Former San Diego Padres farmhand (and Filipino-American) Jason Bartlett, is the starting shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays. A native of Mountain View, California, Bartlett was drafted in 2001 by San Diego (in the 13th round) out of the University of Oklahoma. In 2002, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins (for Brian Buchanan). He's always been a very solid player who always seems to play the right way.
I'm also a big fan of Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder, Shane Victorino. A former Padre outfielder (Rule 5 Draftee - 2002), The Flying Hawaiian was born and raised in Maui - and with a name like Victorino, I wonder if there's any Filipino heritage. Even if he isn't Filipino, I was already a big fan after learning there was a brown-skinned Padre from Hawaii.
So... unless I can get a hold of the players or their respective agents to confirm their backgrounds... I can watch the fall classic and tell myself that there are a couple of Filipino-Americans playing against each other in the World Series. Might not be a big deal to anyone else out there.. but its a big deal to this Fil-Am who grew up playing baseball.
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