Henderson Álvarez III wasn’t a World Series champion pitcher, but he forged a notable baseball career. Many faithful Miami Marlins fans remember him best from his no-hitter on September 29, 2013, against the Detroit Tigers.

Born in the city of Valencia, in Venezuela’s Carabobo State, on April 18, 1990, Álvarez started his professional baseball career in 2007 at the age of 17 after signing on October 17, 2006, with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international undrafted free agent.

The rookie right-handed pitcher made his debut with the Blue Jays in the Dominican Summer League. He started his career with a 1-2 won-lost record and a 5.61 ERA, pitching 25⅔ innings. He is listed at an even 6-feet tall and 205 pounds.

In 2008 Álvarez moved to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. He almost doubled his innings pitched (46⅓) but with a similar ERA (5.63) and again a negative won-lost record (1-4).

The Blue Jays saw potential and promoted Álvarez to the Lansing Lugnuts in the Class-A Midwest League in 2009. Before that, he pitched in one game in the Venezuelan Winter League for Los Tiburones (Sharks) de La Guaira in the 2008-09 season.

The 2009 season marked another step in Álvarez’s climb toward major-league baseball. He was an all-star with Lansing,1 with a 9-6 won-lost record (his nine wins led the team) and a 3.47 ERA in 124⅓ innings pitched. He struck out 92 and walked 19.

This earned him a promotion to the Dunedin Blue Jays of the advanced Class A-Advanced Florida State League for the 2010 season. He was again an all-star and was selected to appear in the All-Star Futures Game. In 2010 his stats were a bit below those of the year before: an 8-7 won-lost record, 4.33 ERA in 112⅓ innings pitched.

Álvarez returned to his country and played for Los Tiburones in the 2010-11 Venezuelan Winter League as a relief pitcher in 10 games with a 2.13 ERA in 42⅓ innings pitched.

In the United States, 2011 was a key year for Álvarez. He started the season with the Dunedin Blue Jays, throwing 8⅓ innings in two games, then was promoted to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Double-A Eastern League. For a third time he was named an all-star and made a second appearance in the All-Star Futures Game. His stats with the Fisher Cats showed a distinct improvement: an 8-4 won-lost record and and a 2.86 ERA over 88 innings. He struck out 66 and walked 17.

On August 9, 2011, after right-hander Carlos Villanueva was placed on the disabled list with a forearm strain, Álvarez was promoted to the Blue Jays.2 His first game under manager John Farrell was a start against the Oakland Athletics the next day. He worked 5⅔ innings and gave up three runs on eight hits. The Blue Jays came from behind and won the game, 8-4, the win going to reliever Casey Janssen. 

Álvarez lost two August starts when his teammates scored only one run in each. His first major-league win came in Baltimore on August 31, 2011: a 13-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He worked eight innings, allowing only three base hits and walking no one. This was a major landmark for Álvarez: at 21 years and 135 days, he became not only the youngest Blue Jays pitcher to win a game since 1997, but also the youngest starting pitcher to record a win for the Blue Jays since 1979. He finished the season 1-3 but with a solid 3.53 ERA over 63⅔ innings of work.

It was a successful start, even though the team placed only fourth in the American League East Division with an 81-81 record.

In 2012, again with the Blue Jays, Álvarez played in 31 games, a season of ups and downs. He recorded his first complete game and first shutout, 4-0 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on May 4, 2012. Brandon Morrow had pitched a shutout the day before, so the duo became the first to throw back-to-back shutouts for the Blue Jays since 1993.

Álvarez, however, had the lowest strikeout rate in the league (3.80) and also was ejected by umpire Marty Foster for throwing at a Texas Rangers batter on May 26, 2012. The team (73-89) finished fourth. Álvarez had a 9-14 won-lost record and a 4.85 ERA in 187⅓ innings pitched.

On November 19, 2012, the Venezuelan pitcher was traded to the Miami Marlins in a massive 12-player deal. The Blue Jays traded Álvarez along with Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Jeff Mathis, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino, and Anthony DeSclafani to the Marlins in exchange for Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, José Reyes, John Buck, and Emilio Bonifacio, and financial compensation.

In the 2013 season, Álvarez earned national headlines. The season had started poorly for him, however. In the preseason 2013 World Baseball Classic, he pitched for the Venezuelan national team, but was the losing pitcher against Puerto Rico as Venezuela was eliminated in the group phase.

The day before Opening Day, Álvarez was placed on the Marlins’ disabled list with shoulder inflammation. “He is going to be down, he’s taking a break” said Marlins manager Mike Redmond. (The severity of his injury was unknown at the time.3) In fact, Álvarez was out for the first half of the season. He pitched in some minor-league games for two Marlins affiliates, the Jacksonville Suns and the Jupiter Hammerheads, before returning to the majors, making his Marlins debut on July 4 against the Atlanta Braves and holding the Braves to three runs over five innings. His first Marlins win came on July 26 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a 2-0 victory with Álvarez throwing six scoreless innings of two-hit ball.

Even though Álvarez had missed nearly half the season, 2013 was a better season for him than for the Blue Jays. He had a 5-6 won-lost record and a 3.59 ERA in 102⅔ innings pitched in 17 games. The Marlins’ team ERA was 3.71 and they finished in last place, with a record of 62-100. One notable game for Álvarez was played on September 2 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. In the top of the third inning, with the Marlins down 3-1, he came to bat and hit a three-run homer down the left-field line off Travis Wood – the only home run of his major-league career – providing what turned out to be the runs that won the 4-3 game.

All told, Álvarez hit .220 in 115 major-league plate appearances, with 9 RBIs.

It was in the very last game of the 2013 season that Álvarez truly made the headlines. Against the Detroit Tigers, he threw a no-hitter, the 284th in regular-season major-league history and the first ever at Marlins Park. He just allowed three baserunners, on an error, a walk, and a hit batter. The Marlins won 1-0 – a walkoff win on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the ninth inning. The last time major-league baseball had seen a no-hitter in the final game of the season had been in 1984. It was a huge moment for Álvarez, and many anticipated a great 2014 season. 

Before the 2014 season, Álvarez pitched in five games (2-0 won-lost record, 2.74 ERA in 23 innings pitched) for the Tiburones de La Guaira in the 2013-14 Venezuelan Winter League.

It was just the beginning. With the 2014 Marlins, the Venezuelan pitcher started strongly, with a two-hit, 2-0 shutout of Seattle on April 19. Two other shutouts followed. On May 6 he held the Mets to six hits in a 3-0 win and on June 3 he shut out Tampa Bay, 1-0, on eight hits.

 All told, Álvarez in 2014 recorded the strongest stats of his major-league years. He started 30 games and had a 12-7 won-lost record and a 2.65 ERA in 187 innings pitched. He struck out 111 and walked 33. He was selected for the National League All-Star team and his three shutouts led the major leagues. He had to deal with a minor shoulder injury4 but he finished a Marlins losing season (77-85) as the winningest pitcher on the team. He received one vote in the 2014 NL Cy Young Award balloting.

After his strong 2014 season, Álvarez was rightfully chosen as the 2015 Opening Day starting pitcher. Though he gave up only two runs in six innings, the game was a 2-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves.5 With a major shoulder injury in April and a fruitless attempt to come back in the second half of May, Álvarez lost every one of his four starts that season. He had to undergo shoulder surgery on July 28.6 The 2015 major-league season was the first major-league season in which he didn’t record a win: 0-4, 6.45 ERA, just 22⅓ innings pitched.

Álvarez was granted free agency by the Marlins on December 2, 2015, and signed with the Oakland Athletics on December 28.

His 2016 season in the Athletics’ organization didn’t earn Álvarez a return to the majors.7 Dealing with his injuries required additional shoulder surgery,8 after he had played briefly with two minor-league affiliates, the Nashville Sounds (5 games, 1-0, 18⅔ innings, 3.86 ERA) and the Stockton Ports (5 games, 13⅓ innings, 0-1, 4.73 ERA), and a sole game in the fall league with the AZL Athletics.

Álvarez became a free agent on October 7, 2016, pitched for the Long Island Ducks in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (2-1 in seven starts), then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on August 22, 2017.

He made three starts (2-0 won-lost record, 2.84 ERA, 19 innings pitched) with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, then on September 11 was promoted to the major-league club, starting three games (0-1, 4.30 ERA, 14⅔ innings pitched). The Phillies had a 66-96 record that season.

In 2018 and 2019 Álvarez pitched for Los Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Triple-A-level Mexican League. He was 6-1 in the Spring league and 3-4 in the Autumn league.  

Álvarez was signed by the Washington Nationals on November 16, 2018, but failed to be promoted, playing in for the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League (24 starts, 1-4 won-lost record, 5.94 , 53 innings pitched). He was released by the Nationals on July 1, 2019.

In the 2018-19 Venezuelan Winter League, Álvarez played for his hometown squad, Los Navegantes del Magallanes. With the baseball team from Valencia, he pitched in 10 games and went 3-6 with a 6.64 ERA in 40⅔ innings pitched.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Álvarez pitched in 2020 for the champions of the independent American Association, the Milwaukee Milkmen.9 He was the winning pitcher in Game Two of the finals against Sioux Falls, throwing seven shutout innings in mid-September.10

During that season Álvarez signed on August 9 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the contract was voided on August 16.11

Later that year, Álvarez remained active, playing for Los Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Mexican League.12 Once you could find his tweets in @HendersonA37 and his posts at @alvarez3737 on Instagram. As he tweeted on September 27, 2020, “en este momento es importante tener jugadores de experiencia en los roster.” (At this moment [MLB playoffs], [it] is important to have experienced players in the rosters.)13

Álvarez continued pitching for Magallanes in winter league ball the next three seasons and pitched in three games – he was 1-0 – in the 2021 Caribbean Series.

His 2022 and 2023 seasons were both in Mérida, Yucatán, pitching in the Mexican League for Los Leones de Yucatán, starting 17 games and finishing with a record of 7-4 (4.43 ERA) in 2022 and 6-4 (3.68 ERA) in 2023.

In 2024 Álvarez continued pitching Mexican League baseball, starting four games for the Saraperos de Saltillo (Norte Division) and two for the Guerreros de Oaxaca (Sur Division), for a combined 1-2 (5.40 ERA).

Álvarez clearly kept plugging away, pitching professional baseball wherever and whenever he could, into his 35th year.

Last revised: January 31, 2026

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author relied on Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org. Additional information has been contributed by Bill Nowlin.

Photo credit: Henderson Álvarez, Getty Images.

Notes

1 “Alvarez Participates in MLB Futures Game,” milb.com, July 2, 2010. http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100702&content_id=11861122&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t424&sid=t424.

2 “Jays’ Alvarez Set for Major League debut against A’s,” Toronto Star, August 10, 2011. Thanks to Adrian Fung.

3 Michael Jong, “Henderson Alvarez Suffers Setback in Return from Injury,” SB Nation Fish Stripes. https://www.fishstripes.com/2013/5/3/4296272/miami-marlins-news-henderson-alvarez-injury-shoulder-setback.

4Juan C. Rodriguez, “Marlins Shelve All-Star Alvarez with Shoulder Inflammation,” South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Deerfield Beach, Florida), August 1, 2014. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-08-01/sports/fl-marlins-notes-0802-20140801_1_henderson-alvarez-colin-moran-jake-marisnick.

5 Clark Spencer, “Henderson Alvarez, Named Marlins’ Opening Day Starter,” Miami Herald, March 29, 2015.  http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miami-marlins/article16857254.html

6 Drew Silva, “Henderson Alvarez Undergoes Shoulder Surgery,” NBCSports.com, July 28, 2015. http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2015/07/28/henderson-alvarez-undergoes-shoulder-surgery/.

7 “Henderson Alvarez’s Rehab on Pause After Shoulder Discomfort,” ESPN.com, June 19, 2016. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/16340382/henderson-alvarez-shut-oakland-athletics-due-shoulder-discomfort.

8 Jeff Todd, “Henderson Alvarez Undergoes Shoulder Surgery,” mlbtradeumors.com, September 20, 2016. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/09/henderson-alvarez-set-for-shoulder-surgery.html.

9 “Deal with Pittsburgh Falls Through,” rotowire.com, August 17, 2020. https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player.php?id=11198&refer=SportsRef.

10 Curt Hogg, “Champs! The Milwaukee Milkmen Defeat Sioux Falls to Win the American Association Championship,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, September 17, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2020/09/17/milwaukee-milkmen-win-2020-american-association-baseball-championship/3489912001/.

11 “Deal with Pittsburgh Falls Through.”

12 https://twitter.com/HendersonA37/status/1312092257894498304. Note: as of June 2023, these two Twitter posts were no longer available.

13 https://twitter.com/HendersonA37/status/1310279029199704067.

Former All-Star Heath Bell uttered these words in March 2015 as he made one final attempt to extend his career with the Washington Nationals. He’d shed 30 pounds after a poor showing for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014, but the Nationals ultimately decided the 37-year-old from Oceanside, California, didn’t fit in their plans and released him just before Opening Day.

Bell retired knowing he gave it his all and was able to hold his head high, teaching his four children an important lesson in the process. And although in a perfect world he would have left the game on a higher note, he could at least point back to past successes in a league and a sport where failure is far more common.

Born on September 29, 1977, to Jimmie and Edwina Bell, Heath Justin Bell grew up in Tustin, in Southern California, about 50 miles northwest of his birthplace.2 At Tustin High School, which also produced former big leaguers Mark Grace and Shawn Green, Bell lettered in football, basketball, and baseball.3 It was there that he developed habits that would last a lifetime.

Bell credited his father, a former Marine and auto mechanic whose busy schedule wasn’t always conducive to raising a family but who found ways to make it work, for setting a good example. Despite Jimmie’s long hours, hae always made time for Heath: “My father worked his butt off. But if I wanted to go play catch, he could be half-asleep on the couch and he’d go play catch.”4

Following his father’s lead, Bell decided to be present for his own children despite whatever else might be going on in his life. For example, while with the Padres, he biked to school with them. As he told the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2011, “I saw how my dad was, and I thought he was absolutely the coolest father.”5

Jimmie’s work ethic also passed from father to son, serving Heath well as he defied coach after coach who told him he probably wouldn’t reach the next level. Undrafted out of high school, Bell attended nearby Santa Ana College (known briefly as Rancho Santiago College during his time there), which also produced entertainers Steve Martin and Diane Keaton.6

Bell went 8-0 with a 2.17 ERA and nine saves for the Dons as a freshman en route to being named the Orange Empire Conference Co-Pitcher of the Year in 1997.7 He added 12 saves as a sophomore. Although those two seasons would eventually lead to his 2010 induction into the Santa Ana College Hall of Fame, his junior-college success guaranteed nothing in terms of a professional career.8

Again defying his doubters, Bell was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 69th round of the 1997 draft. The 1,583rd of 1,607 players taken that year, he did not sign, later recalling that when the Devil Rays made an offer, “I actually forgot I got drafted.”9 Instead he signed with the New York Mets as a free agent the following summer, starting his career at Kingsport of the Appalachian League, where he posted a 2.54 ERA and led his team with eight saves.

Bell was promoted to Capital City of the South Atlantic League in 1999 and enjoyed another strong campaign, again leading his team in saves, this time with 25. A year later and a level higher, it was more of the same: 23 saves for St. Lucie of the Florida State League. By this point Bell had played three professional seasons, finishing with an ERA under 3.00 and leading his team in saves each year.

But baseball wouldn’t prove to be so easy in 2001. Bell struggled, posting a 6.02 ERA and earning only four saves with Binghamton of the Eastern League.

Meanwhile, Bell’s life changed in other ways. He married his wife, Nicole, and adopted her young daughter, Jasmyne. Heath and Nicole had three children of their own: Jordyn, born with Down syndrome (“our blessing in disguise”10), Reece, and Rhett.

Back on the field, Bell responded with a stellar return to Binghamton, notching a 1.18 ERA and six saves before a midseason promotion to Triple-A Norfolk. He enjoyed less success at the higher level and again posted pedestrian numbers in a 2003 encore but now found himself just one step away from the big leagues.

From 2004 to 2006, Bell rode the proverbial shuttle between New York and Norfolk, often needed for stretches but never quite able to stick. And while his Triple-A performances dazzled, his stints with the Mets — with irregular roles and usage — didn’t go so well. In 81 appearances with the Mets, he posted a 4.92 ERA and zero saves.

By the end of his tenure in New York he was already 28 years old, an age when most players have either established themselves or started preparing for their next career. As Bell later noted, even his family was ready for him to move on: “At that time, my wife was telling me to quit.”11 But, as usual, he persevered despite the odds against him.

Bell might not have endeared himself to Mets management by riding Rollerblades to spring training in an attempt to get into better shape. As Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson told the New York Times in 2005, “How many times do you hear about someone falling off? You can’t motorcycle or sky-drive or go cliff-jumping in Mexico, and you shouldn’t do this, either.”12 (Years later Bell recalled Peterson’s displeasure and conceded that his training methods weren’t necessarily the best.)13

Bell received a new lease on life when the Mets traded him and fellow reliever Royce Ring to the San Diego Padres for reliever Jon Adkins and outfielder Ben Johnson. Returning to the West Coast, Bell immediately thrived as Trevor Hoffman’s set-up man in 2007, posting a 2.02 ERA in 81 appearances and fanning 102 batters.

Bell also became a legend in the Padres clubhouse, known as much for his zany antics (he was fond of flying remote-control helicopters in the clubhouse) as for his prowess on the mound. As then-teammate Jake Peavy said, “He is in his own world. And it is going to get worse because Heath is really good.”14

Bell slipped a bit the following year in the same role, but when Hoffman departed for Milwaukee via free agency after the season, Bell filled the Hall of Fame closer’s shoes with aplomb, leading the National League with 42 saves and being named to the All-Star team. Perhaps not coincidentally, he’d lost 30 pounds before the season. This time, instead of using Rollerblades to get himself into shape, he used a Nintendo game called Wii Fit that his children had been playing.

Bell cleared the 40-save mark again in 2010 and 2011, making the All-Star team each time. At the 2010 midsummer classic, in Anaheim, Bell brought his father — then fighting lung cancer — to sit with him during media appearances and share the experience. It was the least he could for someone who had always made time for him: “He says he’s a proud father. I’m a proud son.”15

In his third and final All-Star Game appearance, Bell sprinted in from the bullpen as usual before sliding into the pitcher’s mound and retiring the only batter he faced. When asked about the slide, Bell said, “I wanted the fans to have fun with this. The fans are really what matters. They’re the ones that show up. They’re the ones who pay our salary.”16

After the season Bell became a free agent and signed a three-year contract with the Florida Marlins.17 He got off to a rough start with his new team, blowing three of five save opportunities in April 2012, and never recovered. He lost his job as closer after the All-Star break18 and found himself publicly locking horns with manager Ozzie Guillen.19 During his struggles Nicole reminded him how much he had already overcome in life and that he would get through this difficult time as well.20

The Marlins traded Bell to Arizona in October 2012 and he again stumbled with his new team, allowing two home runs in his Diamondbacks debut before posting a 2.22 ERA over his next 25 appearances, notching 11 saves along the way. He held onto the closer role for another month before blowing his fifth save on July 10 and losing his ninth-inning job. Bell finished the season on a fairly strong note, albeit in a lesser role.

In December 2013 Bell found himself on the move once more, this time to Tampa Bay, the team that had originally drafted him. Bell’s Rays career lasted 13 games; he was released on May 10, 2014, a week after allowing three runs in what proved to be his final big-league inning.

The Orioles signed Bell on May 18 but released him less than a month later after just 10 appearances at Triple-A Norfolk. He then spent 11 days in the Yankees organization, again at Triple-A, before being released on June 24 and sitting out the rest of the season. The Washington Nationals signed Bell in December 2014 but released him at the end of 2015 spring training. Even during his brief time with the Nationals, Bell had become known for his free-spirited nature, from making his own smoothies because “I don’t like eating my vegetables” to wearing Star Wars sneakers around camp.21

By this time Bell had spent 11 seasons in the major leagues and made three All-Star teams. He’d led the National League with 42 saves in 2009 and finished with 168 in a career that included 590 appearances (all in relief) and a 3.49 ERA — not bad for a guy who repeatedly wasn’t supposed to reach the next level but did it anyway.

Although it seems this could be where the story ends, it isn’t. In 2016 and 2017 Bell pitched for the independent league Kansas Stars, playing alongside several other former major leaguers. As he told the Wichita Eagle, “I’m just here having a good time. I came here last year and had a great time talking with fans. This year I’m a little more comfortable. I want to be a personable player, not a big leaguer, I guess you could say.”22

In 2018 Bell played with more former big leaguers for the Louisville Stars in a week-long tournament called the Bluegrass World Series.23 As he told San Diego radio station Mighty 1090, his arm felt good: “I don’t pitch as much, but last year I was still throwing 92-94, so I can crank it up for a little bit here and there.”24

These days, Bell saves most of his fastballs for his older son: “He’s 14 now, so for the last three years I’ve been throwing batting practice three times a week to his whole team.”25 When he isn’t coaching his kids or playing in the occasional game himself, Bell is co-owner of 7 Cold Brew, a San Diego company that delivers specialty coffee to local offices, restaurants, and bars.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author also relied on Baseball-Reference.com.

Notes

1 Anthony Rieber, “Heath Bell? Name Rings a Bell,” Newsday, March 14, 2015, newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/heath-bell-name-rings-a-bell-1.9988298.

2 HeathBell21.com. web.archive.org/web/20120328125620/http://www.heathbell21.com/?page_id=2.

3 Bob Keisser, “Which Tustin Baseball Players Made It in the Pros?” Orange County Register Anaheim, California), February 19, 2015, ocregister.com/2015/02/19/which-tustin-baseball-players-made-it-in-the-pros/.

4  “For Bell, Every Day Is Father’s Day,” San Diego Union-Tribune, June 18, 2011, sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sdut-heath-bell-its-father-son-2011jun18-htmlstory.html.

5 Ibid.

6 “Famous Santa Ana College Alumni,” Ranker.com, ranker.com/list/famous-santa-ana-college-alumni-and-students/reference.

7 “Fullerton, Cypress Split Post-Season Softball Honors,” Los Angeles Times, May 8, 1997, articles.latimes.com/1997-05-08/sports/sp-56861_1_orange-empire-conference.

8 sacdons.com/hof/members/members/bell.

9 David Brown, “Answer Man: Padres’ Heath Bell Talks Toys, Conspiracies and Pez,” Yahoo.com, March 25, 2010, sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-david-brown/answer-man-padres-heath-bell-talks-toys-conspiracies–mlb.html.

10 Seth Livingstone, “Padres Reliever Shares First All-Star Game with Family,” USA Today, July 13, 2009, https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/allstar/2009-07-13-bell-day-with_N.htm

11 Scott Allen, “Heath Bell, Who Once Compared Himself to Han Solo, Wears Star Wars Sneakers at Nationals Spring Training,” Washington Post, March 5, 2015, washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/03/05/heath-bell-who-once-compared-himself-to-han-solo-wears-star-wars-sneakers-at-nationals-spring-training/.

12 Lee Jenkins, “By Skate or Scooter, Mets’ Bell Has Arrived,” New York Times, February 21, 2005, nytimes.com/2005/02/21/sports/baseball/by-skate-or-scooter-mets-bell-has-arrived.html.

13 James Wagner, “Heath Bell Dropped 40 Pounds This Offseason, Hopes to Compete for Bullpen Spot,” Washington Post, February 18, 2015, washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2015/02/18/heath-bell-dropped-40-pounds-this-offseason-hopes-to-compete-for-bullpen-spot/.

14 Tim Kurkjian, “Fun-Loving Bell Finally Has His Dream Job,” ESPN.com, April 17, 2009, espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=4073444.

15 Bill Center, “This All-Star Game Special for Padres’ Bell, Ill Father,” San Diego Union-Tribune, July 12, 2010, sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-all-star-game-special-padres-bell-ill-father-2010jul12-htmlstory.html.

16 Kevin Baxter and Bill Shaikin, “Heath Bell Doesn’t Let Opportunity Slide By at All-Star Game,” Los Angeles Times, July 12, 2011, articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/12/sports/la-sp-0713-all-star-notes-20110713.

17 Bill Center, “Bell, Marlins Agree on 3-Year Contract,” San Diego Union-Tribune, December 1, 2011, sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sdut-bell-believes-his-future-will-be-decided-next-10-d-2011dec01-story.html.

18 Joe Frisaro, “Marlins Likely Headed to Closer by Committee,” MLB.com, July 10, 2012, joefrisaro.mlblogs.com/marlins-likely-headed-to-closer-by-committee-e80d1cd85f3b.

19 “Heath Bell-Ozzie Guillen Rift Widens as Teammates Support Manager,” The Sporting News, September 26, 2012, sportingnews.com/mlb/news/4167961-heath-bell-ozzie-guillen-fight-rift-radio-fire-trade-miami-marlins.

20 Clark Spencer, “Bell’s Wife Soothes His Soul with Facebook Note,” Miami Herald, April 17, 2012, miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2012/04/bells-wife-soothes-his-soul-with-facebook-note.html.

21 Allen, “Heath Bell, Who Once Compared Himself to Han Solo, Wears Star Wars Sneakers at Nationals Spring Training.”

22 Jeffrey Lutz, “Kansas Stars’ Heath Bell Has Major Fun Interacting with Fans,” Wichita Eagle, August 5, 2017, kansas.com/sports/other-sports/nbc-baseball/article165680952.html.

23 bluegrassworldseries.com/roster/

24 Heath Bell, interview with Ben and Woods, May 22, 2018, mighty1090.com/episode/heath-bell-i-really-just-miss-the-guys-we-didnt-always-talk-baseball-we-would-just-talk-about-life/

25 Ibid.

Possessing a rare combination of power and speed, Beltrán is one of only five players to date to exceed 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases.1 Across his 20-year career, during which he played for seven different teams, Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star. He also won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers. At the time he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2026, his 435 home runs ranked fourth all-time among switch-hitters.2

Despite a confrontation or two with the front office, Beltrán was highly regarded by both teammates and management. He was a student of the game, helpful to younger players, and thought to have a future as a manager. But in his final season, Beltrán led the Houston Astros in an illicit sign-stealing scheme that helped them win the 2017 World Series and, at least temporarily, branded Beltrán and his teammates as cheaters.

*****

Carlos Iván Beltrán Valdés was born on April 24, 1977, in Manatí, a city west of San Juan on Puerto Rico’s north shore. He grew up there with his father, Wilfredo, who worked at a pharmaceutical company, and his mother, Carmen (nicknamed “Mimín”). The family also included older brother Nino and younger twin sisters Marie Liz and Liz Marie, who both became volleyball stars.3

After distinguishing himself at Fernando Callejo High School, Beltrán was taken in the second round of the 1995 draft by the Kansas City Royals. He reminded their scouts of former Royals center fielder Amos Otis, who won three Gold Gloves in the early 1970s.4

That summer, the Royals sent Beltrán to the Gulf Coast League (Rookie), where he won the Rookie of the Year Award despite an unimpressive .660 OPS5 and no home runs. Hitting coach Jeff Garber said, “[Beltrán] started slowly …, but at the end of the year he was one of two players who could have been MVP.”6

During the winter of 1995-96, Beltrán played in the Puerto Rican Winter League, getting into three games for the Arecibo Lobos. He played in five more seasons at home, from 1997-98 through 2001-02, batting .270 with 23 homers in 161 games.

In the summer of 1996 Beltrán played with the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League) and Spokane Indians (Northwest League). While at Lansing, Beltrán collided with a teammate, causing a right-knee injury that required surgery.7 The knee would hamper Beltrán his entire career.

Before the season, Beltrán – a natural right-handed batter (and thrower) – and the Royals agreed that he should try switch-hitting. At Spokane, he hit three homers in one day – all while batting lefthanded. His power, though still modest, had improved.8

In 1997, while he was playing for Class A+ Wilmington (Delaware) in the Carolina League, the News Journal called Beltrán the best center fielder in the league.9 He hit 11 home runs but batted only .229. Though Beltrán had started to show flashes of power, he was still a weak enough hitter to be called “an outright disappointment.”10

After starting the 1998 season at Wilmington, Beltrán was promoted to the Double-A Wichita Wranglers of the Texas League. In a flash, he became a better hitter. He batted .352, had an OPS of 1.114, and hit 14 home runs in 47 games. “It takes time for players to develop,” said Royals general manager Herk Robinson. “But then, for some of them, a light just turns on.”11 Consequently, Beltrán was named Royals minor league player of the year.12 Skipping Triple A, he debuted with Kansas City on September 14 and started their final 13 games in center field.

Early in the 1999 season, to relieve pressure on Beltrán, Royals manager Tony Muser told him not to worry about his hitting as long as he played great defense and hustled.13 That, Beltrán did. He played 156 graceful games in center field and led AL centerfielders in assists with 16. In one game Beltrán made two leaping catches, one of which saved a home run, and threw out a runner at home.14

His offense wasn’t bad either. Beltrán became only the second rookie (after Fred Lynn, 1975) in nearly 50 years to score and drive in at least 100 runs. Like Lynn, Beltrán won the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

On November 6, 1999, Beltrán married Jessica Lugo, with whom he had attended high school.15

Beltrán had a great spring training in 2000, hitting .386 with five homers.16 But he aimed to further improve his defense. Although he’d played well the previous season, saving 20 runs above the average fielder, he’d also made 12 errors. “My goal this year is [to win] a Gold Glove,” said Beltrán. “I know I can get better.”17

However, Beltrán hurt his right knee while stretching before the game on July 3. When the injury was diagnosed as a bone bruise, he was expected to miss only two games.18 Instead, he missed two months, during which he refused the Royals’ request to go to their rehabilitation center in St. Petersburg, Florida.19 Beltrán didn’t want to leave his family and thought he could rehab just as well in Kansas City. Consequently, the team tried to suspend him without pay, only to reverse their decision after the players association filed a grievance which could have led to Beltrán being declared a free agent.   Beltrán’s antics caused clubhouse problems, as catcher Gregg Zaun complained, “I did my time on the DL and I went to Florida like I was told… If you’re going to be a team member, you’ve got to follow the rules like everybody else.”20

Before he was injured, Beltrán was batting .247 with only 6 homers in 76 games. His OPS of .694 was almost 100 points below the American League average and he was called the most disappointing player in the AL.21 When he returned he was even worse, hitting only one home run with an OPS of .600 in 22 September games.

Writers portrayed Beltrán as having shaky confidence – the slightest slump would have him terrified of losing his job, muttering that he’d be demoted, and falling into a downward spiral of self-doubt.22

In 2001 Beltrán left behind the negativity and insecurity of the previous season. He had played his way back into form – both physically and mentally – in winter ball, which included a trip to the 2001 Caribbean Series.23 Although a natural introvert, he came to spring training more relaxed and outgoing.24 Muser asked Beltrán what he would change after his struggles the previous season. “If I get off to a bad start,” Beltrán said, “I won’t panic.”25

Entering 2001, Beltrán set lofty goals: a .300 batting average, 100 runs scored, 100 RBIs, 20 home runs, and 30 stolen bases. Before the last game of the season, he had reached all but one. Three RBIs short of 100 with two outs in the ninth inning, Beltrán hit a grand slam, raising his total to 101.26 He would exceed all those milestones – except batting average – in each of the next three seasons.

The next year, when Beltrán was thrown out on May 18, 2002, it ended a streak of 27 consecutive successful steals – part of a longer run of 60 stolen bases in 61 attempts.27

With two years between their young star and free agency, the Royals offered him a three-year contract for between $25 and $30 million. Beltrán’s agent, Scott Boras, countered by proposing an eight-year deal for $120-160 million.28 Another sticking point was Beltrán’s desire to play on a winning team, and having finished 107 games below .500 through his five full seasons, the Royals were certainly not winners.29 With money and winning standing in the way, the Royals and Beltrán were unlikely to strike a deal. “The Royals need to do what’s best for the organization,” Beltrán commented. “If trading me is best, that’s what they need to do.”30

In 2003 Beltrán stole 40 bases for the first time and became only the seventh player31 to bat at least .300 with at least 20 homers, 100 runs scored, 100 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases in a season. By then, he was considered by some the most complete player in baseball.32

Beltrán showed off his baserunning ability in his team’s September 4 game against Arizona. The Royals were trailing 5-4 with the bases empty and one out in the ninth when Beltrán walked and stole both second and third base. Then, on a fly ball to shallow right, he tagged and scored. Royals general manager Allard Baird observed, “You know how when your big brother comes to play baseball in the backyard and does whatever he wants? That’s how Carlos looked. Like he was playing with boys.”33

Beltrán started 2004 with a bang, winning the AL Player of the Month Award for April and continuing to price himself out of the Royals’ market. He made it clear he wouldn’t give Kansas City a home-town discount. “Would you take less money?” he asked and answered. “Me neither.”34 Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star lamented the Royals’ status as a small-market team: “Baseball’s economics virtually exclude the Royals, limited by small market realities, from making a competitive bid to sign the player who might be the best all-around talent in franchise history.”35

On June 24, the Royals took Beltrán’s advice and traded him to the Houston Astros. In the three-way deal, the Royals got John Buck from the Astros, and Mark Teahen and Mike Wood from the Oakland A’s.

