Javier Vázquez
Encyclopedia
Javier Carlos Vázquez is a Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
. Previously, he pitched for the Florida Marlins
, Atlanta Braves
, Chicago White Sox
(-), Arizona Diamondbacks
, New York Yankees
and Montreal Expos
(-). Vázquez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico
. He is the active career leader in strikeouts and twenty-ninth all time.
in the amateur draft. The same year, he began his professional career with the Montreal Expos's Rookie ball club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the GCL Expos
. He struck out 56, walking 15, in a team leading 67 innings pitched. In 1995 he was promoted to the class A Albany Polecats
where in 102 innings he struck out 87 but also walking 47. In 1996 with class A Delmarva Shorebirds
he pitched 164.1 with a team leading 173 strikeouts and 57 walks. The following year he started with high A ball, West Palm Beach Expos
, striking out 100 and walking 28 in 112 innings, before moving up to Class AA Harrisburg Senators
where he struck out 47 and walked 12 in 42 innings.
debut for the Expos on April 3, 1998 pitching five innings in the loss. He picked up his first win May 26 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He finished his rookie seasons starting 32 games, pitching 172 innings and striking out 139 batters.
In , as part of a young Expos rotation of “twentysomething," "tall," "power" pitchers Vázquez started the season as the team's number three pitcher but, after being sent back to the minor leagues would miss a month and a half of the major league season. He finished the year with 26 starts, including his first career shut out September 14 against the Dodgers, 154 innings and 131 strikeouts causing ESPN to write that he had "turn[ed] the corner ... dramatically." He was the losing pitcher when David Cone
, of the New York Yankees
, pitched a perfect game against the Expos on July 18, 1999.
In , Vázquez had become the opening day start of the Expos. He was thought of as a promising young pitcher and pitched the team's opening game on April 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, striking out five batters in seven innings in an Expos win. The Expos would win his following three starts and eight of his first eleven leaving the Expos at 27-23 on June 1. In the wake of injuries to pitchers Matt Blank
, Mike Thurman
and Hideki Irabu
, Vázquez's 2.79 ERA, good for fourth-best in the NL, was noted as a key part to their success. After a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles
and a win against the New York Yankees
the Expos were at 31-23, 2nd behind the Atlanta Braves
in the NL East, 3rd in the entire National League
. His June sixth start, under pressure, Vázquez struck out 7 batters in 6 innings but he also walked four and gave up a homerun to Bernie Williams
, the Expos lost and would go on to lose seven of their next nine leaving them at 33-31, eighth in the National League. The Expos would finish 67-95 and Vázquez would pitch 217 innings, striking out 196 while only walking 61. He was invited to play in the 2000 Japanese All-Star Series 2000.
By , Vázquez had become the ace of the Expos pitching staff thought of as a "bright young star and an All-Star for years to come." On April second he opened the season in Chicago, pitching five innings, striking out five but walking three against the Cubs. The Expos won a close game five to four. He pitched better the following start, the home opener at Olympic Stadium
striking out nine without issuing any walks in seven innings and would finish the season with 223 innings pitched, 208 strikeouts, while only walking 44.
In , Vázquez pitched a then career high 230 innings striking out 179 batters while walking 49. Despite this he lost his arbitration case following the season and was awarded $6 million rather than his requested $7.15 million.
In , Vázquez pitched 230 innings striking out a then career high 241 batters while walking 57. Regarded as one of the leagues top pitchers he signaled to then GM Omar Minaya
that he might not resign with the Expos, a team then threatened with contraction. Later when asked by the New York Times about his experience in Montreal that year he said it was tough "being over there having no owner. If you needed somebody the last couple years when we were in the hunt, especially last year, we couldn't get a player we needed." The article went on to note that for financial reasons the Expos not only couldn't "obtain players from other teams who might have helped the Expos stay in the wild-card race, but the Expos also weren't allowed to call up players from the minor leagues."
acquired Vázquez from the Expos in exchange for Nick Johnson
, Juan Rivera
and Randy Choate
. He agreed to a four-year deal through the season. Entering the season The Hardball Times
predicted him as their "consensus pick for the Cy Young".
Following a strong start to the season he was named a 2004 all-star.
in the 2004 American League Championship Series
, the Yankees sent Vázquez, Brad Halsey
, and Dioner Navarro
, to the Arizona Diamondbacks
in exchange for Randy Johnson
on January 11, 2005. Johnson, then a 10 time all-star, had won the National League Cy Young award
each year from 1999–2002 and had finished in second place in Cy Young voting that year (striking out a league high 290 batters with only 44 walks in 245 innings.)
