Athletes - Doug Mirabelli

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	Athletes - Doug Mirabelli

Douglas Anthony Mirabelli (born October 18 1970 in Kingman, Arizona) is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays with the San Diego Padres. Previously, he played for the San Francisco Giants (1996-2000), Texas Rangers (2001), and the Boston Red Sox (2001-2005). He bats and throws right-handed.

In a ten-year career, Mirabelli is a .241 hitter with 47 home runs and 165 RBI in 445 games.

Mirabelli is one of the best backup catchers in the game. He is a good defensive catcher, with a good arm and the ability to get the most out of a pitching staff. His skills in blocking balls and framing the plate are also above average, and the pitchers can throw him their best breaking balls without problem.

As a hitter, Mirabelli does hold his own in clutch situations and he has a little power. He stands off the plate to avoid being jammed, but he's quick enough to turn in an inside fastball. However, he will fish for breaking balls out of the strike zone, especially when behind in the count. While he's below average in foot speed, Mirabelli is a heads-up runner who will try for the extra base at the right time. With the Red Sox, Mirabelli proved himself to be more than adequate as Jason Varitek's backup, as well as serving as a reliable pinch hitter, DH, and exclusive catcher for knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. He became a fan favorite, despite his bench position, and his ability to hit for power created the popular internet meme slogan: "Dougie's Going Deep Tonight." On December 7, 2005, Mirabelli was traded to the San Diego Padres. In return, Boston received second baseman Mark Loretta.

Mirabelli is the only player in MLB history to hit a grand slam and hit into a triple play in the same game.

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