Excited about his fresh start, Beltrán reported to Houston the next day. In 90 games for the Astros, he hit 23 homers and stole 28 bases without being caught. In fifth place in the NL Central when Beltrán was acquired, the Astros won 28 of their final 35 games and made the playoffs as the wild card team.

The Astros beat Atlanta in the NLDS, then lost to St. Louis in the NLCS. In one of the most spectacular postseasons ever, Beltrán went 20-for-46 (.435), had eight home runs (as of 2024, still tied for second-most ever in a single postseason),36 21 runs scored (still tied for most ever), and an OPS of 1.557 (still the third-highest ever with 30 or more plate appearances).37 Hall-of-Fame teammate Craig Biggio said, “Every ball he hit was hard … It was one of the most incredible hitting experiences I’ve seen in my life for that time of year.”38

Overall, Beltrán hit 38 home runs and stole 42 bases in the regular season, just two homers shy of becoming only the fourth player (along with José Canseco, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez) to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in a season.39

On January 13, 2005, Beltrán parlayed his heroics into a seven-year contract from the New York Mets worth $119 million. The Astros reportedly offered five years plus an option, totaling up to $84 million,40 but would not give Beltrán the no-trade clause he desired.41 His first choice was reportedly the New York Yankees, but they refused to match the Mets’ offer.42

Beltrán started the 2005 season well and was hitting .302/.819 (batting average/OPS)43 on May 21. But that same day he aggravated his right quadriceps,44 and in his next 28 games, batted just .189/.615. He was better in July, but after going 0-for-6 on August 2, Beltrán’s overall numbers dropped to .263/.740 with just 12 homers and 56 RBIs. Consequently, he was booed by fans who, after his fabulous playoff run, expected more.45 Referring to a previous Mets free-agent failure, Mike Lupica of the Daily News called Beltrán “a thinner Mo Vaughn.”46

But he bounced back in 2006 with the best season of his entire career, setting career highs in runs scored (127), RBIs (116), homers (41), OPS (.982), walks (95), and WAR47 (8.2) – second-most in the majors behind Albert Pujols (8.5). He made the All-Star team, won Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards, and finished fourth in voting for MVP.48

Helped by the addition of Carlos Delgado’s 38 home runs and 114 RBIs, the Mets won 97 games and the NL East title – the only time Beltrán reached the playoffs as a Met. After sweeping the Dodgers in the NLDS, the Mets met the Cardinals in the NLCS. Beltrán was terrific in that series, with an OPS of 1.054 and three homers, including a two-run shot which accounted for the only runs of Game One, and two homers in the Game Four win.

In Game Seven, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Mets down by two, Beltrán came to bat with the bases loaded. With the team’s best player at the plate, fans’ and teammates’ hopes were high. But hopes were dashed when Adam Wainwright snapped off a two-strike curve and Beltrán struck out looking. Unfairly, that is probably how most Mets fans remember him.49 George Vecsey of the New York Times later wrote, “The poor man has become the symbol of failed expectations.”50

The 2007 and 2008 seasons were similar for Beltrán personally and the Mets as a team. Both years he drove in 112 runs, won a Gold Glove Award, and had nearly the same OPS+51. In 2007 the Mets suffered an epic September collapse, blowing a seven-game lead by losing 12 of their final 17 games. In 2008 they blew a 3½-game lead by losing 10 of their final 17. Later in his career Beltrán said, “After [2006], I thought we would be in the playoffs many more times. Unfortunately, something that I have no explanation for happened… It was terrible.”52

Following the games of May 5, 2009, Beltrán led the NL in batting average (.404) and on-base percentage (.504). The next day he said, “I think this is the first year I’ve been here that I’ve been completely healthy … nothing hurts.”53

He should have knocked on wood. Over the next few weeks, Beltrán again developed pain in his troublesome right knee. An MRI revealed a deep bone bruise.54 A cortisone shot made the knee temporarily feel better, but over the next month it worsened, and Beltrán went on the disabled list on June 22.55 It was thought he would miss two weeks, but it turned out to be more than two months. He played only 81 games in 2009, but was terrific when healthy, posting a batting average and OPS of .325 and .915, respectively.

While sidelined, Beltrán traveled to Toronto to be treated by Dr. Tony Galea, who had performed legal platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for high-profile athletes such as Tiger Woods. Galea was later charged with five felonies, but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of transporting human growth hormone (HGH) into the US.56 After being questioned by FBI agents, Beltrán said, “[Galea] didn’t inject anything [into me] with HGH or anything like that. I have nothing to worry about, nothing to hide.”57 But, why Beltrán felt the need to see a Canadian doctor, let alone a shady one, for a common procedure like PRP remains mysterious.58

After experiencing setbacks during offseason workouts, on January 13, 2010, Beltrán underwent arthroscopic surgery59 on his right knee. Mets brass was left “stunned and furious” after finding out.60 The Mets claimed Beltrán ignored the team’s request for a second opinion. Beltrán said he informed general manager Omar Minaya of the planned surgery and that Minaya said nothing about postponing it and wished him well.61 The incident caused no contractual repercussions, but left strained feelings on both sides.

Initial reports indicated that Beltrán would be able to start “baseball activities” in about three months, though one uninvolved doctor said the recovery for a professional athlete from arthroscopic surgery could be as little as three to four weeks.62 But Beltrán did not return until July 15, six months after the operation, missing the Mets’ first 88 games. After the surgery, Beltrán began wearing a knee brace and stole only 26 bases in his final eight seasons. 

After playing only center field since 2010, Beltrán switched to right in 2011. In a New Yorker magazine article in May, Mets owner Fred Wilpon said of himself, “We had some schmuck in New York who paid [Beltrán $119 million] based on that one series (2004 playoffs). [Now] he’s 65 to 70 percent of what he once was.”63 Wilpon later apologized. Asked if he felt appreciated, Beltrán said, “From my teammates, I have to say yes. From other people, I don’t know.” 64

Through July 26, 2011, Beltrán was hitting .289/.904 with 30 doubles and 15 home runs, had played in all but five games, and made the All-Star Team. But the Mets apparently thought the 179 games he missed the previous two years were more relevant. With no plans to retain Beltrán after his contract expired at season’s end, on July 28, the Mets traded the balky-kneed 34-year-old, along with cash, to the San Francisco Giants for Zack Wheeler.

Management and players alike were disappointed the productive and popular Beltrán was traded. Rookie manager Terry Collins, grateful for Beltrán’s work with young players, said, “He made life simple.” “He’s just a complete individual,” said R.A. Dickey. “Not only on the field, but off.”65

Since Beltrán’s contract contained a no-trade clause, he was able to force a deal to a contending team.66 The Giants, leading the NL West by three games, fit the criterion. Beltrán batted

.323/.920, but the team went 26-32 after he arrived and failed to make the playoffs.

The Giants did not offer Beltrán a second contract, citing a lack of funds.67 (Though strapped for cash, San Francisco won the following year’s World Series.) On December 23, Beltrán signed a two-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals for $13 million per year.

Also in 2011, Beltrán established a baseball academy in Puerto Rico to help high school students develop their baseball and academic skills and make it easier for Latino players to transition to America. Beltrán spoke no English when he arrived in the U.S. in 1995. He said, “Imagine – how can you communicate with a coach? It was hard. If a kid is not prepared mentally, [he] is not going to make it.”68 Proud of his school, he beamed, “knowing I’m going to impact so many kids in a positive way. It feels like winning the lottery.”69 As of 2024, the school was still helping young players develop and assimilate.

Beltrán had remarkably similar seasons in 2012 and 2013, with nearly the same on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+. He had more home runs, RBIs, and walks in 2012, but a higher batting average in 2013. Both seasons, he led the Cardinals in home runs and was named to the All-Star team.

After the games of June 25, 2012, Beltrán was batting .313/.992 and leading the NL in home runs and RBIs. He was the main cog in a humming Cardinals offense, and the great Pujols, who left via free agency the previous fall, was hardly missed.70

The Cardinals won 12 of their last 16 to finish 88-74 and reach the playoffs as the second wild card. They beat the Braves in the wild-card game and the Nationals in the NLDS, but lost to the eventual World Series champion Giants in the NLCS. Typically excellent, Beltrán batted .357 with an OPS of 1.154.

In 2013 the Cardinals won 97 games, won the NL Central, and beat the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL playoffs, but lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. Beltrán wasn’t his usual fantastic playoff self, but wasn’t bad either. He may have been hampered as he played through an injury suffered in Game One of the World Series when he banged into the right-field wall in Boston while robbing David Ortiz of a grand slam.71

“There’s not one person in the clubhouse – position players and pitchers – that doesn’t look up to [Beltrán],” said teammate Joe Kelly. “Someday … he might be a manager. I think he’d be very, very, very good at that.”72

Beltrán and his wife started a scholarship fund for college-bound Hispanic students in the St. Louis area. For that and other philanthropy, Beltrán received the 2013 Roberto Clemente Award, “bestowed annually to the player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”73

With younger players needing playing time, the Cardinals offered Beltrán a contract for just one year at $14 million. He rejected it, signing a three-year, $45 million deal with the Yankees – the team for which he’d wanted to play after leaving Houston nine years earlier.

Beltrán had a poor season (for him) in 2014 (OPS .703) but improved each year with the Yankees. He saved his best for last in 2016, when he hit .304/.890, led the team in home runs – though he played only 99 games – and was probably the Yankees’ best player.74

Unluckily for Beltrán, he was a Yankee during one of the team’s poorest three-year spans since the early 1990s. They made the playoffs only once (2015) and then were shut out by the Astros in the Wild Card Game.

On August 1, 2016, the Yankees traded Beltrán to the Texas Rangers for Nick Green, Erik Swanson, and Dillon Tate. The Rangers led the AL West and looked to bolster themselves for the stretch run. Beltrán endured an 0-for-32 slump in late August but bounced back to hit .333 with 20 RBIs in his final 30 games as he transitioned from right field to DH. The Rangers won the West with an AL-high 99 wins but were swept by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

On December 5, Beltrán was signed by the Astros to a one-year contract worth $16 million. He played 129 games in 2017, mostly as DH. Houston took the lead in the AL West on April 14 and never relinquished it, winning the division by 21 games. The Astros defeated the Red Sox and Yankees in the ALDS and ALCS, respectively, and the Dodgers in the World Series, the first championship for both Beltrán and the club.

After a regular season during which he was poor offensively (OPS+ 81), Beltrán was little help in the postseason, going 3-for-20 with no homers and one RBI. Seeing the end of the road, Beltrán retired on November 13.75 Shortly thereafter, he interviewed for the job as Yankees manager for 2018 but lost out to Aaron Boone.76

In 2019 Beltrán served as special advisor to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Some thought the move was made to enhance the team’s chances of signing free agent Manny Machado, who was represented by the same agent as Beltrán.77  That December, Beltrán was hired as manager of the Mets.78

The month before, November 2019, in an article in The Athletic, former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers claimed the 2017 Astros had illicitly stolen signs between the opposition’s catchers and pitchers.79 On January 14, 2020, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a report that verified Fiers’ allegations, and led to the suspensions of Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch, along with Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who had been an Astros coach in 2017.

Beltrán, the only player named in Manfred’s report, was found to be one of the “driving force[s]” behind the sign-stealing scheme. 80 Because of his status as a 20-year veteran and potential Hall of Famer, Beltrán had become the team’s dominant voice in the clubhouse and earned the nickname El Jefe (The Boss). When teammates asked Beltrán to end the spying, one player lamented, “He disregarded [our requests] and steamrolled everybody.”81

Fans and opponents, particularly the Yankees and Dodgers, whom the Astros had defeated in the ALCS and World Series, felt the Astros had cheated to become World Champions.

Although their title was not taken away, it was severely tarnished. Cashman later said, “The only thing that stopped us was something ugly and horrific.”82

Beltrán was subsequently fired by the Mets without ever managing a game.83

Beltrán spent two years away from baseball before landing a job in 2022 as a game analyst on the Yankees’ YES network (evidently the team had sufficiently forgiven him).84 However, poor reviews led to the inexperienced Beltrán being pulled from telecasts and relegated to the studio.85 In February 2023 he became special assistant to the Mets general manager and, as of 2025, to their president of baseball operations David Stearns.

*****

Beltrán’s skills were well above average in all facets of the game. He was an excellent baserunner and, before he hurt his knee, a prolific base stealer. He stole 312 in all, and, as of 2024, was the all-time leader in stolen base percentage (86.4%) among players with at least 200 attempts.86 A terrific defender with an exceptional arm, Beltrán gunned down 10 or more baserunners in eight seasons, and prevented the third-most runs (72) of any outfielder from 1999-2008, behind only Andruw Jones (170) and Ichiro Suzuki (92). That 10-year period culminated in Beltrán winning three consecutive Gold Glove Awards.

Beltrán’s main blemish was that he was not an all-time great hitter, though he was superb in the postseason. A career .279 hitter in the regular season, he achieved a .300 or better batting average only three times.87 His lifetime OPS+ (119) ranked number 19288  as of 2024 – the same as Richie Hebner, Sal Bando, and Mark Grace.

However, by combining speed, power, and a long career, Beltrán put himself in elite company. He is one of only four players to accumulate more than 1,500 runs, 1,500 RBIs, 400 home runs, and 300 stolen bases.89 The others are Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Willie Mays.

Among center fielders, Beltrán ranks eighth in career WAR (70). All those ahead of him – and several behind – are in the Hall of Fame. In 2026, in his fourth year of eligibility, Beltrán joined their ranks after receiving 84.2% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. 

Last revised: January 20, 2026

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and David Bilmes and fact-checked by Steve Ferenchick.

Photo credits: MLB.com, SABR-Rucker Archive.

Sources 

In addition to sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted baseball-reference.com. Thanks also to SABR member Jorge Colón Delgado for Puerto Rican statistics.

Notes

1 The other four are Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, and Andre Dawson.

2 Mickey Mantle had 536, Eddie Murray, 504, and Chipper Jones, 468.

3 Dick Kaegel, “Home Base,” Kansas City Star, February 3, 2002: C1.

4 Joe Posnanski, “Royals Hope Beltrán is Overnight Sensation,” Kansas City Star, April 4, 1999: J11.

5 OPS is short for On-base percentage Plus Slugging percentage (OBP+SLG). It has become a popular statistic for evaluating batting performance because it correlates well with team runs scored and is easy to calculate. So, .700 to.799 would be below average to above average, .800 to .899, above average to excellent, greater than .900, excellent to elite. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/ops-baseball-meaning-stat-slugging-base- percentage/889639770cdb3b2ac7316521.

6 Chris Derrick, “Indians Are Well-Armed, But Lacking in Catchers,” Spokesman Review (Spokane, Washington), June 15, 1996: C1.

7 Derrick, “Beltrán, Spokane Put Clamps on Everett,” Spokesman-Review, June 21, 1996: C1.

8 La Velle E. Neal III, “Beltrán Switches on the Power,” Kansas City Star, July 28, 1996: B-5.

9 Jack Ireland, “Blue Rocks Report Card,” News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware), September 3, 1997: C5.

10 Posnanski, “Royals Hope Beltrán is Overnight Sensation,” Kansas City Star, April 4, 1999: J11.

11 Posnanski, “Royals Hope Beltrán is Overnight Sensation.”

12 Randy Covitz, “Dos Carlos,” Kansas City Star, May 25, 1999: C1.

13 Posnanski, “Royals Hope Beltrán is Overnight Sensation.”

14 Dutton, “Monty Injured in Return,” Kansas City Star, August 11, 1999: D4.

15 Dick Kaegel, “Dissatisfied, With a Smile,” Kansas City Star, March 11, 2000: C1.

16 Kaegel, “Beltrán Takes the Burden off His Back,” Kansas City Star, February 25, 2001: C1.

17 Kaegel, “Dissatisfied, With a Smile.”

18 Steve Rock, “Suppan Sent to Bullpen,” Kansas City Star, July 4, 2000: C4.

19 Dutton, “Beltrán Returns to Rehab,” Kansas City Star, August 25, 2000: D6.

20 Kaegel, “Players to Meet Beltrán,” Kansas City Star, August 7, 2000: D6.

21 Rock, “Extra Innings: In the Doghouse,” Kansas City Star, July 13, 2000: D5.

22 Posnanski, “Right Can Still Be Wrong in Beltrán’s Situation,” Kansas City Star, August 6, 2000: C1.

23 Javier Maymi, “Beltrán spent winter playing with Puerto Rican club,” ESPN.com, February 3, 2001. https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2001/0202/1058778.html

24 Kaegel, “Beltrán Takes the Burden off His Back,” Kansas City Star, February 25, 2001: C1.

25 Kaegel, “Home Base,” Kansas City Star, February 3, 2002: C1.

26 Kaegel, “Home Base.”

27 Dutton, “Beltrán Streak Ends,” Kansas City Star, May 19, 2002: C4.

28 Dutton, “Contract Talks Prompt KC to Consider Trade,” Kansas City Star, December 13, 2002: C1.

29 Wright Thompson, “Winning Over Beltrán,” Kansas City Star, May 20, 2003: C1.

30 Posnanski, “Beltrán Set on Short Term,” Kansas City Star, January 22, 2003: D1.

31 The other six were Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Vlad Guerrero, Alphonso Soriano, and Joe Morgan.

32 Posnanski, “Our Glimpse at Greatness,” Kansas City Star, September 24, 2003: D1.

33 Posnanski, “Our Glimpse at Greatness.”

34 Dutton, “Over & Out,” Kansas City Star, April 4, 2004: G8.

35 Dutton, “Over & Out.”

36 Andrew Simon, “Players With the Most HR in a Postseason,” MLB.com, October 30, 2024. https://www.mlb.com/news/record-for-most-home-runs-in-a-single-postseason Last accessed December 4, 2024.

37 Thirty or more plate appearances.

38 https://www.mlb.com/news/carlos-Beltrán-s-2004-october-still-a-wonder-c212093354 Last accessed November 17, 2023.

39 The 40-40 Club has since welcomed three more members, Alfonso Soriano (2006), Ronald Acuña, Jr. (2023), and Shohei Ohtani (2024), who is also the inaugural member of the 50-50 Club.

40 Peter Botte, “The Bel of the Ball,” Daily News, (New York, New York), January 2, 2005: 61.

41 Mike Lupica, “Met Run Begins,” Daily News, January 10, 2005: 50.

42 Ebenezer Samuel, “Beltrán Subway Switch,” Daily News, May 20, 2011: 66.

43 For readers more comfortable with traditional batting average and those who prefer the more descriptive OPS.

44 Rubin, “Strains Pain Kaz & Carlos,” Daily News, May 22, 2005: 66.

45 Darren Everson, “Boobirds Back for More,” Daily News, August 4, 2005: 70.

46 Lupica, “Shooting from the Lip,” Daily News, September 11, 2005: 63.

47 WAR measures a player’s value in all facets of the game by deciphering how many more wins he’s worth than a player just good enough to play in the majors. Piper Slowinski, “What Is WAR,” February 15, 2010. Last accessed April 30, 2024. https://library.fangraphs.com/misc/war/

48 Ryan Howard won the NL MVP in 2006 on the strength of 58 home runs and 149 RBIs, despite accumulating 3 fewer WAR (5.2) than Pujols and Beltrán.

49 Andy Martino, “Meet Beltrán in St. Louis,” Daily News, December 23, 2011: 74.

50 Derrick Goold, “Curve in the Road,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 1, 2011: S26.

51 OPS+ is defined by baseball-reference.com as 100*(OBP/league OBP + SLG/league SLG -1) adjusted to the player’s ballpark. (It is NOT 100 times the ratio of a player’s OPS to league OPS (100*OPS/league OPS)). OPS+ is a more meaningful statistic than OPS because it correlates well to runs produced per plate appearance (PA) and, as such, indicates the player’s percentage of runs produced per PA above or below league average (an OPS+ of 150 indicates 50 percent above average, 90 indicates 10 percent below). Because OPS+ is normalized to the particular season’s league average, there is no advantage gained in high-scoring eras or vice-versa, so it can be used to compare players from different eras. It also removes the advantage of playing in a hitter’s park and vice versa. https://library.fangraphs.com/offense/ops/

52 Martino, “The Last Stand,” Daily News, March 6, 2011: 46.

53 Botte, “Free of Knee and Leg Troubles, Carlos Tears up NL Pitching,” Daily News, May 7, 2009: 62.

54 Adam Rubin, “Santos Brings Home a Winner,” Daily News, May 30, 2009: 35.

55 Rubin, “Put Beltrán on DL, Deck Cards,” Daily News, May 26, 2009: 42.

56 Mike Fish, “Anthony Galea Receives No Jail Time,” ESPN, December 16, 2011.https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/7360176/anthony-galea-canadian-doctor-gets-no-jail-time-1-year-supervised- release (last accessed December 9, 2023).

57 Teri Thompson, et al, “Carlos World in Spin,” Daily News, March 3, 2010: 52.

58 Christian Red, “Expert: Procedure is Nothing Bloody Special,” Daily News, March 3, 2010: 54.

59 Anthony McCarron, “Set to Miss Opener after Knee Scope,” Daily News, January 14, 2010: 63.

60 Peter Botte and Anthony McCarron, “Carlos Says GM Knew in Advance,” Daily News, January 15, 2010: 73.

61 Jon Harper, “Sudden Move Another Shock to Met System,” Daily News, January 14, 2010: 63.

62 McCarron, “Plans Might Not Center on Fill-In,” Daily News, January 15, 2010: 72.

63 Martino, “Fred Dances on His Stars,” Daily News, May 24, 2011: 52.

64 Martino, “Wilpon Apologizes to Beltrán, Reyes,” Daily News, May 25, 2011: 60.

65 Martino, “Sandy Agrees to get Minor-League Hurler,” Daily News, July 28, 2011: 61.

66 Jesse Spector, “Beltrán Contends Giants Are Good Fit,” Daily News, June 29, 2011: 68.

67 Andrew Baggerly, “’Ironclad’ Budget Forces Sabean to Stop,” Oakland Tribune, December 8, 2011: C5.

68 Martino, “The Last Stand,” Daily News, March 6, 2011: 46.

69 Goold, “Beltrán Steps Up,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 20, 2012: A01.

70 Bernie Miklasz, “Birds Could Use Beltrán Revival,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 2, 2012: C1.

71 Joe Strauss, “Hard Knocks,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 24, 2013: W4.

72 Mark Feinsand, “Nothing Will Stop Beltrán from Ring,” Daily News, October 26, 2013: 39.

73 2024 Roberto Clemente Award, MLB.com. https://www.mlb.com/community/roberto-clemente-award Last accessed December 14, 2024.

74 Feinsand, “Yanks Clean House,” Daily News, August 2, 2016: 41.

75 Jose de Jesus Ortiz, “Beltrán Made Big Difference,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 15, 2019: B1.

76 Mike Mazzeo, “Passing on Beltrán a Mistake Yankees May Come to Regret,” Daily News, December 2, 2017: 33.

77 Staff, “Report: Beltrán to Yanks as Advisor,” Daily News, December 19, 2018: 39.

78 Deesha Thosar, “Players Kinda Guy,” Daily News, November 5, 2019: 55.

79 Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich, “The Astros Stole Signs Electronically in 2017 – Part of a Much Broader Issue for MLB,” The Athletic, November 12, 2019. https://theathletic.com/1363451/2019/11/12/the-astros-stole-signs- electronically-in-2017-part-of-a-much-broader-issue-for-major-league-baseball/

80 Rosenthal and Drellich, “Details Emerge About Carlos Beltrán’s Role in the 2017 Astros Clubhouse and Sign Stealing Scheme,” The Athletic, February 11, 2020. https://theathletic.com/1600638/2020/02/11/details- emerge-about-carlos-Beltráns-role-in-the-2017-astros-clubhouse-and-the-teams-sign-stealing-scheme/

81 Rosenthal and Drellich, “Details Emerge About Carlos Beltrán’s Role in the 2017 Astros Clubhouse and Sign Stealing Scheme.”

82 Neil Best, “Beltrán Can’t Shake Off Sign-Stealing Scandal,” Newsday, April 4, 2022: A42.

83 Thosar, “Beltrán and Mets Part Ways Over His Role in Houston’s Sign-Stealing Scandal,” Daily News, January 17, 2020: 41.

84 Best, “Beltrán Can’t Shake Off Sign-Stealing Scandal.”

85 Bob Raissman, “Selling the Stench,” Daily News, (New York, New York), February 26, 2023: 63.

86 Career Leaders & Records for SB%, BaseballReference.com. At least 200 attempts from 1901 through 2024. https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/stolen_base_perc_career.shtml

87 Seasons in which he qualified for the batting title (502 or more plate appearances).

88 Among those who played the bulk of their careers after 1901.

89 While interesting and informative, such statistics come with a caveat: Beltrán just exceeds the chosen minimums; whereas each of the other three players amassed more than 600 home runs, 1,900 runs, and 2,000 RBIs.

For one thing, Beltré wasn’t as lauded as one might expect. Although he recorded more hits (3,166) than any third baseman in major-league history, won five Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers, Beltré was selected to only four All-Star teams and finished in the top six of his league’s MVP voting just twice.

Yet, by the time he walked away from the game, Beltré had become one of the most beloved, joyful players of his generation. His presence touched countless fans and players alike. Shortstop Elvis Andrus, Beltré’s teammate for eight years in Texas, wrote on Instagram, “Thank u [sic] for everything you’ve done in my career in and off the field and for always teach[ing] me to believe in myself, respect the game and the most important…enjoy the game.”2 Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, the contemporary to whom Beltré was often compared, called him the “total package at the hot corner” and vowed to “save [him] a seat at the third baseman’s table of the members dinner in Cooperstown.”3

In 2024, Beltré became the fifth Dominican-born player to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, earning 95.1% of the votes cast by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Even before Adrian Beltré Pérez was born, his dad, Bienvenido, thought that he and his wife, Andrea Pérez, had something special on the way. As legend has it, Bienvenido told his friend, Dominican baseball legend Felipe Alou, that his pregnant wife would give birth to a great ballplayer. Bienvenido, nicknamed “El Negrito”4 because he was dark and handsome, would train him to be a star, and Alou could help mentor him.5 On April 7, 1979, Adrian entered the world in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

Bienvenido had built the family home in the Café de Herrera neighborhood, in the southwestern sector of the city. He was an industrial mechanic who trained roosters for cockfighting, a popular and legal sport in the country. He was also a professional baseball player.6 His son followed him everywhere. “He would take me to the fields [to] watch him play,” Beltré said. “He was a big influence on my life.”7 When Alou managed in Dominican winter ball, he took young Adrian with him. “I thought he’d be asleep after the game,” Alou recalled. “I was surprised that he was awake. He talked about the game all the way back.”8

Despite being a scrawny youngster, Beltré loved playing baseball like his dad. He found ways to get games going with friends even without proper equipment. “We [were] very creative,” Beltré said. “We find a way to keep ourselves entertained and make baseball out of anything – a sock, a tennis ball, anything we have to create a baseball game.”9

Shortly after Beltré turned 11, his father introduced him to Franklin Rodríguez, who operated a baseball school on the grounds of the Hogar Escuela Santo Domingo Savio. (Beltré was a student at the Escuela Rafaela Santaella, not the Liceo Máximo Gómez as some reports indicate.) Over the ensuing quarter-century, more than 200 of Rodríguez’s pupils signed professional contracts, including D’Angelo Jiménez, Melky Cabrera and Edinson Vólquez. “He [Beltré] had strength in his arm and hit the ball very hard,” Rodríguez recalled in Spanish.10

At the time, Beltré also loved basketball and tennis. In 1991, however, he watched a Houston Astros game on a grainy television set and decided he wanted to be like their slick-fielding third baseman. “Ken Caminiti,” he explained. “I saw how hard he played. I saw the plays he made, and I got serious about baseball.”11

Los Angeles Dodgers scout Pablo Peguero donated balls and other supplies to Rodríguez’s camp, so Beltré wound up in that organization’s pioneering workout facility in 1994.12 Although Beltré weighed only 130 pounds, Peguero and fellow scout Ralph Ávila spotted him and fell in love with his rocket arm13 and lightning line drives. The pair insisted that the Dodgers offer him a contract as soon as possible. Even though Beltré was only 15 – a year younger than the minimum age – the Dodgers signed him for $23,000 on July 7, 1994, using documents that recorded his birth year as 1978. “I often tell players… once you sign, you’re not going to be a kid any longer. You are a professional,” Alou said. “His dad really coached him to be a pro.”14

Beltré developed his talents at the Dodgers’ Campo Las Palmas complex and made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 1995. He batted .307.15

Upon arriving in the United States in 1996, Beltré skipped rookie ball and became the youngest player in the Class A South Atlantic League when he was assigned to the Savannah (Georgia) Sand Gnats. “I lived with several Latinos, and they did not speak English, so we adapted little by little. We started by ordering food at McDonald’s or at Subway after the game,” Beltré said. “What helped me was arriving at the place, pointing at a photo [of food], saying something as if I were murmuring, letting them answer me, and saying ‘yes.’ But I didn’t know what they were going to give me… I went hungry a lot because I’ve always hated pickles… I’d immediately throw it in the trash.”16

On the field, Beltré blasted through his competition. Based on his .307/.406/.586 slash line in 68 games with Savannah, he was named the league’s best prospect.17 He was promoted to the High-A California League and finished the season with the San Bernardino Stampede. Between the two clubs, he produced 26 homers and 99 RBIs in 131 games.

In 1997, Beltré batted .317 for the Vero Beach Dodgers and led the High-A Florida State League in homers (26), RBIs (104) and slugging (.561). He was voted the circuit’s MVP. Baseball America exclaimed, “He hasn’t shown any weaknesses in two years of minor-league ball.”18 Beltré struggled with the glove, making 37 errors on 351 chances that season. But he would soon be considered one of baseball’s best defenders.

Entering 1998, Baseball America ranked Beltré as the majors’ number-three prospect.19 He started the year with the San Antonio Missions, where he was five years younger than his average competitor in the Double-A Texas League. Over 64 games, he hammered 13 homers and batted .321. It seemed only a matter of time before he starred at Chavez Ravine.

On June 24, 1998, Beltré was called up and given a seat at “the table of baseball’s most dysfunctional family.”20 The Dodgers were in the midst of a tumultuous season, having fired their manager and general manager three days before Beltré’s arrival. Future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza had been traded away in mid-May. Beltré’s opportunity came, in part, because one of the players obtained for Piazza – third baseman Bobby Bonilla – had just gone on the disabled list with an intestinal infection. “What’s too soon?” asked former Dodgers skipper Tom Lasorda, who had just assumed the club’s interim GM duties. “The kid has got talent, and he’s got everything he needs to be here.”21

In his first at-bat, Beltré roped an RBI double down the left-field line off Anaheim Angels starter Chuck Finley to announce himself to the big-league world. “I was really nervous,” he said. “I had a butterfly in my stomach… I was thinking, ‘Whatever he throws me I’m going to swing at it because I can’t feel my body.’ It’s like I was floating.”22 He also singled before the contest was over. Six nights later in Texas, he hit his first home run.

Although Beltré hit only .215 with seven homers in 77 games, he remained with L.A. for the rest of the season. His place as the team’s starting third baseman was secured that fall when new Dodgers GM Kevin Malone shipped Bonilla to the New York Mets to make room for “one of the game’s best prospects.”23

That offseason, Beltré played winter ball in his native country for the third straight year. He had hit .219 in 76 games for the La Romana-based Azucareros del Este over his first two campaigns. However, playing for Santiago-based Águilas Cibaeñas in 1998-99, he batted .301 with 10 homers in 58 games to win Dominican League MVP honors. The Aguilas were eliminated in the playoff semifinals, but Beltré accompanied the champion Tigres del Licey to the Caribbean Series in San Juan, Puerto Rico. There he made the all-tournament team and helped the Dominican Republic prevail.

