Bobby Estalella #29

In 1992 graduated from Cooper City (FL) High School, where he was an All-County catcher...attended Miami-Dade (FL) Community College...grandfather, Roberto, played outfield and third base for the Washington Senators (1935-39, 1942), St. Louis Browns (1941) and Philadelphia Athletics (1943-49).

1996

Spent most of the season at Class AA Reading, where he was selected to play in the Double-A All-Star Game...was Eastern League and Phillies Minor League Player of the Week for 6/3-6/9 (.450, 5hr, 12rbi)...on 8/23 was promoted to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and appeared in only 11g there before he was promoted again on 9/ 3...made his Major League debut on 9/17 vs Fla (0-1, 1k)...made his first career start on 9/25 vs Mtl (0-3, 1k)...on 9/ 27 at NYM homered off Pete Harnisch for his first big league hit...was the 16th player in franchise history to homer for his first career hit...hit his second career homer the next night...played for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League.

1997

At Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was an International League All-Star...was IL Player of the Week for 6/ 9-6/15 (.409, 4hr, 11rbi) and Red Barons Player of the Month for June...appeared in 2g for the Phillies in May...on 9/ 2 was recalled and spent the rest of the season in the majors...on 9/4 at Mtl, in his first start since his promotion, had a career-high 3 homers...became the first Philadelphia rookie ever to hit 3 homers in a game and the first Phillies player to do it since Benito Santiago on 9/15/96 at Wrigley Field...became the first Major League rookie with 3 homers in a game since Sea's Mickey Brantley on 9/14/87 vs Cle.

1998

Split the season between the Phillies and Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre...was rated by Baseball America as the best defensive catcher in the International League...was a starting catcher in the Triple-A All-Star Game...made a pair of starts for the Phillies from 6/27-7/5...was recalled again on 7/25, when Mike Lieberthal was injured, and spent the rest of the season in Phi...on 8/16 at Col hit his first career grand slam (off Jamey Wright)...left winter ball in Puerto Rico with a sore right shoulder...on 12/3 had arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn rotator cuff (Dr. John Uribein).

1999

Began the season on the 15-day disabled list while recovering from 12/3/98 arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder...made rehabs for Class A Clearwater and Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before he was reinstated on 4/8 and then optioned to S/WB...was promoted on 7/21 and went 0-for-6 in 2 starts before he was optioned back to S/WB between games of the 7/23 doubleheader...was promoted again on 9/13 and spent the rest of the season with the Phillies, appearing in 7 more games.

2000

Made the Giants' Opening Day roster and spent the season with SF...in the best season of his career established career highs in hits (70), doubles (22), runs scored (45), homers (14) and RBI (53)...with Estalella catching, the Giants' pitching staff posted a 3.46era after the All-Star break...was hitting .300 as late as 7/2 (.302)...from 5/1-5/14 hit .480 (4hr, 13rbi) during a career-high 7-game hitting streak...on 5/2 off NYM's Glendon Rusch hit the first grand slam at Pac Bell Park...went 1-for-12 vs the Mets in the National League Division Series.

2001

Began the season as the starting catcher for the Giants...hit .204 in 29g before he was designated for assignment on 6/14...was outrighted to Class AAA Fresno 4 days later...on 7/4 was traded to the Yankees, along with RHP Joe Smith, in exchange for RHP Brian Boehringer...was assigned to Class AAA Columbus and appeared in 48g there...was promoted when rosters expanded on 9/1 and appeared in 3g for the Yankees.

2002

During spring training, on 3/27, refused an outright assignment by the Yankees and elected free agency...4 days later was signed by the Rockies to a minor league contract...spent the first month of the season at Class AAA Colorado Springs...was promoted to Col on 5/6...appeared in 38g for the Rockies, including 32 starts, when on 7/14 he went on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder...didn't play again the rest of the season...on 7/24 had surgery to clean out his left shoulder...on 7/26 was transfered to the 60-day DL...in the 4-game series vs the Marlins in May went 5-for-12 with 4hr and 6rbi...on 5/15 vs Fla became only the fifth Rockies catcher ever to hit 2 homers in a game (Jayhawk Owens, Jeff Reed, Henry Blanco, Ben Petrick)...on 5/23 vs SD went 3-for-4 and tied the club record with 3 doubles...the next day vs SF went 3-for-4 and tied career highs with 4rbi and 3 runs scored...in Col's 3-2 win on 5/28 at SD snapped the tie with a homer in the 12th inning off Jeremy Fikac...his homer on 6/10 at Bos was the first allowed by Sox pitcher Derek Lowe in 108.0 innings.

2003

Appeared in 46g for the Rockies before he went on the disabled list on 8/11 with inflammation in his right elbow...didn't play again the rest of the season...on 8/28 was transfered to the 60-day DL...in September had surgery to clean out his right elbow...on 4/3 at Hou had 2hr and 3rbi, both season highs...also had 3rbi on 4/19 vs SF and 6/ 5 vs Cle...hit .273 (4hr, 10rbi) in April and .320 in June...hit .132 in his final 13 apps prior to the disabling.

2004

On 2/21 was signed by the Diamondbacks to a minor league contract...appeared in 7g for Ari before he refused an outright assignment and elected free agency on 5/12...was signed by the Blue Jays to a minor league contract on 5/20...played in 6g for Class AAA Syracuse before he was promoted to Tor on 5/27...on 6/8, after 5 apps for the Blue Jays, went on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his left ankle...didn't play again the rest of the season...on 7/22 was transfered to the 60-day disabled list...on 7/30 had arthroscopic surgery to clean out his left ankle (Dr. Robert Mills)...following the season rejected an outright assignment to the minor leagues and elected free agency.