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Douglas Anthony "Doug" Mirabelli [mirr-uh-BEL-ee] (born October 18, 1970, in Kingman, Arizona) is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays with the Boston Red Sox (2001-present). Previously, he played for the San Francisco Giants (1996-2000) and Texas Rangers (2001). He bats and throws right-handed.
In a nine-year career, Mirabelli is a .242 hitter with 41 home runs and 147 RBI in 395 games.
Mirabelli is one of the best backup catchers in the game. He is a good defensive receiver, 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 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 has proven to be more than adequate as Jason Varitek's backup, as well as serving as a reliable pinch hitter, DH, and exclusive catcher for knuckle baller Tim Wakefield.
External links
- ESPN (profile and daily update) [1] (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5692)
- Baseball Reference' (statistics) [2] (http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mirabdo01.shtml)
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