In 1999, Beltré appeared in 152 games for the Dodgers and hit a moderate .275 with 15 homers. During spring training, he had informed his agent, Scott Boras, that he was 19 years old rather than his listed age of 20. Realizing Beltré was underage when he first signed with the Dodgers, Boras initially offered to drop the matter if the club offered compensation. When the team refused, Boras pushed Major League Baseball to allow his client to become a free agent, as other Latin-born players who were signed too early had. After an investigation, Commissioner Bud Selig ruled that Beltré – despite his denials – knew his birth year had been altered on certain documents. Beltré was ordered to remain with the Dodgers but awarded the difference between the signing bonus he received and what he could have made one year later ($48,000). Selig also fined the Dodgers $50,000, shut down their Dominican baseball operations for one year, and suspended scouts Ávila and Peguero.24

Beltré joined the San Pedro de Macorís-based Estrellas Orientales for the last eight regular season Dominican League games in 1999-2000. In 25 playoff contests, he notched 29 RBIs and batted .300 with seven homers, including three in the seven-game final series. The Estrellas lost to the Aguilas, but Beltré was named the finals MVP anyway.25

In 2000, Beltré increased his production to a .290 batting average with 20 homers and 85 RBIs for the Dodgers. Still just 22, he seemed primed to take an even bigger leap the next season. Instead, he ran into a strange and life-threatening wall.

That winter, Beltré underwent a botched appendectomy in the Dominican Republic, resulting in a serious infection and additional surgery. He was flown back to Dodgertown in Vero Beach in February 2001 and struggled through a slow recovery. He lost 15 pounds and was attached to an IV bag until nearly March. “When they opened me up, my appendix had already burst,” Beltré recalled. “You can’t even imagine how close I was to death. It was the scariest time in my life, by far.”26

Beltré made his season debut in early May but never got it going. He finished the season with a .265 batting average and a .310 OBP. Whether owing to the debilitating infection or not, Beltré’s woes continued to haunt him over the next two seasons. He scuffled to a .257 batting average in 2002, and bottomed out at .240 in 2003, with a disappointing .290 OBP (both career-lows as a full-timer).

The Dodgers grew impatient, and criticisms of Beltré’s play went public. It was written in the Los Angeles Times that “he was a ‘5 o’clock hitter,’ incapable of translating batting-practice power into games. He allowed emotion to overwhelm him.” As Beltré later recalled, “They also thought I was going to get fat.” (He was listed at 5-foot-11, 220 pounds later in his career.27) Heading into his contract year, a rumor percolated that offseason that Beltré might be dealt to the Yankees to replace Aaron Boone. The talks died when New York acquired Alex Rodríguez instead.28

With everything to prove, Beltré enjoyed an uncharacteristically hot start in 2004, batting .478 with three homers in the season’s first week. He had been a .227 and .247 career hitter in May and June, respectively, up to that point, but he kept producing as the calendar progressed. Beltré entered the break with 22 home runs (one off his previous career-high) and a .315 batting average, but he was left off the All-Star team in favor of Scott Rolen and Mike Lowell. “If Belly can continue with the hot start,” said teammate Shawn Green, “he’ll be able to really relax and do what he does in the second half of the season.”29 That’s exactly what happened.

After the snub, Beltré got even hotter. By season’s end, his.334/.388/.629 (1.017 OPS) slash line established career highs across the board. He also achieved personal bests in homers (a NL-leading 48), RBIs (121), runs scored (104), hits (200), and fielding percentage (.978). In September, the Dodgers clinched their division to end the franchise’s longest postseason drought (eight seasons) since they’d relocated from Brooklyn in 1958. Beltré was named the National League Player of the Month. “Remember when the Dodger fans chanted ‘M-V-P’ for me last season?” Beltré asked the following year. “Every day during the last month? I was thinking those chants were better than the award itself.”30 As it happened, he garnered six first-place votes in MVP balloting but finished second to the Giants’ Barry Bonds, the only major leaguer to exceed Beltré’s 9.6 WAR.

The Dodgers were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game NLDS in which Beltré went 4-for-15 without an extra base hit.

Shortly thereafter, he became a prized free agent; on December 17, 2004, Beltré signed a lucrative five-year, $64 million deal with the Seattle Mariners. Not usually a major player in free agency, Seattle had lured one of the biggest fish to join a contending club that had won at least 91 games for four straight seasons. “The bottom line is, the Dodgers didn’t want to sign me,” Beltré said. “If they had only talked to me and told me their plan, I would have signed for less money to stay there.”31

Years later, Beltré reflected, “I wanted to stay [in LA] forever… Everything happened for a reason.”32 During his time with Seattle, that reason wasn’t entirely clear, as he sank back into obscurity with a team that missed the playoffs in each of his five seasons. In 2005, Beltré lost his ability to punish fastballs, and his numbers showed it. He batted .255 (his lowest mark since his rookie year) with 19 homers and a .716 OPS.

When Beltré made his first trip to Dodger Stadium as a visiting player on June 20, 2006, he slammed a first-inning home run. “I thought I was going to get booed more loudly than [I was],” he said. “I just went up there trying to get a good pitch and hit a line drive somewhere. I tried not to strike out. I didn’t want to get booed again.”33 Asked if he might have struggled as badly if he’d stayed in Los Angeles, Beltré replied, “Probably not.”34

Though he didn’t approach the heights he’d attained in 2004, Beltré improved to .268 with 25 homers in 2006, closer to his average production. His high points included a two-homer game against the Yankees in August, and a five-RBI performance against Kansas City in September. He continued to play his usual stellar defense at third. Still, given the expectations of a big contract and his new team’s consecutive fourth place finishes, Beltré’s time in Seattle was ranked “somewhere between disappointment and disaster” by Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.35

In 2007, the Mariners enjoyed their only winning season during Beltré’s time with the team, finishing 14 games above .500. On May 28, Beltré tied a franchise record with four extra-base hits (two home runs and two doubles). Overall, he had his best season with Seattle: .276 with 26 homers and 99 RBIs. He also received some long overdue recognition when he was awarded his first Gold Glove.36

Beltré’s bat stayed consistent, but the Mariners regressed in 2008. Seattle finished fourth for the third time in four seasons while Beltré managed 25 homers but just 77 RBIs with a .266 average. On September 1, he hit for the cycle, and his defense was better than ever. Per Baseball-Reference, Beltré’s major league-leading 3.1 dWAR was the third-highest among third basemen in the 2000s. He received his second consecutive Gold Glove.

The 2009 season, the final one on Beltré’s contract, was painful. He was hitting .259 with only five home runs in 73 games when he underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his non-throwing shoulder on June 30. Expected to miss up to eight weeks initially, he returned on August 4 looking like his old self, batting .390 over 41 at-bats. On August 12, however, a laser groundball kicked up and caught him in the groin. Beltré wasn’t wearing an athletic cup and suffered a ruptured testicle. “When I look down, after the game, it wasn’t a pretty sight,” he said. “My testicle got the size of a grapefruit. Thank God it didn’t really damage anything.”37

After a stint on the disabled list, he returned on September 1, still without a cup. “They say I’m crazy,” Beltré said. “But I say, if the ball’s going to hit me there every 11½ years, I’ll take my chances.”38 Egged on by Ken Griffey Jr., the Mariners’ public address system played The Nutcracker Suite before Beltré’s return at-bat.39 Overall, Beltré played only 111 games in 2009 and batted .265. The eight home runs he mustered were the lowest full-season total of his career.

Through the life of his contract with Seattle, Beltré averaged only 20 homers, a .266 batting average, and a mediocre .317 OBP. John McLaren, the Mariners’ manager for parts of two of those seasons, believed Safeco Field’s spacious dimensions “got in his head.”40 Beltré said he realized during his last years in Seattle that he needed to “stop taking everything so seriously…It was when I learned how to enjoy the game that my talent took off a little bit more.”41

With the Mariners, Beltré endeared himself to his teammates as a friend and inspiring leader. He and Seattle pitcher Félix Hernández developed a relationship that carried over the next decade. The day after Beltré recorded his 3,000th hit in 2017, for example, Hernández walked off the mound to wrap him in a hug at home plate.42

In December 2009, Beltré turned down the Mariners’ one-year, $12 million arbitration offer and chose to test free agency instead. The risk didn’t immediately pay off – it seemed that most clubs believed the 30-year-old third baseman’s best days were behind him. Beltré settled for a one-year, $9 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.43

With Boston, Beltré exploded for his highest batting average (.321), OBP (.365), homers (28) and RBIs (102) since his 2004 career season. With the help of the Green Monster at Fenway Park, he cranked a career-high and American League-leading 49 doubles. The Red Sox missed the playoffs, but Beltré was named to his first All-Star team, won his second Silver Slugger Award, and finished ninth in MVP voting.

Off the strength of his 2010 campaign, Beltré signed a six-year, $96 million contract with the Texas Rangers in January 2011. The Rangers were coming off the first World Series appearance in franchise history and hoped that Beltré’s veteran presence would get them over the top.

Part of the deal allowed Beltré to wear his preferred uniform number 29, which had belonged to outfielder Julio Borbón. Beltré also agreed to donate $100,000 per season to the Rangers Foundation, dedicated to improving the lives of the community.44

Rangers manager Ron Washington, a former big-league infielder, said Beltré’s hands were the key to his outstanding defense, explaining, “Beltré does a lot flat-footed, and it’s all in his hands. A line drive will get hit to him, and you’re going, ‘Dang it, he’s in the wrong position.’ And the ball will hit in his hands. He comes to a complete stop before he throws the baseball. That’s why he can throw that ball from all kinds of angles. You wouldn’t teach [Beltré’s] style of play. But he’s pretty dang good.”45

Beltré started the All-Star Game for the first time in his first year with Texas. But he strained his hamstring 10 days later and went on the disabled list for six weeks. When he returned in September, he won AL Player of the Month honors after homering 12 times in 15 games. The Rangers won a franchise record 96 games and clinched their division. Beltré completed his second straight stellar season, batting .296 with 32 homers and 105 RBIs.

In Beltré’s first trip to the playoffs in seven years, he sealed Texas’s ALDS triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays by homering three times in a 4-3 victory in the clinching Game Four. Although six players before him had gone deep three times in a postseason contest, Beltré became the first to do it in a game that his team won by one run.46 He batted a light .222 in the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers, but his RBI single off Max Scherzer gave the Rangers a lead that they never surrendered in the decisive Game Six.

Next, the Rangers met the St. Louis Cardinals in a classic seven-game World Series. Beltré hit safely in five of the first six contests, including a four-hit performance in Game Three. In Game Five, Beltré secured his place as a Rangers legend by hitting what is arguably the most iconic home run in franchise history.47 With the series tied and his team down, 2-1, with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Beltré went down on one knee and launched an 0-1 pitch from Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter over the left field fence. The homer tied the game and ignited the Rangers’ 4-2 victory. Unfortunately, St. Louis won the next two games to capture the title. Beltré went 0-for-3 in the Rangers’ 6-2 defeat in Game Seven.

Beltré took the loss personally. “I’m trying to get over it,” he said that winter while accepting his third Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. “It’s hard. Hopefully, when I get to spring training, it’ll be all gone.”48

In 2012, Beltré extended his consistency. Fans voted him an All-Star Game starter, and he clobbered 36 homers, drove in 102 runs, and batted .321. On August 12, Beltré’s seventh-inning single off Twins reliever Kyle Waldrop completed his second career cycle. Beltré earned his fourth Gold Glove and finished third in MVP voting. The Rangers won 93 games but finished second to Oakland and lost the inaugural Wild Card game to the Baltimore Orioles.

After being afforded relative anonymity in Seattle, Beltré became a household name in Texas as the baseball’s social media universe developed and his myriad of personality quirks became apparent. Most notably, it became known that Beltré had a serious aversion to having his head touched. “I’ve never liked people touching my head, not even my kids,” he explained in 2012.49

As clips and gifs surfaced of his teammates – especially Elvis Andrus – playing the part of mischievous little brother and playfully touching his head, Beltré’s reputation as an idiosyncratic elder statesman grew. “Like a great silent-film performer,” The New Yorker wrote, “Beltré told entire stories with simple facial expressions – incredulity, disgust, disappointment, or an angry stare that would occasionally break into a secret smile, as if the game of baseball were an extended private joke inside his own head.”50

Beltré also became known for his violent swings that spun him into pretzels, sometimes knocking off his helmet, and other times resulting in home runs while down on one knee. He also had a playful rapport with teammates and opposing players alike. When Victor Martínez hid Beltré’s helmet before a game, Beltré joked, “I thought about killing him…but I have a family, so I didn’t.”51

Beltré’s antics became the stuff of legend, and he never ceased adding new acts to the list. He made highlight reels by throwing his glove at a ball that screamed past him down the line52, swatting Miguel Cabrera in the midsection when he dared go for his head53, and dragging the on-deck circle after being warned by the umpire to stand on it. For the on-deck incident, the umpire ejected him. “I wasn’t being funny,” Beltré said. “He told me to stand on the mat, so I pulled the mat where I was and [stood] on it. I actually did what he told me. I was listening.”54

On the field, Beltré remained a model of consistency from 2013 to 2016, averaging .307 with 25 homers and 89 RBIs. He led all third basemen in hits and batting average during that period. In 2014, he made his fourth and final All-Star appearance and won his fourth Silver Slugger. In 2016, he led all third basemen in defensive runs saved and captured his fifth Gold Glove.

On May 15, 2015, Beltré became the fifth third baseman in MLB history to hit 400 homers55 when he took Bruce Chen deep to dead center during an 8-3 Rangers loss. The team unfurled a congratulatory banner in the outfield. “I don’t like those situations but it was nice for the fans,” Beltré said. “The banner was nice, too, but would have felt a lot better if we won the game today.”56 That summer, Beltré’s fifth-inning home run off Mike Fiers on August 3 clinched his third career cycle – a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in 82 years.57 After the game, Beltré joked, “When you’re fast like me, it’s not that difficult.”58

Prior to the 2016 season, the Rangers tacked two additional years (each valued at $18 million) onto the end of Beltré’s original contract, taking him through 2018 with the club.

Beltré entered 2017, his 20th big-league season, just 55 hits shy of 3,000. On July 4, he became the 17th player ever to collect 600 career doubles. Three days later, he became the 21st player to amass 5,000 total bases. Finally, on July 30, Beltré laced a line drive into left field off Orioles’ starter Wade Miley for his 3,000th hit, becoming the first Dominican-born player to reach the milestone.

One of the few disappointments that Beltré experienced in 2017 occurred on the Players Weekend of August 25-27, when nicknames were permitted on the backs of uniform jerseys. Because of copyright issues, Beltré was not allowed to use “Kojak,” the nickname his uncle gave him in tribute to the baldheaded 1970s television detective played by Telly Savalas. Instead, Beltré’s uniform featured the shortened “El Koja.”59

Beltré showed signs of wear in 2018 as the Rangers entered a rebuild, batting .273 in 119 games, with 15 home runs (his lowest totals for Texas). In November, at age 39, he announced, “After careful consideration and many sleepless nights, I have made the decision to retire from what I’ve been doing my whole life, which is playing baseball, the game I love.”60

Over 21 seasons, Beltré batted .286. As of 2022, his 1,707 RBIs and 3,166 hits remain major-league records for third basemen.61 At that position, only Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews produced more WAR or hit more homers than Beltré’s 477. Brooks Robinson is the lone player to participate in more double plays or appear in more games at the hot corner.

Beltré joined the Rangers after he turned 30 years old and became one of their greatest and most popular players ever.62 Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels said, “Adrian is one of the best people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. He stands out as much off the field as he does on it.”63 In June 2019, the team retired Beltré’s number. Three years later, he was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame.

Even outside of baseball, Beltré is adored. In 2018, the Dallas News named him a finalist for Texan of the Year64 and the Fort Worth Zoo named a baby giraffe ‘Beltré.’65 Madison Kocian, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, was born the same year that Beltré made his big-league debut. She spoke for many of her fellow native Texans when she commented, “Beltré is probably my number one because I’m a huge Rangers fan, so he’s always been an inspiration for me…he’s dealt with a lot of injuries…he’s fought through them, and he’s just a team player overall, so I’ve looked up to him for a long time.”66

Beltré married Sandra Pérez in 2003 and the couple has three children: Cassandra, Adrian Jr, and Camila. Adrian Jr. was getting attention67 as a professional prospect in 2021 when he was 15, the same age his dad was when he first signed with the Dodgers.

Although he moved his family to Pasadena, California, Beltré’s pride remained with his homeland. He played for the Dominican Republic in the first World Baseball Classic in 2006 and made the all-tournament team.68 In 2017, he represented his country in the WBC again. In 2021, Beltré went back to the baseball stadium where he used to play at Hogar Escuela Santo Domingo Savio. He provided the financial resources for its reconstruction. In his dedication speech, Beltré said in Spanish, “This is a special place for me. I hope the children enjoy it, that they take care of it because I want this to be the place where you see your future and have an idea of where you can go…”69

After watching the newborn that he once held grow into a superstar, Felipe Alou said, “This is a man that should be an example. We are a very small country where everybody knows everybody. Everybody knows the kind of man and player he is. Serious about his trade, his profession.”70 While Beltré’s path to Cooperstown wasn’t as obvious as it might seem, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2024. He’s revered as much for his on-field performance as his enormous heart and delightful quirks.

Last revised: January 23, 2024

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Malcolm Allen and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Henry Kirn.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com, Retrosheet.org, and Shrpsports.com.

Adrian Beltré’s Dominican League statistics from https://stats.winterballdata.com/players?key=341 (Subscription service. Last accessed June 29, 2022).

Notes

1 Ian Crouch, “Why Adrian Beltré, A Great Baseball Weirdo, Was My Favorite Player,” The New Yorker, November 20, 2018.

2 Matt Johnson, “MLB players react to Adrian Beltré’s retirement,” Sportsnaut, https://sportsnaut.com/mlb-players-react-to-Adrian-Beltrés-retirement/, November 20, 2018.

3 Johnson, “MLB players react to Adrian Beltré’s retirement.”

4 Gerry Fraley, “Flashback: From holding him as a baby to watching him chase 3,000, Felipe Alou knows Adrian Beltré,” Dallas Morning News, November 20, 2018.

5Joe Posnanski, “The Baseball 100: No. 52, Adrian Beltré,” The Athletic, February 4, 2020.

6 Rafael Hermoso, “Beltré’s All-Around Ability Finally Comes to Light,” USA Today (McLean, Virginia), August 31, 2004: C6. Marc J. Spears, “Beltré is Sight for Sore Eyes,” Daily News (Los Angeles, California), June 25, 1998: S10. The latter source says that Beltré’s father had been a minor-leaguer in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, while the former identifies him as a former third baseman/outfielder for the Dominican League’s Leones del Escogido. However, there is no statistical evidence that Bienvenido Beltré appeared in any official games.

7 Rebecca Lopez, “Adrian Beltré, 1st Dominican-born player to record 3,000 hits, reflects on baseball beginnings,” KHOU, July 20, 2017.

8 Fraley, “Flashback: From holding him as a baby to watching him chase 3,000, Felipe Alou knows Adrian Beltré.”

9 Lopez, “Adrian Beltré, 1st Dominican-born player to record 3,000 hits, reflects on baseball beginnings.”

10 Ramón Rodríguez, “De El Café de Herrera Salió Beltré,” Listín Diario (Dominican Republic), August 2, 2017, https://listindiario.com/el-deporte/2017/08/02/476549/de-el-cafe-de-herrera-salio-Beltré (last accessed July 2, 2022).

11 Mike Berardino, “Can’t Dodge Destiny,” Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), March 5, 1999: 9C.

12 Rodríguez, “De El Café de Herrera Salió Beltré.”

13Jonah Keri, “The Often Under-Appreciated Adrian Beltré,” Grantland, https://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-often-underappreciated-Adrian-Beltré/, September 4, 2013.

14 Fraley, “Flashback: From holding him as a baby to watching him chase 3,000, Felipe Alou knows Adrian Beltré.”

15 John Sickels, “Adrian Beltré Prospect Retro,” SB Nation, July 9, 2005, https://www.minorleagueball.com/platform/amp/2005/7/9/23459/18509 (last accessed July 2, 2022).

16 Marla Rivera, “Adrian Beltré on his transition to the big leagues,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19707372/rangers-star-Adrian-Beltré-english-lessons-latino-fans-pickles, June 23, 2017.

17 Adrian Beltré Stats & Scouting Report, Baseball America, https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/12719/Adrian-Beltré/

18 Adrian Beltré Stats & Scouting Report, Baseball America.

19 “1998 Baseball America MLB Prospect Rankings,” Baseball Cube, https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/prospects_mlb/1998~BA/ (last accessed July 2, 2022). The only players ahead of Beltré were Athletics outfielder Ben Grieve and Paul Konerko, a Dodgers’ prospect who moved from third to first base in 1998.

20 Matt McHale, “Dodgers Bruised by Sheffield Incident,” Santa Cruz Sentinel (Santa Cruz, California), June 30, 1998: 14.

21 Chris Foster and Jason Reid, “Beltré Contributes Immediately,” Los Angeles Times, June 25, 1998: 10. 0

22 Lopez, “Adrian Beltré, 1st Dominican-born player to record 3,000 hits, reflects on baseball beginnings.”

23 Murray Chass, “Mets Take a Big Step Back to the Future,” The New York Times, November 12, 1998.

24 Murray Chass, “Dodgers Get to Keep Beltré, but Are Penalized,” The New York Times, December 22, 1999.

25 Adrian Beltré’s Dominican League statistics are from https://stats.winterballdata.com/players?key=341 (Subscription service. Last accessed July 3, 2022).

26 John Nadel, “Healthy Beltré Is Grateful,” AP News, March 2, 2002.

27 Andy McCullough, “To Dodgers, Adrian Beltré is the Hall of Famer who got away,” Los Angeles Times, June 12, 2018.

28 Posnanski, “The Baseball 100: No. 52, Adrian Beltré.”

29 Bruce Bolch, “Early Returns for Beltré Are Encouraging,” Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2004.

30 Bill Plaschke, “Beltré didn’t want to leave LA,” Los Angeles Times, February 28, 2005.

31 Plaschke, “Beltré didn’t want to leave LA.”

32 Matt Borelli, “Rangers’ Adrian Beltré Reveals He Wanted To Remain With Dodgers Organization ‘forever’,” Dodger Blue, https://dodgerblue.com/rangers-Adrian-Beltré-wanted-remain-dodgers-organization-entire-career/2018/06/13/, June 13, 2018.

33 Shaikin, “Beltré Looks Right at Home,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2006.

34 Shaikin, “Beltré Looks Right at Home.”

35 Bill Shaikin, “Beltré Looks Right at Home.”

36 Between 1998-2007, Beltré had the second highest dWAR (11.2) amongst third basemen and the 10th highest all players at any position.

37 Ryan Hudson, “Despite Grapefruit-Sized Testicle, Beltré Still Does Not Wear a Cup,” SBNATION, https://www.sbnation.com/2010/3/3/1335540/Adrian-Beltré-testicle-cup-red-sox, March 3, 2010.

38 Hudson, “Despite Grapefruit-Sized Testicle, Beltré Still Does Not Wear a Cup.”

39 Adrian Beltré, Baseball-Reference Bullpen.

40 Tyler Kepner, “Rangers’ Adrian Beltré Plays Third Base Like No One Else,” New York Times, August 31, 2012.

41 Efrain Ruiz Pantin, “The Joy of Adrian Beltré,” La Vida Baseball, November 20, 2018

42 Whitney McIntosh, “Felix Hernandez congratulated Adrian Beltré on 3,000 hits in the middle of an inning,” SBNATION, https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2017/7/31/16073928/felix-hernandez-congratulates-Adrian-Beltré-middle-of-inning-hugz-on-hugz (last accessed August 10, 2022)

43 “Red Sox reach deal with Beltré,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/boston/mlb/news/story?id=4795915 (last accessed August 10, 2022).

44 Richard Durrett, “Free Agent Adrian Beltré, Texas Rangers agree to 6-year deal,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=5991829, January 5, 2011.

45 Joe Christensen, “The Top of His Game; The Best Third Baseman in Baseball?” Star Tribune (Minneapolis), July 24, 2011: C7.

46 Adrian Beltré, 2018 Topps Tribute baseball card.

47Joshua Carney, “Reliving Memorable Rangers Moments: Adrian Beltré Goes Yard From One Knee in in 2011 World Series,” Fan Nation, https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/rangers-Adrian-Beltré-home-run-one-knee-2011-world-series, March 24, 2020.

48 Gerry Fraley, “Adrian Beltré ‘still trying to get over’ World Series,” Dallas Morning News, January 12, 2012.

49 “2012 MLB All-Star Game: Adrian Beltré’s Biggest Fear,” Youtube, uploaded by Secret Base, July 10, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YurfBBLq-IE.

50 Crouch, “Why Adrian Beltré, A Great Baseball Weirdo, Was My Favorite Player.”

51 Stephanie Apstein, “Future Hall of Famer is missing one thing: a ring,” Sports Illustrated, March 29.2016.

52 Rodger Sherman, “Adrian Beltré throws glove at ball, has had just about enough of Carlos Gonzalez,” SBNATION, https://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/5/6/5689778/Adrian-Beltré-throws-glove-at-ball-has-had-just-about-enough-of, May 6, 2014.

53 Evan Grant, “Adrian Beltré on Miguel Cabrera’s head pat: ‘I can’t say anything about the best hitter in the league,’” The Dallas Morning News, May 24, 2014.

54 Sam Butler, “Adrian Beltré was asked to go back to the on-deck circle, so he dragged it to where he was instead,” Cut 4, https://www.mlb.com/cut4/Adrian-Beltré-moved-the-on-deck-circle-to-where-he-wanted-it-to-be-and-was-eject, July 27, 2017.

55 Eddie Mathews, Mike Schmidt, Darrell Evans, and Chipper Jones are the others.

56 “Adrian Beltré of Texas Rangers hits 400th career HR,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/12895412/Adrian-Beltré-texas-rangers-hits-400th-career-hr, May 15, 2015.

57 John Reilly, Bob Meusel, and Babe Herman were the others. Trea Turner and Christian Yelich have since joined them.

58 T.R. Sullivan, “Beltré joins elite club with third cycle,” MLB.com, https://www.mlb.com/news/Adrian-Beltré-hits-for-cycle-for-third-time-c140986632, August 3, 2015.

59 Joseph Myers, “Copyrights to Keep Three MLB Participants From Using Preferred Nicknames During Players Weekend,” Promo Marketing Magazine, August 24, 2017, https://magazine.promomarketing.com/article/copyrights-keep-three-mlb-participants-using-preferred-nicknames-players-weekend/ (last accessed July 3, 2022).

60 “Statement from Adrian Beltré,” MLB.com, https://www.mlb.com/press-release/statement-from-Adrian-Beltré-300952152, November 20. 2018.

61 For players who played at least 30% of their games at third base.

62 Chris Halicke, “Texas Rangers All-Time Team: Position Players,” Fan Nation, https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/texas-rangers-all-time-team-position-players, April 24, 2020.

63 T.R. Sullivan, “Beltré steps away after legendary career,” MLB.com, https://www.mlb.com/news/Adrian-Beltré-announces-retirement-c300949902, November 20, 2018.

64 Dallas Morning News Editorial. “Texas of the Year finalist Adrian Beltré brought a love of baseball to Texas Rangers fans,” Dallas Morning News, December 23, 2018.

65 Patrick Basler, “Fort Worth Zoo names baby giraffe Beltré and baseball got a lot cuter,” SBNATION, https://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2017/7/31/16069586/fort-worth-zoo-baby-giraffe-name-Adrian-Beltré-3000-hits, July 31, 2017.

66 “Texas of the Year finalist Adrian Beltré brought a love of baseball to Texas Rangers fans.”

67 Tyler Henderson, “Baby Beltré fits nicely into the Texas Rangers’ long term plans,” Nolan Writin’, January 7, 2022.

68 “2017 WBS MVP and All-Tournament Team Announced,” MLB.com, March 23, 2017, https://www.mlb.com/press-release/2017-wbc-mvp-and-all-tournament-team-announced-220520420 (last accessed July 3, 2022).

69 “Adrian Beltré inaugurates the remodeling of the Domingo Savio home school,” El Nuevo Diario (República Dominicana), December 6, 2021.

70 Fraley, “Flashback: From holding him as a baby to watching him chase 3,000, Felipe Alou knows Adrian Beltré.”

Born February 10, 1976, in Waco, Texas, William Lance Berkman is best known as one of the Houston Astros “Killer B’s.” From 1999 through 2005, Berkman teamed with Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio to form one of the best offensive trios in the National League.

Berkman was one of the greatest switch-hitters of all time, second only to Mickey Mantle in lifetime on-base percentage, slugging percentage, On Base Plus Slugging (OPS),1 and OPS+.2
In the 10 seasons from 2000 through 2009, Berkman hit 309 home runs and produced a slash line of .300/.413/.559/.972.3 His totals during that span placed him in the top 10 in the majors in walks, doubles, home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, and OPS. Berkman was named to the National League All-Star Team six times and finished in the top 10 in voting for Most Valuable Player six times. His career OPS of .943 ranks 22nd all-time,4 just behind Ty Cobb and just ahead of Willie Mays.

A switch-hitter and left-handed thrower, Berkman spent 15 years in the major leagues, from 1999 through 2013. He played parts of 12 seasons with the Astros before finishing his career with the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers. His primary positions were outfield, where he played all three spots, and first base.

Berkman’s parents are Cynthia, an elementary school teacher, and Larry Berkman, an attorney. Both had athletic backgrounds. Cynthia was a high-school sprinter on the varsity track team and Larry played baseball at the University of Texas.5 The Berkmans also had two daughters, Jennifer and Brooke. He married Cara, the sister of a college teammate. They have four daughters.6

One of Larry’s priorities was teaching Lance to hit. Lance said, “Ever since I could walk, I’ve had a bat in my hand.”7 From the time Lance played in his first youth league, Larry insisted that he switch-hit. (He was a natural right-handed hitter.) Until Lance reached high school, Larry required him to alternate at-bats from each side of the plate, regardless of the pitcher or game situation. “When things were tight and my team needed a run, my teammates used to beg me to hit right-handed,” Lance said. “But my dad wouldn’t allow it. He made sure I learned to switch-hit.”8

Berkman spent most of his youth in Austin, Texas, and attended Austin High in 1991 and 1992.9 When he was a junior, his family moved to New Braunfels, Texas, where Berkman was an honor student and a star for the Canyon High School baseball team.10 As a senior in 1994, Berkman batted .539 with a slugging percentage of .974. He banged eight homers, drove in 30 runs and made the 28-4A All District First Team.11 Canyon High retired his number in 2002.12

When Rice University offered Berkman a scholarship early in his senior year, he agreed based on his father’s advice. “I wanted Lance to be able to relax and enjoy his senior season in high school,” said Larry.13

As a freshman at Rice, Berkman hit .328, set the national record for doubles in a season, and was named Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year.14 Later that summer, he was voted Most Valuable Player of the 61st National Baseball Congress World Series, in which he tied the tournament record with 25 RBIs in eight games.15

In 1996, his sophomore season, Berkman hit six homers in a doubleheader and nine in one week. Lou Pavailich, editor of Collegiate Baseball magazine, reported that in 26 years of keeping statistics, he had never heard of a player hitting that many home runs in a week.16

That same year Berkman set Rice single-season records for home runs, RBIs, total bases, and slugging percentage. His .398 batting average was the third-highest in school history.17 He also ranked in the top 10 in the conference in runs scored, walks, and on-base percentage.18 He was chosen to the All-SWC First Team.19 Berkman spent his summer in Massachusetts, where he led the Cape Cod League with a batting average of .358.20

In 1996 Rice joined the Western Athletic Conference and in 1997, Berkman’s junior year, the Owls finished 47-14 overall and 20-9 in the WAC. The team again went to the NCAA Division I Tournament and won the Central Regional title.21 Berkman was named the tournament MVP.22 That earned the Owls their first-ever trip to the College World Series,23 where they were eliminated in the first round.

