Aquilino Lopez
Encyclopedia
Aquilino López Roa is a starting pitcher
for the Kia Tigers
of the Korean Baseball Organization
. He bats and throws right-handed.
on July 3, 1997 and made his Major League debut on April 2, 2003 after being signed by the Toronto Blue Jays
on December 16, 2002 as a Rule 5 draft
ee. He made 72 appearances in 2003 for the Blue Jays, posting a 3.42 ERA over 73 2/3 innings.
In 2004, Lopez was still in Toronto where he pitched only 21 innings in 18 appearances. Since then, he was involved with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and the Philadelphia Phillies
organizations, mostly as a Minor League
player until he signed a minor-league contract with the Detroit Tigers before the 2007 season. He has since been called up to and sent down from the major league team several times.
In 2008, after spending most of the season with the Tigers, Lopez was sent down to Toledo when Fernando Rodney
was activated from the disabled list
. Lopez was called up to Detroit July 2 when Zach Miner
was sent to Toledo. Although his ERA on the season was a comparatively low 3.55, he allowed 50.9% of inherited runners to score, the second-highest in the American League. Lopez became a free agent after the 2008 season when the Tigers declined to offer arbitration.
Lopez was signed by the Kia Tigers
of the Korea Baseball Organization
on January 14, . In the 2009 KBO season, he went 14-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 129 strikeouts, leading the league in win
s and innings pitched
(190.1). Lopez won Game 1 and Game 5 of the 2009 Korean Series
and recorded two outs in the eighth inning of the seventh game, which Kia won on a walk-off home run in the ninth. The Game 5 win was a complete game shutout. On December 11, 2009, it was announced that Lopez was awarded the KBO Golden Glove Award for pitcher.
, a 79-81 MPH slider
, an 83-85 MPH changeup
, a 78-79 MPH curveball
, and an occasional 84-86 MPH splitter
.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the Kia Tigers
Kia Tigers
Kia Tigers Professional Baseball Club is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. The Tigers are a member team of the Korean Baseball Organization and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0...
of the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Professional career
Lopez was first signed by the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on July 3, 1997 and made his Major League debut on April 2, 2003 after being signed by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on December 16, 2002 as a Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
ee. He made 72 appearances in 2003 for the Blue Jays, posting a 3.42 ERA over 73 2/3 innings.
In 2004, Lopez was still in Toronto where he pitched only 21 innings in 18 appearances. Since then, he was involved with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organizations, mostly as a Minor League
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
player until he signed a minor-league contract with the Detroit Tigers before the 2007 season. He has since been called up to and sent down from the major league team several times.
In 2008, after spending most of the season with the Tigers, Lopez was sent down to Toledo when Fernando Rodney
Fernando Rodney
Fernando Rodney is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Rodney throws a fastball in the mid to upper-90 miles per hour and a changeup in the low 80s.-Minor leagues:...
was activated from the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. Lopez was called up to Detroit July 2 when Zach Miner
Zach Miner
Zachary Charles Miner is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently in the Kansas City Royals organization. He bats and throws right-handed.-Atlanta Braves:...
was sent to Toledo. Although his ERA on the season was a comparatively low 3.55, he allowed 50.9% of inherited runners to score, the second-highest in the American League. Lopez became a free agent after the 2008 season when the Tigers declined to offer arbitration.
Lopez was signed by the Kia Tigers
Kia Tigers
Kia Tigers Professional Baseball Club is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. The Tigers are a member team of the Korean Baseball Organization and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0...
of the Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
on January 14, . In the 2009 KBO season, he went 14-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 129 strikeouts, leading the league in win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
s and innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
(190.1). Lopez won Game 1 and Game 5 of the 2009 Korean Series
2009 Korean Series
The 2009 Korean Series was the 27th edition of Korea Baseball Organization's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff is played between the KIA Tigers and the SK Wyverns...
and recorded two outs in the eighth inning of the seventh game, which Kia won on a walk-off home run in the ninth. The Game 5 win was a complete game shutout. On December 11, 2009, it was announced that Lopez was awarded the KBO Golden Glove Award for pitcher.
Achievements
- 2009 Most Wins title (KBOKorea Baseball OrganizationThe Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
) - 2009 Most Innings Pitched leader (KBOKorea Baseball OrganizationThe Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
) - 2009 Golden Glove Award (Pitcher) (KBOKorea Baseball OrganizationThe Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
)
Pitching style
Lopez throws an 89-91 MPH four-seam fastballFour-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
, a 79-81 MPH slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
, an 83-85 MPH changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
, a 78-79 MPH curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, and an occasional 84-86 MPH splitter
Split-finger fastball
A split-finger fastball or splitter is a pitch in baseball. It is named after the technique of putting the index and middle finger on different sides of the ball, or "splitting" them. When thrown hard, it appears to be a fastball to the batter, but suddenly "drops off the table" towards home...
.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from the KBO official website