Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández (born June 25, 1972) is a
Puerto Rican former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
player and
coach. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
primarily as a
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
, from 1993 to 2009, most prominently as a member of the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
, where he was a member of the
1993 World Series-winning team, won the 2000
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
(AL)
Hank Aaron Award, and was the 2003 AL
RBI leader. He was also a two-time AL
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
player and a three-time
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best Batting (baseball), offensive player at each Baseball positions, position in both the American League (AL) and the National League (baseball), National League (NL), as determ ...
winner during his tenure with the Blue Jays.
Delgado holds the Major League Baseball record for career home runs by a Puerto Rican player with 473. He is one of only six players in Major League history to hit
30 home runs in ten consecutive seasons, becoming the fourth player to do so. During his 12 years with the Toronto Blue Jays, Delgado set many
team records, including home runs (336), RBI (1,058),
walks (827),
slugging percentage
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at-bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at-bats for a given player, an ...
(.556),
on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging (OPS) is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player both to get on base and to hit for power, two important offensive skills, are ...
(.949),
runs (889),
total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hit (baseball), hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single (baseball), single, 2 for a double (baseball), double, 3 for a triple (baseball), triple and 4 ...
(2,786),
doubles (343), runs created (1,077),
extra base hits (690), times on base (2,362),
hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provide ...
(122),
intentional walks (128) and at bats per home run (14.9).
Delgado also played for the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park.
The ...
and
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
. In 2006, he was named the recipient of the prestigious
Roberto Clemente Award
The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball positions, player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community#Psychology, community involvement and the individual's contribution to ...
. On February 4, 2015, Delgado was elected to the
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Early life
Delgado was born in
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a Aguadilla barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of ...
to Carlos "Cao" Delgado and Carmen Digna Hérnandez. He grew up in the El Prado section of Aguadilla. There, he attended elementary school alongside his three siblings. Both his father, "Don Cao", and his grandfather, Asdrúbal "Pingolo" Delgado, were well-known figures in the town. Delgado has said that this made him feel "protected," but that it also demanded that he had to behave properly.
Delgado attended Agustín Stahl Middle School and
José de Diego High School, from which he graduated in 1989. Delgado has expressed his strong feelings of pride in being an ''Aguadillano'', noting everything he holds dear is found in the municipality, and his off-season house is located there. He is friends with many people who live there, many of whom he played Little League baseball with.
Professional career
Toronto Blue Jays
At the age of 16, several major league organizations including the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
,
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
,
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
,
Texas Rangers, and
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
saw his potential and attempted to sign him. He signed with the Blue Jays in 1988 by team scout
Epy Guerrero.
In 1992, Delgado played for the
Dunedin Blue Jays of the
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
and produced 30 home runs and 100 RBI, leading the league in both categories, along with a .324
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
.
That season, he was named ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
''s
Minor League Player of the Year.
Before the 1993 season, he was named the number 4 prospect in the
minor leagues by ''
Baseball America
''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...
'' and was promoted to the Double-A
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Knoxville, Tennessee. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The team was based in Kodak, Tennessee, a Knoxville suburb, fr ...
.
That year, he hit .303 with 25 home runs, 102 RBI, and 102 walks, winning the
Southern League MVP Award.
[Carlos Delgado Minor League Statistics & History](_blank)
Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed on January 8, 2013.
As a
September call-up, he made his major league debut on October 1, 1993, drawing a walk in his first career
plate appearance
In baseball, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner. This ha ...
.
Though he didn't play in the 1993 postseason, in which the Blue Jays won the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
, he was awarded a
World Series ring. Originally a catcher, Delgado played in left field for the Blue Jays in 1994 and 1995,
[Carlos Delgado Statistics and History](_blank)
Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed on March 5, 2012. before switching to first base, where he became one of the most productive sluggers in the major leagues. Starting in 1997, he hit at least 30 home runs in ten consecutive seasons.
A two-time
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
, in 2000 and 2003, Delgado holds several Blue Jays single-season and career records. He won the
Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one ...
and ''
The Sporting News
''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
''
Player of the Year Awards in 2000, and the
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best Batting (baseball), offensive player at each Baseball positions, position in both the American League (AL) and the National League (baseball), National League (NL), as determ ...
in 1999, 2000, and 2003.
In 1999, Delgado hit a career-high 44 home runs, along with 134 RBI, and a .272 batting average. The next year, he batted a career-high .344, along with 41 home runs, 57 doubles, and 137 RBI. He finished fourth in the 2000
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
MVP
MVP most commonly refers to:
* Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition
* Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering
MVP may also refer to:
...
voting.