Arizona's opening day starter, Vázquez struck out two without walking anyone in a shortened one inning start. In 33 starts overall, he struck out 192 and walked 46 in 215 innings. In the month of May he pitched 46 innings, without walking a single batter. The stretch was broken at 54 innings in the 5th inning of a June ninth start against Minnesota.
After pitching the 2005 season with Arizona, Vázquez formally requested a trade from the team, asking for a location which was "easier for his family in Puerto Rico
to visit."
On December 20, 2005, Vázquez was traded to the Chicago White Sox for Orlando Hernández
, Luis Vizcaino
, and Chris Young. During the 2007 season he struck out 213 and walked 50 in 216 innings pitched.
Vázquez agreed to play for the Puerto Rico Team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
, joining fellow Puerto Rican players Carlos Delgado
, Carlos Beltran
, Bernie Williams
, amongst others representing the island in a team managed by St. Louis Cardinals
third base coach Jose Oquendo
.
In the 2007 season, Vázquez exceeding the two hundred strikeouts mark marked the third time he had done this in his career with the other two occasions being in and 2003. This season was the seventh season in his career where he had thrown at least two hundred innings. The only season that he was not able to work this quantity of innings was in 2004 when Joe Torre
, then manager of the New York Yankees
decided to jump some turns in the team's rotation. Vázquez culminated that year with 198 thrown innings. When asked about Javier's performance during the season in an interview, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén
noted that Vázquez had been throwing well for some time but the team had not been able to capitalize on this until it was too late in the season, specifically referring to the team's performance during the summer.
, to the Atlanta Braves
for minor league catcher Tyler Flowers
, shortstop Brent Lillibridge
, third baseman Jon Gilmore and pitcher Santos Rodriguez. With the Braves in 2009, Vázquez had what was perhaps his most successful season with 238 strikeouts and 44 walks in 219 innings. He also led the majors in sacrifice hits, with 20.
Vázquez came in fourth place in the voting for the 2009 NL Cy Young Award
.
re-acquired Vázquez, this time from the Braves with LHP Boone Logan
, in exchange for OF Melky Cabrera
, LHP Mike Dunn
and pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino
. At this time he was thought of as "one of the top starters in all of baseball" after what was thought of as being one of the best if not the best statistical seasons by a pitcher in 2009.
On July 21, 2010 he became the third active pitcher to beat all 30 MLB teams along with Barry Zito
and Jamie Moyer
. After struggling in August, the Yankees temporarily demoted Vázquez to the bullpen.
In his final appearance of the season, Vázquez came in in relief against the Rays and proceeded to hit
three batters in a row (tying a big-league record), while the Rays went on to score two runs on no hits. The Yankees did not place Vázquez on the postseason roster for their division series against the Twins, or for the ALCS against the Rangers.
. The deal was finalized on December 2. He began the season by going 3-6 with a 7.09 ERA through his first 13 games. After that, he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA the rest of the way, finishing the season with a complete game.
He made his first start for the Florida Marlins April 3 against the New York Mets striking out one in a shortened two inning start. His first interleague start against Florida rival Tampa Bay he struck out seven batters in seven innings while walking two in a five to three win in what was called his "best start of the year." Following this start he continued to pitch well, striking out 20 and walking 5 (one intentional) in 19.2 innings in games at Los Angeles, Arizona and Florida. In the end of the season Vazquez had a 29 scoreless inning streak, the longest in Marlins history, during which he struck out 28 batters while only walking 4.
" that has, according to FanGraphs
, overall averaged 91 mph according to Josh Kalk of The Hardball Times
was "over 93 mph on average" in his peak. Kalk considers this particularly impressive considering his arm angle noting that "normally pitchers who have a very low release point sacrifice speed and vertical movement for horizontal movement." Kalk goes on to note that Vazquez's fastball averages nine inches of vertical movement "thanks to an exceptionally high spin rate on his fastball."
