Daniel Descalso

Daniel Descalso

Descalso with the St. Louis Cardinals
Free agent
Infielder
Born: (1986-10-19) October 19, 1986
Redwood City, California
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 18, 2010, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .242
Home runs 23
Runs batted in 171
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Daniel Descalso
Medal record
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
Baseball World Cup
2009 Nettuno National team

Daniel William Descalso (born October 19, 1986) is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB). The St. Louis Cardinals drafted him in the third round of the MLB draft from University of California, Davis, and he made his MLB debut for the Cardinals in 2010. He later played for the Colorado Rockies. A versatile infielder, Descalso has played all four infield positions.

Early life

Italian-American Descalso was born in Redwood City, California,[1] on October 19, 1986, to Marylou and George Descalso.[2] He is the oldest of six children.[3] He played baseball in San Carlos Little League[4] and went to Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California.[5] He pitched as the team's number 1 starter for three straight seasons, and played 2nd base.[3] He made the All-Central Coast Section squads twice, including first team as a senior, second team as a junior. He made the West Catholic Athletic League first teams in each of last two seasons, including WCAL MVP distinction in 2004. He also played football, winning first-team All-WCAL, second-team All-CCS and honorable mention All-Metro as a senior. He scored three touchdowns against their crosstown rivals during 2003 Homecoming game. He graduated in 2004.[6]

He played baseball at St. Francis HS in Mountain View, California. He went on to UC Davis, where he played third base and majored in economics.[2] In 2007, Descalso was named to the NCAA All-Independent First Team.[7] He put up some of the best stats ever at UC Davis, with a .397 lifetime batting average and 92 career hits. His 22 doubles rank second all-time in school history.[8] Following his junior year, he was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 3rd round (112th overall)[9] of the 2007 amateur entry draft. He was selected in the highest draft position ever for an Aggie player.[8]

He is 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and 190 pounds.[10]

Professional playing career

Descalso in 2011

St. Louis Cardinals

2007 and 2008 seasons

Daniel during the 2011 World Series parade.

Following the draft, Descalso began his pro career with the Batavia Muckdogs, the Short-Season A affiliate of the Cardinals in the New York–Penn League. He played 69 games for the Muckdogs in 2007, splitting time between 3rd base and 2nd base.[11]

In 2008, Descalso began with the Palm Beach Cardinals, the High-A affiliate of the Cardinals in the Florida State League. He played 115 games in Jupiter, where he batted .243 and played shortstop, 2nd base, and 3rd base. In August 2008, he was advanced to the Springfield Cardinals, the Double-A affiliate in Missouri. He played in just 9 games, but hit .351.

2009 season

In 2009 with Springfield, Descalso had eight home runs and 51 RBI in 288 at-bats over 73 games, all at 2nd base. His line was an impressive .323/.396/.531. At the end of the 2009 season, he was named to the Double-A Texas League post-season all star team. However, he did not play in that game, instead was promoted to Triple-A Memphis in early July when Jarrett Hoffpauir was recalled by the Cardinals. After the call up, Descalso played most games at 2nd base, with 9 at 1st base.

He was also named the 2009 Springfield Cardinals Player of the Year. He missed final two weeks of 2009 season to play for the gold medal winning team USA in the 2009 Baseball World Cup in Italy.[12]

2010 season

Descalso batting in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Washington Nationals. October 10, 2012.

The Cardinals invited Descalso to the 2010 Spring camp, where he batted .500 with nine RBI in 14 games.[12] Through the first two months of the 2010 season, he exclusively played 2nd base.[11]

On September 18, Descalso's contract was purchased by the Cardinals and he was promoted to the major leagues.[13] He officially made his major league debut on September 18, 2010, at home against the San Diego Padres when he was announced as a pinch hitter (although he did not bat and was replaced by right-handed batter Nick Stavinoha).[14] His first game as a starter was on September 22, 2010, against the Pirates at their park, where he garnered his first hit and first RBI on a 2-run double. It was at third base, rather than his natural second base position.[14] Nonetheless, his first MLB career fielding attempt was the front end of a 6–4–3 double play (Descalso-Schumaker–Pujols). He finished the year solidly, and remained on the 40-man roster.

2011 season

Given his late season performance, Descalso started the 2011 Spring training with a legitimate chance to make the Cardinals. However, the Cards had a number of capable infielders fighting for roster spots, including David Freese, Tyler Greene, Double-A prospect Matt Carpenter, and off-season acquisitions Ryan Theriot and Nick Punto.[15] The difficulty would be determining a position and securing a spot. An injury to Punto[16] and questions about Freese's durability left the Cards desperate for an extra utility infielder (rather than an outfielder). Ultimately, Descalso secured a roster spot out of training camp.[17]

He hit his first major league home run on May 3 in St. Louis in the 7th inning. The three-run blast was a game winner that vaulted the Cardinals to a come-from-behind 7–5 win against the Florida Marlins.[18] In a July 7 game against the Cincinnati Reds, he stroked four hits with two RBI.[19]

Following the 2011 season, Daniel Descalso was a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at third base for the National League, although the honor was later awarded to Plácido Polanco of the Philadelphia Phillies.[20]

2012–2014

Descalso pitching for Cardinals.

