Meet Giancarlo Stanton, Little Known Ball Player Who Signed $325 Million Deal
Giancarlo Stanton signed the biggest deal in sports history.
— -- The athlete who snagged the new record for biggest sports contract in history isn't a quarterback or star pitcher, but an outfielder for the Miami Marlins.
Giancarlo Stanton has signed a 13-year contract with the Miami Marlins for $325 million, according to the Associated Press.
Miguel Cabrera's $292 million, 10-year deal with the Detroit Tigers in March and the New York Yankees' 10-year, $275 million contract with Alex Rodriguez previously had the records for guaranteed money in a contract.
The Miami Marlins had the second-lowest salary payroll in the 2014 season at $46.44 million, second only to the Houston Astros ($47.44 million).
The Marlins did not respond to a request for comment.
Here are some facts about the 240-pound, 6-foot-6 Stanton:
1. He's about a month older than Taylor Swift.
His birthday is Nov. 8, 1989, so he recently turned 25.
2. His mom calls him Cruz.
But he prefers to be called Giancarlo, according to the Associated Press back in 2012. His full name is Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton, though he's not Italian, and Giancarlo isn't a family name. His parents just liked it, the AP said.
Around the fifth grade, he started going by the name Mike.
"No one could pronounce it right," he told the AP. "Everyone thought it was two words. Gene-carlo, Juan-carlo, Gionne-carlo. You have seven periods in school, so seven times a day: 'No, that's not the name.'"
His teammates call him Bigfoot.
3. He's from Los Angeles.
He was born in the neighborhood of Panorama City and attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks.
4. He played multiple sports.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize what a gifted athlete he is,” said Robert Tuchman, president of sports and entertainment marketing firm Goviva, adding that Stanton was a three-sport athlete in high school, including basketball. Plus, he had scholarship offers from UCLA and UNLV.
Stanton went to the University of Southern California.
5. He's played in Major League Baseball for four years.
The Florida Marlins chose Stanton in the second round of the June 2007 First-Year Player Draft. His MLB debut was June 8, 2010.
6. He is a two-time All Star.
He was an all-star in 2012 and 2014. His other awards include the Silver Slugger Award (2014), the top offensive honor given to a player in the National and American Leagues each year. He received the National League Hank Aaron Award and he was the league's home run champion this year with 37.
7. He survived getting hit in the face.
Back in September, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher struck Stanton in the face, leading to face fractures.
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