On September 25, 2003, in a game against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Delgado became the 15th major league player to hit
four home runs in one game. He hit a three-run home run in the first inning off
Jorge Sosa, then again off Sosa while leading off the fourth, then off
Joe Kennedy while leading off in the sixth and then off
Lance Carter leading off the eighth inning. Delgado is the only player to hit four home runs with only 4
at-bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, b ...
s in a game. In the 2003 season, Delgado hit 42 home runs and led the Majors with 145 RBI, while batting .302; he finished second to
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, third baseman and designated hitter and current businessman. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (ML ...
for the AL MVP Award. He was named
AL Player of the Week on September 30, 2003, and again on September 7, 2004.
Following the 2004 season, Delgado became a free agent, and was pursued by the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
,
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park.
The ...
,
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
,
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
and
Texas Rangers. The Blue Jays were not interested in re-signing him, due to payroll constraints.
Florida Marlins
On January 25, 2005, Delgado chose to sign with the
Marlins, signing a four-year, $52 million contract. He made a successful transition to the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
, with a .301 batting average, .399 on-base percentage, 33 home runs, and 115 RBI in 2005. At the same time, he shared the major league lead in errors for a first baseman, with 14.
Following the 2005 season, the Marlins performed one of their periodic salary-cutting maneuvers, unloading some of their higher-paid players. On November 23, 2005, the Marlins sent Delgado and $7 million to the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
for
Mike Jacobs,
Yusmeiro Petit, and Grant Psomas.
New York Mets
2006 season

Delgado responded well as the Mets' cleanup hitter, hitting 38 home runs and driving in 114 runs in 2006. With Delgado hitting between fellow Puerto Rican
Carlos Beltrán and third baseman
David Wright
David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who spent his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Mets. Chosen by the Mets in the 2001 Major League Baseball dr ...
, the Mets had the best record in the National League in 2006 but lost to the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
in the
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two Natio ...
in seven games. At season's end, with Delgado was tied with
Duke Snider
Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider (September 19, 1926 – February 27, 2011), nicknamed "the Duke of Flatbush", was an American professional baseball player. Primarily a center fielder, he spent most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career playing f ...
with 407 career home runs, 41st most in MLB history at the time. Through 2006, Delgado was the all-time leader for interleague play RBIs with 131, and second all-time in home runs with 43.
2007 season
Carlos Delgado had early struggles in the 2007 season, with his batting average at .196 on May 3, but his numbers improved as the season progressed. On May 9, 2007, he hit a home run into
McCovey Cove during a game against the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, becoming the first visiting player to have hit three
splash home runs at
AT&T Park
Oracle Park is a ballpark in the South of Market, San Francisco, SoMa district of San Francisco, California. Since 2000, it has been the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). The stadium stands along San Francisco Bay ...
. Delgado ended the season tied with
Cal Ripken Jr. for 37th place on the
all-time career home run list with 431.
2008 season
During spring training 2008, Delgado was diagnosed with a hip impingement, but the Mets decided to keep him on the active roster. As in the previous year, Delgado began the season in an offensive slump with a .204 batting average in April, and hitting just three home runs, but once again his stats improved as the season continued. In May, his batting average increased to .235 with five home runs. On June 15, 2008, Delgado broke
Juan González's record for most runs batted in by a Puerto Rican player. On June 27, Delgado set a new Mets record with 9 RBIs (hitting a two-run double, grand slam, and three-run home run) in an interleague game versus the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
, breaking
Dave Kingman's club record of 8. In the final game before the All-Star break, Delgado hit his 17th home run of the season. Between June and July his batting average improved, rising to .260 with 19 home runs. Between July 23–31, Delgado hit four home runs.
On August 21, 2008, against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
, Delgado went 5 for 5 with 3 singles, 3 RBIs, a double, and a walk-off single scoring
David Wright
David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who spent his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Mets. Chosen by the Mets in the 2001 Major League Baseball dr ...
in the ninth off the glove of left fielder
Omar Infante. It was the first time he had gone 5 for 5 in 10 years. The Mets swept the three-game set. On August 25, 2008, against the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
, Delgado hit two 3-run homers to lead the Mets to a 9–1 victory in the finale of the series. On September 7 he became the third Mets player in history to have at least 65 RBIs in a 65-game stretch in a season. On September 9, he tied
Dave Kingman's record of most multi-home run games during a season as a Met with 7. Delgado notched his 2,000th career hit on September 21, 2008, against the Atlanta Braves. On October 31 the Mets exercised Delgado's $12 million option. Delgado was ninth in the voting for the 2008
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
MVP Award, behind
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (, ; born December 11, 1985) is a Dominicans, Dominican professional baseball Manager (baseball), manager and former first baseman and designated hitter who is the manager of the Leones del Escogido of the Domin ...
,
Ryan Howard,
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played his entire career for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2020. Braun also played right fielder, right ...