Berkman led the NCAA with 41 home runs and 134 RBIs and batted .431. At the time, the 41 homers were third in NCAA history and the 134 RBIs, second. He averaged 2.13 RBIs per game, breaking an NCAA record that had stood since 1959.24 He also set Rice records for career batting average, doubles, RBIs, home runs, total bases, and slugging percentage.25 He capped his dream season by being named NCAA Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.26

Berkman’s commitment to religion solidified while he was in college. “I had a buddy who was a strong Christian and lived his life in accordance with that,” he said. “This guy was different, and the more that I was around him, I realized that I was a guy who claimed to be a Christian, yet my life didn’t look any different from someone who didn’t. That was my Damascus road experience, where God said either you’re in or you’re out. If you’re going to claim to be a Christian, you’d better demonstrate that. Otherwise, don’t even bother.”27

In 2015 Berkman’s conservative, Christian beliefs stirred controversy in the LGBTQ community when he opposed a Houston proposition that would have made it legal for transgender people to use public restrooms the opposite of their biological sex.28, 29

Berkman had long felt society’s morals were decaying. In 2008, he said, “There’s no absolute truth in our society anymore. Whatever you feel is right, well, do it. Well, that’s no way to live. Some say it’s fine to have premarital sex, it’s fine to get drunk, it’s fine to abuse women, it’s fine to cheat on your wife or on tests, it’s fine to live alternative lifestyles. There’s stuff that comes up with society all the time that’s eroding our moral fiber. And if you don’t take a stand now, you never will.”30

Berkman decided to forgo his senior year at Rice and, on June 3, 1997, the Houston Astros chose him with the 16th pick in the first round of the amateur draft. Soon after, he agreed to a contract that included a signing bonus of $1 million.31 “He is the best hitting prospect we have drafted in some time,” said Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker. “A switch-hitter with power is a rare commodity you just can’t pass up.”32

The Astros assigned Berkman to the Class A Kissimmee Cobras (Florida State League).33 Although he usually played first base at Rice, the Astros switched Berkman to the outfield because they had future Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell at first.34

Kissimmee manager John Tamargo said, “(Berkman)’s always at the park early; he works late. To him, it’s a job. They pay him to play, and he is trying to get the most out of it.”35 Berkman batted .293 for Kissimmee in 53 games, cracked 12 home runs, and had an OPS of .961.

In 1998 the Astros promoted Berkman to the Double-A Jackson (Mississippi) Generals for whom he belted 24 home runs, batted .306,36 and made the Texas League All-Star team.37 Late in the season Berkman was called up to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. He burst into the league, hitting three home runs in his first game.38 When New Orleans won the Triple-A World Series at season’s end, Berkman was named MVP.39

Berkman started the 1999 season in Triple A and on April 12 tore the meniscus in his left knee.40 After recovering from surgery, he was back in the lineup on May 14.41 Hitting .303 with eight home runs in 58 games, Berkman was called up to the major leagues on July 16, to replace the injured Carl Everett.42 Berkman said, “Ever since I was six years old, I wanted to be a professional ballplayer. Now, here I am in the big leagues. We’ll see how long it lasts.”43

Not very. When Everett recovered, Berkman was sent back to New Orleans,44 but he returned to Houston on August 13 and finished the season there. His major-league average was .237 with an OPS of .708 and four home runs in 34 games.

Although Berkman led the Astros with seven home runs in spring training of 2000, again he began the season at Triple A. A hot start, including a game in which he went 4-for-5 with three homers, and an injury to Moises Alou got Berkman promoted to Houston in late April.45 But after hitting only .222 in his first dozen games, he was sent down. Two weeks later, when Roger Cedeño went on the disabled list, he returned to the Astros permanently.46

In 114 games, Berkman hit .297 with 21 homers. Although he was denied rookie status due to a technicality,47 Berkman received one vote for Rookie of the Year, and his .949 OPS led all rookies who had 400 or more plate appearances.

In 2001 Berkman again tore up spring training, hitting .350 with three homers.48 “I don’t ever take anything for granted,” he said. “I wanted to come in this spring and prove that I belonged out there.”49

Belong he did and he showed it with a breakout year. He led the major leagues with 55 doubles; since 1940, only two National Leaguers have hit more.50 Berkman finished in the top 10 in the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, total bases, and extra-base hits. He had the highest batting average (.331) and OPS (1.051) of his career, drove in 126 runs, and scored 110. He cracked 34 home runs, becoming the first switch-hitter and 15th player to hit at least 50 doubles and 30 home runs in a major-league season.51 He made the All-Star Team and ranked fifth in voting for the NL MVP Award.

“Maybe five times this year, Lance has had what you’d call a bad at-bat,” said Astros manager
Larry Dierker. “Quite simply, he understands the art of hitting.”52

Even though the Astros lost nine of their final 12 games, they eked out the National League Central Division title with a record of 93-69. But they were swept in the Division Series by the Braves. Berkman’s performance was lackluster: He went 2-for-12, with two singles, and no walks, runs scored, or RBIs.

It was the fourth time in five years that the Astros won the division, but in the playoff series they won only two games. Dierker, the manager of each of those teams, was fired that offseason.53

In January of 2002, the Astros signed Berkman to a three-year contract worth $10.5 million even though he was not yet eligible for arbitration. General manager Hunsicker and owner Drayton McLane made the unusual move not only because of Berkman’s ability, but also because they were impressed by his contributions to the community. He established Berkman’s Bunch, which helped area children attend Astros games, and was a nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for community service.54

Berkman justified his new contract by leading the NL with 128 RBIs and batting .292 with an on-base percentage of .405 and an OPS of .982. He hit 42 home runs and tied for third in the NL in total bases. He finished third in MVP voting and again was selected to the NL All-Star Team.

Berkman got off to a slow start in 2003. At the end of April he was batting only .208 with two home runs and four RBIs. That presaged a season in which Berkman underperformed by his standards. His OPS was the lowest since 1999, he hit only 25 home runs, and drove in fewer than 100 runs (93).

“This is the biggest struggle I’ve had in terms of driving in runs,” Berkman said. “I’m not hitting as many home runs this year and even though I’m swinging the bat good, especially in the second half, for whatever reason, I just can’t drive in runs.”55

The Astros held a 1½-game division lead on September 19. In Houston’s final nine games, Berkman hit .357 with an OPS of 1.149. Despite his hot streak, the Astros lost six of the nine and finished one game behind the Cubs and four games behind the Marlins for the wild card.

In his first three seasons, Berkman was a much better hitter from the left side than the right. That pattern would continue for his entire career. In 2003 Berkman briefly considered giving up batting right-handed and said that if he were to start his major-league career over, he would not switch-hit.56

In 2004 Berkman started the season 0-for-9, but from that point through the end of May, he batted .370 with an OPS of 1.248, hit 14 home runs, and drove in 42 runs. His torrid spring set the stage for a bounceback year, in which Berkman made his third All-Star Team, finished seventh in voting for the MVP, and had the highest on-base percentage of his career, .450.

That summer, the All-Star Game was played in Houston and Berkman entered the Home Run Derby. Although his home-run rate was much better batting left-handed, Berkman batted right-handed in the Derby. He felt he had more power from the right side and wanted to take advantage of the short left field in Minute Maid Park. He reached the finals, but lost to Miguel Tejada.57

On August 26 the Astros’ record was 64-63, seven games behind the Cubs for the wild card. From that point on, Houston went 28-7. The onslaught began with a 12-game winning streak, during which the Astros scored 109 runs. When they won 9 of their final 10 games, they earned the wild card by one game over the Giants.

In the Division Series, Houston beat Atlanta three games to two. The teams alternated wins before the Astros routed the Braves 12-3 in the deciding game. In the League Championship Series, the Astros led the Cardinals three games to two, but their season ended when they lost Games Six and Seven. In the two series, Berkman batted a combined .348, had an OPS of 1.110, hit four homers and drove in 12 runs.

On October 28, 2004, Berkman tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing flag football. He underwent surgery to repair the torn cartilage and reconstruct his ACL.58 Doctors estimated that Berkman could resume playing baseball in five to six months. He said, “I had no business being out there [playing football]. There’s no doubt about that. At the same time, we play football all the time in the offseason. I use that as part of just staying in shape.”59 Berkman was not under contract when he was injured.

To avoid arbitration, in January of 2005 Berkman signed a one-year contract worth $10.5 million. Less than two months later, he and the Astros agreed on a six-year deal that paid $10.5 million in 2005 and $14.5 million per year for the remaining five years. Berkman pledged $100,000 each season to the Astros in Action Foundation, which supports nonprofits and programs related to literacy, education, health issues, religious organizations, and reviving baseball in the inner city.60

Berkman returned from his knee injury on May 6. After 15 games, he was batting .173, with one home run and three RBIs. Berkman said, “I don’t have the same balance I’m used to having. I’ve hit a certain way for years and years, and now it’s a little weaker, and it’s throwing me off. Hopefully, it’ll improve the more I’m out there.”61

The knee did improve, and Berkman went on a two-month tear in which he batted .337 with an OPS of 1.034 and 40 RBIs and led the Astros to a record of 38-16 (.704). “I feel stronger,” Berkman said. “You always hear the term ‘midseason form.’ I feel like I’m getting into that. You’re not worried about your swing or your timing. You’re only worried about seeing the ball and hitting it.”62

After losing their seventh straight game on May 24, the Astros had a record of 15-30 (.333). They were in last place in the division and had the second-worst record in the league. But Houston evidently experienced an epiphany, winning 74 and losing only 43 (.632) the rest of the season. The streak was highlighted by a 15-2 run from July 18 through August 3. Still, on September 13 the Astros remained behind the Marlins and Phillies for the wild card. Houston finished the season with a 13-5 run and beat the Phillies by one game. During the streak, Berkman batted .310 with an OPS of 1.074, hit five homers and drove in 16 runs.

After Game Three of the LDS, Houston led Atlanta two games to one. In the fourth game, with the Astros behind 6-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Berkman hit a grand slam. The Astros tied the game in the ninth, when Brad Ausmus homered with two outs, and finally won on Chris Burke‘s homer in the 18th inning.

Although the Cardinals beat the Astros for the division title by 11 games, Houston got revenge by eliminating St. Louis four games to two in the League Championship Series. In the Astros’ 44th season, they had reached their first World Series. They were swept by the White Sox. The Series was closer than the outcome indicated: Two games were decided by two runs and two by one run.

On January 23, 2006, Berkman had surgery on his right knee to remove scar tissue that had built up after the operation in November 2004. Though there had been some concern whether he would be ready, he was in the lineup on Opening Day.63

The surgery seemed to help as Berkman had one of his best seasons. He batted .315 with an OPS of 1.041 and reached career highs with 45 home runs (fourth in the NL) and 136 RBIs (third). He was again named to the All-Star Team and finished third in voting for the MVP. Berkman also ranked in the top 10 in the majors in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, home runs, RBIs, and WAR.

Berkman was often a comedian in the clubhouse, a guy who didn’t seem to take the game too seriously. To some, he didn’t take the game seriously enough. He didn’t have the body of a conditioned athlete; Gerry Hunsicker, by then the former general manager, described him as “lumpy.” Manager Phil Garner said, “Comparing him to some guys, he wasn’t (the hardest worker).”64

“I think (that perception) just comes from the fact that a lot of guys show up at two o’clock for a seven o’clock game,” Berkman said. “I don’t feel the need to do that. I get dressed right before (batting practice). To me, there’s no sense in getting loose before batting practice, then sit around for an hour and then get ready for the game.”65 “It works for him,” Garner said of Berkman’s approach. “You can’t argue with it. He’s totally off the wall. You can’t put a square peg in a round hole.”66

Berkman followed his excellent 2006 season with a 2007 season in which he posted his lowest batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS since his rookie year of 1999. He did establish one career high, but that was in strikeouts.

“Everybody has a worst year of their career,” Berkman said. “Whether you realize it when you’re going through it or not, you can always look back at anybody’s career and pick out their worst year. I’m not conceding defeat and saying I’m not going to be able to rectify this year and finish up strong. That’s certainly going to be my ambition.”

“I’m frustrated when I come to the ballpark,” he said. “I want to win as badly as anybody, and I want to do well to help this team win and I care about it. I don’t want people to think I don’t care and have an `Oh well, whatever’ attitude. It can drive you crazy if you let it. You have to keep some perspective to stay sane.”67

The bright spot was that he finished the season well. In August and September, Berkman hit .311 with an OPS of 1.028 and 17 homers. “I felt pretty good the last two months of the season,” he said.68

Since 2002, Berkman had hit better in even-numbered years.69 In 2008 he stuck to the script — at least early in the season. He got off to a good start in April, then exploded. In May, he hit .471 with an OPS of 1.409, 9 homers and 22 RBIs. At one point in the streak, Berkman became just the second player in 50 years to get 19 hits in 25 consecutive at-bats.70 In the Astros’ first 81 games, he was batting .366 and on pace for a monster full-season of 54 doubles, 42 home runs, 140 runs scored, 212 hits, and 132 RBIs.

But such dreams, more often than not, wither in the heat of summer and Berkman’s were no different. From July 1 through August 9, he went 33 games and 111 at-bats without a home run. The nightmare continued in September, as Berkman suffered one streak of 0-for-17 and another of 0-for-22.

Still, the torrid start helped him earn him his fifth All-Star selection and finish fifth in voting for MVP. He hung on to lead the NL with 46 doubles, scored 114 runs, and drove in 106. Berkman said, “The name of the game for a guy like me is scoring runs and driving guys in. Those are two stats that are very important for me personally. That’s really my job. That’s what I’m supposed to do to help this team win.”71

Berkman was voted the Astros’ Most Valuable Player Award for 2008 by the Houston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. It was his fifth team MVP award. Only Jeff Bagwell won more.

In February 2009 Alex Rodriguez admitted he had taken steroids, adding his name to the list of players implicated in the drug scandal. Berkman, who adamantly denied ever taking steroids, was frustrated that the cheats made all players look bad. He lamented, “The problem with this whole sordid mess (is) now everybody (is questioned). Even today, all of a sudden my name gets brought up in an article about steroids, and I’ve never even been anywhere close to that. But who’s going to believe me? The point’s well made, because we’re all guilty by association. One side of me is glad that these guys are getting outed.”72

Late in spring training that year, Berkman was diagnosed with tendinitis in his left biceps.73 The injury didn’t keep him from playing any early-season games, but on May 12 his batting average was only .187. He got turned around and, from that point on, he slashed .300/.421/.538/.960. But injuries allowed him to play only 136 games, causing unusually low totals in home runs, runs scored, and RBIs.

In 2010 Berkman entered the final season of his contract. After suffering a contusion in his left knee early in spring training, he needed surgery to remove associated cartilage debris.74 The injury caused him to miss the first 12 games of the season. Upon returning, he collected only 10 hits in his first 57 at-bats and on May 8 was batting only .175 with an OPS of .621.

With the Astros at 9-18 and having not made the playoffs since 2005, Berkman acknowledged that it was tough to play on a losing team, especially at his age. (He was 34.) He said, “This organization has been great to me. I love the Houston Astros. No matter what happens, I’m always going to be an Astro at heart. But as you get older, you definitely start to look at (being on a losing team), and you say, ‘How many sub-.500 seasons do you want to play?’”75

On July 31, the trading deadline, with Berkman having the worst year of his career and the Astros going nowhere, he was dealt to the New York Yankees for Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes. Berkman said, “I’m excited for a new challenge. Coming to a first-place team and a team that’s expected to go deep into the postseason is a great opportunity and one that I really felt like I couldn’t pass up.”76

Berkman started slowly with the Yankees, hitting only .200 and slugging .314 in August. In September, his batting average improved to .299, but his power did not return. After failing to hit any homers in August, he hit only one in September.

The Yankees lost the AL East title by one game but with a record of 95-67 easily qualified for the wild card. In the LDS, they swept Minnesota in three games, then lost in the LCS to the Rangers, four games to two. Berkman started five of the nine games, all but one against a right-hander, and batted .313 with a double, triple, homer, and four RBIs.

Berkman hoped to return to the Astros in 2011, but during a phone call, the team said it wasn’t interested. “It wasn’t a long conversation,” said a disappointed Berkman.77

His career with the Astros now over, Berkman ranked first in team history in on-base percentage (.410), slugging percentage (.549) and OPS (.959), second in home runs and OPS+, third in doubles, runs scored, and RBIs, fourth in batting average, and fifth in hits and WAR. The previous winter, Berkman had been inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame.78

On December 4, Berkman agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2011 Berkman regained his old form. He rode hot opening and closing months to a batting average of .301 and an OPS of .959 (sixth in the majors) with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs. He earned All-Star honors, finished seventh in MVP voting, and won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Because Berkman played much better in 2011 than he had the previous year and was in better physical shape, fans and people in the Astros organization criticized him. Astros radio announcer Milo Hamilton said, “If he had (dedicated himself to training) the last couple years he was here, he could have finished out a really fine career in Houston.”79 But trainer Danny Arnold, who worked with Berkman for several years, disagreed. Arnold said, “It’s ludicrous to say he didn’t work. He was always conscientious.”80

On September 5 the Cardinals’ record was 74-67. It seemed they were out of playoff contention, 10½ games behind the division-leading Brewers in the NL Central and 8½ behind the Braves for the wild card. But from then until the end of the season, the Cardinals went 16-5 while the Braves went 7-15. During the 21-game streak, Berkman batted .413 and the Cardinals won the wild card by one game. They beat the Phillies in the LDS and the Brewers in the LCS and advanced to the World Series to face the Texas Rangers.

With St. Louis behind three games to two in the Series and losing 7-5 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game Six, Berkman scored the tying run when David Freese hit a two-run triple. In the 10th, after the Rangers regained the lead at 9-7, Berkman drove in the tying run with a two-out single. The Cards won in the 11th when Freese led off with a home run. ESPN’s Buster Olney called it the greatest game in baseball history.81 Berkman went 3-for-5, scored four runs, and drove in three.

The next day, the Cardinals won Game Seven and Berkman, who went 1-for-3 and scored two runs, had his first and only World Series championship. In the seven games, Berkman collected 11 hits in 26 at-bats for a batting average of .423 and an OPS of 1.093.

Berkman played two more seasons — 2012 with the Cardinals and 2013 with the Rangers. In both, he was plagued by injuries and played just 32 games the first year and 73 the second. On January 29, 2014, Berkman announced his retirement82 and on April 5 he and good friend Roy Oswalt signed one-day contracts to retire as Astros. To honor the two, the team held a pregame ceremony during which fans showed their appreciation with several standing ovations. Berkman said, “We all kind of felt like we were all part of the Astros family.”83

In 2016 Berkman became head baseball coach at Second Baptist High School in Houston. That year, with former teammate Andy Pettitte as pitching coach, Berkman led the team to a state championship.84

But Berkman really wanted to be the head coach of his alma mater, Rice University. When Berkman’s coach at Rice, Wayne Graham, announced he was retiring after 2018, Berkman told him, “I’d love to follow in your footsteps.”85 However, he was passed over for the Rice job and thereafter resigned from Second Baptist in 2019, saying, “I was really coaching (at Second Baptist) to put myself in position to get the Rice job. When that didn’t work out, it took the wind out of my sails a little bit. I never intended to be a high-school coach for the rest of my life.”86

Looking back at his career, Berkman said, “Whether or not I’m a Hall of Fame-caliber player, I feel like in my decade-plus, from a percentage standpoint I stack up against anybody. I may not retire with what some people think are enough home runs and RBIs to merit induction, but in my mind I can hit with anybody in that building.”87

Berkman was right, if percentage statistics were all that mattered. He would be arguably among the 30 best offensive players of all time. His on-base percentage (.406) and slugging percentage (.537) would place in him the top 25 of Hall of Famers and his OPS (.943) would be number 18 for players in the Hall (as of January 2020).

However, Berkman was also right on his second point. He did not accumulate enough hits, home runs, or RBIs necessary to impress traditional Hall of Fame voters. He finished his career with 1,905 hits and 1,234 RBIs. Outstanding totals, but 1,905 hits are not among the top 300 of all time and 1,234 RBIs not among the top 100. He hit 366 home runs, impressive in 1960, but not in 2020. Also, he had no home-run or batting titles on which to hang his hat. The only high-profile category in which he led the league was RBIs, and then only once. In 2019 Berkman’s first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame, he got only 1.2 percent of the vote. Since that is less than the 5 percent minimum to remain on the ballot, Berkman will not appear on future ballots.

But if making the Hall were solely based on character, Berkman would be a lock. After he was traded from the Astros, columnist Richard Justice wrote, “He is … smart, funny and thoroughly decent, a voracious reader and a devoted husband to his wife and a doting father to his four daughters. We’ve been blessed.”88

Even though he had been fired by Berkman, sports agent Brian Peters gushed, “He’s the sweetest kid in baseball. He is absolutely the most genuine young man I’ve ever been around and the kindest, most pure human being I’ve ever met. My association with Lance has made me a better person.”89

In 2010 Lance and Cara donated over $2 million to The Lord’s Fund, a foundation they established. It placed them seventh on Forbes magazine’s 2012 list of most generous celebrities.90

Last revised: September 9, 2020

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Paul Doutrich and Len Levin and fact-checked by Chris Rainey.

Sources

Unless otherwise noted, statistics come from baseball-reference.com.

Notes

1 On-base Plus Slugging is a statistic which, as its name suggests, is the sum of a player’s on-base percentage and slugging percentage. It correlates very well with more complex methods that evaluate the runs for which a batter is responsible.

2 http://m.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stats/on-base-plus-slugging-plus.

3 http://m.mlb.com/glossary/miscellaneous/slash-line. Accessed December 11, 2019. A batter’s slash line consists of batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and on-base percentage plus slugging percentage. These four simple rate statistics combine to rather accurately describe a player’s offensive ability.

4 Unless otherwise stated, all rankings are from the Play Index of baseball-reference.com. Search criteria are retired players who had 5,000 or more plate appearances after 1901. I chose 1901 because that was the first year of the AL, it is the start of a century, and baseball was just too different in the 1800s.

5 Thomas Godley, “Berkman Swings into SWC Spotlight,” New Braunfels (Texas) Herald-Zeitung, April 16, 1995: 10A.

6 https://playerwives.com/mlb/texas-rangers/lance-berkmans-wife-cara-berkman/. Accessed December 18, 2001.

7 Sean Burgess, “Berkman a Big Hit on the Canyon Diamond,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, May 18, 1994: 10A.

8 https://si.com/vault/2001/08/06/308493/the-story-of-his-life-lance-berkman-loves-a-good-yarn-but-the-best-one-yet-is-about-his-stunning-rise-as-an-offensive-force-for-the-astros. Accessed December 18, 2019.

9 Olin Buchanan, “Breakthrough Season Could Make Berkman,” Austin American-Statesman, June 19, 2001: C1.

10 “Canyon High School Lists Academic ‘All-Stars’ on 1st Six Weeks Honor Roll,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, November 7, 1993: 5B.

11 Burgess.

12 Kirk Bohls, “Berkman’s More Than Mr. Nice Guy,” Austin American-Statesman, April 28, 2002: C1.

13 Richard Justice, “A Job Well Done,” Houston Chronicle, September 27, 2002: Sports 1.

14 Thomas Godley, “Former Canyon Baseball Standout Sets SWC Mark,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, March 14, 1996: 5.

15 “Berkman Adds to Stellar 1995 Season,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, August 20, 1995: 6A.

16 Godley, “Former Canyon Baseball Standout Sets SWC Mark.”

17 David Dekunder, “Berkman Makes His Mark,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, March 23, 1997: 1B.

18 “Southwest Conference Baseball Statistics,” Austin American-Statesman, May 9, 1996: D6.

19 “Berkman Keys Rice in SWC Tourney,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, May 17, 1996: 5.

20 David Dekunder, “Berkman Makes His Mark.”

21 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_NCAA_Division_I_Baseball_Tournament#All-Tournament_Team.

22 Rick Cantu, “Rice Slides Into 1st World Series,” Austin American-Statesman, May 26, 1997: C1.

23 Cantu.

24 Associated Press, “Rice Draftees Head Rich Crop of Texans,” Victoria (Texas) Advocate, June 5, 1997: 2B.

25 “Berkman a Finalist for Smith Award,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, June 25, 1997: 1B.

26 “Berkman, Astros Agree on Minor-League Deal,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, June 22, 1997: 1B.

27 David Barron, “Anniversary Day,” Houston Chronicle, July 16, 2009: Sports 1.

28 https://redbirdrants.com/2017/07/31/st-louis-cardinals-christian-day-2/.

29 https://stltoday.com/news/local/lance-berkmans-comments-upset-transgender-supporters/article_64e3cfb3-4f0d-5723-be76-0b6aa5cb0463.html.

30 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “Stepping Up to the Plate,” Houston Chronicle, January 26, 2007: Sports 1.

31 Tom Erickson, “Batting a Thousand,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, July 14, 1998: 1.

32 Tom Erickson, “Berkman Waits for Deal,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, June 8, 1997: 1B.

33 “The Berkman Line,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, August 15, 1997: 1.

34 Rex Hoggard, “Cobras’ Berkman Makes the Effort,” Orlando Sentinel, August 17, 1997: C-12.

35 Hoggard.

36 “The Berkman Line,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, September 6, 1998: 3B.

37 Tom Erickson, “The View from Left Field,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, July 17, 1998: 1B.

38 Mike Christensen, “Booster Club Gives MVP to Sanchez,” Jackson (Mississippi) Clarion-Ledger, August 24, 1998: 3C.

39 Tom Erickson, “Berkman’s Fan Club meets for First Time,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, November 25, 1998: 9A.

40 Peter Brown, “Berkman Recovering Well from Surgery on Left Knee,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, April 20, 1999: 10.

41 “Lance Is Back,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, May 27, 1999: 10.

42 Neil Hohlfeld, “Berkman’s Back in Town as Big-Leaguer,” Houston Chronicle, July 17, 1999: Sports 1.

43 Peter Brown, “Rising Star,” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, July 20, 1999: 8.

44 Joseph Duarte, “Astros Activate Everett,” Houston Chronicle, August 6, 1999: Sports 2.

45 Carlton Thompson, “Astros Summary,” Houston Chronicle, April 17, 2000: Sports 4.

46 Neil Hohlfeld, “Berkman’s Having a Blast,” Houston Chronicle, July 10, 2000: Sports 9.

47 To be considered a rookie, a player cannot have spent 45 or more days on a major-league roster prior to September 1. In 2009 Berkman spent only 41 days available to the Astros because he had been sent to New Orleans for six days from August 7 to 12. But because his stay in the minors was less than 20 days, he continued to accumulate major-league service time, making his total time on the major-league roster 47 days, thus taking away his rookie status.

48 Joseph Duarte, “Bests and Worsts of Camp,” Houston Chronicle, March 29, 2001: Sports 7.

49 John P. Lopez, “Berkman Proving Just Right in Left,” Houston Chronicle, March 3, 2001: Sports 1.

50 Six of the top 10 NL seasons for doubles came in the 1930s. Three others, including Berkman’s, occurred from 1999 through 2001.

51 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “Coming of Age,” Houston Chronicle, October 9, 2001: Special 4.

52 https://si.com/vault/2001/08/06/308493/the-story-of-his-life-lance-berkman-loves-a-good-yarn-but-the-best-one-yet-is-about-his-stunning-rise-as-an-offensive-force-for-the-astros. Accessed December 18, 2019.

53 Carlton Thompson, “Year in Review 2001,” Houston Chronicle, December 30, 2001: Sports 1.

54 Joseph Duarte, “A Meeting of the Minds,” Houston Chronicle, January 30, 2002: Sports 1.

55 Neil Hohlfield, “Berkman Strives for Production,” Houston Chronicle, August 9, 2003: Sports 3.

56 Dale Robertson, “Berkman Dismisses One-Sided Thinking,” Houston Chronicle, February 26, 2003: Sports 1.

57 “Home Run Derby,” Houston Chronicle, July 13, 2004: Special 7.

58 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “Surgery Repairs Berkman’s Knee,” Houston Chronicle, November 13, 2004: Sports 13.

59 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “Astros, Berkman Sacked,” Houston Chronicle, November 6, 2004: Sports 1.

60 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “Berkman a Long-term Astro,” Houston Chronicle, March 20, 2005: Sports 1.

61 Neil Hohlfeld, “Want to Win? More Power to You,” Houston Chronicle, May 15, 2005: Sports 8.

62 Neil Hohlfeld, “Slugger Revels in Joys of Summer,” Houston Chronicle, July 30, 2005: Sports 14.

63 Brian McTaggart, “Berkman Won’t Miss Much Time,” Houston Chronicle, January 27, 2006: Sports 10.

64 John P. Lopez, “Berkman Definitely Is the Answer,” Houston Chronicle, April 19, 2006: Sports 1.

65 Lopez, “Berkman Definitely Is the Answer.”

66 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “TV Fanatic Berkman Switches Off Royals,” Houston Chronicle, June 18, 2006: Sports 1.

67 Brian McTaggart, “What’s Eating Big Puma,” Houston Chronicle, June 10, 2007: Sports 1.

68 Joseph Duarte, “Berkman’s Back in Zone,” Houston Chronicle, March 16, 2008: Sports 1.

69 From 2002 through 2009, Berkman’s average OPS+ in even years was 158, while in odd years it was 138.

70 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “The Big Puma Is on the Prowl,” Houston Chronicle, May 13, 2008: Sports 1.

71 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “A Happy Landing,” Houston Chronicle, September 10, 2008: Sports 1.

72 Jose De Jesus Ortiz, “Berkman: Presumption of Innocence Gone for All,” Houston Chronicle, February 10, 2009: Sports 1.

73 Brian McTaggart, “Berkman Sidelined by Injury,” Houston Chronicle, March 30, 2009: Sports 1.

74 Zachary Levine, “Slugger’s Surgery Smooth Sailing,” Houston Chronicle, March 14, 2010: Sports 9.

75 Jerome Soloman, “Berkman Open to a Trade if Team Isn’t a Contender,” Houston Chronicle, May 6, 2010: Sports 1.

76 Zachary Levine, “The Berkman Trade in a New York State of Mind,” Houston Chronicle, August 1, 2010: 1.

77 Richard Justice, “Jilted by Astros, Berkman Eagerly Anticipates Offers,” Houston Chronicle, November 28, 2010: Sports 1.

78 Chandler Rome, “Killer B’s Reunited in Team’s Hall of Fame,” Houston Chronicle, January 19, 2010: C7.

79 Zachary Levine, “Fans Envelop Berkman in Group Hug,” Houston Chronicle, April 27, 2011: 7.

80 Richard Justice, “No Apologies, but a Renewed Career and Sense of Responsibility,” Houston Chronicle, April 27, 2011: 1.

81 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_World_Series. Accessed December 28, 2019.

82 Associated Press, “Former Astro, Ranger Berkman Retires from Baseball,” Longview (Texas) News-Journal, January 30, 2014: 2B.

83 Associated Press, “Berkman, Oswalt Sign One-Day Deal with Astros,” Brownsville (Texas) Herald, April 6, 2014: B6.

84 Brian T. Smith, “Like Old Times,” Houston Chronicle, May 26, 2016: C1

85 Joseph Duarte, “Rice Baseball,” Houston Chronicle, May 12, 2018: C005

86 https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/lance-berkman-steps-down-second-baptist-coach/498957. Accessed December 9, 2019.

87 Joe Strauss, “Nearing the End?” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 25, 2012: B1.

88 Richard Justice, “The Berkman Trade,” Houston Chronicle, July 31, 2010: Sports 1.

89 Bohls.

90 forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2012/01/11/the-30-most-generous-celebrities/#1478845e4994. Accessed April 12, 2020.

Left-hander Mark Buehrle pitched in 518 games, starting 493 of them, over a 15-year career. He finished his career with a 214-160 career record with a 3.81 ERA and 1,870 strikeouts in 3,283⅓ innings pitched. Buehrle was a five-time All-Star, and won four Gold Gloves and one World Series championship. He pitched two no-hitters, one of them a perfect game.

Mark Alan Buehrle was born on March 23, 1979, in St. Charles, Missouri to John and Pat Buehrle. John was an ex-Marine who became a paramedic, then the manager of the St. Charles City Water Department. Pat worked in the lunchroom at Barnwell Junior High, where her children attended school. Mark was the youngest of the three boys; they had a younger sister. St. Charles is about 30 minutes northwest of Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. Mark grew up rooting for the Cardinals, watching them make the World Series three times before he turned 9 years old and admiring pitchers John Tudor and Joe Magrane, both lefties, and closer Todd Worrell, who was his favorite even though he threw right-handed.

Buehrle played a lot of baseball in his youth. “Just like any kid playing baseball, I loved everything about it,” he said. “Waiting for school to end to get dressed into the uniform and get out on the field. I just really enjoyed the competition involved with it.”1

Unlike most kids, Buehrle had superior control. His sister, Amy Buehrle English, fondly remembered:

A story I’ve heard a lot my whole life is when he was like one or two (years old), my parents took him to a church picnic or fair. He played one of those games where you throw a ball and knock something over. He just sat there and threw the ball over and over and over hitting the target each time. People would stop to watch because he was so young and so good. So, I’m pretty sure it was known since he was little that he would be a great ballplayer.2

His control even impressed 1983 Cy Young Award winner John Denny, who agreed to coach him privately. Denny was drafted by the Cardinals in 1970 and was a starting pitcher for them for five seasons before being traded to Cleveland.

