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 FP Santangelo MLB SportsGist Interview [9:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Frank-Paul Santangelo on October 24, 1967 in Livonia, Michigan), is an American former professional baseball player from the University of Miami, Sacramento City College and Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills, California). Santangelo played in the Major leagues from 1995 to 2001. During his career, Santangelo played for the Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics.

Santangelo was drafted in 1989 by the Montreal Expos organization and rose through the minor leagues, reaching the AAA with the Indianapolis Indians in 1992. He joined the AAA Ottawa Lynx the following year when the Expos changed AAA affiliation and wound up playing three seasons for Ottawa before making his major league debut in August 1995. Santangelo became the first player in Ottawa Lynx history to have his number, 24, retired.

Santangelo finished fourth in the National League in Rookie of the Year voting in 1996. He played six different positions while posting a .277 average with 7 HR and 56 RBI. He was hit by 11 pitches, starting a four year streak of being in the top 10 in the NL in that category. He played in three seasons afterwards, one with each of the Giants, Dodgers and Athletics, joining each team through free agency.

In his MLB career, Santangelo played in 665 games with 415 hits, 21 home runs, and 162 RBIs. His career batting average was .245. He weighs 165 pounds (75 kg) and is five feet, 10 inches (1.78 metres) tall.

Santangelo played every defensive position, plus designated hitter, except for first base, catcher, and pitcher at least once in his career. Left field and center field were his most frequent positions.

Santangelo is currently a sports radio talk show host for the “The Rise Guys” show on KHTK-1140 AM in Sacramento. He is also a reporter for Giants Games on FSN Bay Area and occasionally fills in on Giants broadcasts on KNBR in San Francisco.

He was once hit by a pitch from both sides of the plate in the same game.

Following the release of the Mitchell Report in which he was named by Kirk Radomski as having used Deca-Durabolin, HGH, and testosterone, Santangelo confirmed he abused HGH on two occasions in 1997 and 2000 to rehab from a quadracep and knee injury but denied the other allegations, including telling teammate Adam Piatt that Radomski “will get you what you need.”[1]

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 Billy "Bubba" Bell talks to SportsGist [6:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Senior outfielder Billy “Bubba” Bell became the second player from the 2005 Colonel baseball squad to be drafted when the Boston Red Sox selected him in the 39th round on the final day of the two-day Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on June 8.

Bell signed his contract last Wednesday as the 1187th overall pick. He joins senior infielder Anthony Hatch as the two Colonels who were drafted this year. Hatch was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th round on the first day.

Bell was in Fort Myers, Fla., as of last Thursday where he will be playing with the Gulf Coast Red Sox, the Boston Red Sox’s rookie team in the Minor League.

Fort Myers is where the rookie baseball camp for all the new players is held. Rookies play here until the Red Sox decide where to send them.

Bell said his time at the rookie camp could be very short or very long.

“It could be a week or the rest of the summer,” he said. “I’m pretty confident to say I’m not going to be here the whole summer.”

As to where Bell would be sent after rookie camp, there are six potential teams.

He could be sent to the Lowell Spinners in Massachusetts, where the short season in Class A is, the regular Class A Greenville Bombers in South Carolina and the advanced Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks in Delaware. Bell could also be sent to Double A Portland Sea Dogs in Maine or the Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox in Rhode Island.

Bell said the opportunity to play in the major leagues is a goal he has been working to achieve.

“It’s the dream of a lifetime-the goal I’ve been shooting for. Probably I can say it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Technorati Tags: Baseball, Billy "Bubba" Bell, Boston Red Sox, MLB