,
Manny Ramirez
Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican Americans (Dominican Republic), Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played wit ...
,
Lance Berkman,
CC Sabathia,
David Wright
David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who spent his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Mets. Chosen by the Mets in the 2001 Major League Baseball dr ...
and
Brad Lidge.
2009 season
Delgado was the first Major League player to hit a home run into the Pepsi Porch at
Citi Field
Citi Field is a baseball park, baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, in the Boroughs of New York, borough of Queens, New York City, United States. Opened in 2009, Citi Field is the home of Major League Baseball's New York M ...
on April 8, 2009. He played his last major league game against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
on May 10, 2009.
Eight days later on May 18, the Mets announced that Delgado had a
bone spur and a torn
labrum in his hip, and he would have to undergo surgery.
The Mets reported the next day that the surgery was successful and Delgado would be out for approximately ten weeks, which would delay his quest for 500 home runs. However, he did not play again in 2009.
Delgado filed for free agency on November 5. Delgado made his return to the
Puerto Rico Baseball League
Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to:
Places
*El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain
*Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
*Puerto Colombia, Colombia
*Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela
*Puerto Galera, Oriental Mi ...
(PRBL) winter league, registering a batting average of .364 and one home run in his first three games. He had seven hits in eight games in the winter league season.
2010 free agency
In February 2010, Delgado underwent another hip operation, this time to reconstruct the
labrum on his right hip. He also underwent a micro-fracture procedure on his hip socket. Although Delgado had reportedly received interest from MLB clubs, including the Mets and Marlins, he felt pain in his hip and decided to undergo the second surgery to be better prepared for the coming season. According to his agent, David Sloane, Delgado "felt, despite the time it would take, it was a better option for him to be the Carlos Delgado of old instead of an old Carlos Delgado."
Pawtucket Red Sox
On August 7, 2010, the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
signed Delgado to a minor league contract. He played 5 games with the Triple-A
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...
between August 9 and 15, collecting 3 singles in 13 at-bats with 2 RBI. This was the entire extent of Delgado's 2010 season after Delgado suffered a setback with his surgically repaired hip.
Retirement
On April 13, 2011, Delgado officially announced, while in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
, his retirement from professional baseball after 17 MLB seasons.
On December 7, 2012, the Blue Jays announced that Delgado would be the 10th person inducted to the club's
Level of Excellence. The induction occurred on July 21, 2013, at
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a retractable roof stadium in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it is home to t ...
in Toronto. Delgado threw the ceremonial first pitch for that day's Blue Jays game.
Career statistics
In 2,035 games over 17 seasons, Delgado posted a .280 batting average with 1241 runs, 483
doubles, 18
triples, 473 home runs, 1,512 RBI, 1,109 walks, .383 on-base percentage and .546 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .992
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...
primarily as a first baseman. In ten postseason games, he hit .351 (13-for-37) with eight runs, three doubles, four home runs, 11 RBIs and six walks.
International career
Delgado represented the
Puerto Rico national team in international competition. In the
2006 World Baseball Classic, he singled in his only at-bat of the tournament. His role on the Puerto Rican squad was much more prominent at the
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an International Baseball Federation, international baseball competition. It began on March 5 and finished March 23.
Unlike in 2006 World Baseball Classic, 2006, when the Round-robin tournament, round- ...
, where he slashed .438/.625/.938 in 16 plate appearances. Delgado led the team with 7 walks and tied with
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres (born November 27, 1971), nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Ran ...
for the most home runs on the team with 2 apiece.
After his retirement, he was
hitting coach
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisi ...
for Puerto Rico in the
2013 World Baseball Classic
The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009.
Unlike the tw ...
. He reprised his role in the
2017 World Baseball Classic
The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts wer ...
.
Post-retirement career
After retiring, Delgado has continued to work in matters closely related to baseball. In February 2013, he was announced as the new member of the Board for the Development of the Puerto Rican Full-Time Athlete. This agency is directed by the
Department of Sports and Recreation of Puerto Rico.
Also, in March 2013, he served as
hitting coach
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisi ...
for the
Puerto Rico national baseball team that represented the island at the
2013 World Baseball Classic
The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009.
Unlike the tw ...
. The team finished second in the rankings. He reprised his role as hitting coach for Team Puerto Rico in the
2017 World Baseball Classic
The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts wer ...
.
In his only appearance on the
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
ballot in 2015, Delgado received just 3.8% of the
vote
Voting is the process of choosing officials or policies by casting a ballot, a document used by people to formally express their preferences. Republics and representative democracies are governments where the population chooses representative ...
, below the 5% minimum required to remain on future ballots. That same year, he was elected to the
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Personal life
Delgado lives in his hometown of
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a Aguadilla barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of ...