In an era before travel ball, the first real test a young man will pass is to make his high-school baseball team. However, Buehrle did not make his freshman baseball team at Francis Howell North high school.

English teacher Neil Berry was the freshman baseball coach. He explained: “The only thing I can tell you is that FHN had a program wide pitching coach who loved Mark from his first day as a freshman. I remember his evaluation of Mark was glowing, and he was so impressed that Mark had pinpoint accuracy. The problem was that he was only 5 feet tall and his pitches were hit back harder than he threw them. The reason he didn’t make the team as a freshman was that he was a pitcher only and threw batting practice speed. He also had a bit of an attitude problem as a freshman.”3

Buehrle tried out again his sophomore year, but still did not make the team even with the new coaching from John Denny. “After I got cut those first two years, I pretty much decided I was done,” Buehrle said. “I just felt like getting cut, not being able to make your freshmen and sophomore teams, then there was going to be no way I’d make the varsity team. I basically just decided that I was done, baseball wasn’t going to be my thing and I should move on.”4

Incidentally, it wasn’t Mark Buehrle who was supposed to be cut from the junior varsity team that year. It was another Mark B. instead. This led to the creation of the “Mark Buehrle rule” at Francis Howell North that declared all cuts in the baseball program had to go through the head coach before being finalized.

However, after his father scolded him for his defeatist attitude, letting him know that he did not raise a quitter, Mark found redemption his junior year after growing nearly a foot during the offseason. During his junior year, he worked out of the bullpen as a lefty specialist and put up a 2-0 record with a 0.60 ERA.

Buehrle worked as a starter his senior year, gaining the attention of local scouts as he continued to fill out and gained velocity on his fastball and stronger bite in his curveball. He chose to attend nationally ranked Jefferson College in nearby Hillsboro, Missouri.

“It was a pretty easy sign,” said Dave Oster, former Jefferson College baseball coach, of landing Buehrle as a recruit. “We saw him play one day, asked him to come down for a visit and the next day he came down, he liked the place and committed, and then it kind of went from there.”5

The scouts quickly took notice. “I remember the first tournament we had was down at Southwest Missouri State,” Buehrle said. “I threw a couple of innings down there and the next thing I knew, there were a few scouts handing me index cards asking me to fill out information on myself. At first I thought someone was playing a joke on me. At the time, there was another lefty who pitched for us that threw harder than I did and was a sophomore. I had thought they mistook me for him.”6

After that first year, the Chicago White Sox selected Buehrle in the 38th round of the June 1998 amateur draft with the 1,139th overall pick. Buehrle did not sign initially. The White Sox used the “draft and follow” strategy, which allowed them to retain his rights for a year. Buehrle was undeterred. He underwent a more rigorous offseason training program, becoming the ace of the Jefferson College pitching staff the following season. Just before their draft rights expired, the White Sox made him an offer of $150,000, and he signed.

Buehrle did not spend much time in the minor leagues. In 1999 he started 14 games for the Burlington Bees of the Class-A Midwest League and went 7-4 with 91 strikeouts in 98⅔ innings. The next season Buehrle started 16 games for the Birmingham Barons of the Double-A Southern League and was 8-4 with a 2.28 ERA. That production was good enough to get a call to the big leagues.

On July 16, 2000, Buehrle made his major-league debut, pitching the ninth inning of a blowout win for the White Sox over the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed two hits and one earned run. He made his first start three days later against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. Over seven innings he allowed six hits and two earned runs and earned his first major-league victory, 3-2.

Buehrle spent the first 12 years of his career with the White Sox. He mostly worked out of the bullpen his rookie season, After defeating the Twins, he started two more games. However, after getting knocked around by the California Angels in the second of those starts, his next 24 appearances were all in relief.

The White Sox won the American League Central Division title in 2000 but were swept by the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Buehrle pitched in one game, getting the call in the top of the ninth inning of Game Two and allowing an inherited runner to score.

Buehrle made the starting rotation in 2001 and became a steady presence on the pitching staff, starting 362 games and going 157-118 with a 3.82 ERA (120 ERA+) over an 11-year period (2001-2011). He was named to four All-Star Games and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award vote in 2005.

Buehrle made his first All-Star Game appearance in 2002, having started 19 games with a 12-7 record while producing a 3.57 ERA in the first half of the season. He pitched two innings, allowing one run. In what ended up being one of the strangest All-Star Games, the game ended in a tie after both teams ran out of pitchers in the 11th inning.

In 2003 Buehrle’s 14-14 record with a 4.14 ERA was better than average (112 ERA+), but not as good as his career average (117 ERA+). In 2004 he led the American League in innings pitched (245⅓) while producing a 16-10 record with a 3.89 ERA (121 ERA+). This was his fourth consecutive season with at least 200 innings pitched, an achievement that would become the norm for him rather than the exception.

Buehrle was a major contributor to the White Sox in 2005, with a record of 16-8. His 3.12 ERA was the best among White Sox starters. Only Jon Garland, with 18 wins, topped Buehrle in victories. Buehrle started the All-Star Game and earned the win for his two innings pitched as the American League scored in the bottom of the second and never gave up the lead, winning 7-5.

Beginning in 2001, Buehrle started each of the remaining 490 games of his career, with one notable exception: On October 25, 2005, after throwing 100 pitches over seven innings in Game Two of the World Series two days before, Buehrle was called upon to close out Game Three. He needed only three pitches to induce the Houston Astros’ Adam Everett to pop out and end the game.

That appearance was notable because of what happened before the event. Assuming that he would not be needed during the game, Buehrle had a few beers.

“Yes, I did have a few beverages on the bench, and I went up to (pitching coach) Don Cooper in the sixth, seventh, or eighth inning. I don’t remember what it was,” Buehrle said. “They were starting to use the bullpen. This guy came in for a third of an inning and this guy came in for a third, so it was getting thinner and thinner there. “I’m like, ‘Will you need me?’ and Coop said, ‘No.’ So I go get another beer. I did that a few times, and it was like, when he said, ‘Yeah, get [your] crap on,’ I thought he was just saying it because he was sick of me asking him. I got ready and went down there.”7

Buehrle’s 2006 season was reminiscent of the tale Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was good in the first half, putting up a 9-4 record in 16 games started with a 3.22 ERA through June. His final three months was a completely different tale. He finished 3-9 with a bloated 7.12 ERA. Overall, he finished 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA, the highest of his career. The White Sox missed out on the playoffs, finishing five games behind the Detroit Tigers for a wild-card spot..

On April 18, 2007, Buehrle was virtually perfect when the Texas Rangers came to town. The only blemish on his record that day was a walk to Sammy Sosa. Nonetheless, two pitches later, Buehrle caught Sosa leaning in the wrong direction and threw to first baseman Paul Konerko to pick him off, and didn’t allow another baserunner. In a book published in 2008, he said, “When I see my name connected to a no-hitter, it seems unreal. You see “last no-hitter pitched in the Major Leagues” and you see my name. It’s kind of overwhelming.”8

In 2007 Buehrle had 201 innings pitched in 30 starts, producing a 10-9 record with a 3.63 ERA. The White Sox, on the other hand, were the worst they would be in Buehrle’s time with them, going 72-90 and finishing fourth in the AL Central Division with only the Kansas City Royals faring worse.

The White Sox got back to their winning ways in 2008, finishing first in the division with an 89-74 record. Buehrle went 15-12 with a 3.79 ERA. He started Game Two of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Buehrle threw seven-plus innings and was the losing pitcher, giving up five runs and 10 hits in a 6-2 loss.

On July 23, 2009, at US Cellular Field, Buehrle was perfect against the Rays. Notoriously a quick worker, he mowed through the Tampa Bay lineup almost effortlessly. He breezed through the first inning, using only 10 pitches to induce two groundouts and a strikeout. He used 18 pitches in the second, the most he required for an inning, but was able to get Carlos Peña to pop out, Ben Zobrist to strike out, and Pat Burrell to fly out. (Peña did push him into a full count.) Buehrle settled back down in the third inning, retiring the Rays with only 11 pitches. In the fourth, B.J. Upton worked a full count before striking out. Buehrle quickly retired the next two batters, Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria, getting through the inning having thrown just 11 pitches. He was even better in the fifth, needing only 10 pitches. After getting through the first two batters in the sixth without much trouble, Jason Bartlett pushed him into a full count before grounding out to shortstop. Buehrle needed only nine pitches to get through the seventh inning, inducing two groundouts and a fly ball. In the eighth inning, Buehrle struck out Peña, then Zobrist worked a full count before fouling out to the third baseman, Gordon Beckham, requiring seven pitches. Buehrle needed seven more pitches to retire the next batter as well, retiring Pat Burrell on a lineout to Beckham.

Statcast has a statistic called Tempo, which measures the median time between pitches. Their data exists since 2010. With the bases empty, no one has a faster tempo equivalent to throwing a pitch every 5.9 seconds. Fast pitchers keep defenses on their toes. That proved to be necessary during the ninth inning. Manager Ozzie Guillén brought Dewayne Wise into the game in the ninth inning to help shore up the defense, moving Scott Podsednik from center field to left field while sending bad-fielding Carlos Quentin to the bench. Guillén’s move proved to be the right one. The first batter Buehrle faced in the ninth inning was Gabe Kapler. On a 2-and-2 pitch, Kapler hit a drive to deep left-center field. It looked like the ball was headed over the wall. However, Wise raced back diagonally to the wall, leapt up, and caught the ball, robbing Kapler of a home run. Broadcaster Ken Harrelson described the play as “(u)nder the circumstances, one of the greatest catches I have ever seen in 50 years in this game.”9

Buehrle cinched the major leagues’ 18th perfect game by striking out Michel Hernandéz and getting Jason Bartlett on a weak grounder to shortstop.

“I can’t believe that happened to me,” Buehrle recalled. “I’m not a guy who should be throwing perfect games, with not striking guys out, not hard throwing. Just the same thing with the no-hitter. I said I would never throw a perfect game, or a no-hitter, and I ended up doing both of them. So, it was, ‘No way. That just didn’t happen.’”10

(Coincidentally, the home-plate umpire for the perfect game was Eric Cooper, who worked behind the plate for Buehrle’s no-hitter against the Rangers.)

In his next start, Buehrle retired the first 17 batters he faced. Combining his final out in Baltimore on July 18 with his perfect game and those 17 Twins batters on July 28 summed up to 45 straight batters retired. This was a major-league record, later broken by San Francisco Giant Yusmeiro Petit over a course of eight games in 2014.

In 2010 the White Sox finished with an 88-74 record, seven games behind the New York Yankees for a wild-card spot. Buehrle was 13-13 with a 4.28 ERA, the second worst of his career. This ERA was exactly league average, something that Buehrle was not accustomed to, producing an average ERA+ of 117 during his 15 seasons as a starter with only two seasons below 100.

Buehrle did have one notable moment in the sun that season. On June 19 a poll was conducted by the MLB Twitter account asking “Which pitcher made the best play?” The poll offered the following options: Greg Maddux (2008), Mark Buehrle (2010), Bartolo Colon (2015), and Vince Velasquez (2018) with videos showcasing each pitcher’s impressive defensive play. While this was not a scientific poll since the respondents were self-selected, Buehrle was the winner for his kick save on April 5, 2010 – a through-the-legs glove flip to prevent Cleveland Indians catcher Lou Marson from legging out a single up the middle.11

Buehrle’s defensive prowess was widely recognized. The play on Marson came in one of his four straight Gold Glove years (2009 to 2012). Only 11 pitchers have won the award more often.

Part of good defense in the pitching position is picking off baserunners. According to MLB.com, Buehrle was the best at it, getting 100 pickoffs in his career, one better than Steve Carlton.12 It should be noted that pickoffs did not become an official statistic until 1974. It is widely recognized that Carlton accumulated some 45 more pickoffs in his full career.13

Info Solutions developed a defensive runs saved statistic in 2003. Since that year, the only pitcher who saved more runs than Buehrle is Zack Greinke – 98 to 88. The next closest is Jake Westbrook with 62.14

Buehrle became a free agent after the 2011 season. He signed a four-year contract with the Miami Marlins worth $58 million.15 In 31 starts for the Marlins in 2012, Buehrle posted a 13-13 record with a 3.74 ERA and won a Gold Glove for the fourth consecutive year. His time in Miami was short-lived. After finishing in last place with a 69-93 record, the Marlins decided it was time to trim the fat reminiscent of their post-championship sells of 1997 and 2003. Along with shortstop José Reyes, starting pitcher Josh Johnson, John Buck, and Emilio Bonifacio, Buehrle was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in what appeared to be a salary dump.

“I’m upset with how things turned out in Miami,” Buehrle said in a statement issued through his agent, Jeff Berry.” Just like the fans in South Florida, I was lied to on multiple occasions. But I’m putting it behind me and looking forward to moving on with my career.”16

In his three seasons in Toronto, Buehrle started 97 games and produced a 40-28 record with a 3.78 ERA. He was selected to the All-Star team in 2014.

On October 2, 2015, two days before the end of the regular season, Buehrle threw 6⅔ innings against Tampa Bay and picked up his 15th victory. Many, including Buehrle, thought that this might be the final game of his career. He saved the game ball.

Manager John Gibbons had other ideas. Buehrle had pitched 198 innings. Two more would put him at 200 innings pitched for the 15th consecutive year, a feat that only four other pitchers – Gaylord Perry, Don Sutton, Warren Spahn, and Cy Young – had accomplished. On October 4, the last day of the regular season, Buehrle started against the Rays again. He did not survive the first inning, giving up eight runs (all unearned, thanks to two Blue Jays errors), getting just two outs and giving up five hits and a walk.

“Sad thing, I felt better today than I did on Friday, better than I’ve felt in the last month, month and a half,” Buehrle said afterward. “This game is crazy. I didn’t feel great on Friday and went 6⅔, and today I felt great and they had to take me out in the first inning.”17

After the game, Buehrle was informed that he had not made the Blue Jays’ postseason roster. The Blue Jays decided to carry just four starting pitchers – David Price, R.A. Dickey, Marcus Stroman, and Marco Estrada along with seven relief pitchers. Those 45 pitches thrown on a pleasant day in Tampa Bay would prove to be his final major-league tosses.

“I was told I was retiring,” Buehrle said. “I got about 400 text messages today from friends who are, ‘Sad to see you go, to be retiring.’ And I’m like, ‘What’s going on here?’ Apparently I’m done, and what a way to go out. Nowadays we don’t have a decision. It’s what people tell us.”18

In 2017 the White Sox retired Buehrle’s number 56. It is one of 12 numbers retired by the team. Nine of the players have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” said the 38-year-old Buehrle, who was flanked by his wife, his two children, and his mother and father at the 30-minute ceremony. “I really can’t put it into words how I feel. … It’s a special day.”19

In retirement Buehrle devoted himself to being the best father he could be to his two children. Said his sister, Amy Buehrle English, “He is a dad first and foremost.”20 Buehrle spent time hunting, traveling, and woodworking. Buehrle has always enjoyed the outdoors. His sister cited an article from when he was a player that said, “Whenever he has time, sometimes around the All-Star break in July, Buehrle races back to St. Charles to laze around the 18-acre pond on his property. He might take out a boat or just sit on shore with a fishing pole and a worm for bait, watching his bobber.”21

Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, displayed a passion for dogs. While living in Chicago, they provided public service announcements for animal rescue facilities, appeared on pet adoption billboards, and headed a Sox for Strays promotion at US Cellular Field.

When Buehrle signed his contract with the Marlins in 2012, he bought a house in Broward County approximately 30 minutes from the Marlins Stadium in Miami-Dade County because pit bulls are prohibited in the county.22 Once he was traded to the Blue Jays, things got even more complicated since pit bulls are banned in the Province of Ontario. The Buehrles opted to keep their family in the St. Louis area, living with their four dogs while Mark lived by himself during the baseball season.

Since 2000, no one has approached Buehrle’s consistency in producing 14 seasons of at least 200 innings pitched and falling four outs short of a 15th. As of 2024, Justin Verlander was the closest to this level of production, posting 12 seasons of at least 200 innings pitched. Nine of the 10 pitchers with more than 14 (Don Sutton, Greg Maddux, Phil Niekro, Warren Spahn, Bert Blyleven, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Gaylord Perry, and Grover Cleveland Alexander are in the Hall of Fame; the sole exception is Roger Clemens.

Since 2000, Buehrle ranks seventh among all starting pitchers in WAR (as of 2024). The top four – Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, and Zack Greinke – were active in 2024. The sixth, CC Sabathia, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2025.

In his book One Hundred Years of White Sox Baseball, author Mark Pienkos summarizes Buehrle the player: “Mark Buehrle is one of those rare breeds of pitchers that only comes around once in a lifetime. He was special in so many ways: reliable, great fielder, didn’t waste time between tosses, great command of his pitches so as not to allow lots of walks, yet able to strike out batters without having a great deal of velocity.”23

Last revised: March 1, 2025

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com, Retrosheet.org, and a number of other sources including the following:

Chicago Sun-Times, White Sox: 2005 World Series Champions (Chicago: Sports Publishing, LLC. 2005).

Lee Jenkins, “Miracle on the South Side,” Sports Illustrated, August 3, 2009.

Colleen Kane, “Mark Buehrle on His Quiet Retirement: ‘I Wanted to Sneak My Way Out,’” Chicago Tribune, February 24, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://www.chicagotribune.com/2017/02/24/mark-buehrle-on-his-quiet-retirement-i-wanted-to-sneak-my-way-out/.

Elliot Lee, Red-Tagged: Dirty Diamonds (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform), 2015.

Mark Buehrle | MLB Contracts & Salaries. (n.d.). Spotrac.com. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/player/_/id/169/mark-buehrle.

Tom Stone, Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises (Chicago: ACTA Publications, 2017).

Notes

1 Jeff Strange, “From Being Cut in High School to an MLB All-Star Team: Mark Buehrle Shares His Story,” Patch.com (St. Peters, Missouri), March 6, 2011. https://patch.com/missouri/stpeters/from-being-cut-in-high-school-to-an-mlb-all-star-teamab0e9608ea.

2 Amy Buehrle English, interview by author, September 19, 2024.

3 Neil Berry, interview by author. December 15, 2021.

4 Strange.

5 James Fegan, “Before Mark Buehrle Made the Hall of Fame Ballot, White Sox Scouts Saw Potential,” New York Times, November 22, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2191063/2020/11/22/mark-buehrle-hall-of-fame/.

6 Strange.

7 Scott Merkin, “Remembering Mark Buehrle’s Perfect Game,” MLB.com, July 22, 2019. https://www.mlb.com/news/remembering-mark-buehrle-s-perfect-game.

8 Lew Freedman, Game of My Life: White Sox: Memorable Stories of Chicago White Sox Baseball (Chicago: Sports Publishing, 2008), 199.

9 Scott Merkin, “Oral History of Mark Buehrle’s Perfect Game,” MLB.com. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from https://www.mlb.com/news/mark-buehrle-perfect-game-2009-an-oral-history.

10 Scott Merkin, “Remembering Mark Buehrle’s Perfect Game.”

11 Video can be seen on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujUdP7H81no.

12 MLB.com stats. https://www.mlb.com/stats/pitching/pickoff/all-time-totals?expanded=true.

13 Kevin Czerwinski, “The Pickoff Artist,” BallNine, September 27, 2022. https://ballnine.com/2022/09/27/the-pickoff-artist/.

14 Bill James, “Fielding Bible,” Fielding Bible, n.d.. Accessed November 20, 2024. https://archive.fieldingbible.com/DRSLeaderboard.

15 The 2012 Marlins were managed by Ozzie Guillén.

16 Associated Press, “Mark Buehrle: Marlins Lied to Me,” ESPN.com, November 21, 2012. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8661291/mark-buehrle-says-miami-marlins-lied-multiple-occasions.

17 G. Chisholm, “Buehrle Falls Short of eat, Postseason Roster Spot,” MLB.com, October 4,2015 Retrieved November 14, 2024, from https://www.mlb.com/news/mark-buehrle-falls-short-of-feat-alds-roster/c-153295414.

18 Chisholm.

19 Associated Press, “White Sox Retire Mark Buehrle’s No. 56 Jersey,” USA Today, June 24, 2017. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/06/24/white-sox-retire-former-star-pitcher-buehrles-no-56-jersey/103167590/.

20 English interview.

21 English interview.

22 Jerry Crasnick, “Outlawed Pit Bull Will Keep Buehrle Away From His Family,” ESPN.com, February 7, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8921726/outlawed-pit-bull-keep-mark-buehrle-away-family.

23 Mark Pienkos, 1917-2017: One Hundred Years of White Sox Baseball: Highlighting the Great 1917 World Series Championship Team (Sarasota, Florida: Pepperpot Press, 2017), 90.

Chris Carpenter spent 15 seasons in major-league baseball, first with the Toronto Blue Jays and then with the St. Louis Cardinals .His won-lost record was 144-94 with an earned-run average of 3.76, and in 2005, his 21-5 season and 2.83 ERA won him the National League’s Cy Young Award. But statistics alone don’t tell the story of Carpenter’s career. His determination to play, despite serious injuries that nearly ended his career on several occasions, impressed both the fans and the writers who covered him. As one columnist said of the right-hander, he was “the epitome of persistence — he won three separate Comeback Player of the Year awards in two seasons — as he missed nearly five full seasons with major arm injuries. He had three surgeries on his elbow and two on his shoulder, and had a rib removed in hopes of making a return from thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused weakness in his pitching shoulder.”1 Few pitchers overcame as many obstacles as Carpenter, and yet there was a time in 2003 when he doubted he’d ever throw a baseball again.2

Christopher John Carpenter was born on April 27, 1975, in Exeter, New Hampshire, the son of Bob and Penny Carpenter.3 Raised in nearby Raymond, he developed a love of sports at a young age: Mentored by his father, whom he credited with teaching him the fundamentals of baseball, he began playing that sport before he was 8, getting involved in Little League and then Babe Ruth League.4 (He also followed the Boston Red Sox faithfully; his favorite players were Roger Clemens and Carlton Fisk.)5 Carpenter attended Trinity High School in Manchester, where he continued to excel at baseball. But he also enjoyed playing hockey: despite being 6-feet-6 (or 6-feet-9 on skates, as his dad jokingly recalled), he was a three-time all-state defenseman, and both the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins scouted him for a possible professional career.6

However, Carpenter’s first choice was baseball. A versatile athlete who could both play the outfield and pitch, he was one of the star players on the Trinity High Pioneers team. By his senior year, baseball scouts rated him in the top 10 among high-school pitchers,7 and local newspapers were predicting that he would be drafted.8 But taking nothing for granted, Chris had signed a letter of intent to attend Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, on a baseball scholarship. As it turned out, going to Nebraska would not be necessary: The Blue Jays drafted him in the first round, as the 15th overall pick. Local sports reporters who had followed his high-school career noted that Carpenter was the first New Hampshire baseball player ever selected in the first round of the amateur draft.9

The 18-year-old right-hander received a signing bonus of more than $500,000 from the Jays, and the team also promised to pay for his education if he decided to go to college.10 As he prepared to report to Dunedin, Florida, home of Toronto’s rookie and Class-A teams, his future looked bright. Ted Lekas, the Jays’ scouting supervisor, said he believed Carpenter had all the tools to be on a major-league team, and the young pitcher agreed with that assessment; in fact, he predicted he’d be in the majors within four years.11

In 1994 Carpenter made his professional debut, pitching for the Medicine Hat (Alberta) Blue Jays in the rookie-level Pioneer League; he won six and lost three, with a 2.76 earned-run average. The following year, he began the season with the Dunedin Blue Jays in the Florida State League; he went 3-5, with an ERA of 2.17, and opposing teams batted only .229 against him. This earned Carpenter a midseason promotion to the Knoxville Smokies of the Double-A Southern League.12 His record there was just 3-7, with a 5.18 ERA. When he returned to Knoxville for the 1996 season, Carpenter was determined to improve, and he did. His record was 7-9 with a 3.94 ERA.

In 1997 Carpenter was in Triple A, pitching for the Syracuse Sky Chiefs. But prior to reporting, he had the chance to meet one of his childhood heroes, Roger Clemens, who was now with the Blue Jays; when Carpenter arrived early at the Jays training camp in Dunedin in early February, there was Clemens, the man he had emulated even as a Little Leaguer. Carpenter was just 11 when Clemens won his first Cy Young Award in 1986, and he wanted to be as good a pitcher as the Red Sox ace. “When I thought of baseball, I thought of Roger Clemens,” Carpenter recalled. He also remembered how he would pretend to be Clemens when pitching in an important Little League game.13 Now, more than a decade later, the two were at spring training together; and in the future, they might be major-league teammates.

But there was no plan to hurry Carpenter along: the Blue Jays, while impressed with his potential, felt he still needed more time in the minor leagues. At Syracuse, Carpenter’s fastball continued to impress, but he was still learning to improve command of his curveball and changeup. He was only 1-4, with a 3.88 ERA in early May, when something unexpected happened: Toronto pitcher Erik Hanson developed shoulder trouble, and after his replacement, Robert Person, also got a sore shoulder,14 Carpenter was suddenly on his way to Toronto to make his major-league debut.15

It did not go well. Pitching against the Minnesota Twins on May 12, 1997, he lasted only three innings, giving up seven runs (five earned) and eight hits, as the Jays lost to the Twins 12-2. Carpenter was the losing pitcher.16 In his brief time with the Jays, he was 0-2, with a less-than-impressive 12.71 ERA.17 When Person was able to come off the disabled list, Carpenter was optioned back to Syracuse.18 On the other hand, reporters observed that the 21-year-old pitcher had good stuff, and with some more experience, he would undoubtedly do much better the next time he was called up.

In late July Carpenter’s record with Syracuse was 4-9, with a 4.50 ERA, but local baseball writers noted that his record was deceptive — the Sky Chiefs’ poor defense and lack of timely hitting had cost him several games, yet despite that, he had shown steady improvement.19 The writers believed Carpenter would get called up again soon, and Chris was confident that this time things would go better.

On July 29 Carpenter was recalled by the Blue Jays, but it would take a few more starts (and several more losses) before he finally got his first major-league win, on August 19, when the Jays defeated the Chicago White Sox 6-5. Carpenter gave up four runs in six innings, but a win was a win, and he was happy to get one. As the season progressed, he used every available moment to soak up additional information about the art of pitching from the team’s veterans,20 and gradually he began to show improvement. On September 9 he gave his best major-league performance, beating the Anaheim Angels, 2-0. It was his first shutout and his first complete game, and he gave up just three hits; only two runners reached second base.21

Carpenter finished the season with an overall record of 3-7 and an ERA of 5.09, much of that the result of his early outings. When the Jays began the 1998 season, he was in the starting rotation, eager to build on what he had learned during his rookie year. He made 24 starts that year, compiling a record of 12-7, with a 4.37 ERA. Most of those wins came in the second half of the year; he went 6-1 over a period from July through September. His manager, Tim Johnson, stated that Carpenter was showing an ability to use all of his pitches consistently; Johnson also stated with certainty, “He’ll be a quality pitcher for years.”22

As the 1999 season approached, Carpenter seemed poised to have a breakout season. He was about to be part of a rotation that featured Roy Halladay, Kelvim Escobar, Pat Hentgen and David Wells. Although Chris had a couple of minor health problems in 1998 (including several weeks during spring training when he had some tightness in his shoulder,23 and a time in the late summer when he saw an asthma specialist after experiencing some breathing problems),24 neither situation caused any lasting effects. During April and May of 1999, Carpenter led all Jays pitchers in innings pitched and complete games and was the only starter with an ERA under five — his was 3.63.25 Then, without warning, in early June he suddenly began to experience soreness in his elbow. He ended up on the 15-day disabled list, then did a rehab start at Class-A St. Catharine’s (Ontario), and prepared to rejoin the Jays.26

But although he said he felt good, his pitching was once again inconsistent, and he was having problems with control.27 As it turned out, his elbow was not 100 percent after all. He decided to see a specialist to find out why he continued to experience recurring pain. The Jays’ trainer thought it might be a bone spur, and that meant surgery would be needed.28 Carpenter finished 1999 with a record of 9-8 and a 4.38 ERA. In the offseason, he had elbow surgery, after which he worked on strengthening his arm, and said he would be ready for the 2000 season.29 But just like before, he pitched inconsistently; in early May, he was 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA. He insisted he was fine, but some players who knew him suspected he was in more pain than he wanted to admit.30 Carpenter soldiered on throughout 2000, but he rarely was the dominant pitcher everyone hoped for. He was in and out of the starting rotation, and he finished up with a losing record, 10-12 with an unimpressive 6.26 ERA. By this point, fans and baseball writers alike were wondering why he continued to underachieve. Said one reporter, Carpenter was one of several pitchers on the Jays who were “long on potential but short on performance.”31 No one, including Chris Carpenter himself, had a good explanation.

In fairness, Carpenter was playing for a team that had endured quite a bit of management turmoil. By spring training of 2001, the Jays were on their fourth manager and coaching staff since Carpenter’s major-league debut, and along the way, several of the coaches insisted on changing his mechanics in hopes of addressing his inconsistency.32 But Carpenter refused to make excuses. He was now 25, had plenty of major-league experience under his belt, and he wanted to step up and become the team’s ace. At times during the early part of the season, he seemed ready to do just that, like when he overpowered the White Sox in late May, pitching a six-hit shutout and boosting his record to 5-2.33 But then the inconsistency and loss of control recurred and he began losing (and giving up too many runs). In early August, Carpenter’s record was 7-9 with a 4.33 ERA, he hadn’t won a game since late June, and he admitted he had lost command of his curveball.34 Carpenter was unable to turn things around until late August, when he finally won a game, pitching seven shutout innings in the Jays’ 5-0 victory over Baltimore — his first win in 11 starts. For the remainder of the season, Carpenter once again pitched well, and brought his record up to 11-11, with a 4.09 ERA; he also pitched a career-high 215⅔ innings.

In the offseason, with his three-year contract up, Carpenter found that the Jays’ new management (general manager Gord Ash was gone, replaced by J.P. Ricciardi) was not as accommodating as the previous management had been. The Jays refused to give him a multiyear deal, nor did they offer him the kind of money he had hoped to make. In fact, his agent believed Carpenter’s days with Toronto were numbered.35 In the end, the Jays and Carpenter avoided salary arbitration, but he was signed to only a one-year contract, worth $3.45 million, less than the $4.5 million he wanted.36

And yet again, it was a difficult year for Carpenter. In early April, after a game in which he gave up four home runs in less than three innings, he was put on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis (which he admitted had begun during spring training).37 He returned, but ended up on the DL again — in fact, he was on it a total of three times, as his shoulder continued to bother him throughout the season. By early September, Chris had a record of 4-5 and a 5.28 ERA, and he had pitched only 73⅓ innings for the Jays. The team announced that the hard-luck pitcher would need surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, and even if everything went well, he would not be able to pitch for at least nine months. But few of the beat reporters in Toronto expected to see Carpenter in a Jays uniform again. With his contract up again, the consensus was that Carpenter’s time with the Blue Jays was over.38 In his six years with the Jays, he had compiled a record of 49-50, with a 4.83 ERA. Few people thought that was all he was capable of. Perhaps a new start would be for the best.

As it turned out, those who predicted Carpenter’s time with Toronto had ended were correct. When the Jays wanted to assign him to Triple-A Syracuse, Carpenter instead decided to test the free-agent market. It was a good decision: The day after he severed ties with the Jays, the St. Louis Cardinals made him an offer. Even though he would be unable to pitch till at least July of 2003, the Cardinals guaranteed $300,000, which would grow to $500,000 as soon as he was put on the active roster that year.39 There was also a $2 million option for 2004.40 Best of all, he would not have to go to the minors and work his way back to the big leagues. Carpenter expressed frustration at the previous couple of seasons, and especially at his inability to improve his won-lost record. And while he and his wife loved Toronto, he agreed that it was time for a change.

