José Meléndez

José Luis Meléndez García was born on September 2, 1965, in Naguabo, a small town on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. The municipality is famous for its empanadillas de chapín, a tasty fried turnover stuffed with cowfish. Blessed with a powerful right arm, Meléndez was destined to toil not as a fisherman, but rather on the pitching mound. He became the first naguabeño to reach the majors, paving the way for Edwin “Sugar” Díaz  and Martín “Machete” Maldonado. Meléndez appeared in 109 games in five fractional years in the major leagues (1990-94) with the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox.

Not much information is available about his family background and youth. He had not reached 18 years when he was among 30 young players selected for the Puerto Rican National Youth Baseball Team, alongside fellow future major leaguers Mike Pérez, Juan Nieves, Joey Cora, Luis Alicea, and Rubén Sierra. The squad competed in the 12th World Youth Baseball Tournament in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, in the fall of 1982.1 Meléndez pitched in relief and picked up the win on September 29 against Honduras.2

Soon after graduating from high school, Meléndez signed as an amateur free agent on August 29, 1983, with the Pittsburgh Pirates, a franchise synonymous with Puerto Rican hero Roberto Clemente. At the time, Puerto Ricans were not subject to the amateur draft, and thus could sign in the open market. Pablo Neftalí Cruz, a former minor-league player and Caribbean scout, connected the parties.

Barely two weeks later, Meléndez was selected by the Criollos (Creoles) of Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League (PRWL3) during its amateur draft.4 The Pirates agreed to his participation in the PRWL, a rite he would maintain for more than a decade.

The wiry right-hander, who would grow to 6-feet-2 and 175 pounds, was assigned to the Watertown Pirates of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League. In 15 appearances in 1984, all starts, he won five games and lost seven. However, he posted a 2.77 ERA and exhibited good control (1.11 WHIP).

Meléndez spent the next two years in the Class A Carolina League with the Prince William (Virginia) Pirates. Although he appeared in only nine games in 1985 (3-2, 2.44), he demonstrated his potential in 1986 with 186⅓ innings pitched, a 2.61 ERA, 146 strikeouts, 13 wins, a 1.19 WHIP (second in the league), six complete games (fifth), and 27 games started (fourth).

Baseball America named Meléndez the sixth-best prospect in the Pittsburgh organization before the 1987 season.5 He remained in the Carolina League but was with the Salem Buccaneers as the minor-league clubs switched affiliations. He started 20 games (4.56 ERA in 116⅓ innings), though he often lost focus on the mound. After Meléndez’s superb two-hit, one-walk, three-strikeout complete game on June 27, manager Steve Demeter noted, “The thing with José is he has to throw strikes to be effective. He’s been struggling with his control, but he got the ball over the plate tonight. And the thing is, he’s never had control problems in the past. It’s just been this year.”6

Later in the season, Meléndez was promoted to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators but allowed 24 runs in 18⅓ innings (1-3, 10.80 ERA).

Meléndez began 1988 with Salem (4-2, 4.02 ERA in eight starts) but soon returned to Harrisburg. There he mainly came out of the bullpen and pitched admirably (2.27 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 71⅓ innings, 5-3 with one save and two shutouts). The shuffling between the starting rotation and the bullpen formed a pattern that would continue into his big-league career. On December 6, 1988, after Meléndez had spent five full seasons in the Pittsburgh organization without reaching the majors, Seattle selected him in the Rule 5 draft.

Compared with his glacial progression in the Pirates’ farm system, Meléndez took an express elevator in 1989. He remained in the Double-A Eastern League, with the Williamsport (Pennsylvania) Bills, and started 11 games. His pedestrian 3-4 record hid a strong 2.45 ERA in 73⅓ innings, and the organization promoted him to the Calgary Cannons of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. In 17 games (a pair of starts and 15 relief appearances), he struggled and posted a 5.75 ERA.

Meléndez’s reliability out of the bullpen improved in 1990. He pitched in 45 games (10 starts), lowered his ERA to 3.90 (second-best on the Calgary pitching staff and ninth-best in the PCL), and was rewarded with a late-season call-up to Seattle once the rosters expanded.

Meléndez debuted on September 11, 1990, against Oakland. The Athletics were on their way to a third consecutive World Series appearance while the Mariners franchise, in business since 1977, was still seeking its first winning season. Meléndez took the mound in the ninth inning with Seattle down 10-2. He induced a Jamie Quirk fly ball, walked Dann Howitt, and allowed a single to Lance Blankenship. Meléndez settled down and got Darren Lewis to fly out to center field. For the final out, he retired Willie McGee on a groundball to second base.

Six days later, he gave up two runs in 2⅓ innings against the Texas Rangers. On September 22 he allowed six runs (five earned) in two frames against the Chicago White Sox. He ended the season with an 11.81 ERA in 5⅓ innings.