After playing regularly at second base during the 2012 season, Descalso played an integral role in the postseason. In Game 5 of the 2012 National League Division Series, where the Cardinals came back from a 6-run deficit to defeat the Washington Nationals 9–7, Descalso homered, doubled, and then hit a two-run single to tie the game.[21]

On May 21, 2013, Decalso hit his first career grand slam and tallied a career-high five RBI as the Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 10–2 at Petco Park.[22] Prior to the game, Descalso was batting just .197 with one home run.[22] For his 2013 season statistics, Descalso batted .238 with five home runs and 42 RBI. He continued his versatility in the infield by making starts at second base, third base, and shortstop.

He filed for a $1.65 million contract request following the season. The Cardinals and Descalso avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $1.29 million contract on January 30, 2014.[23] Descalso made his Major League pitching debut against the Chicago Cubs in the top of the ninth inning with two outs on May 12, 2014. He threw two pitches, recording one out and allowing no hits. With a chance for increased playing time during interleague play against the Baltimore Orioles, he collected five hits in 10 AB over an August 8–10 series.[24]

Within the three consecutive days and four consecutive games, August 30 through September 1, 2014, Descalso became the first Cardinal player in team history to start a game at each of the four infield positions as follows; Saturday August 30, vs. Chicago Cubs (game 1) 2B, Saturday August 30, vs. Chicago Cubs (game 2) SS, Sunday August 31, vs. Chicago Cubs 1B, Monday, September 1, vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 3B.[25][26][27][28]

Colorado Rockies (2015)

Descalso signed a two-year deal with the Colorado Rockies on December 16, 2014. The deal totaled $3.6 million with the opportunity for another $1 million in performance bonuses.[29]

References

  1. ↑ Daniel Descalso Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights MLB.com, (accessed September 24, 2010)
  2. 1 2 Descalso Player Profile ucdavisaggies.com (accessed May 30, 2010)
  3. 1 2 Schwab, Matt Descalso the go-to guy for powerhouse St. Francis SFGate.com (accessed May 30, 2010)
  4. ↑ "Descalso makes an immediate impact". 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Walton, Brian (June 15, 2007). "Cardinals Again Fly with Frontier". scout.com. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
  6. ↑ Descalso '04 was honored at Hot Stove sfhs.com (accessed May 30, 2010)
  7. ↑ "Descalso Taken By Cardinals In the Major League Baseball Draft". CBS College Sports. June 7, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
  8. 1 2 Descalso Taken By Cardinals In the Major League Baseball Draft ucdavisaggies.com (accessed May 30, 2010)
  9. ↑ Walton, Brian (January 13, 2008). "Best of the Rest… of Cards Prospects". scout.com. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
  10. ↑ "St. Louis Sports – Dan Descalso". Stltoday.stats.com. October 19, 1986. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  11. 1 2 "Daniel Descalso Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. October 19, 1986. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  12. 1 2 Morgan, Marlon Redbirds' Daniel Descalso wants clutch situations Commercial Appeal, May 3, 2010 (accessed May 30, 2010)
  13. ↑ Wilhelm, David (September 18, 2010). "Cardinals promote five players from Class AAA Memphis – Breaking news". bnd.com. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Leach, Matthew Descalso makes debut start at third MLB.com, September 22, 2010 (accessed September 22, 2010)
  15. ↑ Leach, Matthew Cards' additions look to make impact in 2011 mlb.com, February 6, 2011 (accessed March 28, 2011)
  16. ↑ Strauss, Joe Punto returns to Planet Jupiter stltoday.com, February 28, 2011 (accessed March 28, 2011)
  17. ↑ Goold, Derrick Cards cut Salas, Stavinoha; opening day roster set stltoday.com, March 28, 2011 (accessed March 28, 2011)
  18. ↑ Descalso's first homer lifts Cards over Marlins, MLB.com (May 3, 2011)
  19. ↑ "Reds 9, Cardinals 8 boxscore". MLB.com. July 7, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  20. ↑ Rob Rains, "Four Cardinals are finalists for Gold Glove awards–UPDATE: MOLINA WINS", StLSportsPage, 31 Oct. 2011
  21. ↑ Jayson Stark, "Comeback Cards do it again", ESPN MLB, 13 Oct. 2012
  22. 1 2 "Descalso hits slam, Wainwright wins for 1st time at Petco Park as Cardinals beat Padres 10-2". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  23. ↑ Hummel, Rick (January 30, 2014). "Cards, Descalso agree to $1.29 million deal". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  24. ↑ Langosch, Jenifer (August 10, 2014). "Cards' offense turns tables on O's in finale win". MLB.com. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  25. ↑ "MLB.com Gameday". mlb.com.
  26. ↑ "MLB.com Gameday". mlb.com.
  27. ↑ "MLB.com Gameday". mlb.com.
  28. ↑ "MLB.com Gameday". mlb.com.
  29. ↑ Crasnick, Jerry (December 16, 2014). "Daniel Descalso joins Rockies". ESPN.com.
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