He also throws a "tight" slider which has averaged 83 mph and "a big breaking curve-ball" which has averaged 74 mph. His curveball
is thought to be especially difficult to hit, in 2004 Sandy Alomar Jr. called it the "best breaking ball I've seen; Bert Blyleven
doesn't throw it better [...] you don't know where it's going to land. He changes speeds with the breaking ball. He throws it hard. He throws it at you. He knows how to set you up." Kalk calls it a "slurvy curve with huge horizontal movement and little vertical drop" noting that he "can add and subtract from a pitch that can like anything from one of his better sliders to a 65 mph beast with massive horizontal and vertical movement." Poet Carson Cistulli
once wrote that "Javier Vazquez's curvepiece makes me a Better Man"
He features two types of changeup
s "one that darts like a cutter
and one that resembles a screwball
". Kalk notes an 11 mph difference between his fastball and changeup, FanGraphs a 10.5 mph average for his career (90.9 mph compared to 80.4 mph).
writes in his piece "Javier Vazquez’s Fastball Is Probably Not Coming Back" that beginning in 2010 Vazquez's fastball dropped from 91 mph to 89 mph and that "given his career workload, I wouldn’t bet on Vazquez’s fastball ever coming back." In May, 2011 the Miami Herald noted that while Vazquez's velocity had been down "now it is registering in the low 90s. When one fastball snapped his glove Friday, Buck said he glanced up at the reading on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard and saw 94." In June, 2011 Joe Frisaro confirmed that his velocity has "increased" and that Vazquez's fastball was topping out "at a season-high 94 mph".
This was statistically confirmed in September by Eric Seidman: "from June 11 until now, Vazquez threw his fastball 53 percent of the time, and the pitch averaged 91.1 mph, right in line with his career".
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. Previously, he pitched for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(-), Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(-). Vázquez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. He is the active career leader in strikeouts and twenty-ninth all time.
Personal life
Vázquez is married to Kamille Vázquez. They have three children: Kamila, Javier Josué, and Kariana. Vázquez claims that he dislikes being the center of attention outside of the playing field and describes himself as a 'house man' spending his free time with his children. Vázquez is also interested in art pieces especially the ones that are produced by Puerto Rican artists and he possesses paintings by Wichie Torres and Iván Rosario. He is a wine aficionado and is educating himself about the different classes of wine in order to begin a private collection. Vázquez has also expressed that he has always been interested in charity work, this interest was fueled by his parents as he states that a Christian upbringing and their support when he began practicing sports were part of this influence.Minor Leagues
Vázquez was a 5th round draft pick of the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the amateur draft. The same year, he began his professional career with the Montreal Expos's Rookie ball club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the GCL Expos
GCL Expos
The GCL Expos was a Gulf Coast League baseball team that was based in multiple cities throughout its history: Sarasota, Florida, USA , Bradenton, Florida , West Palm Beach, Florida , Jupiter, Florida and Melbourne, Florida...
. He struck out 56, walking 15, in a team leading 67 innings pitched. In 1995 he was promoted to the class A Albany Polecats
Albany Polecats
The Albany Polecats were a minor league baseball team in Albany, Georgia. They were a low-A class team that played in the South Atlantic League, and were a farm team of both the Montreal Expos and the Baltimore Orioles during the franchise's tenure in Albany. They played all of their home games...
where in 102 innings he struck out 87 but also walking 47. In 1996 with class A Delmarva Shorebirds
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...
he pitched 164.1 with a team leading 173 strikeouts and 57 walks. The following year he started with high A ball, West Palm Beach Expos
West Palm Beach Expos
The West Palm Beach Expos were a Florida State League minor league baseball team that existed from 1969 to 1997. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, they were affiliated with the Montreal Expos and they played their home games at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium. They were one of the longest...
, striking out 100 and walking 28 in 112 innings, before moving up to Class AA Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
where he struck out 47 and walked 12 in 42 innings.
Montreal Expos
Vázquez made his Major LeagueMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
debut for the Expos on April 3, 1998 pitching five innings in the loss. He picked up his first win May 26 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He finished his rookie seasons starting 32 games, pitching 172 innings and striking out 139 batters.
In , as part of a young Expos rotation of “twentysomething," "tall," "power" pitchers Vázquez started the season as the team's number three pitcher but, after being sent back to the minor leagues would miss a month and a half of the major league season. He finished the year with 26 starts, including his first career shut out September 14 against the Dodgers, 154 innings and 131 strikeouts causing ESPN to write that he had "turn[ed] the corner ... dramatically." He was the losing pitcher when David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
, of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, pitched a perfect game against the Expos on July 18, 1999.
In , Vázquez had become the opening day start of the Expos. He was thought of as a promising young pitcher and pitched the team's opening game on April 5 against 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...
