Rafael Furcal

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Furcal grew up in Loma de Cabrera, a small village in the Dominican Republic near the Dajabón River and the border with Haiti. His father, Silvino, drove a taxi, and his mother, Aura, was a schoolteacher. Furcal had three older brothers, José, Manuel, and Lorenzo, and a sister. Silvino Furcal was a standout outfielder during an era when Dominican ballplayers did not get much recognition from Major League scouts. Silvino introduced his sons to baseball and Rafael credited his father with teaching him how to enjoy the game. Until his death in 2010, Silvino would often call Rafael to give him advice after games. Manuel Furcal pitched in the Seattle Mariners organization and Lorenzo played in the Oakland Athletics system before suffering career-ending injuries. José Furcal committed suicide in 1999 and Manuel died that same year in an accident. Furcal attended Jose Cabrera High School and was prepared to enroll in engineering school before being spotted by a scout at a tryout in Santo Domingo. He was subsequently signed as an amateur free agent by the Atlanta Braves on November 9, 1996, for $5,000. Furcal began his professional career as a second baseman with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves in 1997. The following season, with the Danville Braves he hit .328 and stole a league record 60 bases in only 66 games. He was named Danville's Player of the Year and Appalachian League All-Star Second Baseman. In 1999, Furcal switched to shortstop and joined the Macon Braves in Single-A and hit .337 with 73 stolen bases in 83 games. He was transferred to the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans and hit .293 for them with 23 steals in 43 games. Furcal led all of minor league baseball with 96 steals total. He was named to Baseball America's first team All-Star team and the South Atlantic League All-Star team. In addition, Furcal was the Braves Minor League Player of the Year, the South Atlantic League Most Outstanding Prospect and a Single-A All-Star. An injury to Braves shortstop Walt Weiss prior to the 2000 season led to Furcal improbably making the jump from 'A' ball to the Major League roster. He made his Major League debut on April 4, 2000, against the Colorado Rockies, getting 2 hits in 4 at-bats. His first hit was against Rockies pitcher Rolando Arrojo. Furcal went on to hit .295 with 40 stolen bases for the Braves and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award

In Their Own Story

One of the most rare defensive plays in baseball history occurred on August 10, 2003. In the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals, Furcal executed an unassisted triple play, the 12th ever recorded. He caught a liner from pitcher Woody Williams with runners moving on a hit-and-run, stepped on second base to retire catcher Mike Matheny, and tagged first baseman Orlando Palmeiro before he could return to the bag. The Braves later learned that Furcal was actually 23 years old at the start of the 2002 season, having previously claimed to be 21. That same year, he tied a modern Major League record with three triples in a single game on April 21 against Florida. His time in Atlanta ended abruptly after his jail term for drunk driving, following an earlier arrest in June 2000.

Reader's Guide

Rafael Furcal is a former MLB shortstop known for his speed, arm, and unassisted triple play. He won the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year with the Braves and a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 2011.

Did You Know?

• Furcal completed an unassisted triple play on August 10, 2003, the 12th in MLB history.
• He led all of minor league baseball with 96 stolen bases in 1999.
• Furcal won the 2011 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals.