Editing Richard Hidalgo (section)

==Career==
Hidalgo was signed as a 16-year-old by the Houston Astros from its Venezuela academy.<ref name="trade">{{cite news |last1=de Jesus Ortiz |first1=Jose |title=Astros' Richard Hidalgo traded to Mets With poll |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-Richard-Hidalgo-traded-to-Mets-With-poll-1651202.php |access-date=25 September 2022 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=18 June 2004}}</ref>

After hitting .306 and .303 in his first two seasons, his numbers came down with a .227 [[batting average (baseball)|average]], although he showed some power with 15 [[home run]]s in 383 [[At bat|at-bats]]. He required season-ending surgery to treat a congenital knee condition.<ref>{{cite news |title=Astros' Hidalgo Finished |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/08/26/astros-hidalgo-finished/857c1173-67bf-4970-b3ad-c7352bf4f50c/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=1999-08-26}}</ref>

Hidalgo blossomed in 2000, when he hit .314 with 44 home runs and 122 [[Run batted in|RBIs]]. That season Hidalgo set the Astros' [[extra-base hit]] streak record, matched in 2017 by [[Alex Bregman]], at 10 games. In April of 2000 Hidalgo hit the first home run as an Astro in Enron field and later In September 2000 Hidalgo set an Astros record of .476 average that was surpassed by [[Jose Altuve]] in 2018.<ref name="e676">{{cite web | last=Michelet | first=Kirk | title=Alex Bregman extends extra base hit streak to 10 games | website=WAFB | date=2017-08-10 | url=https://www.wafb.com/story/36106873/copy-former-tiger-alex-bregman-looks-to-extend-extra-base-hit-streak/ | access-date=2024-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-08-09 |title=Hot-hitting Bregman leads Astros against White Sox |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/hot-hitting-bregman-leads-astros-against-white-sox/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref> He signed a 4-year $32 million contract after that season.<ref name="trade" />

On November 22, 2002, Hidalgo was shot in the left forearm during a carjacking in [[Venezuela]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 22, 2002 |title=Astros' Hidalgo shot during carjacking |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/astros-hidalgo-shot-during-carjacking-1.307783 |access-date=August 18, 2009 |publisher=[[CBC Sports]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In 2003, he returned to good form both at the plate and in the field. He posted numbers of .309, 28, 88, collected three homers in a game, and led the majors outfielders in [[Assist (baseball)|assists]] with 22, while committing only four [[Error (baseball)|errors]]. 

Despite being named National League player of the month for April 2004, Hidalgo struggled at the plate and was benched by manager, [[Jimy Williams]], by May.<ref name="trade" /> The Astros then traded him to the [[New York Mets]] for [[David Weathers]] and [[Jeremy Griffiths]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Lee |title=BASEBALL; The Mets Trade for Hidalgo, Once a Future Star |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/18/sports/baseball-the-mets-trade-for-hidalgo-once-a-future-star.html |access-date=25 September 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=18 June 2004}}</ref> He set a Mets record by homering in 5 consecutive games.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mets vs. Phillies - Game Recap - July 6, 2004 - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/240706122 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925052100/https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/240706122 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 25, 2022 |access-date=25 September 2022 |work=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Hidalgo hit .239 with 25 homers and 82 RBIs for the season.

Hidalgo, a free agent, signed with the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] for the 2005 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rangers sign OF Hidalgo to one-year deal |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story?id=1943786 |access-date=25 September 2022 |work=ESPN.com |date=11 December 2004 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2006, he signed a minor league contract with the [[Baltimore Orioles]], but left the team before the season started, when his wife became ill. Hidalgo requested to be released from his contract, allowing to him to go to Japan where he would have a starting role. In the 2006 off-season, the [[Boston Red Sox]] and [[Chicago Cubs]] reportedly showed interest in signing Hidalgo.

In January 2007, the Astros signed him again, this time to a minor league contract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Astros GM Purpura 'optimistic ' about Hidalgo deal |url=http://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-GM-Purpura-optimistic-about-Hidalgo-deal-1560513.php |access-date=31 December 2014 |website=Chron.com |date=January 11, 2007 |publisher=The Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers}}</ref> This second tenure was short-lived, as Hidalgo was released by the Astros on March 25, 2007,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Footer |first1=Alyson |last2=Moloney |first2=Jim |title=Astros sign veteran outfielder Hidalgo |work=MLB.com |url=http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/1778091/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610090755/http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/1778091/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2015 |access-date=10 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Footer |first=Alyson |title=Astros release outfielder Hidalgo |url=http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/1857703/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610090614/http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/1857703/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2015 |access-date=31 December 2014 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> after refusing a minor league assignment.

Hidalgo was a Major League .269 lifetime hitter with 171 home runs and 560 RBIs in 987 games. Defensively, he recorded a .987 [[fielding percentage]] playing at all three outfield positions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Richard Hidalgo |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hidalri01.shtml |access-date=31 December 2014 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC}}</ref>

On April 10, 2007, Hidalgo joined the [[Long Island Ducks]]. Before [[spring training]], however, he announced his retirement from professional baseball. On July 8, 2008, Hidalgo signed with the Ducks again but left the team during the last week of August.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sports Now |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/11/winter-league-r.html |access-date=31 December 2014 |website=L.A. Times|date=November 17, 2008 }}</ref>

In early 2008, Hidalgo's attempt to create a so-called [[Field of Dreams|"field of dreams"]] on his [[Florida]] property was voted down by residents of his neighborhood.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neighbors Try To Stop Former Pro Baseball Star's 'Field Of Dreams' |url=http://www.wftv.com/news/news/neighbors-try-to-stop-former-pro-baseball-stars-fi/nJpBR/#__federated=1 |access-date=31 December 2014 |website=Wftv.com |publisher=Cox Media Group|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813101959/https://www.wftv.com/news/news/neighbors-try-to-stop-former-pro-baseball-stars-fi/nJpBR/|archive-date=August 13, 2012}}</ref>  Hidalgo has three sons who live with his wife in Florida.