, striking out five batters in seven innings in an Expos win. The Expos would win his following three starts and eight of his first eleven leaving the Expos at 27-23 on June 1. In the wake of injuries to pitchers Matt Blank
Matt Blank
Clarence Matt Blank is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Montreal Expos. He batted and threw left-handed....
, Mike Thurman
Mike Thurman
Michael Richard Thurman is a former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos from 1997–2001 and for the New York Yankees in 2002...
and Hideki Irabu
Hideki Irabu
was a professional baseball player of Okinawan and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States.-Early life:...
, Vázquez's 2.79 ERA, good for fourth-best in the NL, was noted as a key part to their success. After a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and a win against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
the Expos were at 31-23, 2nd behind the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the NL East, 3rd in the entire National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. His June sixth start, under pressure, Vázquez struck out 7 batters in 6 innings but he also walked four and gave up a homerun to Bernie Williams
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
, the Expos lost and would go on to lose seven of their next nine leaving them at 33-31, eighth in the National League. The Expos would finish 67-95 and Vázquez would pitch 217 innings, striking out 196 while only walking 61. He was invited to play in the 2000 Japanese All-Star Series 2000.
By , Vázquez had become the ace of the Expos pitching staff thought of as a "bright young star and an All-Star for years to come." On April second he opened the season in Chicago, pitching five innings, striking out five but walking three against the Cubs. The Expos won a close game five to four. He pitched better the following start, the home opener at Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Stadium is the name usually given to the big centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games. Traditionally, the opening and closing ceremonies and the track and field competitions are held in the Olympic Stadium. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words Olympic...
striking out nine without issuing any walks in seven innings and would finish the season with 223 innings pitched, 208 strikeouts, while only walking 44.
In , Vázquez pitched a then career high 230 innings striking out 179 batters while walking 49. Despite this he lost his arbitration case following the season and was awarded $6 million rather than his requested $7.15 million.
In , Vázquez pitched 230 innings striking out a then career high 241 batters while walking 57. Regarded as one of the leagues top pitchers he signaled to then GM Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
that he might not resign with the Expos, a team then threatened with contraction. Later when asked by the New York Times about his experience in Montreal that year he said it was tough "being over there having no owner. If you needed somebody the last couple years when we were in the hunt, especially last year, we couldn't get a player we needed." The article went on to note that for financial reasons the Expos not only couldn't "obtain players from other teams who might have helped the Expos stay in the wild-card race, but the Expos also weren't allowed to call up players from the minor leagues."
New York Yankees
On December 16, 2003, the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
acquired Vázquez from the Expos in exchange for Nick Johnson
Nick Johnson
Nicholas Robert Johnson is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.He previously played for the New York Yankees , Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals , and the Florida Marlins...
, Juan Rivera
Juan Rivera (baseball player)
Juan Luis Rivera is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has previously played for the New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Toronto Blue Jays.-New York Yankees:...
and Randy Choate
Randy Choate
Randol Doyle Choate is an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins.-High school years:Choate attended Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas, and was a letterman in baseball....
. He agreed to a four-year deal through the season. Entering the season The Hardball Times
The Hardball Times
is a website which publishes news, original comments and statistical analysis of baseball each week Monday through Friday, in addition to the Hardball Times Annual book which features essays by leading sabermetric personalities. The website features the slogan "Baseball. Insight...
predicted him as their "consensus pick for the Cy Young".
Following a strong start to the season he was named a 2004 all-star.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Following a four walk, two strikeout performance and game seven loss to the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the 2004 American League Championship Series
2004 American League Championship Series
The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series to decide the American League champion for the 2004 season. It was played between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, at Fenway Park and the original Yankee Stadium, from October 12 to October 20, 2004...
, the Yankees sent Vázquez, Brad Halsey
Brad Halsey
Bradford Alexander Halsey is currently a pitcher in the New York Yankees organization.-Amateur career:Halsey attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was the No...
, and Dioner Navarro
Dioner Navarro
Dioner Favian Navarro Vivas is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher, who is a free agent.-New York Yankees:In 2000, Navarro was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent...
, to the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in exchange for Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
on January 11, 2005. Johnson, then a 10 time all-star, had won the National League Cy Young award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
each year from 1999–2002 and had finished in second place in Cy Young voting that year (striking out a league high 290 batters with only 44 walks in 245 innings.)