Things did not go the way either Carpenter or his new team planned. Instead of being able to come back to the Cardinals in July, there were unexpected complications. The team had sent him to do a quick rehab stint in late June, first for the Class-A Palm Beach Cardinals, and then at the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. When he took the mound for the Redbirds, Carpenter gave up three runs and four hits in the first inning, and he definitely did not look ready for the majors. Rather than rush him, it was decided he needed more time in the minors.41 But when Carpenter did not pitch any better in a subsequent rehab appearance, the Cardinals grew concerned. They had good reason. Not only was he giving up a lot of runs, he was once again feeling discomfort in his surgically repaired shoulder. He was sent to St. Louis to get an MRI, and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa acknowledged that it was unlikely Carpenter would pitch for the team in 2003.42

The test results confirmed La Russa’s assessment. Carpenter needed additional surgery, this time to remove scar tissue from his shoulder. The operation took place in late July, and the Cardinals said that once this was taken care of, he would be ready for spring training in 2004.43 Of course, this was not what St. Louis fans had hoped for. The Cardinals needed pitching, and Carpenter had been expected to help the team in 2003. Now, everyone would have to wait and see, and some fans were skeptical about whether the team had made the right decision to sign him. But showing they still believed Carpenter would come back and contribute positively, the Cardinals gave him another one-year contract, with terms similar to the last year’s, and additional incentives once he had reached 10 starts. GM Walt Jocketty expressed confidence that in 2004 Carpenter would be one of the team’s starters.44

And after living through so many disappointments and setbacks, Carpenter was eager to get some results. He was also confident that this surgery had worked: Back home in New Hampshire, he was pitching to some college players, and noticed that his pitches had the kind of movement they used to have before his arm trouble. His location was back, and he could even throw his changeup for strikes.45 Before this most recent surgery, he had considered retiring, concerned that the constant pain would never go away and he would never be able to pitch effectively again.46 It was his wife, Alyson, who encouraged him and persuaded him not to quit,47 and now, finally, he was pain-free. He was optimistic again, and he couldn’t wait to get to spring training. And when Cardinals players saw how good Carpenter’s stuff was, they were optimistic too.

In fact, 2004 turned out to be the kind of year people had long believed Carpenter was capable of. His velocity and command were back, and he pitched 182 innings, going 15-5, with a 3.46 ERA. The Cardinals were heading for the playoffs, and everyone was excited to see what Carpenter would do. But once again there was a roadblock. In late September Carpenter began feeling pain in the biceps in his throwing arm. Resting it did not help; there was some kind of nerve irritation in the arm, and neither the team doctor nor the specialist could predict when it would get better.48 The Cardinals waited to see if Carpenter would be available during the playoffs, but he never was. The team subsequently lost the World Series to the Red Sox, much to the frustration of the fans, who had been excited by Carpenter’s 2004 comeback and disappointed that he couldn’t pitch in the postseason.

No one was more frustrated and disappointed than Carpenter. While Red Sox fans rejoiced in their first World Series win in 86 years, Cardinals fans wondered if he would ever stay healthy for a full season. Meanwhile, Carpenter won The Sporting News’ Comeback Player of the Year award for 2004, a year before a similar award was given by Major League Baseball.49 But better than winning an award was the fact that resting his arm had allowed the nerve disorder to heal; Carpenter returned to the Cardinals once again able to throw without pain.50 He looked so good in spring training that manager LaRussa named him the Cardinals’ Opening Day starter. He did not disappoint, pitching seven innings of four-hit, one-run baseball in a 7-3 victory over Houston.51

It was a preview of things to come. By the All-Star break Carpenter had 128 strikeouts and 13 wins, one of which was against his former team, the Blue Jays; he overpowered them, throwing a one-hitter in an interleague game the Cardinals won 7-0.52 When players were named for the All-Star Game, Carpenter was selected It was his first time, and La Russa chose him as the National League’s starting pitcher. He gave up two hits, induced a double play, and pitched a scoreless inning.

Throughout the rest of 2005, Carpenter’s pitching was outstanding; no one used words like “mediocre” or “underachiever” any more. Now, he was “brilliant” and “dominant and his teammates praised his focus, his intensity, and his desire to win. He was so overpowering that he did not lose a game in 16 starts from June 14 to September 8; during that period, he went 13-0 with a 1.36 earned-run average.53 His final four outings were subpar, but he still ended the season with a record of 21-5 and a personal best 2.83 ERA. Carpenter’s peers voted him the winner of a Players Choice Award, as the National League’s Outstanding Pitcher.54 Carpenter also won the Cy Young Award; he beat out Florida Marlins left-hander Dontrelle Willis in a close vote. His career had totally turned around — from a time in 2003 when he thought he would never play again to being honored as the National League’s best pitcher in 2005. He was now making $13 million (a far cry from the $500,000 he had signed for), but many reporters noted that compared with some other star pitchers, he was quite underpaid. Carpenter said he didn’t mind; he was healthy, he was winning, and he felt he was with the right team.55

In May 2006 Carpenter made another sudden trip to the disabled list, but this time it wasn’t his arm. He had experienced back spasms in April, and they had never improved; he now had some stiffness in the shoulder area, and was finally diagnosed with bursitis. It was affecting his mechanics, and some time on the DL seemed prudent, given his history.56 When he returned in June, he felt better, and he gave the Cardinals some quality starts; but at several points during the season, he had to leave games with painful cramping in his arms or legs, said to be caused by dehydration.57 And while he didn’t put up Cy Young numbers, he still finished with a solid record: 15-8 and a 3.09 ERA in 221⅔ innings; more importantly, whenever the Cardinals needed a big win from him, he usually produced, including during the playoffs. For example, although the Cards barely made it into the postseason, Carpenter gave them 6⅓ innings of clutch pitching in Game One of the NLDS versus San Diego; he was the winning pitcher, allowing five hits and one run in the Cardinals’ 5-1 victory. That win improved Carpenter’s lifetime playoff record to 3-0, with an ERA of 1.98. Meanwhile, the Cardinals began to play like champs, defeating the Detroit Tigers in five games in the World Series. And one of the Cardinals’ wins came from Chris Carpenter, who pitched eight shutout innings in Game Three, giving up only three hits as the Cardinals won 5-0.

But nothing ever was simple in Chris Carpenter’s career. When he came to spring training in 2007, he soon began to experience elbow stiffness, soreness, and inflammation. He was diagnosed with arthritis and an MRI showed bone spurs. It was hoped that a cortisone shot and some rest would be all that was needed.58 But the elbow did not improve, and by May it became obvious that Carpenter would need surgery to remove the bone spurs. The hope was that he would return to the Cardinals in about three months.59 But in July management admitted that its original optimistic report was inaccurate. In fact, not only was Carpenter not coming back in August; he needed additional elbow surgery, to replace his medial collateral ligament, better known as Tommy John surgery. He would probably miss much of 2008.60 This was a major disappointment for the fans, the team, and of course, for Carpenter, who had hoped his arm troubles were behind him.

By mid-July of 2008 Carpenter was far enough along in his recovery to begin an injury rehab assignment; he pitched four pain-free innings for the Double-A Springfield (Missouri) Cardinals, and while he did not have his command back yet, the outing was encouraging. In fact, Cardinals said he would return to the team at the end of the month. He made several appearances with the Cardinals, and all seemed to be going well; but then, in mid-August, Carpenter experienced soreness in his triceps area. Again, he had to go see the specialists. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the diagnosis was just a mild muscle strain on the back side of his right shoulder. But it still meant another trip to the DL, certainly not what Carpenter had hoped. And there was worse news: Tests showed nerve irritation in his shoulder, and he was told not to pitch any more in 2008.61 He also required one more surgery, to reduce pressure on a compressed nerve in his shoulder. It was becoming increasingly difficult for Carpenter to remain positive. All he wanted to do was pitch, but it seemed there was one obstacle after another.

Still, Carpenter persevered. He was back at spring training in 2009, and early indications were that his velocity had returned. He returned to the Cardinals’ rotation, determined to win games and not worry about his arm. The season brought him some much-needed good news: he threw well, and looked like the dominant pitcher everyone saw in 2005. In fact, from early July through mid-August of 2009, he was 7-0 in eight starts, with an ERA of 1.67.62 And at season’s end, he had an impressive 17-4 record, with a league-leading ERA of 2.24. And there was one other interesting note: In early October, on the last day of the season, Carpenter (a .105 lifetime hitter as of 2009) hit a grand slam and knocked in six runs in a game the Cardinals won 13-0 against the Cincinnati Reds.63 In early October Carpenter was voted the National League’s Comeback Player of the Year. Some of the baseball writers also expected Chris to win another Cy Young, but he lost out to San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum. The vote was very close, and not everyone agreed with the decision.64 But Carpenter’s amazing season also earned him other accolades: In January 2010 the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America announced it had unanimously chosen him for the 20th annual Tony Conigliaro Award, given to “a Major League player who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage.”65

The 2010 season saw Carpenter continuing to put up good numbers. He was 35 now, but just as his injuries hadn’t stopped him, neither did his age. He made a league-leading 35 starts, finishing at 16-9 and a 3.22 ERA. But he pitched one complete game, and said that at times he felt uncomfortable with his mechanics.66 In 2011 he was once again the Cardinals’ Opening Day pitcher, the fifth time he had been chosen.67 During the season, he was sometimes inconsistent, but he came up big when the Cardinals needed him to. And he was still a workhorse: Carpenter led the National League with 237⅓ innings pitched. His record was 11-9, with a 3.45 earned-run average. But he was especially dominant during the Cardinals’ pennant drive late in the season. Then, in Game Five of the NLDS, Carpenter outpitched his friend and former Blue Jays teammate Roy Halladay, throwing a three-hitter and winning, 1-0. Throughout the playoffs, he continued to win big games, including giving the Cards six-plus innings on only three days’ rest in Game Seven of the World Series, helping his team to defeat the Texas Rangers and win the Series again. Carpenter’s hometown newspaper, the Manchester (New Hampshire) Union Leader, editorialized that he was the epitome of good sportsmanship, competitiveness, and character, someone that every young athlete could emulate.68

In 2012, however, Carpenter was injured again, this time with a nerve problem that affected his rotator cuff. Determined to continue pitching, he agreed to another surgical procedure, but he made only three starts that year, and was winless. Things did not improve for him in 2013, when he experienced periods of numbness in his pitching hand. He was unsuccessful in completing a rehab assignment. Finally, Carpenter decided there was no point in living with continued pain that made it impossible for him to be effective. In November 2013 he announced his retirement. In spite of all the injuries, he compiled an impressive record during his major-league career: 144 wins and 94 losses (he went 95-44 with the Cardinals), with an ERA of 3.76 and 1,697 strikeouts. He had won a Cy Young Award, been named Comeback Player of the Year, played on three All-Star teams, and was on two championship World Series teams.69 Not bad for a young man from Raymond, New Hampshire, who almost became a hockey player. After his playing days ended, the popular Carpenter was given a job in the Cardinals’ front office, but he left that position after only a year; he told reporters he had been going through some personal changes (including getting divorced, and ultimately remarrying), and did not feel he was able to focus on what the organization needed. He hoped to come back to the Cardinals in some capacity in the future.70 In 2016 he was voted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.

Last revised: March 1, 2017

Notes

1 Jim Connell, “Carpenter at Home on the Sidelines,” Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader, January 24, 2015:D1.

2 Lori Shontz, “Pitching on Wife Support.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2004: D1.

3 Joe Strauss, “That’s a Winner,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 16, 2005: D1.

4 Ronald Blum, “American League Stars Shine Bright in Detroit,” Portsmouth (New Hampshire) Herald, July 13, 2005: B1-2.

5 “Chris Carpenter, Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher,” Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator, July 2, 1999: E6.

6 Joe Strauss, “That’s a Winner,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 16, 2005: D1.

7 Tom King, “Welch Now a Met,” Nashua (New Hampshire) Telegraph, June 4, 1993: 23.

8 “Area High Schools: Baseball,” Nashua Telegraph, April 17, 1993: 18.

9 “Trinity’s Carpenter Signs With the Jays,” Nashua Telegraph, August 12, 1993: 27.

10 Ibid.

11 “Jays Come to Terms With NH Prospect,” Lowell (Massachusetts) Sun, August 12, 1993: 26.

12 “A Walk Through the Parks,” Toronto Globe and Mail, June 27, 1995: C4.

13 Matt Michael, “SkyChief Prospect Idolizes Clemens,” Syracuse (New York) Post-Standard, March 27, 1997: C1.

14 S.P. Services, “Expos Mighty Pleased with 5-4 Coast Record,” Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) Star-Phoenix, May 12, 1997: C4.

15 John Benson, “New Faces Offer Rotisserie Risks and Opportunities,” Stamford (Connecticut) Daily Advocate, May 18, 1997: C2.

16 “Twins Get Back on Victory Lane,” Aberdeen (South Dakota) Daily News, May 13, 1997: 4C.

17 Matt Michael, “Struggling Syracuse Gets Help,” Syracuse Herald-Journal, May 28, 1997: C3.

18 “Transactions,” Stamford Daily Advocate, May 28, 1997: C5.

19 Matt Michael, “Carpenter Twirls a Dandy, But SkyChiefs Fall,” Syracuse Herald-American, July 13, 1997: C8.

20 Richard Griffin, “Rookie Pitcher Carpenter Could Be the Real Deal,” Toronto Star, August 21, 1997: D6.

21 “Toronto Led by Young Lineup,” Lawrence (Kansas) Journal-World, September 10, 1997: 4C.

22 Scot Gregor, “Blue Jays Carpenter Silences Belle, Rest of White Sox,” Daily Herald (Arlington Heights Illinois), July 17, 1998: Section 2, p. 3.

23 Tom Maloney, “Guzman’s the Wild Card in Jays’ Rotation,” Kitchener (Ontario) Record, February 18, 1998: E5.

24 “Carpenter Works on Control — Of His Mind,” Toronto Star, August 12, 1998: 1.

25 “Baseball: Hurting Jays Lose Top Starter,” Kingston (Ontario) Whig-Standard, June 7, 1999: 19.

26 Chris Jones, “It Was Only Class-A, but It Was a Game Worth Catching,” The National Post (Don Mills, Ontario), June 24, 1999: B16.

27 Robert MacLeod, “Texas Hitters Hammer Carpenter,” Toronto Globe and Mail, August 28, 1999: A21.

28 “Carpenter Sees Specialist,” Toronto Star, September 14, 1999: 1.

29 “Blue Jays Starting Rotation on the Mend,” Alaska Highway News (Fort St. John, British Columbia), February 21, 2000: 8.

30 Geoff Baker, “Walking Wounded Straddle a Fine Line,” Toronto Star, May 30, 2000: C7.

31Bob Matthews, “Indians Will Return to Prominence,” Rockford (Illinois) Register Star, March 31, 2001: 6C.

32 Mark Zwolinski, “Carpenter Out to Rebuild Reputation,” Guelph (Ontario) Daily Mercury, February 27, 2001: B4.

33 “Carpenter Whitewashes Sox,” Chatham (Ontario) Daily News, May 30, 2001: 11.

34 “Carpenter Needs Work,” Timmins (Ontario) Daily Press, August 3, 2001: 9.

35 Allan Ryan, “Blue Jays’ Carpenter Feels Chill in Post-Ash Era,” Toronto Star, January 19, 2002: E4.

36 Richard Griffin, “Who Loves Ya, Chris? Not the Blue Jays,” Toronto Star, February 14, 2002: C18.

37 “Blue Jays: Carpenter Placed on Disabled List,” Kingston Whig-Standard, April 8, 2002: 18.

38 Richard Griffin, “Carpenter’s Cut Leaves Jays in a Quandary,” Toronto Star, September 5, 2002: D2.

39 “Carpenter Signs With Cardinals,” Barrie (Ontario) Examiner, December 14, 2002: B1.

40 Drew Olson, “Job One: Keeping Your Own,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 14, 2002: 6C.

41 Joe Strauss, “Knee Pain Again Gives Drew Cause for Concern,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 6, 2003: F9.

42 Joe Strauss, “Jocketty Won’t Deal for Pitcher Right Now,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 24, 2003: D5.

43 “Cards Pitcher Carpenter’s Season Is Over Following More Surgery,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 6, 2003: D5.

44 Joe Strauss, “Cards Still Like Carpenter’s Tools,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 2, 2003: D2.

45 Dan O’Neill. “Cards Hitters Say This Carpenter Is Electric,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 28, 2004:OT5.

46 Tom D’Angelo, “Carpenter Retools,” Palm Beach Post, March 2, 2004: 8C.

47 Lori Shontz, “Pitching on Wife Support,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2004: D1.

48 Derrick Goold, “Pitchers’ Injuries Strike Raw Nerve,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 8, 2004: C4.

49 Gary Gillette and Pete Palmer, eds., ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia (New York: Sterling Publishing, 2007), 1769.

50 Joe Strauss, “Carpenter Bounces Back,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 21, 2005: D1.

51 Derrick Goold, “Carpenter’s Opening Effort Draws Accolades,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 6, 2005: B5.

52 “Carpenter, the Ace That Got Away, Rips Apart Blue Jays,” Peace River Daily News (Dawson Creek, British Columbia), June 15, 2005: 6.

53 Pat Borzi, “Cardinals’ Top Starters Not Strong to Finish,” New York Times, October 4, 2005: D4.

54 Derrick Goold, “Players Honor Cards’ Carpenter,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 4, 2005: D3.

55 Joe Strauss, “No-Brainer for Carpenter,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 19, 2006: D1.

56 Joe Strauss, “Cards Will Put Carpenter on DL,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 29, 2006: D5.

57 Derrick Goold, “Muscles Cramp Carpenter’s Style,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 27, 2006: D5.

58 Derrick Goold, “To Help Heal His Aching Elbow, Carpenter Must Rest,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 14, 2007: B7.

59 “Cards’ Ace May Be Out Until August,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 6, 2007: D12.

60 Joe Strauss, “Season Ends for Cards Pitcher,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 20, 2007: D1.

61 “Cards Drop in Wild-Card Race,” Toronto Globe and Mail, September 13, 2008: S3.

62 “Pujols, Holliday Back Carpenter to Topple Reds,” Fort Wayne (Indiana) Journal-Gazette, August 13, 2009: B4.

63 Rick Hummel, “Carp Uses His Hammer” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 2, 2009, C1.

64 Joe Strauss, “Sigh! It’s Lincecum’s Cy; Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright Finish Second and Third in Cy Young Voting,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 20, 2009: C1.

65 Neil Keefe, “Chris Carpenter Wins 2009 Tony Conigliaro Award,” Online at nesn.com/2010/01/chris-carpenter-wins-2009-tony-conigliaro-award/.

66 Joe Strauss, “Mad on the Mound,” St Louis Post-Dispatch, March 13, 2011: C1.

67 Derrick Goold, “Carpenter Set to Go First,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 31, 2011: C5.

68 “Cheering Carpenter: Elite Talent, Elite Ethic,” Manchester Union Leader, October 23, 2011. Online at unionleader.com/article/20111023/OPINION01/710239971/0/.

69 Derrick Goold, “End of an Era as Carpenter Retires,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 21, 2013. Online at stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/end-of-an-era-as-carpenter-retires/article_fa898878-d869-59d8-9207-94b978f26642.html.

70 Rich Hummel, “Hall of Fame Induction Special for Carpenter,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 28, 2016: C9.

In his early years, the 5-foot-11 Colón weighed 185 pounds and possessed a fastball that nearly touched 100 mph. By his final years, his weight had ballooned by over 100 pounds – prompting the jocular nickname “Big Sexy” – and his fastball rarely approached 90. Using primarily his fastball, thrown with a variety of speeds, grips and spins, combined with pinpoint control, Colón pitched for 11 teams and compiled a 247-188 record with a 4.12 ERA while striking out 2,535 batters over 21 major-league seasons (1997-2009; 2011-18).1 As of 2025, he ranks first in career wins by a pitcher born in Latin America.

Bartolo Colón Morales was born on May 24, 1973, to Miguel Colón and Adriana Morales in El Copey, Dominican Republic. This hillside village outside of the small mountain town of Altamira had just one paved road. Altamira, with a population of roughly 1,500 scattered throughout the region, is in Puerto Plata province, in the northern part of the country. It is a one-hour bus ride from the nearest big city, Santiago.2

Miguel Colón owned the land his family farmed; he also picked coffee beans and mangoes and chopped sugar cane for others. Even so, Bartolo – the third oldest of six children and the older of two brothers3 – grew up poor. As a young child, his three-bedroom home had no electricity, telephone or plumbing.4

By the age of eight, Colón was helping his father support the family. Leaving at 4:00 a.m., they rode on horseback into the mountains to work 10-hour days in the scorching sun picking coffee beans, cocoa and oranges. He regularly rode his pet donkey Pancho 15 minutes to a river to collect water for the family. “It was hard, but the work had to be done,” he remembered.5 

The work made Colón strong. He developed his legs by climbing trees to pick fruit and his wrists by turning the crank of the machine that removed the pulp from the coffee beans.6 His arm strength and accuracy resulted from throwing rocks to knock coconuts out of trees.7

While carrying bags for his father’s business, Colón sometimes hitched Pancho near a makeshift field and played a few innings with local children. “The only way you would be able to play was to escape from my dad,” Colón recalled. “Because the main thing was working.”8

When Colón was about 13, he met a local girl named Rosanna. Four years later they began dating. They married in 1996 when he was in the minor leagues, and she joined him in the United States. They had four sons together, Bartolo Jr., Emilio, Wilder and Randy.9

In 2014, Colón and Rosanna became United States citizens, but he never forgot his home.10 Throughout his career, Colón helped his family and handed out meals at Christmas, gave scholarships and donated anonymously to others in need.

As a youngster, Colón was among a group of boys arrested for trespassing when they were caught played baseball on a private field.11 To give young players opportunities he never had, he bought the land in 2004 and constructed a baseball stadium and training complex, both of which bear his name. A bronze statue of Colón sits out front. “It isn’t life-size, though; that would have been too expensive,” he joked.12 He also added a small museum which included memorabilia from his career and a mural honoring his donkey, Pancho.13 

Like most boys from the Dominican Republic, Colón dreamed of playing baseball.14 Given the remote location of his home, he did not play organized baseball until he was 14 when he joined a youth league team in the town of Navarrete.15 Originally used at catcher and third base, he got his wish to pitch. In his first outing, he hurled seven scoreless innings and struck out 16 batters.16

By that time, Colón had already quit school. “When I was younger, the school was only 15 minutes away and I could walk,” he said. “By the time I reached sixth grade, the school was an hour away and I had no way of getting there. Besides, I didn’t like school much anyway.”17

Colón was noticed by Cleveland bird dog scout Virgilio Veras, who quickly invited the Indians’ Dominican scout, Winston Llenas, to take a look.18 “He had no mechanics, and his arm was very raw, but I knew right away he was something special,” remembered Llenas. “He had such broad shoulders, and the ball exploded over the plate.”19

After several tryouts, Cleveland signed Colón on June 26, 1993, as a minor league free agent for just $3,000.20 He was 20 years old, but they believed him to be 18.21

Colón began his pro career by overpowering batters with Santiago in the 1993 Dominican Summer League before going to Cleveland’s Instructional League team in Winter Haven, Florida. He had never been away from his family, flown on a plane, driven a car, or eaten American food – and he spoke no English.22 “I was so homesick I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he admitted later. “I saw a lot of guys getting cut that were better than I was. At that point, I thought I would never be good enough to make it to the majors.”23

Colón was naturally shy, so even after learning English he would speak through an interpreter throughout his career for fear of being misunderstood or embarrassing himself.

After a solid 1994 season on Cleveland’s Rookie League team at Burlington, North Carolina, in the Appalachian League, Colón dominated the Class-A Carolina League in Kingston in 1995, compiling a 13-3 record and a 1.96 ERA in 128 2/3 innings while leading the league with 152 strikeouts, despite being shut down in early August with a bruised elbow. He was named the Carolina League pitcher of the year.

Colón began 1996 in the Double-A Eastern League with Canton-Akron and was 2-2 with a 1.74 ERA in 13 games before suffering sprained ligaments in his elbow. He was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo late in the season and used as a reliever in eight games to limit his workload.

With an impressive spring training in 1997, Colón won the fifth spot in the Cleveland rotation over Albie Lopez but started the third game of the season on April 4 when Jack McDowell was slow to recover from a strained abdominal muscle that caused him to miss two exhibition starts.24 He allowed four runs against the Anaheim Angels in the first two innings, including a home run to Gary Disarcina, but left after five innings with the score tied.25

In his second start, Colón threw 61 pitches while recording just two outs. Two days later, he was sent back to Buffalo, beginning a frustrating season-long pattern of being called up after pitching well in Triple-A but then being demoted after not performing for the Indians. He was shuttled back and forth three times by the end of May and five times by the end of the season.26 Colón was 7-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 10 starts with Buffalo but finished 4-7 with a 5.65 ERA with Cleveland.

The turning point came on June 20. Angry at being demoted again, Colón hurled the first nine-inning no-hitter by a Buffalo pitcher since 1952, beating the New Orleans Zephyrs 4-0. In front of a loud home crowd of 15,496, he retired the final 25 batters after walking future major-leaguer Russ Johnson in the first inning.27 He struck out eight; only three balls were hit to his outfielders.

“I was so mad that I was thinking about things I don’t even want to repeat,” said Colón. “Also, Dan O’Dowd [Indians director of baseball operations] was there, and I wanted to show him that I belonged in the big leagues.”28

“You could see the fire in his eyes,” said Brian Graham, the Buffalo manager. “His motive might not have been great, but he found out that day how good he really was. It was a big day in his life.”29

Colón was not included on the 1997 playoff roster as the Indians came within one win of their first World Series title since 1948. He spent the offseason in Cleveland living with Allen Davis, the Indians’ director of community relations, to work on his conditioning and improve his English.

Armed with a new two-seam fastball that he developed under the tutelage of Indians pitching coach Mark Wiley, Colón was the workhorse of the Cleveland staff from 1998 through 2001.30 He compiled a 61-34 record with a 3.91 ERA in 819 1/3 innings.31

In his first start in 1998 he shut out the Angels, allowing four hits and striking out 10. On May 29, facing Roger Clemens, he fanned a career-high 14 batters in a victory at Toronto.32 Colón was an All-Star for the first of four times. Despite giving up a three-run homer to Barry Bonds in his only inning, he was credited with the win when the AL rallied to take the lead in their next at-bat. During the season, Colón began the custom of decorating and numbering each of his game-winning baseballs, a practice that he continued until the end of his career.33

Prior to the 1999 season, the Indians signed Colón to a four-year deal for $9.25 million. On the field, he was 18-5 with a 3.95 ERA, making him the first Cleveland pitcher to reach 18 wins since Greg Swindell in 1988.

In 2000 Colón struck out 212 batters, the most of any season in his career. He followed up with 201 strikeouts in 2001, the only other year in which he topped 200.34 On September 18, 2000, Colón threw the best game of his career – again against Clemens – when he allowed just an eighth-inning single to Luis Polonia and one walk while striking out 13 batters in a complete game at Yankee Stadium.

During this span, Colón helped the Indians win three American League Central titles. In playoff action he was 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA – including eight shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in Game 1 of the 2001 American League Division Series against the 116-win Seattle Mariners – but Cleveland advanced beyond the ALDS just once.

When Cleveland decided to rebuild for the future, the 29-year-old Colón was dealt to the Montreal Expos on June 27, 2002, for veteran Lee Stevens  and minor-leaguers Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, and Grady Sizemore.35  At the time of the trade, Colón was 10-4 with a 2.55 ERA in 16 starts.

With Montreal, Colón was also 10-4 with an ERA of 3.31, joining Hank Borowy as the only pitcher to win 10 games in each league in one season.36 When Colón’s major-league career ended in 2018, he was the last active player to have played for the Expos.

Colón’s time in Montreal was brief. With the Expos controlled by Major League Baseball and ordered to keep their payroll around $40 million, Colón and his $8.25 million salary were dealt to the Chicago White Sox on January 15, 2003.

In 2003 Colón threw a career-high 242 innings with a 3.87 ERA and tied for the major-league lead with nine complete games, but his record was just 15-13.37 After turning down a three-year offer from the White Sox reported to be in a range of $30-36 million, Colón became a free agent for the first time.38 On December 10, 2003, he signed a four-year, $51 million contract with the Anaheim Angels.39

In the first year with Anaheim, Colón’s ERA was a lofty 5.01, yet he finished 18-12. The Angels made the playoffs but were swept in the ALDS by the Boston Red Sox.

Colón went 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA in 2005 to become the Angels’ first 20-game winner since Nolan Ryan in 1974.40 He was 9-2 with a 3.04 ERA in his final 12 starts, including a 5-0 record with a 1.72 ERA in August. The Angels won the AL West for the second straight year and Colón was voted the AL Cy Young Award winner, the first Angel to win the award since Dean Chance in 1964.41 He gave the trophy to his father in what he called the best moment of his career.42

Colón allowed four runs in seven innings and took the loss in Game One of the 2005 ALDS against the Yankees. He started the deciding Game Five but left the game with a partially torn rotator cuff after walking the first batter in the second inning. The Angels advanced to the ALCS, where they were beaten by the Chicago White Sox.

Battling through his injuries, Colón’s final two years in Los Angeles were dismal. In 2006 he made just 10 starts, finishing 1-5 with a 5.11 ERA in 56 1/3 innings, ending his streak of eight consecutive seasons with double-digit wins.43 The following season, he gutted through 99 1/3 innings, ending 6-8 with a 6.34 ERA in 18 starts and one relief appearance.

Boston gambled that the 34-year-old Colón would provide some insurance for its 2008 rotation, signing him to a $1.2 million minor-league deal.44 He started the season with Triple-A Pawtucket but was called up on May 21 after allowing just one hit in six innings in his previous start. Colón won four of six starts with Boston, including his 150th career win on June 11 against Baltimore, before injuring his back muscle on June 16 while striking out in his second at-bat against the Philadelphia Phillies.45

After rehabbing for almost two months, Colón made one start on September 13 before leaving the team to tend to personal matters in the Dominican Republic. Unhappy with being asked to come out of the bullpen, he refused to return and was placed on the restricted list, ending his stay with the Red Sox.46  He finished 4-2 with a 3.92 ERA in seven starts, the fewest in any season of his career.

In 2009 Colón signed another one-year contract, this one for $1 million with the White Sox. After his spring training was delayed by offseason surgery for bone chips in his elbow, he debuted on April 11 and, in his best outing of the season, hurled six shutout innings in a win against the Minnesota Twins. After a knee injury in early June sent him to the DL, Colón made one more start on July 24 before his elbow problems ended his season with a respectable 4.19 ERA in 62 1/3 innings, but his record was just 3-6 in 12 starts.47

Colón’s career appeared over at age 36. His torn rotator cuff and elbow problems made his arm constantly ache and throwing was painful. As a last resort, he contacted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joseph R. Purita, who ran the Institute of Regenerative and Molecular Orthopedics in Boca Raton, Florida.

In the spring of 2010 in the Dominican Republic, Purita’s team performed a cutting-edge procedure which Purita called “the future of sports medicine.”48 They harvested fat and healthy cells from Colón’s bone marrow and then re-injected them into his injured elbow and shoulder, hoping that his body would regenerate damaged tissue.49

Major League Baseball did not prohibit the procedure, but banned the use of human growth hormone, which Purita had used in previous successful stem-cell surgeries on other people. Purita claimed that HGH was not used in Colón’s procedure and offered to take a lie detector test as proof.50,51 MLB investigated but took no action.52    

Colón did not play in 2010. After recovering and rehabbing, he returned in 2011, signing a minor-league deal with the Yankees for $900,000. He attended spring training as a non-roster invitee and an impressive spring earned him a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen.

After three relief outings, Colón joined the rotation when Phil Hughes went on the disabled list. He had a 3.30 ERA and an 8-6 mark through July but was winless in his last 10 starts, ending the season 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA in 164 1/3 innings.

When the Yankees decided to go with younger pitchers, the 38-year-old Colón joined the Oakland A’s with a $2 million, one-year contract for 2012. On April 18, he set a major-league record by throwing 38 consecutive strikes in eight shutout innings against the Angels.53 Colón held Cleveland to one run in eight innings on August 18 to improve to 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA in his last five starts.

Four days later Colón was suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games for testing positive for testosterone.54 He missed the final 40 games of the season and Oakland’s five-game loss to Detroit in the ALDS, finishing 2012 with a 10-9 mark and a 3.43 ERA.55

Colón released a statement apologizing to fans, his teammates, and the A’s, but was most concerned about his father’s reaction. “What hurt me the most was having to tell my father about my positive test,” Colón said. “We were raised humbly and honestly, and I was ashamed. It took me a month and a half to build up the courage to tell my father. I couldn’t find the way to tell him.”56

In 2013 Colón re-signed with the A’s – the first time he had played successive years with a team since 2007 – and put together his best season since winning the Cy Young Award. He finished 18-6 with a 2.65 ERA in 30 starts and tied for the major-league lead with three shutouts.57 In five September starts, the 40-year-old Colón was 4-1 with a 1.16 ERA as Oakland repeated as AL West champs. In his only postseason start, Colón allowed three runs in the first inning of Game One of the ALDS in a 3-2 loss to Detroit’s Max Scherzer as the A’s again lost in five games to Detroit.

