Felipe Albertin Paulino Del Guidice (born October 5, 1983) is a Dominican-

Venezuelan Venezuelans (Spanish language, Spanish: ''venezolanos'') are the Citizenship, citizens identified with the country of Venezuela. This connection may be through citizenship, descent or cultural. For most Venezuelans, many or all of these connect ...

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 ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. 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 ...

(MLB) for 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 ...

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

and

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

, and in

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB) with the

Saitama Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway ...

Career

Houston Astros

Paulino was signed as an undrafted free agent on July 2, 2001. He was called up to the major leagues in September 2007. He made his major league debut on September 5, 2007, against the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

and through 3 innings, he gave up 5 runs.

Colorado Rockies

On November 18, 2010, Paulino was traded to the

for

Clint Barmes Clint Harold Barmes (, born March 6, 1979) is an American former professional baseball second baseman and shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2003 through 2015 for the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, and ...

. He was designated for assignment on May 21, 2011. 201205025-0822a Felipe Paulino

Kansas City Royals

Paulino was traded to the

for cash considerations on May 26, 2011. He made 20 starts for the Royals in 2011, striking out 119 batters over 124 2/3 innings of work, posting a season record of 4–6 with a 4.11 ERA. Paulio started the 2012 season on the disabled list with right elbow strain, but after missing the first 6 games he came back to post a 3–1 with a 1.67 ERA over seven starts. It was during the seventh start that Paulino experienced major elbow problems, and was placed back on the disabled list on June 9. On June 22, it was announced that he would miss the rest of the 2012 season due to a torn UCL. He underwent ulnar collateral ligament replacement, (aka

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...

) on July 3, 2012. The Royals signed Paulino to a one-year, $1.75 million contract on November 29, 2012. He began the 2013 season on the 60-day disabled list as he was still recovering from the Tommy John surgery he previously had. He began throwing sessions as part of his rehabilitation and began pitching in the minor leagues in May, but never pitched for the Royals in 2013. He was designated for assignment on November 20, 2013, and chose to become a free agent.

Chicago White Sox

On December 9, 2013, the

White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The club plays its home games at Rate Fie ...

signed Paulino to a one-year deal worth $1.75 million with a team option for 2015.

Boston Red Sox

On January 27, 2015, Paulino signed a minor league contract with 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 ...

. He was released on March 31.

Chicago Cubs

On May 11, 2015, Paulino signed a minor league contract with the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

. He elected free agency following the season on November 6.

2015 WBSC Premier12

In November 2015, Paulino participated with the Venezuela national team in the inaugural WBSC Premier12.

Cleveland Indians

On December 1, 2015, Paulino signed a minor league deal with the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

. He was released on May 28, 2016.

Saitama Seibu Lions

On May 31, 2016, Paulino signed a one-year contract worth 60 million

Yen The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the euro. T ...

with the

. He became a free agent following the season.

Sugar Land Skeeters

On March 29, 2017, Paulino signed with the

Sugar Land Skeeters The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the G ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

Saraperos de Saltillo

On May 25, 2017, Paulino's contract was purchased by the

Saraperos de Saltillo The Saraperos de Saltillo (English: Saltillo Serapes) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. Their home ballpark is the Estadio de Béisbol Francisco I. Madero in Saltillo, Coahuila. They have won three championships (1980, 2009 ...

of the

Mexican Baseball League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. He was released on July 25, 2017. In 20 games (1 start) he threw 25.2 innings struggling mightily going 3-2 with a 7.01 ERA with 21 strikeouts and 6 saves.

Sugar Land Skeeters (Second stint)

On July 30, 2017, Paulino signed with the

of the

. In 39 games 41 innings of relief he went 4-5 with a 1.98 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 16 saves. On March 28, 2018, Paulino re-signed a new contract for the 2018 season. In 54 games 53.1 innings of relief he went 2-2 with a 1.18 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 33 saves. On March 25, 2018, Paulino re-signed a new contract for the 2019 season.

Houston Astros (Second stint)

On June 17, 2019, Paulino's contract was purchased by the

and he was assigned to the Triple-A

Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home ...

. On August 29, 2019, he requested and was later granted his release from the organization so that he could return to Sugar Land for the 2019

Atlantic League The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are loc ...

playoffs.

Sugar Land Skeeters (Third stint)

On August 29, 2019, Paulino re-signed with the

of the

. In total in 2019 he appeared in 26 games 26.1 innings of relief going 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 15 saves. In July 2020, Paulino signed on to play for the Skeeters in the

Constellation Energy League The Constellation Energy League was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas during 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions limiting travel, and as a way to create opportunities for Minor League Baseball, minor league players. History ...

(a makeshift 4-team independent league created as a result of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

) for the 2020 season. He became a free agent following the season. In 4 games 3 innings of relief he struggled immensely going 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA going 2 strikeouts.

Pitching style

Paulino throws two hard fastballs, a four-seamer at 93–97 mph and a

two-seam fastball A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and softball. It is a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball and can also include late-breaking action caused by varying the pressure of the index and middle fingers on t ...

at 95–98 mph. His secondary pitch is a slider at 85–88. He also has a

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

(77–80) and

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball, but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced spee ...

(85–87). His curve and change are used primarily against left-handed hitters.

References

External links

, o
Retrosheet
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Paulino, Felipe 1983 births Living people Bravos de Margarita players Charlotte Knights players Chicago White Sox players Colorado Rockies players Columbus Clippers players Corpus Christi Hooks players Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Japan Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Greeneville Astros players Houston Astros players Iowa Cubs players Kansas City Royals players Leones del Caracas players Lexington Legends players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Martinsville Astros players Mexican League baseball pitchers Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Northwest Arkansas Naturals players Omaha Storm Chasers players Round Rock Express players Saitama Seibu Lions players Salem Avalanche players Tri-City ValleyCats players Saraperos de Saltillo players Sugar Land Skeeters players Venezuela national baseball team players Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Japan Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Mexico Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States Venezuelan people of Dominican Republic descent 2015 WBSC Premier12 players