Arizona's opening day starter, Vázquez struck out two without walking anyone in a shortened one inning start. In 33 starts overall, he struck out 192 and walked 46 in 215 innings. In the month of May he pitched 46 innings, without walking a single batter. The stretch was broken at 54 innings in the 5th inning of a June ninth start against Minnesota.
After pitching the 2005 season with Arizona, Vázquez formally requested a trade from the team, asking for a location which was "easier for his family in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to visit."
Chicago White Sox
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso , nicknamed "El Duque", is a former Cuban right-handed baseball pitcher....
, Luis Vizcaino
Luis Vizcaíno
Luis Vizcaíno Arias is a Dominican Republic professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians in his career.-Career:Vizcaíno...
, and Chris Young. During the 2007 season he struck out 213 and walked 50 in 216 innings pitched.
Vázquez agreed to play for the Puerto Rico Team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
, joining fellow Puerto Rican players Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players....
, Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
, Bernie Williams
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
, amongst others representing the island in a team managed by St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
third base coach Jose Oquendo
José Oquendo
José Manuel Roberto Guillermo Oquendo Contreras is a former Major League Baseball infielder and the current third base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...
.
In the 2007 season, Vázquez exceeding the two hundred strikeouts mark marked the third time he had done this in his career with the other two occasions being in and 2003. This season was the seventh season in his career where he had thrown at least two hundred innings. The only season that he was not able to work this quantity of innings was in 2004 when Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
, then manager of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
decided to jump some turns in the team's rotation. Vázquez culminated that year with 198 thrown innings. When asked about Javier's performance during the season in an interview, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
noted that Vázquez had been throwing well for some time but the team had not been able to capitalize on this until it was too late in the season, specifically referring to the team's performance during the summer.
Atlanta Braves
On December 4, 2008, Vázquez was traded, along with Boone LoganBoone Logan
Boone Logan is a left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Logan previously played for the Chicago White Sox from 2006–2008 and the Atlanta Braves in 2009.-Playing career:...
, to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for minor league catcher Tyler Flowers
Tyler Flowers
Cole Tyler Flowers is a catcher/infielder for the Chicago White Sox.-Atlanta Braves:Flowers was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 33rd round of the 2005 MLB Draft....
, shortstop Brent Lillibridge
Brent Lillibridge
Brent Stuart Lillibridge is a Major League Baseball position player for the Chicago White Sox...
, third baseman Jon Gilmore and pitcher Santos Rodriguez. With the Braves in 2009, Vázquez had what was perhaps his most successful season with 238 strikeouts and 44 walks in 219 innings. He also led the majors in sacrifice hits, with 20.
Vázquez came in fourth place in the voting for the 2009 NL Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
.
Return to the Yankees
On December 22, 2009 the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
re-acquired Vázquez, this time from the Braves with LHP Boone Logan
Boone Logan
Boone Logan is a left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Logan previously played for the Chicago White Sox from 2006–2008 and the Atlanta Braves in 2009.-Playing career:...
, in exchange for OF Melky Cabrera
Melky Cabrera
Melky Astacio Cabrera is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants.-Minors:Cabrera was signed by the New York Yankees on November 13, 2001, at age 17...
, LHP Mike Dunn
Michael Dunn (baseball)
Michael G. Dunn is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins.-Baseball career:Dunn played collegiate baseball for the Community College of Southern Nevada from 2003 to 2005...
and pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino
Arodys Vizcaíno
Arodys Vizcaíno is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.-Professional career:Vizcaíno was signed by the New York Yankees as an international free agent on July 2, 2007. He was traded from the Yankees to the Atlanta Braves with Melky Cabrera, Mike Dunn, and $500,000 in exchange...
. At this time he was thought of as "one of the top starters in all of baseball" after what was thought of as being one of the best if not the best statistical seasons by a pitcher in 2009.
On July 21, 2010 he became the third active pitcher to beat all 30 MLB teams along with Barry Zito
Barry Zito
Barry Zito is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He previously played seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award and made three All-Star teams....
and Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer is an American professional left handed baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. At the time of his last game to date , he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher...
. After struggling in August, the Yankees temporarily demoted Vázquez to the bullpen.
In his final appearance of the season, Vázquez came in in relief against the Rays and proceeded to hit
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
three batters in a row (tying a big-league record), while the Rays went on to score two runs on no hits. The Yankees did not place Vázquez on the postseason roster for their division series against the Twins, or for the ALCS against the Rangers.