After spending most of his career in the American League, Colón signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the NL’s New York Mets on December 14, 2013. The legend of Bartolo Colón was ready to take off.

In 2014 Colón was 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA during a seven-game stretch in May and June. On August 8 at Philadelphia he allowed just one run in eight innings to pick up his 200th career win. He finished 15-13 with a 4.09 ERA in 202 1/3 innings.

Colón started strong in 2015, winning six of seven starts, including an outing on May 5 when he beat Baltimore to become the first pitcher to beat a team while pitching for seven different clubs.58 He was 8-3 at the end of May, including a stretch where he set a Mets record of 48 consecutive innings without issuing a walk.59 But he struggled in June and July with a 1-7 record and a 5.29 ERA before recovering late in the season to hurl a career-best 31 consecutive scoreless innings, breaking the record of 27 innings for a pitcher age 42 or older set by Cy Young and Warren Spahn.60 Included in the streak was Colón’s famous behind-the-back flip of a soft roller up along the first base line that retired Miami’s Justin Bour on September 5.61 His nimble fielding despite his bulk was worthy of a Gold Glove, but the honor went instead to Zack Greinke. Colón finished 14-13 with a 4.16 ERA, helping the Mets to their first division title since 2006.

After starting during the regular season, Colón worked out of the bullpen in the playoffs. Following three appearances in New York’s five-game NLDS win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colón picked up a win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in Game Four of their sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS. Against Kansas City in the only World Series of his career, Colón did not allow an earned run over 3 1/3 innings in three games but took the loss in Game One because of an unearned run in the bottom of the 14th inning. The Mets lost in five games.

The Mets re-signed Colón for $7.25 million for 2016 and he turned in his last good season.62 Shouldering a bigger load than expected following season-ending injuries to pitchers Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Steven Matz, Colón led the Mets in victories for the third straight year with a 15-8 record and a 3.43 ERA.63 In the first inning on May 18, against Washington, an incredible steak ended when he walked Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper; it was the first time since July 18, 2007, that he had walked two batters in a row.64 The Mets made the playoffs again but were shut out by San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner in the NL Wild Card game, ending their season.

Colón was 44-34 with a 3.90 ERA in his three seasons in New York but will be remembered for more than his pitching. He was quickly embraced by Mets fans for his jovial personality and boundless enthusiasm and was beloved by teammates, with whom he clowned around while shagging pregame flies in the outfield; he also mentored them in the clubhouse.

During the 2015 season, teammate Noah Syndergaard began calling Colón “Big Sexy”, a nickname that stuck with fans after Syndergaard shared a Christmas photo on Instagram of his family wearing shirts bearing Colón’s likeness.65 Colón  initially took the name as a jab at his weight but later realized it was meant in fun and embraced the monicker, writing, “I don’t think I’m sexy, but if the fans like the name, I like it, too.”66 In 2016, Colón  applied for a trademark to use the name on athletic apparel but never completed the paperwork.67

A notoriously poor hitter in limited opportunities in the American League, Colón got to bat regularly for the first time since his stretch with the Expos. His at-bats quickly became an Internet sensation, showing him flailing wildly at pitches while twisting himself into the ground, often losing his batting helmet in the process.

So on May 7, 2016, with a career batting average of .089 (20 for 225, including 119 strikeouts), Colón  shocked the baseball world when he homered at Petco Park on a fastball from San Diego’s James Shields, sending the ball over the wall in left.68 Colón had become the oldest player to hit his first career home run, breaking the mark set by Randy Johnson.69

As Mets players went wild in the dugout and Colón started to first base, Mets announcer Gary Cohen belted out a home run call that became an instant classic, “He drives one! Deep left field! Back goes [Melvin] Upton! Back near the wall! It’s outta here! Bartolo has done it! The impossible has happened….. This is one of the greatest moments in baseball history.”70,71

Colón’s trip around the bases took 30.6 seconds, prompting Mets color commentator Ron Darling to quip, “I want to say that was one of the longest home run trots I’ve ever seen. But I think that’s how fast he runs.”72

Colón returned to an empty dugout before his teammates came streaming out from hiding in the tunnel to mob him.73 Asked about the homer after the game, Colón explained. “Anytime I see a fastball, I swing hard because I’m not a curveball hitter. Once I hit it, I knew it was gone.”74

On August 15, Colón added to his big season at the plate by drawing a walk on a full-count pitch against Arizona’s Robbie Ray. It was his first free pass in 292 career plate appearances, the most by any player before his first walk.75

Less than two weeks after his home run, Colón was in the news again when it was revealed that he had a secret family. Alexandra Santos, age 38, claimed Colón had fathered her seven-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son and sued for child support. The court proceedings had begun in 2015 under “Anonymous vs. Anonymous” but came to light when Colon briefly represented himself, which made his name public.76 Rosanna Colón confirmed she had long known of her husband’s second family and the lawsuit but refused to comment on the private matter.77

After Colón skipped the initial court appearance, he and Santos reached an agreement on June 17.78 Both parties were barred from discussing the terms of the agreement.

With the Mets returning a stable of young pitchers for 2017, Colón signed for $12.5 million with the Atlanta Braves.79 At age 44, his age appeared to have caught up with him; he was 2-8 with an 8.14 ERA in 13 starts when he was designated for assignment at the end of June.80 Colón quickly reached a deal with the Minnesota Twins and after a start in Triple-A Rochester, joined their rotation.81 He struggled in his first three outings, but was 4-1 in August, including a complete game. However, Colón went 0-4 in September before winning his final start to finish 5-6 with the Twins for a 7-14 total record with a 6.48 ERA.82

Colón signed a minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers for 2018, his record-tying eighth American League team. In his second start, on April 15, he retired the first 21 Houston Astros but settled for no decision.83 On May 16 in Seattle, Colón pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings, but the memorable moment was taking a 101-mph liner to the stomach off the bat of Jean Segura and throwing him out at first base.84 “The important thing is we won the game and I was able to get the out,” Colón said. “He got me on the side. It was not in the middle. And I have a big belly so I can (handle) it.”85

On June 18 at Kansas City, in his fourth attempt at the milestone, Colón picked up his 244th career victory to pass Juan Marichal for most by a pitcher from the Dominican Republic. Against Seattle on August 7, he won his 246th to break the record of Dennis Martinez for most wins by a Latin American pitcher.86 Martinez offered gracious comments, including, “It showed me consistency and perseverance.”87 In his final big-league season, Colón finished 7-12 with a 5.78 ERA.

Colón appeared for the last time in his homeland’s winter league during the 2018-19 season, pitching in (and losing) two games. In 37 games scattered across 12 regular seasons starting in 1993-94, he posted a 9-7 record and 2.77 ERA. His team throughout was the Santiago-based Águilas Cibaeñas, He went to the postseason seven times with Águilas, winning five Dominican championships, and once more as a playoff reinforcement with Leones del Escogido. In 21 games, he went 3-3 with a 4.04 ERA.

Colón hoped to pitch in the majors in 2019 but had no offers.88 He signed instead with the Monclova Acereros of the Mexican League, but the COVID pandemic canceled the 2020 season. A year later, at age 48, he started 11 games for Monclova, posting a 6-2 record, including a complete game, with a 4.55 ERA.

In a September 2023 ceremony at Citi Field, Colón officially retired from major league baseball as a New York Met. “This was the fan base that accepted me the most and supported me the most,” he said. “So that’s why I felt really comfortable [retiring here].”89

Colón was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024 but received just five votes and his name was dropped from future ballots.90

Colón last played professionally at age 50. On November 23, 2023, he started the inaugural All-Star showcase game to launch Baseball United, a new league founded in the Middle East and Asia.91 He threw a perfect first inning, retiring former major leaguers Robinson Canó, Alejandro De Aza, and Didi Gregorius.92

At the time of his retirement, Colón said he would enjoy working with young pitchers in the future. As of 2025, he wasn’t officially back in pro ball, although he did run a one-day youth baseball camp that year in New Jersey and has visited organizations that serve children with cancer and other blood disorders. 93

Last revised: October 23, 2025

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and David Bilmes and checked for accuracy by members of SABR’s fact-checking team.

Photo credits: Bartolo Colón, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author also consulted Baseball-Reference.com and winterballdata.com.

Notes

1 David Schoenfield, “47 Things to Know About Bartolo Colón on His 47th Birthday,” ESPN.com, May 22, 2020, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23575757/47-things-know-bartolo-Colón-47th-birthday (last accessed October 14, 2025).

During his career, Colón had a fastball rate of 81.4% for his career. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23575757/47-things-know-bartolo-Colón-47th-birthday (last accessed October 14, 2025).

2 Mary Kay Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire,” The Clevland Plain Dealer, June 26, 1998, 1-A.

3 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

4 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

5 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

6 Dan Barry, “Defying Time and Space.” New York Times, July 9, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/sports/baseball/mets-bartolo-Colón-defying-time-and-space.html?ref=sports (last accessed October 14, 2025).

7 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

8 Barry, “Defying Time and Space.”

9 Julia Marsh, “Bartolo Colón’s Double Life With Secret Family,” The New York Post, May 18, 2016, https://nypost.com/2016/05/18/bartolo-Colóns-double-life-with-secret-family/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

10 Marsh, “Bartolo Colón’s Double Life With Secret Family.”

11  Fred Kerber, “Going Back to Bartolo Colon’s Humble, Petty Crime Beginnings,” nypost.com, September 20, 20, 2017, https://nypost.com/2017/09/20/going-back-to-bartolo-colons-humble-petty-crime-beginnings/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

12 Fred Hofstetter, “Book Review – Big Sexy: In His Own Words,” screwballtimes.com, May 14, 2020, https://www.screwballtimes.com/reviews/big-sexy-in-his-own-words/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

13 Barry, “Defying Time and Space.”

14 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.” Years later, when Colón’s family finally got a television set, it received just one channel, so he did not see his first major league baseball game on TV until he was in the minor leagues.

15 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

16 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

17 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

18 Levi Weaver, “Nine Thousand Days: Bartolo Colón’s Remarkable Career Forges Ahead,” The Athletic, February 12, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/236917/2018/02/12/nine-thousand-days-bartolo-Colóns-remarkable-career-forges-ahead/ (last accessed October 14, 2025). Llenas appeared in 300 games with the California Angels from 1968 to 1975, batting .230 with three home runs. He would later be inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.

19 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

20 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”. According to Llenas, it was a common practice for a player to be invited to several tryouts before being signed. Colón did not understand this and cried each time he was sent home, believing he had been let go because he was considered too short.

21 The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011, caused increased attention to immigration, which resulted in the real ages of some Dominican baseball players, including Colón, being made public.

22 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”. Colón had also never seen snow. In 1996 on the way to Cleveland for the Indians’ Winter Development Program, Colón and Dominican teammate Enrique Wilson were forced to sleep in the Newark, New Jersey, airport during a snowstorm. The following day they took a train to Philadelphia and joined up with another Cleveland prospect, David Miller, who supplied them with coats and gloves before the trio drove to Cleveland.

23 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

24 Paul Hoynes, “Colón Joins Rotation,” The Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 1, 1997, 8-D.

25 Disarcina hit just four home runs in 549 at-bats in 1997. Lopez relieved Colón and pitched four scoreless innings as Anaheim beat Cleveland 8-6 in 11 innings.

26 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

27 Matt Monagan, “A Trip Back in Time to the Bartolo Colón No-Hitter You Never Knew About,” MLB.com, June 20, 2018, https://www.mlb.com/cut4/a-trip-back-to-bartolo-Colón-s-first-and-only-no-hitter-c281758064?msockid=39b2a367016f61ff1f21ac9a0067606b (last accessed October 14, 2025). The large crowd was due to a promotion in which Buffalo celebrated its 10-million all-time paid attendance. Colón faced the minimum because Johnson was caught stealing by Einar Díaz for the second out of the game.  Díaz would go on to catch Colón in 85 major league games, more than any other catcher.

28 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

29 Cabot, “Harnessing Colón’s Fire.”

30 Joe Pantorno, “Bartolo Colón Officially Retires With Mets: ‘This Was the Fan Base That Accepted Me the Most’,” September 17, 2023, amny.com, https://www.amny.com/sports/bartolo-Colón-retirement-mets-9-17-23/ (last accessed October 14, 2025). Colón also gave credit to Greg Maddux, who in 1996 encouraged him to throw his two-seam fastball more often.

31 Sheldon Ocker, “Can Someone Count to 139?,” Akron Beacon Journal, June 23, 1998, C5. On June 21, 1998, a miscommunication between Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove and pitching coach Mark Wiley resulted in Colón throwing 139 pitches during his eight shutout innings of the New York Yankees, who entered the game with a 50-17 record.

32 On June 26, 1998, Colón was involved in an epic 20-pitch at-bat against Houston’s Ricky Gutierrez which ended as a strikeout for Colón. At the time, it was the record for most pitches in one at-bat since pitch tracking began in 1988 but was bested by San Francisco’s Brandon Belt in a battle against Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jaime Barria in 2018.

33 An example of his artwork can be seen here. https://www.sfgate.com/athletics/ostler/article/enigmatic-bartolo-Colón-is-essential-to-amazing-4646510.php (last accessed October 14, 2025).

34 Colón was the first Cleveland pitcher with consecutive 200-strikeout seasons since Gaylord Perry (1972 to 1974).

35 Pitcher Tim Drew went to Montreal along with Colón in the trade.

36 In 1945 Borowy was 10-5 with the New York Yankees before he was shipped to the Chicago Cubs where he was 11-2. In 2002 Colón threw four complete games with both Cleveland and Montreal, which was not enough to lead either league but did tie Randy Johnson for the most in the major leagues. He had two complete-game shutouts for Cleveland and one for Montreal. No other pitcher for the Indians or the Expos recorded one. 

37 Colón topped the 200-inning plateau eight times in his career and had more than 190 in three other seasons.

38 Teddy Greenstein, “Colón Deal Hinges Mostly On Money,” Chicago Tribune, October 1, 2003, 4-4.

39 Bill Shaikin, “Colon Joins the Angel Armory,” Los Angeles Times, December 9, 2003, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-dec-09-sp-angels9-story.html (last accessed October 14, 2025). At the time, this was the second largest contract in Angels’ history behind the six-year, $80 million contract given to Mo Vaughn before the 1999 season.

40 Bill Shaikin, “Trying To Tip The Scales,” Los Angeles Times, July 12, 2005, D6. Colón said that he pitched at 268 lbs. in 2005 compared to 255 lbs. in 2004 but that the additional weight was “new muscle”. The Angels believed that the difference in 2005 was more due to him having recovered from the ankle and back soreness that bothered him in 2004. Concerned about his weight and stamina, Colón had hired fellow Dominican Angel Presinal as his personal trainer following the 2003 season. “As a young player, everything is ability,” he said. “You never think you need to work extra hard. Things come a little easier. When you’re young you think you know it all. I was a little stubborn. I learned I need to work harder. I was pretty much desperate. I felt like I was letting so many people down.”

41 In the modern era when voters look at more than wins, the award would likely have gone to Minnesota Twins pitcher Johan Santana. Santana was 16-7 with a 2.87 ERA and led Colón in strikeouts 238 to 157 in nine more innings pitched. While winning the Cy Young Award in 2005, Colón surrendered home runs to the 2005 AL MVP Alex Rodriguez in four consecutive at-bats (three on April 26 and the next on July 21). Rodriguez connected for eight career homers off Colón, more than any other player.

42 Colón was just the second native of the Dominican Republic to win the Cy Young Award, joining three-time winner Pedro Martínez.

43 In 2005, the franchise changed its name for the Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In 2016 they became simply the Los Angeles Angels.

44 One Red Sox player happy to see Colón on the squad was slugger David Ortiz. In 50 career at-bats against Colón had just seven hits, including one home run, and struck out 16 times – tied for Colón’s most against any opponent.

45 Because this was Colón’s first action in a National League park in 2002, where the designated hitter was not used at the time, this was just his second at-bat of the season.

46 James Simmons, “Boston Red Sox: The Time Bartolo Colón Brought Sexy Back to Beantown,” May 12, 2020, https://calltothepen.com/2020/05/12/boston-red-sox-time-bartolo-Colón-brought-sexy-back-beantown/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

47 Bob Harkins, “Somehow, Bartolo Colon is Missing,” nbcsports.com, July 7, 2009, https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/somehow-bartolo-colon-is-missing (last accessed October 14, 2025). Colón disappeared for a day on the way to rehab in Triple-A Charlotte.

48  Janet Fang, “Yankees Pitcher’s Stem Cell Therapy Didn’t Endow Superhuman Powers,” ZDNET.com, June 10, 2011, https://www.zdnet.com/article/yankees-pitchers-stem-cell-therapy-didnt-endow-superhuman-powers/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

49 Bill Conlin, “Colón’s Recovery After Stem-Cell Surgery a Sign the Future of Sports Medicine Has Arrived,” June 4, 2011, https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/jun/04/Colóns-recovery-after-stem-cell-surgery-a-sign/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

50 Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, “Bartolo Colon Stiffed Doctors On Career-Saving Treatment: Suit,” nypost.com, August 28, 2019, https://nypost.com/2019/08/28/bartolo-colon-stiffed-doctors-on-career-saving-treatment-suit/ (last accessed October 14, 2025). In 2019, two doctors involved in the procedure sued Colón in the Dominican Republic for $4.5 million, 10% of what he earned since the 2010 procedure, claiming non-payment by Colón.

51 “Bartolo Colón, Winner Of The Cy Young, Wins Lawsuit In Case Of Stem Cell Treatment To Which He Was Subjected Before His Return To The Major Leagues,” drlawyer.com, https://drlawyer.com/bartolo-colon-winner-of-the-cy-young-wins-lawsuit-in-case-of-stem-cell-treatment-to-which-he-was-subjected-before-his-return-to-the-major-leagues/ (last accessed October 14, 2025). After losing the initial ruling, Colón the decision was overturned on appeal in Colón’s favor.

52  In August 2013, Major League Baseball 13 penalized players at the conclusion of an investigation of Biogenesis of America, a Florida clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. Because Colón had previously served a 50-game suspension in 2012, he received no further punishment. 

53 Pitch tracking began in 1988. Colón’s streak broke the previous record of 30 consecutive strikes set by knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

54 Colón’s suspension came one week after San Francisco’s Melky Cabrera, the 2012 All-Star game MVP, received the same suspension.

55 The remainder of the suspension was served at the beginning of the 2013 season. During the offseason, Colón pitched in the Dominican Winter League for the Aguilas Cibaenas and was struck in that mouth by a line drive. He was hospitalized for tests but suffered no injuries.

56  Manny Gómez, “Ex-Mets Pitcher Opens Up About Positive PED Test: I Was Ashamed To Tell My Father,”

 NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 9, 2024, https://www.nj.com/mets/2024/02/ex-mets-pitcher-opens-up-about-positive-ped-test-i-was-ashamed-to-tell-my-father.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWhat%20hurt%20me%20the%20most%20was%20having%20to,raised%20humbly%20and%20honestly%2C%20and%20I%20was%20ashamed (last accessed October 14, 2025).

57 Colón tied with Cleveland’s Justin Masterson.

58 Chris Landers, On Bartolo Colón’s 43rd Birthday, Here Are 43 Reasons to Love MLB’s Oldest Player,” May 24, 2016, https://www.mlb.com/cut4/celebrate-bartolo-colon-s-43rd-birthday-c179251924#:~:text=On%20May%2024%2C%201973%2C%20the%20world%20was%20given,hitting%20dingers%20and%20bringing%20joy%20to%20us%20all.?msockid=39b2a367016f61ff1f21ac9a0067606b (last accessed October 14, 2025).

59 Brian Reinhart, “The Most Amazing Bartolo Colón Fact,” The Hardball Times, May 20, 2016, https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-most-amazing-bartolo-colon-fact/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

60 John Donovan, “Elder Blanksman: Colón Sets Scoreless Record,” MLB.com, September 11, 2015, https://www.mlb.com/news/bartolo-Colón-sets-a-scoreless-innings-record/c-148582368 (last accessed October 14, 2025). Colón fell just short of the Mets’ record of 32 2/3 innings set by R. A. Dickey in 2012.

61 Colón claimed to have practiced the behind-the-back flip during pregame warmups. The play can be seen here starting 0:18 into the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfvCKA9RdH4 (last accessed October 14, 2025).

62 Mark Townsend, “Bartolo Colón  Could Earn $50,000 bonus For Silver Slugger award,” Yahhosports.com, December 19, 2015, https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/bartolo-Colón -could-earn–50-000-bonus-for-silver-slugger-award-213044266.html (last accessed October 14, 2025). When Colón signed his contract for the Mets for the 2016 season, it included a $50,000 bonus if he won the Silver Slugger Award.

63 Colón was selected to his final All-Star game but did not appear in the contest.

64 Reinhart, “The Most Amazing Bartolo Colón Fact.”

65 The photo can be seen here. https://x.com/Noahsyndergaard/status/680452635011497985 (last accessed October 14, 2025).

66 Mollie Walker, “Noah Syndergaard Is The One Who Dubbed Bartolo Colon ‘Big Sexy’,” nypost.com, May 8, 2020, https://nypost.com/2020/05/08/bartolo-colon-big-sexy-nickname-noah-syndergaard/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

67 https://www.legalhoop.com/trademark/detail/87006146/BIG-SEXY (last accessed October 14, 2025). In March 2017, the current status of the filing was listed as “Abandoned” because the “applicant failed to respond or filed a late response to an Office action.”

68 Ben Cosman, Bartolo Colon hit a batting-practice home run, and it’s already a legend, MLB.com, March 14, 2016, https://www.mlb.com/cut4/bartolo-colon-hit-a-batting-practice-home-run-c167421424?msockid=39b2a367016f61ff1f21ac9a0067606b (last accessed October 14, 2025). Colón  had provided foreshadowing of the blast when he caused a stir in spring training with a batting-practice home run off Mets hitting coach Kevin Long that knocked a branch from a tree beyond the fence.

69 Colón was 42 years, 349 days old when he homered, Johnson was 40 years, 9 days old at the time of his homer. Colon became the second-oldest Mets player to homer behind Julio Franco who homered on May 4, 2007, when he was 48 years, 254 days old.

70 Posnanski, Joe, Why We Love Baseball (Penguin Random House LLC, 2023), 5.

71 Rachel Cohen, “Call Captures Colon Homer: ‘The Impossible Has Happened!’,” apnews.com, May 8, 2016, https://apnews.com/call-captures-colon-homer-the-impossible-has-happened-96cbffd71511486f92059dea154829ca (last accessed October 14, 2025). Cohen summed up the unexpected magnitude of Colón’s homer in a phone interview the following day saying, “The accumulation of elements here: His age, his weight, his former ineptitude at the plate and his personality all kind of tie together into an incredibly special package.”

72 Posnanski, Why We Love Baseball (Penguin Random House LLC, 2023).

73 The home run can be seen here seen here starting 0:55 into the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfvCKA9RdH4 (last accessed October 14, 2025).

74 Marc Carig, “Bartolo Colón’s Legacy With The Mets: Making It A Joy To Suspend Reality,” The Athletic, September 7, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4871003/2023/09/17/bartolo-colon-mets-retirement/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

75 Colón ended his career batting .084 (25 for 299) with 4 doubles and the one home run and one walk. He scored 11 runs and did not steal a base.

76 Julia Marsh, “Bartolo Colon’s Double Life With Secret Family,” nypost.com, May 18, 2016, https://nypost.com/2016/05/18/bartolo-colons-double-life-with-secret-family/ (last accessed October 14, 2025)..

77 Marsh, “Bartolo Colon’s Double Life With Secret Family.”

78 Emily Saul and Laura Italiano, “Bartolo Colon Signs Support Agreement With Ex-Mistress,” nypost.com, June 17, 2016, https://nypost.com/2016/06/17/bartolo-colon-signs-support-agreement-with-ex-mistress/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

79 Colón’s time with the Braves came in their first year in Truist Park. With other teams, he was 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA in seven games in their previous home Turner Field, a venue that hosted its first game on the same day Colón made his major league debut, April 4, 1997.

80 Tony Fortier-Benson, “Bartolo Colón Ready To Expand List Of Career Feats That Range From Historic To Esoteric,” SportingNews.com, June 12, 2018, https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/bartolo-colon-career-stats-wins-dominican-born-pitcher-juan-marichal-2500-strikeouts-dennis-martinez-latin-america/v8v5k20v1ida1tcl5dl3uapve (last accessed October 14, 2025). On May 9, 2017, Colón surrendered a home run to Houston’s Carlos Beltrán who had previously homered against him on June 30, 2001. The 5,792 days between the home runs was the longest span between home runs by the same hitter against the same pitcher since 1961.

81 Demetrius Bell, “Bartolo Colón Is With The Twins And The Mets Aren’t Happy At All,” SBNation.com, July 9, 2017, https://www.sbnation.com/2017/7/9/15943168/bartolo-Colón-minnesota-twins-new-york-mets-free-agent-minor-league-deal (last accessed October 14, 2025). According to the New York Post, the Mets attempted to bring Bartolo back to New York and were “stunned” when Colón signed with the Twins.

82 Tony Fortier-Benson, “Bartolo Colón Ready To Expand List Of Career Feats That Range From Historic To Esoteric.” The complete game on August 4 at age 44 made Colón the oldest AL pitcher to go the distance since Nolan Ryan did so at age 45 in 1992.

83 Houston’s Justin Verlander was nearly as good as Colón, allowing just a third-inning homer to Robinson Chirinos and one walk in eight innings and striking out 11.

84 In two starts in Seattle’s Kingdome in 1997, Colón was 0-2 and surrendered 10 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. After the Mariners moved in 1999, Colón compiled an incredible 14-1 record with a 1.98 ERA in 113 2/3 innings in 16 career starts in Safeco Field.

85 Associated Press, “Bartolo Colón Credits ‘Big Belly’ As Savior From 101 MPH Liner,” May 16, 2018, https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/bartolo-Colón-credits-big-belly-as-savior-from-100-mph-liner/ (last accessed October 14, 2025).

86 With his first win with Texas on April 28 against Toronto, Colón joined LaTroy Hawkins, Ron Villone and Mike Morgan as pitchers who won a major league game with 11 different clubs. Edwin Jackson would later appear with a record 14 major league teams and win a game with 12 of them.

87 William Wilkerson, “‘El Presidente’ couldn’t be happier for ‘Big Sexy,’” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 18, 2018.

88 In the 2018-2019 Dominican Winter League, Colón started two games lasting just a total of 3 2/3 innings.

89 Pantorno, “Bartolo Colón Officially Retires With Mets: ‘This Was the Fan Base That Accepted Me the Most’.”

90 In 2025 Colón was elected to the Latin Baseball Hall of Fame.

91 Chris Henrique, “Bartolo Colón Returns To The Mound At 50-Years-Old In Baseball United League Debut,” November 23, 2023, https://beyondthemonster.substack.com/p/bartolo-Colón-returns-to-the-mound (last accessed October 14, 2025).

92 Colón pitched three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out three.

93 ”Bartolo Colon: Youth Baseball Camp.”ProSportsplex.com, https://www.prosportplex.com/bartolocolon/ (last accessed October 16, 2025).

Michael Brent Cuddyer was born March 27, 1979. He was raised in Chesapeake, Virginia, by his parents, Henry Cuddyer and Marcia Harris. His father, a delivery truck driver, and his mother, a bank officer, knew early on that their son was a gifted baseball player.

As a three-year-old, young Michael developed hand-eye coordination by bouncing tennis balls off walls and catching them.1 At age 6 he started playing Little League. His father, who was his coach, recalled, “You could tell right away that he was really good.”2 Cuddyer’s natural talent may have come from his mother, who had been a tremendous softball player.3 At 8 Cuddyer went to a baseball camp run by Towny Townsend, a local coach. Townsend used a radar gun to see how hard the youngsters in camp could fire a baseball. “Any time a kid who is eight years old touches 50 [mph], my eyes kind of open up,” Townsend said. Cuddyer hit 54 on the gun.4

By the time Cuddyer was a high school senior, his rocket arm could produce 93 mph heat, and he drew attention as a pitcher.5 It was as a slugging shortstop, however, that he really made a name for himself. He was good enough as a freshman to make his high school varsity team,6 and good enough as a sophomore to get a scholarship offer from Florida State University.7 After his junior year, Cuddyer spent the summer with the United States Junior National Team and led the squad with a .467 batting average.8

Cuddyer was also a standout quarterback recruited by Division I football programs, but he decided to give up football during his senior year of high school so he could concentrate on baseball.9 His singular focus on baseball during his senior year led to his selection as a USA Today First Team All-American.10 During Cuddyer’s senior year, Minnesota Twins scout John Wilson received instructions from his boss. The message? “Stay on top of Cuddyer. That’s going to be our guy.”11 The Twins were focused on Cuddyer because he was more than just a hitting machine—he was also student body president, a member of the National Honor Society, and had a 3.98 GPA.12 Cuddyer was in the middle of a math test when the Twins selected him with the ninth pick in the 1997 draft. After being informed of the news by his principal, Cuddyer finished his test.13

The Twins envisioned Cuddyer as a future clubhouse leader and potential All-Star,14 but it was far from clear that the young slugger would sign with the team because he was sitting on a Florida State baseball scholarship, which he said was “tempting.”15 He spent the summer of 1997 playing with an all-star squad and the U.S. Junior National Team.16 Finally, in late August, with Cuddyer on the verge of going to Florida State, the Twins signed him for a $1.85 million bonus plus money for post-career college expenses.17 With his sudden windfall, the level-headed young man bought new vehicles for himself and his parents but invested most of what remained of his bonus money.18

Because he signed late in the 1997 season, Cuddyer didn’t begin his minor league career until 1998, when he was assigned to the Class-A Fort Wayne Wizards. He committed 61 errors at shortstop, but he made up for it with his bat, hitting well enough to be selected to the Midwest League All-Star Game. It was an honor, but a distinctly minor league one. Cuddyer recalled that his hotel room had “a good-sized hole in the floor. You had to watch yourself walking around in that room.”19

In 1999 Cuddyer moved up to high Class-A with the Fort Myers Miracle and adapted quickly to a new position—Baseball America chose him as the top defensive third baseman in the Florida State League.20 He hit nearly .300 for the Miracle and had an on-base percentage over .400. The talented 20-year-old was selected to play in the first All-Star Futures Game at Fenway Park.

Big league ballparks seemed to be his destiny. “He’s on the fast track to the major leagues,” his Fort Myers manager said.21 Before the 2000 season, Baseball America listed Cuddyer as the Twins’ top prospect, but he didn’t fulfill his promise that year, his first in Class AA.22 He rebounded in 2001, however, belting 30 homers for Mew Britain and making the Eastern League All-Star team.23 The Twins named the young slugger their minor league player of the year.24

When they called him up in September, airplanes were grounded following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, He made a 24-hour drive from Connecticut to Minnesota before his debut in a game against the Cleveland Indians.25 He drew a walk in his first plate appearance, struck out his second time up, and made his first big league hit in his third plate appearance—an opposite field double off Chuck Finley.

With a sprinkling of big league seasoning, Cuddyer, who had played first base, third base, and left field in 2001, entered the 2002 season ranked by Baseball America as the second-best minor league outfielder.26 He divided his time that year between the Class-AAA Edmonton Trappers and the Twins, appearing in 41 games for the big club and hitting well enough to be added to Minnesota’s post-season roster. Cuddyer rewarded the Twins’ faith in him and made a name for himself in the postseason by hitting .333 in eight games during the ALDS and ALCS.

After the Twins lost to the Angels in the ALCS, Cuddyer went back to his hometown in Virginia and did what perhaps no 23-year-old postseason breakout star had ever done: He became a substitute teacher at his old high school.27 The down-to-earth Cuddyer ate lunch in the teachers’ lounge and did his best to blend in.28 A student at the school said, “If you weren’t from the area, you might not have known who he was.”29 The Twins knew exactly who Cuddyer was — their starting right fielder. They gave Cuddyer the job in spring training in 2003, but he could only hold it until May 7. At that point, with his batting average at .233, they sent him back to the minors. The Twins brought him back up in September, but Cuddyer later referred to 2003—a year in which he had experienced multiple hamstring injuries and needed offseason elbow surgery— as “the lost season.”30

Cuddyer had a better year in 2004, his first full season in the big leagues. He served as a utility man—playing both corner outfield spots and every infield position except short—and put up solid numbers in 339 at bats. He flashed enough talent for the Twins to install him as their everyday third baseman at the start of the 2005 season. It didn’t go well. Cuddyer struggled defensively, making 15 errors in 95 games at third (he also spent time at first, second, and the outfield), and his batting stats were mediocre.