The Mariners could not find a spot in their 1991 staff for Meléndez. Given his minor-league service, the alert San Diego Padres claimed him on waivers on March 26. By then he was familiar with disappointment. “I really felt bad when I played in Triple-A,” said Meléndez the following May. “I was waiting and waiting, winning and winning. And I don’t go to the big leagues.”7 Padres GM Joe McIlvaine saw potential in Meléndez and noted, “His three options were used up, so the Mariners had to put him on irrevocable waivers. All of the American League clubs passed on him, but we had good reports on him, so we claimed him.”8

The change of scenery proved helpful; plus, Meléndez was paired with a fellow Puerto Rican native, Benito Santiago, the team’s catcher. The team valued Meléndez’s versatility, though the pitcher confessed to liking starting better. “I like to get myself ready to pitch for one day. Every five days, you pitch. … If they need me to start, I’ll start. No problem. But I’m doing good in the bullpen.”9

Meléndez was one of the last players sent to Triple-A Las Vegas before the 1991 season. After a 7-0 start he was called up and inserted into the rotation after Ed Whitson developed right elbow tendinitis. He won his first major-league start on May 31 against the visiting Houston Astros, tossing eight solid innings (two hits, two walks, one strikeout, two runs, one earned) before Craig Lefferts shakily closed the game for his 11th save.10 Astros coach Ed Ott, who had coached Meléndez in the minor leagues, noted, “He’s learning how to pitch. I was impressed by his outing tonight. He kept us off balance.”11

Meléndez made five other starts in June (three of which were quality starts), winning two and losing three. Despite being moved to the bullpen to address the club’s needs, he said, “I feel comfortable here. … I hope I can stay here the whole year.”12

He did so, pitching in 31 games (nine starts) and posting a 3.27 ERA in a career-high 93⅔ innings. He won eight games and lost five, saved three, and tossed 18⅔ consecutive shutout innings in the middle of the season.

Despite his strong performance, or perhaps because of it, Meléndez’s name was linked to many trade rumors in the offseason, including a multiple-player deal involving Reds center fielder Eric Davis, whose string of five fine seasons had been snapped by injury in 1991.13 The Padres balked at including Meléndez in a Davis-centered package that included Thomas Howard and Bip Roberts.14 San Diego later offered Meléndez and fellow Puerto Rican hurler Ricky Bones to Boston for Ellis Burks, but the Red Sox declined the deal.15

Meléndez began the 1992 campaign in the mix for the fifth starting spot, but the Padres shifted him to a relief role.16 He threw a perfect relief inning on April 11 to become the majors’ first three-game winner. Meléndez was self-confident in a postgame interview: “This is my lucky month. I believe all of the time that I can win. You have to be a little lucky, too, when you come from the bullpen, throw one inning and win.”17

By mid-June Meléndez had appeared in 24 games with a 0.98 ERA and five wins coming out of the bullpen.18 Although he did not pitch in a June 18 Padres-Giants game, he found his way into the records as one of the four players ejected in a bench-clearing brawl. Manager Greg Riddoch sang his praises to the Los Angeles Times, saying, “He’s awesome. He can start, long-relieve, middle-relieve, be the set-up man, go short if we had to. … That’s what makes him so good. He’s so versatile.”19 Earlier in the season Riddoch had comically referred to Meléndez as “the eye, ear, nose and throat guy” given his versatility.20 Although Meléndez’s three starts were atrocious (14⅔ innings, 14 earned runs, 20 hits, 3 losses), he was dominant out of the bullpen (53 games, 1.81 ERA, 74⅔ innings, 1.071 WHIP).

On December 9, 1992, the Padres traded Meléndez to Boston for outfielder Phil Plantier. Plantier, a New England native, had sizzled in a 53-game audition for the Red Sox in 1991 (1.034 OPS), but fizzled in a starting role in 1992 (.694 OPS). The Red Sox acquired veterans Scott Fletcher, Andre Dawson, and Iván Calderón in the busy offseason. Reviews of the club’s activity were kind: “Boston greatly improved its bullpen depth with the addition of Scott Bankhead and José Meléndez.”21 Red Sox GM Lou Gorman crowed, “Our people feel that José Meléndez is one  of the best middle relief pitchers in the National League.”22 The trade was expected, given San Diego’s desire to shed salary. (An article in Sports Illustrated was appropriately headlined “Penny Pinchin’ Padres.”23