Florida Marlins
Following the 2010 season, he reached an agreement on a one-year $7 million contract with the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. The deal was finalized on December 2. He began the season by going 3-6 with a 7.09 ERA through his first 13 games. After that, he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA the rest of the way, finishing the season with a complete game.
He made his first start for the Florida Marlins April 3 against the New York Mets striking out one in a shortened two inning start. His first interleague start against Florida rival Tampa Bay he struck out seven batters in seven innings while walking two in a five to three win in what was called his "best start of the year." Following this start he continued to pitch well, striking out 20 and walking 5 (one intentional) in 19.2 innings in games at Los Angeles, Arizona and Florida. In the end of the season Vazquez had a 29 scoreless inning streak, the longest in Marlins history, during which he struck out 28 batters while only walking 4.
Pitching Style
Vazquez throws from a 3/4 arm slot with "good command of a running/sinking fastballFastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
" that has, according to FanGraphs
Fangraphs
FanGraphs.com is a website run by Fangraphs Inc., located in Arlington, Virginia, and created and owned by David Appelman that provides statistics for every player in Major League Baseball history....
, overall averaged 91 mph according to Josh Kalk of The Hardball Times
The Hardball Times
is a website which publishes news, original comments and statistical analysis of baseball each week Monday through Friday, in addition to the Hardball Times Annual book which features essays by leading sabermetric personalities. The website features the slogan "Baseball. Insight...
was "over 93 mph on average" in his peak. Kalk considers this particularly impressive considering his arm angle noting that "normally pitchers who have a very low release point sacrifice speed and vertical movement for horizontal movement." Kalk goes on to note that Vazquez's fastball averages nine inches of vertical movement "thanks to an exceptionally high spin rate on his fastball."
He also throws a "tight" slider which has averaged 83 mph and "a big breaking curve-ball" which has averaged 74 mph. His 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...
is thought to be especially difficult to hit, in 2004 Sandy Alomar Jr. called it the "best breaking ball I've seen; Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
doesn't throw it better [...] you don't know where it's going to land. He changes speeds with the breaking ball. He throws it hard. He throws it at you. He knows how to set you up." Kalk calls it a "slurvy curve with huge horizontal movement and little vertical drop" noting that he "can add and subtract from a pitch that can like anything from one of his better sliders to a 65 mph beast with massive horizontal and vertical movement." Poet Carson Cistulli
Carson Cistulli
Carson Cistulli is an American poet, essayist and English professor. His works of poetry include Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated, Assorted Fictions, and A Century of Enthusiasm.- Early Years :...
once wrote that "Javier Vazquez's curvepiece makes me a Better Man"
He features two types of 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...
s "one that darts like a cutter
Cutter
A cutter may refer to several types of nautical vessels. When used in the context of sailing vessels, a cutter is a small single-masted boat, fore-and-aft rigged, with two or more headsails and often a bowsprit. The cutter features a mast set farther back than on a sloop...
and one that resembles a screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
". Kalk notes an 11 mph difference between his fastball and changeup, FanGraphs a 10.5 mph average for his career (90.9 mph compared to 80.4 mph).
Fastball Velocity
Baseball writer Dave CameronDave Cameron (baseball analyst)
Dave Cameron is the managing editor and a senior writer of FanGraphs and owner-operator of USS Mariner.-Biography:Cameron grew up in Seattle. In 1994 he started writing about baseball in Usenet newsgroups and reading Rob Neyer. He also played baseball...
writes in his piece "Javier Vazquez’s Fastball Is Probably Not Coming Back" that beginning in 2010 Vazquez's fastball dropped from 91 mph to 89 mph and that "given his career workload, I wouldn’t bet on Vazquez’s fastball ever coming back." In May, 2011 the Miami Herald noted that while Vazquez's velocity had been down "now it is registering in the low 90s. When one fastball snapped his glove Friday, Buck said he glanced up at the reading on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard and saw 94." In June, 2011 Joe Frisaro confirmed that his velocity has "increased" and that Vazquez's fastball was topping out "at a season-high 94 mph".
This was statistically confirmed in September by Eric Seidman: "from June 11 until now, Vazquez threw his fastball 53 percent of the time, and the pitch averaged 91.1 mph, right in line with his career".
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball shutout champions
- List of top 100 Major League Baseball strikeout pitchers
- List of Arizona Diamondbacks Opening Day starting pitchers
- List of Montreal Expos Opening Day starting pitchers