Jeff Tully
Fans of Jeff Cirillo have to be wondering if the former Providence
High baseball standout has played his last game as a major- leaguer.
The San Diego Padres gave the veteran his unconditional release
Thursday, leaving the infielder without a pro team for the first time
in his 10-year career.
Cirillo, 34, appeared in 33 games for San Diego this season,
batting .213 (16 for 75) with three doubles, one home run and seven
runs batted in.
A career .297 hitter, Cirillo is a two-time all-star, playing for
the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners and Padres.
His best seasons came in 1999 with Milwaukee and 2000 with the
Rockies, when he batted .326 both years.
In 1999, his .326 average was fifth-best in the league, and he was
second in the league in singles (147), third in hits (198), eighth in
plate appearances (697) and ninth in at-bats (607). He also had 15
home runs and 88 RBI.
In 2000, he led all National League third basemen in batting
average (.326) and hits (195). He also established a lifetime best
115 RBI -- 10th in the league -- and posted 25 multi-RBI games,
including a single-game career high of seven against the Montreal
Expos.
In 1,350 games, Cirillo has 1,414 hits, 299 doubles, 19 triples,
103 home runs and 654 RBI.
He was acquired by San Diego from the Mariners on Jan. 6 in a
six-player deal.
A star athlete at Providence and USC, Cirillo helped the Pioneer
baseball team win a CIF Southern Section Small Schools title in 1986.
He also helped chair the Paul Sutton Charity Golf Classic, an
annual event honoring the former Providence coach and athletic
director.