Meléndez expected to make the Red Sox’ Opening Day roster, but an errant swing by Iván Calderón in the clubhouse injured the pitcher’s right thumb. Meléndez appeared snakebitten; earlier in the spring, a batting practice line-drive by John Marzano had struck his wrist. His six-week disabled-list stint proved to be a blessing in disguise, as his spring numbers (14 walks in 12 innings) had caused concern among the Red Sox brass. After a 13-pitch, one-strike appearance against the Twins on March 30, Gorman expressed his concern: “Meléndez is a mystery right now. I talked to Dan Duquette, the Expos GM … and he said: ‘Lou, this guy never walks anybody.’ I don’t know if it’s his mechanics or what.”24 Meléndez himself was at a loss: “This is the first time I’ve had it that bad. That’s not me.”25

Meléndez debuted on May 29. He pitched a perfect ninth inning in a 15-1 rout of the Texas Rangers. He pitched again the next day, tossing the last 2⅓ frames of a 12-inning affair. He faced 10 batters and allowed three baserunners (one walk, two hits) to pick up the win.

Pitching coach Rich Gale had sought the counsel of Meléndez’s prior pitching coach, Mike Roarke, to help the struggling reliever with his control. A slight correction – aided by using a similar-sounding Spanish word – helped Meléndez: “It was a matter of keeping the ball down and throwing the slider. Now I’m completing the pitching motion well.”26

Meléndez pitched in seven games in June. He allowed four runs in 12⅔ innings pitched in June. He picked up his second win of the year against Detroit on June 26. His worst performance was against the White Sox on June 6: He allowed a two-run blast to Ron Karkovice and was charged with both a blown save and a loss. A pinched nerve landed him on the disabled list on June 27 and altered Boston’s trade plans. Both Cincinnati and Kansas City were rumored to be interested in Meléndez.27

For the entire season, Meléndez logged 35 innings for Triple-A Pawtucket (2-3 with 2 saves, 5.40 ERA) and a solid 16 frames (2-1, 2.25 ERA) for Boston. Meanwhile, Plantier hit a career-high 34 home runs for the Padres to bring further scrutiny to the ill-fated trade.

The Red Sox offered Meléndez his same $235,000 salary for 1994, while his agent sought $380,000.28 By late January, the parties agreed to a $295,000 one-year deal.29

The strike-shortened 1994 season was Meléndez’s swan song in the major leagues. He began with Pawtucket (73⅔ innings, 4.89 ERA, 1-5 with 4 saves). As the season progressed and the Red Sox bullpen struggled, he was rumored to be called up. Manager Butch Hobson noted in early June, “It’s surprising how much better Meléndez has thrown the ball since we dropped him off the 40-man roster.”30 The pitcher understood he had to prove himself to the Boston faithful: ‘I want to play here. I got traded for a guy who’s done a lot of things for that team. … I want to show people in Boston what I can do. … I was hurt last year and that was not my fault. It could happen to anybody. This year, I feel I’m back, pretty good. I feel now I can throw like before and be the same guy I was in ’91 and ’92.”31

Boston recalled Meléndez in July; his first appearance (on the 16th) was brief, as he hit Rickey Henderson with a pitch and was ejected by umpire Dan Morrison.32 The Athletics felt it was intentional. The Boston bench begged to differ, noting that the “pitch was a 74 mph slider and … Henderson had plenty of time to get out of the way.”33

Meléndez pitched in four more July games for the Red Sox and was ineffective (8⅓ innings, 9 earned runs) before a solid August (five games, two earned runs in eight frames). He was released after the season, given his 6.06 ERA in 10 games.

In April 1995 Meléndez signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, who assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. With the Red Barons, he appeared in two games, allowed six hits and four runs (two earned), and walked a pair of hitters. His next stop was the Kansas City Royals organization. In 35 innings for Triple-A Omaha, he struck out 30, walked 14, and allowed 19 earned runs (4.89 ERA), posting a 3-4 record. That was not enough to prompt a call-up by the Royals.

The New York Yankees signed Meléndez to a minor-league contract in 1996. He pitched 9⅔ innings for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, allowed 10 runs (seven earned), and was released. That brought his Stateside career to a close, though he also played for the Leones (Lions) of Yucatán in the Triple-A Mexican League in 1996 and 1997. He also hung on for one more season in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

Meléndez played in the PRWL for 13 years (from 1983-1984 to 1996-1997, except the 1992-1993 season). He pitched 129 games, posting a 35-30 won-lost record. In 582⅔ innings, he struck out 345 batters, walked 161, and registered a 3.88 ERA. Eight of his campaigns were with Caguas, four with the Arecibo Lobos, and one split between Caguas and the Santurce Cangrejeros. His teams won two league championships (1986-1987 and 1995-1996). He was instrumental in the Lobos’ 1996 Caribbean Series crown with a masterful eight-inning, two-hit, eight-strikeout win over Venezuela.

