/28-5/6...made his season debut on 5/10 vs. Cincinnati...matched his career high with three hits on 5/24 at Colorado (sixth time)...also was on the disabled list from 8/27-9/11 with a strained right quadriceps.

2007

Extended his career-high with his 11th home run on September 29th off Florida's Mauro Zarate...His previous career-best was eight home runs set in 2005...Saw his first action since August 12th on September 17th at Washington...Activated from the DL on September 15th...Placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on August 18th, retroactive to August 13th, with lower back arthritis...Left the August 12th game vs. Florida with lower back discomfort...Hit .293 (17-58) at Shea...Batted .390 (16-41) in night games...Had a .410 (16-39) batting average with three home runs and nine RBI during July...Was 29-90 (.322) with 18 runs, six doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI in his last 28 games with an at-bat...Had at least one RBI in 13 of his last 22 starts (21 total)...Had 11 home runs and 29 RBI in his 35 starts...Had five home runs and 10 RBI in his last 13 contests with an at-bat...Tied his career-high with three hits, July 5th at Houston...It was his fifth career three-hit game...Threw out three of 30 base runners (10 percent).

2006

Castro's season hit a major speed bump when, after spending close to three weeks on the DL because of a sore left ribcage, he suffered a Grade 1 strain and a torn medial meniscus of his left knee warming up prior to a rehab game with the Brooklyn Cyclones on Aug. 21. It appeared that Castro would be down for the year, but he recovered in time to be placed on the postseason roster. Castro batted .423 with three doubles, a home run and three RBIs during a career-high six-game hitting streak from April 13-30.

2005

Appeared in 99 games, collecting 26 runs, 51 hits, 16 doubles, eight home runs and 41 RBI, all career highs...Finished the season with a .290 (9-31) batting average vs. lefthanded pitchers...With runners in scoring position, he batted .303 (20-66) with two home runs and 34 RBI...In his last 22 starts of the year, he scored 10 runs, seven doubles, three home runs, 11 walks and 15 RBI...Cracked his career-high eighth home run of the season on September 22nd vs. Florida (off Dontrelle Willis)...Registered his career-high seventh home run of the year on August 31st vs. Philadelphia (off Brett Myers)...Blasted a three-run home run (off Ugueth Urbina) in the bottom of the eighth inning on August 30th to lift the Mets to a 6-4 triumph over Philadelphia...Collected a career-best five RBI, August 23rd at Arizona...Previously had seven games with three RBI...Placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on May 15th with a strained right quadriceps...Was reinstated on June 2nd...Laced a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to drive in Victor Diaz and give the Mets a 4-3 win over the Marlins on April 16th...Stole his first major league base, April 10th at Atlanta...Had 15, two-hit games...Recorded 10 multi-RBI games: five, two-RBI games; four, three-RBI contests and one, five-RBI game...Threw out 11 of 35 runners (31 percent) attempting to steal, the fifth best percentage in the National League...Hit .167 (12-72) with six runs, five doubles, one home run and five RBI in 24 games for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

2004

His season ended on June 1st because of an injury to his right big toe...Had surgery on August 12th to repair a tendon in his right big toe...Left for a pinch-hitter in the second inning on June 1st vs. Cincinnati due to pain his right big toe...Placed on the 15-Day Disabled List the next day with inflammation of the toe and was transferred to the 60-Day Disabled List on July 31st...Did not play the rest of the season...Tied his career-high with three RBI on May 24th vs. Arizona...Appeared in 31 games as a catcher (27 starts).

2003

Was one of 18 players in the majors with multiple pinch-hit home runs...Hit his first career pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning on September 4th vs. Pittsburgh's Mike Gonzalez...Collected his second pinch-hit home run on September 6th (seventh inning) off the Expos' Scott Stewart at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, PR...The home runs came in consecutive games, marking the first time in his major league career that he had a home run in consecutive games...As a pinch-hitter, was 9-26 (.346)...Also had a .654 slugging percentage, tops in the National League.

2002

Played a full season with the Marlins for the first time in his career...Performed in a then career-high 54 games...Was on the 15-Day Disabled List from May 17th-June 8th with a strained muscle in his right elbow...Collected his first career multiple-home run game on April 14th vs. Atlanta...Hit two home runs, both off Jason Marquis...Also had a career-high three RBI and tied his career-high with his second three-hit game...Played in 37 games behind the plate, 17 starts...Did not commit an error as a catcher, handling 160 total chances in 37 games.

2001

Designated for Assignment on April 10th and spent the majority of the year with Calgary (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League...His contract was purchased from Calgary on September 1st...Played in six games (one start) with the Marlins.

2000

Recalled from Calgary (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League on July 21st...Hit a three-run home run on August 18th at Colorado (off Brian Rose)...Finished that game with a career-best three RBI...Set a career-best with three hits in a 12-4 win at Atlanta on July 27th.

1999

Recalled from Calgary (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League on August 27th and made his major league debut that night in a doubleheader against Houston...Appeared in Game One as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning...Started Game Two and had an RBI double in his first major league at-bat off Chris Holt...Hit his first major league home run on September 1st at St. Louis (off Manny Aybar).

1998

Hit a combined .255 (65-255) with 11 homers and 36 RBI over 79 games between Class AA Jackson in the Houston organization and Class AA Portland in the Florida organization ... was on the disabled list from 4/27-5/15 with a strained right elbow ... traded by the Astros to the Marlins in exchange for pitcher Jay Powell and catcher Scott Makarewicz on 7/6 ... played for Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

1997

Appeared in 115 games with Class A Kissimmee, batting .280 (115-410) with eight home runs and 65 RBI ... was selected to the Florida State League All-Star team and was named team MVP.

1996

Spent the entire season with Class A Quad City, hitting .248 (78-314) with seven home runs, 43 RBI amd 38 runs scored in 96 games ... was named to the Midwest League All-Star team.

1995

Combined to hit .267 (92-344) with nine home runs and 49 RBI over 99 games between Class A Kissimmee and Class A Auburn ... was named to the New York-Penn All-Star team while with Auburn ... selected to Baseball America's Short-Season All-Star team.

1994

Made his professional debut with Gulf Coast League Astros.