Alejandro Machado

From SoSH

Alejandro Jose Machado (born April 26, 1982 in Caracas, Venezuela) is an infielder for the Minnesota Twins.

Contents 1 Career Overview 2 Machado's Moment in the Sun 3 Awards 4 Trivia 5 Transactions 6 External Links

Career Overview

Signed by the Atlanta Braves in 1998, Machado made his GCL debut at age 17 in 1999, showing good plate discipline, but little power over the first three years of his career. At the trading deadline in 2001, he was the throw-in of a minor trade sending Machado and Brad Voyles to Kansas City for Rey Sanchez. He had an improved year in 2002 in the Carolina League, although with a .747 OPS, everything is relative. The following year he was again a throw-in in a trade when the Royals sent him and Wes Obermueller to Milwaukee for Curtis Leskanic. His odyssey continued in April 2004 when he was traded to the Expos for a PTBNL. After a so-so year, he was traded in February to the Boston Red Sox for a PTBNL (Carlos Torres). Assigned to Pawtucket, he posted a .738 OPS and briefly made his major league debut in September. Appearing in 10 games, Machado had one hit (a double), four funs and a walk in five at-bats. After spending all of 2006 at Pawtucket, Machado was signed by the Washington Nationals on November 7, only to be selected by the Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 draft in December.

Machado is a very flexible player with the ability to play all over the field. He will never hit for a lot of power, but he has decent plate discipline. Luck will determine whether he becomes a AAA lifer or if he catches the right situation at the right time and establishes himself as a major league utility player.

Machado's Moment in the Sun

• September 14, 2005: Machado scores his first major league run when outfielder Gabe Kapler injures himself while running on what turned out to be a home run. After the game was halted to deal with Kapler's injury, Machado achieved his first major league run as a pinch-runner for the ailing Kapler. Two nights later, Machado scores a game winning run on a walkoff HBP from Manny Ramirez in a game against Oakland.

Awards

• 2000 Appalachian All-Star
• 2000 Rookie Level All-Star (Baseball America)
• 2002 Carolina League All-Star
• 2005 Pawtucket Rookie of the Year
• 2005 Red Sox Minor League Base Runner of the Year

Trivia

• As of January 2007, has more MLB career runs scored (4) than hits (1)
• Depsite the fact that he's been in baseball for ages, he is actually only 24 years old
• Picked up his first big league hit off Kirk Saarloos.
• Signed with the Braves when he was just 16 years old.
• Did not start a game for Boston, but appeared at 5 different positions; three games at second base, two in left field, two in center field, one in right field and one at shortstop.

Transactions

• July 2, 1998: Signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent.
• July 31, 2001: Traded by the Atlanta Braves with Brad Voyles to the Kansas City Royals for Rey Sanchez.
• July 10, 2003: Traded by the Kansas City Royals with Wes Obermueller to the Milwaukee Brewers for Curtis Leskanic.
• March 29, 2004: Sent to the Montreal Expos by the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a conditional deal.
• February 15, 2005: Sent to the Boston Red Sox by the Washington Nationals as part of a conditional deal.
• November 6, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent with the Washington National to a minor league contract.
• December 7, 2006: Selected by the Minnesota Twins from the Washington Nationals in the Rule 5 major league draft.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Alejandro Machado - Minor League Information Courtesy of Sox Prospects