Roberto Petagine
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Roberto Antonio Petagine Template:IPA (born June 7, 1971 in Nueva Esparta State, Venezuela) is a first baseman in Major League Baseball who has played for the Houston Astros (1994), San Diego Padres (1995), New York Mets (1996-97), Cincinnati Reds (1999), Boston Red Sox (2005), and Seattle Mariners (2006). He bats and throws left-handed.
Petagine was a tremendous minor-league hitter. Many feel that he didn't get enough of a chance to show what he could do at the Major League level. A solid line-drive, contact hitter, that uses whole field with occasional pull power, he drew a significant number of walks, obviously helping his teams in the process, but became, at the same time, too much of a defensive hitter. In Triple-A, Petagine was a three-time All-Star (1996-98) and was named the International League MVP during the 1997 season.
A new home helped revitalize Petagine's career. Let go by the Reds in 1998, he proved a welcome addition in the Japanese Central League, as he won three Gold Gloves, two home run titles and one Central League MVP award while playing for the Yakult Swallows (1999-2002) and Yomiuri Giants (2003-04).
In 2003-04 Petagine became the highest paid baseball player in Japan. The Giants acquired him to take the place of departed Hideki Matsui who came to the United States and is currently playing for the Yankees. For Yakult and Yomiuri, Petagine hit .317 with 223 home runs and 594 RBI in 756 games.
Before the 2005 season the Boston Red Sox agreed to a minor-league contract with Petagine. He underwent knee surgery in spring training, preventing him from making the 25-man roster. In August, first baseman John Olerud was placed on the 15-day disabled list and his roster spot was filled by Petagine, who has had a productive Triple-A season. He was hitting .327 with 20 home runs and 69 RBI in 74 games at Pawtucket. In 18 games wiith Boston, he hit .281 (9-for-34) with one home run and nine RBI.
The Red Sox declined to sign Petagine for the 2006 season. He signed a minor-league contract with the Seattle Mariners, and was invited to Spring Training. After a productive spring, he made the Major League team as a backup to Richie Sexson.
In parts of six major-league seasons, Petagine is a .230 hitter with 11 homeruns and 52 RBI in 211 games.