In parts of five major-league campaigns, Meléndez won 16 games, lost 14, and saved 3. On the surface, his 3.47 ERA and 1.16 WHIP appear deserving of a few more years in the big leagues. Although he possessed good control (172 strikeouts to 60 walks in 220⅔ innings pitched), he was prone to allowing the long ball (27 career home runs allowed, 1.1 per nine innings) and he permitted 43 percent of inherited runners to score. His groundout to fly out ratio was 0.59, significantly below the league average of 1.06.

Hall of Famers Eddie Murray (2-for-6), Ryne Sandberg (6-for-14), Dawson (6-for-11), Ozzie Smith (5-for-10), and Jeff Bagwell (3-for-9) hit Meléndez well. (Also notable is the 2-for-5 mark of good-hitting Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, whose first career home run was off Meléndez.) He handcuffed noted sluggers Matt Williams (0-for-7) and Paul O’Neill (1-for-10).

Little is known about Meléndez’s post-professional life, though he is thought to reside in Nebraska. He and his wife, Michelle Monica Campbell, had three children, Wesley, Taichajomaris, and Paola.

Last revised: August 18, 2024

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and Len Levin and fact-checked by Ray Danner.

Photo credit: José Meléndez, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Retrosheet.org.

Notes

1 Roberto Agrinzoni, “Béisbol Juvenil Buscando Talento,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, August 28, 1982: 25.

2 “Juveniles PR ganan en torneo béisbol,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, September 30, 1982: 68.

3 The league was renamed the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente before the 2012-2013 season.

4 Luis Romero Cuevas, “Equipos escogen a 30 novatos,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, September 12, 1983: 21.

5 “1987 Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects,” https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/prospects_team_year/1987~23~BA/.

6 Tim Hall, “Salem Hurler Stifles L-Mets on Two-Hitter,” Lynchburg (Virginia) News and Daily Advance, June 28, 1987: 37.

7 Scott Miller, “It’s a Hot Spring for Melendez,” Los Angeles Times, May 5, 1992, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-05-sp-1266-story.html.

8 Bob Wolf, “Meléndez Sails Past Chicago,” Los Angeles Times, June 17, 1991.

9 Miller, “It’s a Hot Spring for Melendez.”

10 “Baseball: NL West,” The Sporting News, June 10, 1991: 16.

11 “Padres Edge Astros,5-4,” Kerrville (Texas) Daily Times, June 2, 1991: 3B.

12 Wolf, “Meléndez Sails Past Chicago.”

13 Bob Nightengale, “Undaunted Davis Unlikely to Return to Reds,” The Sporting News, November 18, 1991: 38.

14 “Baseball: NL West,” The Sporting News, December 9, 1991: 34.

15 “Baseball: NL West,” The Sporting News, December 23, 1991: 29.

16 “Baseball: NL West,” The Sporting News, June 8, 1992: 24.

17 “Padres Defeat Dodgers,” Oxnard (California) Press-Courier, April 12, 1992: 23.

18 “Baseball: NL West,” The Sporting News, June 29, 1992: 21.

19 Scott Miller, “It’s a Hot Spring for Melendez.”

20 “Kaleidoscope,” San Bernardino (California) Sun, April 13, 1992: C2.

21 Peter Pascarelli, “Shop Till They Drop,” The Sporting News, January 11, 1993: 27.

22 Seth Livingstone, “Gorman’s Work at Reshaping Sox Not Yet Done,” Nashua (New Hampshire) Telegraph, December 11, 1992: 13.

23 Tim Kurkjian, “Penny Pinchin’ Padres,” Sports Illustrated, March 29, 1993.

24 Seth Livingstone, “Roger, Frank, then Clank, Clank, Clank? Sox Hope Not,” Nashua Telegraph, April 4, 1993: C5.

25 “Twins, Knoblauch Subdue Sox, 9-4,” Lewiston (Maine) Sun Journal, March 31, 1993: 27.

26 “Un cambio de palabra hizo recuperar el control al boricua José Meléndez,” (A Word Choice Helped Boricua José Meléndez Recover His Control) La Opinión (Los Angeles), June 4, 1993: 4B.

27 “Baseball: AL East,” The Sporting News, July 12, 1993: 21.

28 “American League,” The Sporting News, January 31, 1994: 36.

29 “Baseball Notes,” North Hills (Pennsylvania) News Record, January 29, 1994: B6.

30 Steven Krasner, “For Sox, Pitching Woes Continue,” Nashua Telegraph, June 7, 1994: 33.

31 Seth Livingstone, “Hawk Next to Go?” Nashua Telegraph, July 16, 1994: 19.

32  “American League,” The Sporting News, July 25, 1994: 28.

33 Sean McAdam, “LaRussa Blasts Sox for Knockdowns,” Nashua Telegraph, July 18, 1994: 15.