Despite his great potential, as Cuddyer entered the 2006 season, he had yet to consistently perform at the plate or establish himself anywhere on the field. During spring training, former Twins great Tony Oliva asked him about his two-strike hitting approach. “Well,” Cuddyer said, “I choke up and drop my hands down.” Oliva replied, “Then do it every time.”31 The change worked. “It’s allowed me to see the ball, and not jump out and have to get it,” Cuddyer explained. “I’m able to get in a lot better counts.”32

Cuddyer didn’t experience immediate success with the new approach. He started the 2006 season platooning in right field with Lew Ford, and he was hitting just .167 entering an April 19 matchup with the Angels. With the score tied, he was inserted as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 10th inning. Two pitches later, the game was over after he blasted an opposite field home run. The walk-off dinger was a catalyst that set Cuddyer on a trajectory toward becoming the Twins’ everyday right fielder. With a stable position and his Tony Oliva-inspired batting approach, Cuddyer put together the best season of his career, hitting .284 with 24 homers, 41 doubles, and 109 RBI. The cannon-armed Cuddyer also led American League right fielders in assists.

Cuddyer’s on-field performance had finally caught up with his commitment to community work, which earned him the Twins’ nomination for the 2006 Roberto Clemente Award. Community involvement was very important to Cuddyer, who said it was “more rewarding than any of the on-field stuff for me.”33 His biggest off-field moment in 2006 was his November wedding to Claudia Rente, a high school teacher.34 Claudia, whose family is Portuguese, did not know anything about Cuddyer or baseball, nor did her father, who, Cuddyer said, “calls a bat a stick.”35 But that was fine with him/. “They like me for me,” he said, “not because I’m a baseball player.”36

In 2007 Cuddyer again led all AL right fielders in assists, but his batting numbers didn’t measure up to his career highs from the previous season. His numbers slipped even further in 2008 when injuries limited him to 71 games. Much healthier in 2009, Cuddyer played 153 games and put up some of the best numbers of his career, including an .862 OPS and 32 home runs. His season featured a trio of highlights:

• On May 22 he hit for the cycle against the Brewers.
• On August 23 he thumped two home runs in one inning against the Royals.37
• In September he was named AL Player of the Week after powering the Twins with four homers and 11 RBIs during a six-game stretch.38

Cuddyer’s batting numbers faded somewhat in 2010, but his versatility made him invaluable to the Twins. He played right field 66 times; center field twice; third base 14 times; second once; and after Justin Morneau was injured, he took over first base, registering 84 games there. Twins general manager Bill Smith said, “Cuddyer is not only versatile, but he is as big a team player as there is in the game.”39 Smith added, “He’s a team-first guy. He plays hard every day. He’s accountable. He’s one of those guys that if he has a good game, he’s a little bit humble about it, but when he has a bad game, he stands there and answers for it. You wish you had a team full of guys like Michael Cuddyer.”40

There was only one Cuddyer, of course, and by 2011, despite spending his career in the shadow of bigger Twins stars like Morneau and Joe Mauer, Cuddyer had become the heart of the team. “To me, he’s like the middle piece of the foundation. Everything else goes around him,” said teammate Brian Duensing. “He’s the leader in the clubhouse and he’s a very well-spoken guy. He handles the media and he handles the team well. If he wasn’t around, it would be kind of tough.”41The possibility of Cuddyer not being around was more pronounced in 2011, the final year of his contract. He wanted to stay with the Twins, but he knew he might be approaching the end of the road in Minnesota. Before the 2011 season he said, “If this is my last year here, I’m extremely grateful for the way this organization has taught me how to play baseball.”42

Once again, the versatile Cuddyer filled in wherever his team needed him in 2011, appearing in 46 games at first base, 17 at second, 77 in right field, and eight as the DH. He also got a wish he’d long campaigned for when he pitched an inning in a blowout loss against the Rangers on July 25. After getting into a one-out, bases-loaded jam, Cuddyer—who hit 88 mph with his fastball and also tossed a cutter, a curve, and a few changeups—retired Elvis Andrus and David Murphy to end the inning and establish a 0.00 lifetime ERA.43 “I was excited,” Cuddyer said of the experience. “It was a lot of fun.”44

Even more exciting that year was his first selection to the All-Star Game. “Words can’t describe it,” Cuddyer said of his All-Star selection. “It ranks right up there with getting the first call to the big leagues.”45 He flew out against Brian Wilson in his only at bat in the All-Star Game, but that didn’t diminish the experience. “I’ll always be able to say I was an All-Star,” he said. “It’s humbling and gratifying.”46

In August 2011, the Twins proposed a two-year, $16 million contract extension for their All-Star leader, but the offer represented a reduction in Cuddyer’s annual salary. 47 He unsurprisingly turned it down and chose to enter free agency. The Twins increased their bid in the offseason, but not enough to approach the three-year, $31.5 million deal dangled by the Colorado Rockies.48 Cuddyer accepted Colorado’s offer and started a new phase of his career with a new team in a new league. Injuries limited him to 101 games in 2012, the first year of his Colorado contract, and he hit only .260, but 48 of his 93 hits went for extra bases. The following season, though, Cuddyer more than lived up to his contract, winning the 2013 National League batting title with a .331 average to go along with a .919 OPS, 20 homers, and 84 RBIs. His performance netted him his second All-Star selection and his first Silver Slugger Award.

Cuddyer benefited from batting in high-altitude Denver, hitting .356 at home and .311 on the road. But he was helped just as much by his mental approach to hitting. “The one thing I’ve done better this year than at any time in my career is to focus on each pitch, each at-bat,” he explained. “That sounds simple, but I definitely used to be guilty of thinking ‘I’ve got to get two hits today.’ Or, ‘I need three hits in my next 10 at-bats.’ Or, ‘Didn’t get a hit yesterday, need to make up for it today.’”49 His pursuit of the batting title was aided by a 27-game hitting streak. It finally ended on July 2 when he went hitless in four at bats against Clayton Kershaw. There was no shame in failing against the Dodgers ace, who tossed a complete game shutout and, as one writer observed, “made the Rockies look like they were batting in the dark.”50

Cuddyer had an easier time facing the pitchers in the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he found himself playing for the Grand Junction Rockies in the middle of the 2014 season. Rehabbing a shoulder injury, hw could have knocked his rust off in a more comfortable setting at a higher minor league level, but he chose to go down to rookie ball to set an example for the Rockies’ youngest prospects. “For them to see what a guy in the Major Leagues is like, how he prepares, will be good for them.”51

In his first day back in the majors after his rehab assignment, Cuddyer hit for the cycle for the second time in his career, becoming just the third player to accomplish that feat in both leagues.52 Cuddyer’s historical performance raised his batting average to .331, matching his league-leading clip from 2013. He finished his injury-shortened 2014 season with 49 games played, a .332 average, and 10 home runs. The end of the 2014 season coincided with the end of his Colorado contract, making him a free agent for the second time in his career. Now 35 years old, Cuddyer wanted to play on the East Coast so he could be closer to his hometown. He also wanted to join a team that was built to win immediately. The New York Mets fit his criteria, and they felt Cuddyer was a match for their needs. He rejected a one-year $15.3 million offer from the Rockies to join the Mets on a two-year, $21 million deal.53

Individually, the 2015 season wasn’t Cuddyer’s best. He hit just .259 and by the end of the year he was little more than a pinch hitter and backup outfielder. But, ever the team player and clubhouse leader, he still imprinted his winning attitude on the Mets as they marched to the National League title. New York lost in the World Series, but Cuddyer, after 15 seasons in the big leagues and seven postseason appearances, finally got to experience the Fall Classic. He made only one hit in 11 postseason at-bats and didn’t play after striking out three times in Game 1 of the World Series. With an aging, injury-ravaged body, Cuddyer knew he couldn’t perform at the level he wanted to, so despite having another year—and $12.5 million—on his Mets contract, he retired. He announced the news in a Players Tribune essay, writing, “Retiring is the toughest decision [athletes] have to make.”54 Noting that he had been injured numerous times in the previous four seasons, Cuddyer added, “Part of being a professional is to know yourself and know your limits.”55

Retirement enabled Cuddyer to spend much more time with Claudia and their three young children—Casey, Chloe, and Maddie. He also went back to his roots and joined the Twins as a special assistant in 2016. He enjoyed the role, saying, “I like being a resource. I feel I can offer something because I’ve seen a lot.”56

Cuddyer had indeed seen and accomplished much during more than 1,500 major league games over 15 seasons. He finished with a .277 lifetime batting average, 197 home runs, and a career OPS of .805. But the statistics he accumulated and the competition he experienced were not what Cuddyer remembers most about his career. “I remember conversations and relationships,” he said. “I remember walking down city streets, and visiting ballparks. The games were fun and cool, but they weren’t that important to me. I’m not trying to diminish them—I played hard. But those weren’t the most meaningful things to me.”57

Despite his batting title with the Rockies and his World Series appearance with the Mets, Cuddyer will forever be identified with the Twins. Even when he played for other teams, he still noticed fans in the stands wearing his No. 5 Minnesota jersey. When the Twins inducted him into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2017, Cuddyer thanked the club’s fans at the end of his speech, saying, “I’m eternally grateful and I love you all.”58

As it turned out, Minnesota was the only team Cuddyer did not play against during his major league career—fitting for a player who was the team’s heart and soul for so many seasons. He became exactly the kind of leader the club had envisioned when he was in high school. Like other big league teams, the Twins use a 1-8 scale to judge prospects’ playing skills and personal attributes; the Twins had pegged Cuddyer’s makeup as a clear 8. Years later, after he’d stamped his selfless, winning attitude on the team, the Twins came up with a new measurement. Prospects who had super high character weren’t given an 8, they were labeled “Cuddyer-like.”59

It is the measure of the man that others are measured against him.

Last revised: January 26, 2021

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Donna L. Halper and Norman Macht and fact-checked by Chris Rainey.

Notes

1 David Dorsey, “Cuddyer aims for magical career,” Fort Myers News Press, April 23, 1999.

2 Dorsey, “Cuddyer aims for magical career.”

3 Peter Brewington, “Va. Baseball teammates also star in draft,” USA Today, June 17, 1997.

4 Josh Barr, “Big Day for Young Talent; Chesapeake, Va., Shortstop Awaits Word in Baseball Draft,” Washington Post, June 4, 2002.

5 Patrick Reusse, “Twins seek ‘impact guys’ in power-packed draft,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 4, 1997.

6 Brewington, “Va. Baseball teammates also star in draft.”

7 “Stay Cool With The Rock Cats Michael Cuddyer,” Hartford Courant, July 27, 2000.

8 Tom Robinson, “Great Bridge duo drafted within minutes of each other,” Newport News Daily Press, June 9, 2020.

9 Sid Hartman, “Cuddyer shows confidence as the everyday right fielder,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 11, 2007.

10 Dorsey, “Cuddyer aims for magical career.” A 1997 USA Today post-draft summary noted the Cuddyer “was high on the list of a lot of clubs. All thought he could fit at second or third, if not at short. Cuddyer has good right-handed power and good hands.” See “A capsulized look at the first-round picks,” USA Today, June 4, 1997.

11 Joe Christensen, “Pegged from the start,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 10, 2011.

12 Joe Christensen, “Pegged from the start”; Brewington, “Va. Baseball teammates also star in draft.”

13 Christensen, “Pegged from the start.”

14 Christensen, “Pegged from the start.”

15 Reusse, “Twins seek ‘impact guys’ in power-packed draft.”

16 Patrick Reusse, “Twins’ top pick Cuddyer gets $1.85 million bonus,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 20, 1997.

17 Dorsey, “Cuddyer aims for magical career.”

18 Dorsey, “Cuddyer aims for magical career.”

19 Patrick Reusse, “Twins’ Cuddyer gets All-Star call,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 3, 2011.

20 Jim Souhan, “Leather unlimited,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 2, 2004.

21 Dorsey, “Cuddyer aims for magical career.”

22 Jim Luttrell, “Cuddyer Is Back On Track,” New York Times, July 20, 2001.

23 Luttrell, “Cuddyer Is Back On Track.”

24 John Shipley, “Groovin’ — Michael Cuddyer Has A Better Handle On His Role With The Twins, And That Maturity Could Have A Lasting Effect On His Hitting,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 26, 2006.

25 Sid Harman, “Longest-tenured Twin Cuddyer is an All-Star,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 4, 2011.

26 Souhan, “Leather unlimited.”

27 Tim Rohan, “Mets Tap a Former Substitute Teacher to Fill a Void,” New York Times, March 9, 2015.

28 Rohan, “Mets Tap a Former Substitute Teacher to Fill a Void.”

29 Rohan, “Mets Tap a Former Substitute Teacher to Fill a Void.”

30 La Velle E. Neal III, “Cuddyer has joy up his sleeve,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 19, 2006.

31 Shipley, “Groovin’ — Michael Cuddyer Has A Better Handle On His Role With The Twins.”

32 Shipley, “Groovin’ — Michael Cuddyer Has A Better Handle On His Role With The Twins.”

33 Neal III, “Cuddyer has joy up his sleeve.”

34 Charley Walters, “Leyland likes Twins,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 30, 2006.

35 Walters, “Leyland likes Twins,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 30, 2006. See also, Neal III, “Cuddyer has joy up his sleeve.”

36 Walters, “Leyland likes Twins.”.

37 Cuddyer led off the top of the 7th and hit Brian Bannister’s first pitch over the wall, breaking a 1-1 tie. He then came up later in the inning and took Kyle Farnsworth deep with a two-run shot to put the Twins up 9-1.

38 Kelsie Smith, “Modest Cuddyer Recognized,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, September 22, 2009.

39 Sid Hartman, “Smith appreciates Cuddyer’s attitude,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 9, 2010.

40 Hartman, “Smith appreciates Cuddyer’s attitude.”

41 Kelsie Smith, “Twins would lose a lot should veteran Michael Cuddyer become a free agent after this season,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, February 28, 2011.

42 Smith, “Twins would lose a lot should veteran Michael Cuddyer become a free agent after this season.”

43 Brian Murphy, “Twins’ nightmare loss leads to Michael Cuddyer’s dream job: major league pitcher,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 25, 2011.

44 Murphy, “Twins’ nightmare loss leads to Michael Cuddyer’s dream job: major league pitcher.”

45 Reusse, “Twins’ Cuddyer gets All-Star call.”

46 John Shipley, “Twins’ lone all-star, Michael Cuddyer, clearly belongs,” St. Paul Pioneer Press,” July 11, 2011.

47 Joe Christensen, “Extension offered, but Cuddyer waits,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 5, 2011.

48 La Velle E. Neal III, “Cuddyer sees Twins’ decision as all business,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, December 21, 2011.

49 Phil Miller, “His numbers adding up,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 7, 2013.

50 Mark Robertson, “Cuddyer coming to Centene,” Great Falls Tribune, August 7, 2014.

51 Mark Robertson, “Cuddyer in town,” Great Falls Tribune, August 9, 2014.

52 David Borges, “Register MLB Rankings: Angels may slip after Garrett Richards’ injury,” TCA Regional News, August 23, 2014.

53 Jared Diamond, “Cuddyer and the Mets, a Match Made in Flushing,” Wall Street Journal, November 11, 2014.

54 Michael Cuddyer, “Play Hard and Dream Big,” The Players Tribune, December 12, 2015; https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/michael-cuddyer-retirement (last accessed November 18, 2020).

55 Cuddyer, “Play Hard and Dream Big.”

56 Jim Souhan, “Cuddyer enjoying his life as an ex-player,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 24, 2017.

57 Souhan, “Cuddyer enjoying his life as an ex-player.”

58 La Velle E. Neal III, “Tim Melville, not Stephen Gonsalves, will pitch for the Twins in Monday’s doubleheader,” TCA Regional News, August 20, 2017.

59 Christensen, “Pegged from the start.”

“I try to glean wisdom from a game and apply it to my life.”1

His purpose is being a husband, father, competitor, and philanthropist. But it all began when he became a star athlete in high school as a quarterback, shooting guard, and pitcher/shortstop.2

Robert Allen Dickey was born in Nashville on October 29, 1974, to Harry Dickey, a construction worker, and his wife, Leslie, a receptionist.

His athletic talent shined brightly. On June 30, 1993, R.A. tossed a seven-inning perfect game for Nashville’s Montgomery Bell Academy, striking out 14, to improve his record to 8-1. It was his third no-hit game of the season.3 A football and basketball star, in his 1993 senior season he struck out 112 in 60 innings4 and had a 15-3 record for the AAA state championship Big Red.

The accolades continued to pour in: Tennessean All-Metro (twice), All-State, Tennessee Baseball Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player in the AAA tournament.5 Dickey’s success caught the attention of the baseball scouts, and he was drafted by Detroit in the 10th round of the 1993 June Amateur Draft. He passed up the Tigers opportunity to fulfill another dream: to pitch for the University of Tennessee.

College meant taking on a weight-training regimen, something he had never participated in. “I go from 175 pounds to 210 pounds, and my fastball jumps from the 87- to the 89- to the 93- to the 94-miles-per-hour range. I’m still not a prototypical, strike-out-the-side power pitcher, but I can bring enough heat that it makes my breaking pitches and changeup more effective.”6

Travis Copley, a Vols teammate, called Dickey one of the fiercest competitors he ever knew. “He had to win at everything: team basketball, conditioning tests, everything. He did more for me in understanding how to compete, and really had a fierce, built-in bulldog mentality about winning.”7

Dickey’s college career record was 38-10 with a 3.40 ERA; the Volunteers won three SEC baseball titles and made an appearance in the College World Series. He was named Baseball America’s 1994 Freshman of the Year, was All-SEC twice, was a three-time All American, an Academic All-SEC, and Academic All-American.8 He was named to the U.S. national baseball team for the 1996 Olympics, which won a Bronze Medal.

The Texas Rangers made Dickey the 18th player selected in the 1996 amateur draft, and were ready to reward his signing with an $810,000 contract. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-hander would throw out the first ball at a Rangers home game, and the signing was scheduled to happen before the event.

But when the Rangers’ trainer, Danny Wheat, noticed a peculiar position of Dickey’s elbow in a Baseball America cover photo,9 he notified Dr. John Conway, the team orthopedist.10

It was discovered that the pitcher had no ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and doctors were baffled that he could throw at all.11 The Rangers backed off their offer. Surgery was imminent, and Dickey decided to go back to college and play baseball his senior year.

The day before Dickey was to head back to college, the Rangers replaced their offer with one for $75,000 and medical help.12 Dickey accepted it. His journey to the majors would be a long one.

Assigned to Port Charlotte to begin his professional career, in 1997 and 1998, Dickey won only one game in each season, but struck out nearly one batter an inning. Oklahoma City and Tulsa were his destinations for the next two seasons, and in 2001 he was called up to the Rangers.

On April 22, 2001, Dickey made his major-league debut in the top of the ninth inning at Arlington Stadium facing the Oakland third baseman, Mark Bellhorn. A flyout and two popups later, he had played in his first game to aid an 11-2 win over the A’s.

With three relief appearances under his belt, on May 7 Dickey entered a game against the Chicago White Sox with no outs in the top of the first inning. Starting pitcher Darren Oliver had been hit on the thumb by a line drive by leadoff batter Tony Graffanino, and manager Jerry Narron called on Dickey. He allowed six runs in 4⅔ innings and collected his first career loss as Chicago won 7-4 over Texas.

Returned to Oklahoma City, Dickey was 11-7 with a 3.75 ERA for the season, striking out 120 in 163 innings. He began 2003 with Oklahoma but was called up after three appearances, and won a position on the Rangers pitching staff as a long reliever. By July he was in the starting rotation.13

Dickey had begun to throw an unusual forkball he named “the thing.” In truth, it was a hard knuckleball. Former knuckleballer Charlie Hough began to work with him to change his grip.14

In an interview in 2012, Dickey explained Hough’s knuckleball experience: “Charlie Hough told me the first day that I met with him: “It took me one day to learn how to throw a knuckleball and a lifetime to learn how to throw it for strikes.”15

On August 20 at Detroit’s Comerica Park, Dickey pitched his first career shutout, holding the Tigers to six hits and a walk, and moving his record to 8-5. Two days earlier, he had earned his first career save, also against Detroit, retiring Bobby Higginson, Dmitri Young, and Carlos Peña on 11 pitches in the 16th inning.16 The Rangers had scored two runs in the top of the inning, and won the game, 4-2.

By the end of the 2003 season Dickey was 9-8 but his ERA had ballooned to 5.09. In spring training in 2004 he earned a roster spot and made his first start of the new season on April 9 at home against Anaheim. Holding the Angels to six hits in seven innings, he won and allowed no earned runs although the opposition scored three runs in the second inning on two errors by Michael Young and a home run by Adam Kennedy.

On May 2 at Arlington Stadium against the Boston Red Sox, Dickey pitched well for 8⅔ innings before giving way to Francisco Cordero with the bases loaded. The Rangers won 4-1, and Dickey’s record improved to 4-1. In August he was sent to Frisco (Double-A Texas League) and pitched in four games before being recalled to complete the season with the Rangers at 6-7, 5.61.

In May 2005, after spending time on the 15-day disabled list, Dickey was optioned to Oklahoma once again, and was 10-6 before being being recalled again. In four September appearances, he gave up 17 earned runs, winning one and losing one. His velocity was beginning to slow down.

“When Orel [Hershiser] was a pitching coach in 2003 and, you know, there was some real hope for me to become maybe a fourth or fifth starter, a really good swingman, I was low 90s — you know, high 80s, low 90s, and could really change speeds well. But in 2004, 2005, I just started — the velocity started dropping from low 90s to max 88, to max 86. I’d run out of gas as a conventional pitcher [with the Rangers] and was kind of just hanging on, just trying to survive as long as I could before I felt like the inevitable call would come.”17

In the fourth game of the 2006 season, Dickey started against Detroit at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, and lasted 3⅓ innings. After giving up home runs to Brandon Inge and Magglio Ordonez in the first, Chris Shelton in the second, and Shelton (again), Craig Monroe, and Marcus Thames in the third, he was yanked. It was Dickey’s last appearance in a Texas Rangers uniform.

Again he spent the balance of the year at Oklahoma. He was let go on October 11 after going 9-8 with only 61 strikeouts in 131⅔ innings.

On January 10, 2007, Dickey signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and was assigned to Triple-A Nashville. By then he had perfected his knuckleball grip, and his reputation as a solid pitcher returned. With a 13-6 record, he lowered his ERA to 3.72 with 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings. Dickey was named the Pacific Coast League pitcher of the year.

“The Brewers say that they don’t have a roster spot for me but tell me to stay ready in case they need me for the pennant race in September,” he recalled in an autobiography published in 2012. “They are fighting for a divisional title and I am their top minor-league pitcher and they don’t want me. You try not to take it personally, but how can you not?”18

He did not receive a call from the Brewers, and was let go on October 29. A curious chain of events soon occurred.

With hints of an offer to play for the Samsung Lions in the Korean Baseball League, Dickey signed with the Minnesota Twins for $525,000 in November 2007, and on December 6 was drafted by the Seattle Mariners from Minnesota in the Rule 5 draft. On March 29, 2008, he was returned to the Twins by the Mariners, then traded back to the Mariners for Jair Fernandez.

Dickey wondered about plot twists in his baseball life.

“I report to Mariners spring training in Peoria, Arizona, and have one of the best springs of my life. I pitch as both a starter and a reliever. They put me out there in every situation they can. My knuckleball holds up well, and I know it’s dancing because Kenji Johjima, the Mariners catcher, catches about three of every ten knuckleballs I throw,” he said in the 2012 autobiography.19

But disappointment followed, as Dickey failed to make the club and was sent to Triple-A Tacoma. Then he was recalled by the Mariners in mid-April. With Boston due to appear in Seattle at the end of May, he knew Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was on the club.

“He’s the best knuckleballer in the game — and the only full-time one besides me. I get to the park early on Memorial Day afternoon and write a note to Tim, asking if we might get together and talk for a bit…

“Meet me behind the plate in ten minutes, Tim says.”

They talked for 45 minutes, discussing grip, spin, even how he keeps his fingernails.

“Knuckleballers don’t keep secrets.”20

Dickey finished the 2008 season 5-8. He was nontendered on December 9 and a few weeks later, at the age of 34, was signed by the Twins and invited to spring training. He pitched in 35 games (one as starter) for Minnesota before being sent to Rochester, ending the season with five starts for the Red Wings but without a September call-up. Instead, he became a free agent once again before the New York Mets came calling.

On December 21 Dickey signed a minor-league deal with the Mets. When the season began he was with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. On April 29, in a home game against the Durham Bulls, Dickey threw a knuckler to leadoff batter Fernando Perez on an 0-and-2 count. He recalled:

“He gets under it and pops it weakly over second base. It plops in for a single.

“I retire the next twenty-seven hitters in order. A perfect game, with one mulligan.”21

Five weeks into the season, Dickey had a 4-2 record with a much-improved 2.23 ERA, striking out 37 batters in 60⅔ innings and walking only eight. The Mets called him up, and on May 19 in Washington, he started against the Nationals. He pitched six innings, allowing five hits, and gave up two earned runs before giving way to Raul Valdes in relief. Dickey got a no-decision but he was in the major leagues to stay.

On August 13 he held the Phillies to one hit, by pitcher Cole Hamels, in a 5-1 home win. By season’s end he had started 26 games, appearing in relief only once. He finished 11-9 with an ERA of 2.84, seventh-best in the National League.

In 2011 Dickey’s record fell to 8-13 and his ERA climbed to 3.28, but he had134 strikeouts. In his last start of the season, against Philadelphia at Citi Field on September 24, Dickey tossed 6⅓ innings of no-hit ball until Shane Victorino drove a double to left field.

Once the season was over, Dickey prepared for a journey of another kind: Mount Kilimanjaro — to benefit Red Light District Outreach Mumbai, which combats human trafficking in India. He included two friends, Kevin Slowey from the Minnesota Twins and Dave Racaniello, bullpen catcher for the New York Mets organization.

“I always thought it would be a fantastic pilgrimage to hike to the summit,” Dickey said.22

Though the Mets advised Dickey to reconsider the climb, even telling him there would be risk of voiding his $4.25 million contract for 2012 if he were injured.23

Undaunted, he and his friends reached the summit on January 14.

On March 29, 2012, Dickey’s first book, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball (Penguin Press), was published. It includes a descriptive incident when, as an 8-year-old boy, he was sexually assaulted by his babysitter. In another occurrence, the offender was a teenage male.

In terms of Dickey’s baseball success, the 2012 season was memorable. He led the National League with 223⅔ innings pitched, 230 strikeouts, 33 starts, five complete games, and three shutouts. He was 20-6, had a 2.73 ERA, and was named to the National League All-Star team. Selected NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News, he also won the Branch Rickey Award in recognition of his community service. He captured the Cy Young Award as best pitcher in the National League, taking 27 of the 32 first-place votes and finishing with 209 points, well in front of 2011 winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers (96 points).

On December 6, 2012, Dickey was named to receive the Tony Conigliaro Award. The award goes to a player “who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of Tony C.”24 Dickey obtained the recognition for confronting child sexual abuse and prevailing over the lack of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm.25

As successful as 2012 may have been, the Mets finished in fourth place in the N.L. East division again, and on December 17, 2012, Dickey was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

His second book, Throwing Strikes: My Quest for Truth and the Perfect Knuckleball (Penguin Press), was published on March 26, 2013.

Dickey won 14 games while losing 13 for Toronto in 2013, and won the AL Gold Glove Award after leading the league in assists by a pitcher with 40. He duplicated his won-lost record in 2014 as his salary increased from $5 million to $12 million. In 2015 he was 11-11, but his record fell to 10-15 in 2016 as the Blue Jays won the AL East.

The team beat the Texas Rangers three games to two in the Division Series. Dickey started Game Four, allowing five hits and one run in 4⅔ innings as the Blue Jays beat the Rangers, 8-4. In the American League Championship Series he started Game Four and was the losing pitcher in the 14-2 loss to the Royals. He lasted only 1⅔ innings. Beating the Blue Jays in six games, the Royals went on to win the 2015 World Series.

In 2016 Toronto earned a wild-card slot against Baltimore, winning 5-2. The Blue Jays swept the ALDS from Texas, but lost the Championship Series to the Cleveland Indians in five games.

Dickey was not on the active roster for the postseason. Tom Dakers, Toronto blogger for SB Nation, explained why:

“After a crappy April, he was pretty good in the first half. His second half was terrible, and on a team with an embarrassment of riches in the starting pitching department, he was left off the playoff roster.”26

As he pondered retirement, on November 3, 2016, Dickey was granted free agency for the fifth time. Atlanta wasted little time scooping him up: On November 10 he signed a two-year contract with the Braves worth $15,500,000.

Dickey’s life and his faith walk have been committed to the “bulldog” mentality his former Tennessee teammate Travis Copley spoke of.

“You may hit me. You may knock me around and knock balls out of the park.

“But I am always going to get back up and keep coming at you.”27

R.A. and his wife, Anne, have four children and as of 2016 resided in the Nashville area. He was selected to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Last revised: March 1, 2017

Notes

1 Skip Nipper, “The Pride of Nashville: R.A. Dickey,” 262downright.com, January 5, 2014. [Blog post]. Retrieved October 6, 2016, from 262downright.com/2014/01/05/the-pride-of-nashville-r-a-dickey/.

2 R.A. Dickey, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball (New York: Penguin Group, 2012), 65.

3 The Tennessean (Nashville), May 1, 1993: 66.

4 The Tennessean, May 6, 1993: 26.

5 The Tennessean, June 1, 1993: 13.

6 Dickey, Wherever I Wind Up, 80.

7 Telephone interview with R.A. Dickey, December 1, 2016.

8 2015-16 University of Tennessee Baseball Media Guide

9 Ross Newhan, “Case of Missing Ligament Gets Draftee Out of Joint,” Los Angeles Times, August 25, 1996. Retrieved October 9, 2016, from articles.latimes.com/1996-08-25/sports/sp-37663_1_collateral-ligament/.

10 R.A. Dickey, Throwing Strikes: My Quest for Truth and the Perfect Knuckleball (New York: Penguin Group, 2013), 84.

11 Alan Schwarz, “New Twist Keeps Dickey’s Career Afloat,” New York Times, February 27, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2016, from nytimes.com/2008/02/27/sports/baseball/27dickey.html/.

12 Newhan.

13 The Sporting News, August 25, 2003: 46.

14 Schwarz.

15 Tim Kurkjian, “The Knuckleball Experiment,” ESPN.com, December 1, 2012. espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8677078/mets-pitcher-ra-dickey-orel-hershiser-making-knuckleballer-espn-magazine-interview-issue/. Accessed November 2, 2016.

16The Tennessean (box score), August 19, 2003: 18.

17 Kurkjian.

18 Wherever I Wind Up, 230.

19 Wherever I Wind Up, 246.

20 Wherever I Wind Up. 252.

21 Wherever I Wind Up, 283.

22 Jonathan Zeller, “R.A. Dickey on Embracing the Knuckleball and Preparing to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro,” New York Magazine, November 1, 2011. ,nymag.com/daily/sports/2011/11/ra-dickey-on-preparing-to-climb-kilimanjaro.html. Accessed November 1, 2016.

23 Wayne Coffey, “NY Mets Starting Pitcher R.A. Dickey Completes Grueling Journey and Gets to the Top of Mt. Kilimanjaro,” New York Daily News, January 15, 2012. nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mets-starting-pitcher-dickey-completes-grueling-journey-top-mt-kilimanjaro-article-1.1006343. Accessed October 30, 2016.

24 Matt Pepin, “R.A. Dickey wins Tony Conigliaro Award,” Boston.com. December 6, 2012. boston.com/sports/extra-bases/2012/12/06/ra_dickey_wins. Accessed November 27, 2016.

25 http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tony_Conigliaro_Award, accessed November 5, 2016.

26 Tom Dakers, “On R.A. Dickey,” Bluebird Banter.com. October 25, 2016. bluebirdbanter.com/2016/10/25/13406972/on-r-a-dickey. Accessed December 5, 2016.

27 Wherever I Wind Up, 3.