Rafael Furcal

Furcal originally signed right out of high school as an undrafted amateur free agent with the Atlanta Braves on November 9, 1996. In 1997, he joined the Braves minor league affiliates, where he played for his first few seasons.

On April 4, 2000, Furcal was called up for his MLB debut with the Braves. He played a total of 131 games that season, finishing with 87 runs and a .295 batting average. He was also selected as the National League Rookie of the Year for the 2000 season. Furcal made his first post season appearance the same year, playing in the National League Divisional Series, where the Braves lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Furcal missed the end of the following 2001 season after he required surgery for a dislocated left shoulder. He returned to the Braves in 2002, playing in 154 games. In 2003, Furcal was selected for his first MLB All-Star Game appearance. In Spetember 2004, he was arrested for his second charge of driving under the influence in Atlanta, Georgia. He continued with the Braves through the 2005 season, after which he entered free agency.

On December 19, 2005, Furcal signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The following year he was selected for the Roy Campanella Award, given to the Dodgers' player who most shows spirit and leadership, just as Campanella did. Fast Facts:

1. Full name: Rafael Antoni Furcal
2. Born: August 24, 1977
3. Birthplace: Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic
4. 2000: Rookie of the Year
5. Switch Hitter
6. Nickname: "Fookie"