Nick Punto

Nicholas Paul Punto (born November 8, 1977 in San Diego, California) is a Major League Baseball infielder for the Minnesota Twins. He can play second base, third base, shortstop, or center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed.

Punto is a 1996 graduate of Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, California. After high school, he attended Saddleback College, also in Mission Viejo. His father, Lou, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. Nick and his wife, Natalie have one child, Nicole Jayne born on May 30, 2008.

Punto made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on September 9, 2001. After playing in a career-high 64 major-league games in 2003, he was acquired by the Twins in the 2004 offseason (along with Carlos Silva) for Eric Milton. He started the season with the team, but he was injured twice and spent the majority of his time in 2004 on the disabled list. In 2005, he competed for the starting job at second base, which he eventually won, and in 2006 became the starting third baseman.

Punto is one of four Twins players nicknamed "The Piranhas" by White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillén. The Twins have since embraced the term as affirmation of their selfless, aggressive play. The other Piranhas were Jason Tyner, Jason Bartlett, and Luis Castillo. Punto is the only one of these four players who remains with the Twins. Also known as "The Human Highlight Reel", to members of the Twins. Punto is also well known for his variety of clubhouse nick-names including: "One Man Wrecking Crew", "Fantasy Phenom", "Walkoff Nick Punto", and "Vegetarian Piranha".

2005 Season

In 2005 Punto batted .239, with a career high 4 home runs, and 26 runs batted in over the duration of 112 games.


2006 Season

Punto had his best full season in Minnesota during the 2006 season when he batted .290 with 45 runs batted in, and posted 17 stolen bases in 135 games.


2007 Season

In 2007, Punto experienced his statistically worst full season with Minnesota, batting .210 with 25 runs batted in in 150 games. He posted the lowest slugging percentage (.271) of any major league player with at least 200 at-bats in a single season. This was the lowest slugging percentage by a player with over 400 at-bats since José Lind recorded a .269 slugging percentage for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992. Punto also posted a -27.1 VORP in 2007, 8.5 runs worse than the second-worst position player in baseball, White Sox infielder Andy González. However, he has always played excellent defense and believed in his defensive abilities which the Twins are so keen on. On May 27 during an MPR broadcast Punto said, "I take too much pride in my defense to ever let (offensive struggles) affect me or affect my team. The one thing I can control is how I play defense."


2008 Season

After being injured most of the first half of the 2008 season, Punto was activated from the DL on June 25, 2008 and finished the season batting .284 with 28 runs batted in. Punto spent most of the 2008 season as the Twins' primary shortstop.

Punto signed a new two-year deal with the Twins worth $8.5 million following the 2008 season, with a club option for 2011 worth $5 million.

Punto represented Team Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.


2009 Season

After struggling as the Twins regular shortstop, Punto began losing time in the lineup to fellow Twin Brendan Harris. After returning from the disabled list, Punto was re-inserted into the regular lineup at second base, following the struggles of infielders Alexi Casilla and Matt Tolbert.