While bouncing from Detroit to Atlanta to Florida to Arizona, Bautista struggled to shake his label as a reserve outfielder. The Dominican-born Bautista had no major weaknesses, but neither did any aspect of his game stand out. He had some pop in his bat, though it took several years to lift his batting average above .250.
Bautista spent his first three seasons with Detroit, collecting as many as 271 at-bats in 1995, when he hit .203 with seven home runs. In late May 1996 the Tigers traded him to Atlanta, but his season came to a premature end when a wayward pitch from Cardinals hurler Jeff Parrett broke his nose and a bone near his left eye. The following two seasons he saw action mainly as a late-inning defensive replacement and fourth outfielder for the Braves. He also got a taste of post-season action in his two full seasons in Atlanta, contributing a two-run single in Game Thee of the Braves' 1997 NL Division Series, and earning three starts in left field over the course of two NL Championship Series.
After being cut by Atlanta in spring training, Bautista signed with Florida in April 1999 and worked his way into a four-man outfield rotation when the Marlins lost outfielder Cliff Floyd for more than two months to a torn Achilles tendon. In 205 at-bats he hit .288 with five home runs and 24 RBIs. He enjoyed his most productive season in 2000, when an early June trade sent him to the Diamondbacks for infielder Andy Fox. Taking advantage of Arizona's unstable right field situation, Bautista batted .285 while setting career-highs with 351 at-bats, 100 hits, 11 home runs, 54 runs scored and 59 RBIs.
(AGL)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»May 28, 1995: In a 14–12 White Sox win, the Tigers and Chicago combine to hit 12 home runs—7 by the Tigers—and 21 extra-base hits to set a major league and American League mark, respectively. The 2-teams combine to set a ML for extra bases on long hits (45), with Detroit contributing 24. The Sox start rookie James Baldwin (25 hits, 15 runs in 13.1 innings) and Detroit remainders him with a leadoff home run by Chad Curtis, a walk, single and 3-run homer by Cecil Fielder. Curtis and Fielder each homer in the 2nd to finish the rookie. The Sox sink David Wells with successive homers in the 4th by Durham, Karkovice, and Grebeck. Cecil Fielder, Chad Curtis, Kirk Gibson, and Ron Karkovice each homer twice, setting another AL mark for the most players with two home runs in a game. Ray Durham, Craig Grebeck, Frank Thomas, and Lou Whitaker also connect for 4-baggers. Detroit's Danny Bautista, anxious to join the home run derby, fans five times (on 18 pitches) in six at bats to tie another mark for a nine inning game
»August 18, 1998: Greg Maddux wins his 200th game as the Braves double up the Giants, 8–4. Maddux allows one earned run to lower his National League best ERA to 1.65. In a rarity, the Braves collect nine hits—all doubles. Gerald Williams, Danny Bautista and Walt Weiss have two apiece, while Eddie Perez drives in three runs with another.
»June 9, 2000:
The Marlins trade OF Danny Bautista to the Diamondbacks for IF Andy Fox.
»July 6, 2001:
Oakland ace Mark Mulder hurls a near–perfect game against the Diamondbacks, surrendering only a single to OF Danny Bautista in the A's 3–0 win.
»November 3, 2001: The Diamondbacks even the Series at three games apiece with a 15-2 win over the Yankees in Game 6. Randy Johnson gets the win for Arizona while Danny Bautista drives in five runs. Arizona knocks out a World Series-record 22 hits, and scores eight runs in the 3rd inning.
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