César Izturis
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César Izturis [THAY-sar iz-TO-rees] (born February 10, 1980 in Barquisimeto, Lara State, Venezuela) is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is the half brother of shortstop Maicer Izturis, who plays for the Dodgers' rival, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Image:Cesar Izturis.JPEG
Izturis' greatest strengths are spectacular defense and solid contact hitting. A switch-hitter, he is better from the right side and he has good speed but very little power.
Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an amateur free agent in 1996, Izturis made his debut with Toronto in 2001 and was traded to the Dodgers at the end of the season.
Coming from a long tradition of Venezuelan shortstops, which includes Chico Carrasquel, Luis Aparicio, Dave Concepción, Ozzie Guillén, Omar Vizquel, Alex González and Carlos Guillén, Izturis has the defensive skills to rank in such distinguished company. After showing some hitting potential with a .269 average in his rookie season with Toronto, the Dodgers were enthusiastic to trade for him.
Izturis was designated as the everyday starting shortstop from Opening Day of the 2002 season, and he quickly established himself in the Dodgers' infield. But he showed no patience at plate, resulting in a decline in average and very few walks. After two years of barely adequate hitting (though compensated by his stellar glovework), he improved markedly in 2004, when he hit .288 with 62 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 159 games. At the end of the season he earned his first Gold Glove.
In 2005, Izturis started playing as well as any shortstop in major league, hitting around .340 at one point and leading the entire MLB in hits, was selected for the National League All-Star team, but dipped all the way down into the .250 range. Curiously, his defense also seemed to suffer. After two trips to the disabled list, Izturis underwent Tommy John surgery in his right elbow, and is likely out of action until May 2006.
With the uncertainty around Izturis, the Dodgers acquired shortstop Rafael Furcal in the offseason. That move seems to have put Izturis' future with Dodgers, once he returns from his injury, in doubt. With a $13 million dollar annual salary, Furcal does not seem a likely candidate to be benched. Izturis can play second base as well, but Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent will also not be removed from the lineup. Kent could be moved to first base, but the Dodgers' first baseman is Nomar Garciaparra, newly acquired and also not likely to be removed from the lineup.
With no apparent room for Izturis, it has been speculated that upon his return, he may be traded or relegated to a utility role as a reserve infielder for the remainder of the 2006 season. Garciaparra's contract with the team is only for year, so if he is not retained, Izturis might then be able to return to the Dodgers' starting lineup in 2007. To this point, Dodger management has not indicated what the team's plans for Izturis are upon his return.
In a five-season career, Izturis is a .261 hitter with 10 home runs and 173 RBI in 604 games.
Highlights
- All-Star (2005)
- Gold Glove Award (2004)
See also
External links
- ESPN - profile and daily updates
- Baseball Library - article
- Baseball Reference - career statistics and analysis
- Dodgers Place - The Amazing Izturises:César Izturis