Newark Bears Re-sign Ruben Mateo
Published on March 24, 2008 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Newark Bears News Release
NEWARK, NJ, Mar. 25-The defending Atlantic League Champion Newark Bears announced today that the club has re-signed outfielder Ruben Mateo to a contract for the 2008 season. Mateo is the second outfielder to be signed by the Bears in the last few days, joining Keith Reed in re-signing with the club recently.
Mateo will be entering his 12th season in professional baseball, his second in the Atlantic League, and his first full season with the Bears. The former Major Leaguer was signed late in 2007 season by the Bears and batted .288 with 19 hits, 5 home runs, 4 doubles, 14 runs scored, 10 RBI in15 games.
During the 2007 playoffs, Mateo came through with a clutch bottom of the seventh inning triple that scored two runs in Game 4 of Atlantic League Championship Series against the Somerset Patriots. Mateo drove in 3 runs in the post-season and had two extra-base hits while playing in all six games.
"Having Ruben with us from the start of the season is going to be a big plus in 2008," said Newark Bears Assistant General Manager of Baseball Operations Jim Cerny. "He is legitimate five-tool player. We are excited that he decided to return to the Bears."
Mateo was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in 1994 by the Texas Rangers. From 1999 through 2004, he appeared in 295 major league games with the Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Kansas City Royals, posting a career batting average of .250, with 160 runs scored, 89 RBI, 44 doubles, 8 triples, and 21 home runs.
The 30 year-old Mateo has played in over 1,000 career games, in which he has Major League experience and has reached the Triple-A level six times in his professional career. He is a lifetime .294 hitter at the minor league level, and has batted better than .300 on seven different occasions. Mateo began the 2007 season in Huntsville of the Double-A Southern League, where he hit 5 home runs and drove in 15 runs over 24 games.
The Bears open up defense of their 2007 Atlantic League Championship on Friday, April 25th against the Long Island Ducks before playing their home opener on Tuesday, April 29th at 7:05PM against the Bridgeport Bluefish at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. Bears ticket information may be obtained by calling 1-866-55-4BEAR and by logging on to the team's official website, www.newarkbears.com.
Atlantic League Stories from March 24, 2008
- Newark Bears Re-sign Ruben Mateo - Newark Bears
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