39 Facts About Miguel Tejada

Miguel Odalis Tejada is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball.

Miguel Tejada played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, before short stints with the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Kansas City Royals.

Miguel Tejada is a six-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

Miguel Tejada's nickname is "La Guagua", which means "the bus" in certain Spanish dialects, after his ability to drive in runs.

Miguel Tejada grew up in extreme poverty in Bani, a city about 40 miles southwest of Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic.

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Miguel Tejada grew up idolizing the Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr.

Miguel Tejada's rise from the slums of Bani through the minors and into the Major Leagues is chronicled in the book Away Games: The Life and Times of a Latin Ballplayer by Marcos Breton and Jose Luis Villegas.

Miguel Tejada developed quickly into a top-notch prospect, showing early signs of power.

Miguel Tejada reached the Majors towards the end of the 1997 season, joining a struggling Oakland Athletics club.

Miguel Tejada was rewarded with the starting shortstop job beginning in 1998.

Miguel Tejada's hitting improved as he gained more discipline at the plate.

Miguel Tejada showed modest speed on the basepaths with 18 steals over a two-year stretch.

Miguel Tejada's performance was rewarded with the 2002 American League MVP award.

Miguel Tejada was known for his public display of anger toward Boston starting pitcher Derek Lowe at the series' conclusion for what he perceived as obscene gestures.

The A's elected not to re-sign the free agent, citing budget concerns and a young Bobby Crosby coming through the system, so Miguel Tejada signed a six-year, $72 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles during the offseason.

Miguel Tejada hit a record 27 home runs in the contest, including a record 15 homers in the second round.

Miguel Tejada finished the 2004 season with 34 home runs and an MLB-leading 150 RBIs, and won his first career Silver Slugger Award.

Miguel Tejada's efforts earned him the All-Star MVP, winning a Chevrolet Corvette.

Weeks would go by before Miguel Tejada relented on the idea of being traded away, although the Orioles would later try to offload him during the 2006 All-Star break.

Miguel Tejada played in his 1,000th consecutive game on July 1,2006.

Miguel Tejada's streak was at 1,151 games when he was hit on his left wrist by a pitch on June 20,2007.

Miguel Tejada scored his 1,000th career run on July 7,2008, at PNC Park.

Miguel Tejada became the first player in major league history to lead the league in double plays grounded into five times.

On January 23,2010, Miguel Tejada agreed to a one-year deal worth $6 million with the Orioles.

Miguel Tejada was designated for assignment on August 31,2011 after batting.

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On May 6,2012, Miguel Tejada reached an agreement on a contract with the Orioles.

Miguel Tejada failed to make the Major League club's roster however, and played for their Triple-A affiliate Norfolk team until requesting his outright release, which was granted on June 25,2012.

On December 31,2012, Miguel Tejada signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals.

Miguel Tejada was not allowed to play in the first 64 games of the 2014 season.

On May 16,2014, Miguel Tejada signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins.

Miguel Tejada was required to serve the remaining 64 games left on his suspension before being available to be called up by the Marlins.

Miguel Tejada denied the allegations, saying that the only thing he gave Palmeiro was vitamin B-12, a legal substance under MLB policy.

On December 13,2007, Miguel Tejada was mentioned in the Mitchell Report in connection to steroids.

Henry Waxman had asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Miguel Tejada was truthful when speaking to the House committee when being interviewed in 2005 regarding possible connections to Rafael Palmeiro.

On February 10,2009, Miguel Tejada was charged with lying to Congress about performance-enhancing drug usage in Major League Baseball.

On February 11, Miguel Tejada pleaded guilty to charges that he lied to Congress in 2005.

Miguel Tejada faced up to one year in federal prison and deportation.

Miguel Tejada claimed he had medical permission from MLB to use the drug to treat ADD, but it expired on April 15,2013, and he continued to use it without gaining a new permission from MLB.

Miguel Tejada has a chicken farm in Florida where he lives with his wife, Alejandra, and his daughter, Alexa.