. He is married to Betzaida García, who is also from Aguadilla.
They have a son, Carlos Antonio, and in 2010 adopted a baby daughter, Mariana Isabel.
Social activism
Like his hero,
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily as a right fielder. On December ...
, Delgado is a well-known peace activist, and has been open about his political beliefs. As part of the
Navy-Vieques protests, Delgado was actively opposed to the use of the island of
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island, Culebra barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality of Puerto Rico, and together with Culebra, Puerto Rico, Culebra, it is geographically part of the Spanish Virgin ...
as a bombing target practice facility by the
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...
, until bombing was halted in 2003. He was also against the
occupation of Iraq. In the 2004 season, Delgado protested the war by silently staying in the
dugout during the playing of "
God Bless America" during the
seventh inning stretch. Delgado does not make a public show of his beliefs, and even his teammates were not aware of his views until a story was published in July 2004 in the ''
Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division.
...
''. Delgado was quoted as saying "It's a very terrible thing that happened on
September 11. It's (also) a terrible thing that happened in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
and
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, ... I just feel so sad for the families that lost relatives and loved ones in the war. But I think it's the stupidest war ever." The story was the subject of a media frenzy, mostly in New York, where on July 21, 2004, as was anticipated, Delgado was booed by Yankee fans for his passive protest during a game at
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the home field of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
The stadium opened in April 2009, replacing the Yankee S ...
. Delgado had explained that the playing of "God Bless America" had come to be equated with a war in which he didn't believe.
In a ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' interview, Delgado said this is what he believed in, and "It takes a man to stand up for what he believes."
After being traded to the Mets, in a conciliatory measure, Delgado opted to stand during the singing of "God Bless America".
Among other charity work, Delgado is well known for his generous visits to hospitals in his hometown where, on
Three Kings Day
Epiphany ( ), also known as "Theophany" in Eastern Christian tradition, is a Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana.
In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally ...
, he brings toys to hospitalized children. In 2006, he joined
Puerto Rico's Senate President in co-sponsoring a
Three Kings
In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
gift-giving effort in the town of
Loíza. Delgado started his own non-profit organization, "Extra Bases", to assist island youth. In 2007, Delgado donated video conference equipment to allow his hometown's Buen Samaritano Hospital to establish a regular link with a hospital in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
in order to allow for remote diagnoses through
telemedicine.
Delgado has also contributed to improving Puerto Rico's public education system. In 2007, he participated in "Sapientis Week", an initiative sponsored by the non-profit
Sapientis which brings distinguished public figures into classrooms in order to raise the public's awareness of the education crisis in Puerto Rico. Delgado taught a class on Athletic Mental Training and Health at the Ramon Power y Giralt School in the
Luis Llorens Torres public housing complex.
For his efforts, Delgado was awarded the
Roberto Clemente Award
The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball positions, player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community#Psychology, community involvement and the individual's contribution to ...
in 2006. The award goes to the player in baseball who best exemplifies humanitarianism and sportsmanship, and was named after
Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente in 1973. Prior to the 2008 season of the
Puerto Rico Baseball League
Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to:
Places
*El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain
*Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
*Puerto Colombia, Colombia
*Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela
*Puerto Galera, Oriental Mi ...
, Delgado was involved in an initiative to provide economic help to the
Indios de Mayagüez
The Indios de Mayagüez (Mayagüez Indians) are a baseball team in Puerto Rico's Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League, in Spanish). Based in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, the ''Indios' ...
team.
Awards and honors
*
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
champion ()
* 2-time
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
(2000, 2003)
* 3-time
AL Silver Slugger Award (1999, 2000, 2003)
*
AL RBI leader (2003)
* 2000 AL
Hank Aaron Award
* 2000
''Sporting News'' Player of the Year Award
* 2006
Roberto Clemente Award
The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball positions, player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community#Psychology, community involvement and the individual's contribution to ...
*
Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence
* Member of the
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
* List of Major League Baseball home run records
* List of Major League Baseball doubles records
* List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
* List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
* List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
* List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
* List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
* List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders
* List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
* List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
* MLB hitters with four home runs in one game
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delgado, Carlos
1972 births
Living people
American League All-Stars
American League RBI champions
Baseball coaches
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Florida Marlins players
Knoxville Smokies players
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
New York Mets players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Sportspeople from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Canada
Senadores de San Juan players
Silver Slugger Award winners
Syracuse Chiefs players
Toronto Blue Jays players
2006 World Baseball Classic players
2009 World Baseball Classic players
Dunedin Blue Jays players
Gigantes de Carolina (baseball) players
Myrtle Beach Hurricanes players
St. Catharines Blue Jays players
Syracuse SkyChiefs players