Paul Casanova
Born: 12/21/1941 in Colón, Matanzas, Cuba
Died: 8/12/2017 in Miami, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1965-09-18 | Final Game: 1974-09-09
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Paulino Casanova
Biography
Paul Casanova was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1974. Born in 1941, Casanova was known for his versatility as a position player, appearing in 859 games throughout his career. He recorded a total of 627 hits, 50 home runs, and 252 RBIs, concluding his playing days with a batting average of .225. Despite the challenges of the era, Casanova's contributions on the field earned him recognition, including an All-Star selection during his time in the league.
Casanova played during a transitional period in baseball, where the sport was beginning to see the emergence of more power hitters and a shift in offensive strategy. His style of play was characterized by solid defensive skills and the ability to contribute to his team's offense, though he was not known for speed on the bases, finishing his career with just 2 stolen bases. While his statistical output may not have placed him among the top tier of players, Casanova's role in the game and his perseverance through the ups and downs of a lengthy career remain a testament to his dedication to baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 859 | 2786 | 214 | 627 | 87 | 12 | 50 | 252 | 2 | 101 | 430 | 0.225 | 0.252 | 0.319 | 0.571 | -8800.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | WS2 | AL | 5 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.308 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | WS2 | AL | 122 | 429 | 45 | 109 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 44 | 1 | 14 | 78 | 0.254 | -199.2 |
| 1967 | WS2 | AL | 141 | 528 | 47 | 131 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 53 | 1 | 17 | 65 | 0.248 | -888.1 |
| 1968 | WS2 | AL | 96 | 322 | 19 | 63 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 0 | 7 | 52 | 0.196 | -1607.0 |
| 1969 | WS2 | AL | 124 | 379 | 26 | 82 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 18 | 52 | 0.216 | -1693.7 |
| 1970 | WS2 | AL | 104 | 328 | 25 | 75 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 0 | 10 | 47 | 0.229 | -1095.8 |
| 1971 | WS2 | AL | 94 | 311 | 19 | 63 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 14 | 52 | 0.203 | -1353.6 |
| 1972 | ATL | NL | 49 | 136 | 8 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 0.206 | -561.2 |
| 1973 | ATL | NL | 82 | 236 | 18 | 51 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 11 | 36 | 0.216 | -736.5 |
| 1974 | ATL | NL | 42 | 104 | 5 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 0.202 | -665.6 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 811 | 729 | 4040 | 395 | 69 | 65 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | WS2 | C | 4 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | WS2 | C | 119 | 113 | 674 | 53 | 14 | 12 |
| 1967 | WS2 | C | 137 | 132 | 827 | 70 | 15 | 19 |
| 1968 | WS2 | C | 92 | 86 | 472 | 46 | 6 | 3 |
| 1969 | WS2 | C | 122 | 106 | 583 | 59 | 5 | 5 |
| 1970 | WS2 | C | 100 | 82 | 461 | 48 | 6 | 12 |
| 1971 | WS2 | C | 83 | 81 | 416 | 40 | 7 | 4 |
| 1972 | ATL | C | 43 | 32 | 139 | 16 | 4 | 3 |
| 1973 | ATL | C | 78 | 64 | 330 | 48 | 9 | 3 |
| 1974 | ATL | C | 33 | 29 | 123 | 15 | 2 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 811 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | TSN All-Star | C |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 3.0 | 280 | 0 |