Javy López
Encyclopedia
Javier López Torres is a former catcher
in Major League Baseball
who played from through for the Atlanta Braves
(1992–2003), Baltimore Orioles
(2004–2006) and Boston Red Sox
(2006). He batted and threw right-handed. He was named Ponce, Puerto Rico's Athlete of the Year from 1984-1987.
free agent
, López made his debut on September 18, 1992 against the Houston Astros
. After sharing duties with Charlie O'Brien
and Eddie Pérez
for four seasons, he established himself as the Braves regular catcher in 1996. The same season, he led the Braves to win the National League Championship Series
, earning the series Most Valuable Player
honors. He also made the National League All-Star
team from 1997–98. Lopez had his best season in 2003 with a .328 batting average
, 43 home
runs and 109 RBI
in 129 games, including a .378 on-base percentage and a .687 slugging percentage. In that season he broke Todd Hundley
's record for most home runs hit in a season by a catcher (41) and was selected to the All-Star Game
, winning the Silver Slugger Award
and finishing fifth in the National League MVP
ballot.
While with the Braves, López caught Kent Mercker
's no-hitter
on April 8, 1994.
Adam Stern
and cash consideration. López debuted with Boston on the same day after Doug Mirabelli
left the game early after an ankle injury. On September 8, the Red Sox released López due to Jason Varitek
returning from the disabled list
, which minimized his playing time.
In January , it was reported that López reached a preliminary agreement on a $750,000, one-year contract with the Colorado Rockies
, but he did not play for them during the regular season. Before the season he signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training
with the Atlanta Braves, in an attempt to return to the majors. But after being told he would not make the opening day lineup, López retired for good. "I feel perfect physically," he said. "It's just that the hitting wasn't there and unfortunately I didn't throw the guy out on the stealing attempts. That's a concern. I don't blame them. My role as a backup catcher is to be able to throw every single runner out." He plans to continue in the Atlanta Braves organization performing other duties.
In a 15-season career, López posted a .287 average with 260 home runs and 864 RBI in 1,503 games. His 243 home runs as a catcher ranks eighth on the career list at that position. His final game was on September 2, 2006.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lopezja01.shtml?redir
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played from through for 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....
(1992–2003), 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...
(2004–2006) and Boston Red Sox
Boston 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"...
(2006). He batted and threw right-handed. He was named Ponce, Puerto Rico's Athlete of the Year from 1984-1987.
Atlanta Braves
Signed by the Atlanta Braves in as an amateurAmateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, López made his debut on September 18, 1992 against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. After sharing duties with Charlie O'Brien
Charlie O'Brien
Charles Hugh O'Brien is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Oakland Athletics , Milwaukee Brewers , New York Mets , Atlanta Braves , Toronto Blue Jays , Chicago White Sox , Anaheim Angels and Montreal Expos .While growing up in Tulsa, O'Brien attended and graduated...
and Eddie Pérez
Eddie Pérez (baseball player)
Eduardo Rafael "Eddie" Pérez is a former Venezuelan professional baseball player and current coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and the Milwaukee Brewers. He batted and threw right-handed. Pérez is the current bullpen coach for the...
for four seasons, he established himself as the Braves regular catcher in 1996. The same season, he led the Braves to win the National League Championship Series
1996 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1996 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaGame 1 was played in Atlanta with 24-game winner John Smoltz on the mound for the Braves. Brian Jordan tripled and scored the first run of the series for St. Louis, but Mark Lemke singled in two runs in the...
, earning the series Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
honors. He also made the National League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team from 1997–98. Lopez had his best season in 2003 with a .328 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 43 home
runs and 109 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 129 games, including a .378 on-base percentage and a .687 slugging percentage. In that season he broke Todd Hundley
Todd Hundley
Todd Randolph Hundley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He is the son of former Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley...
's record for most home runs hit in a season by a catcher (41) and was selected to the All-Star Game
2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 74th midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues constituting Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the Chicago...
, winning the Silver Slugger Award
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
and finishing fifth in the National League MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
ballot.
While with the Braves, López caught Kent Mercker
Kent Mercker
Kent Franklin Mercker is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his seventeen-year career....
's no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
on April 8, 1994.
Baltimore Orioles
Before the season López signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. He hit .316 with 86 RBI, and the following season hit .278 with 49 RBI, while seeing a decline in his game time from 150 to 103 games.Boston Red Sox
In the 2006 midseason he was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from Baltimore in exchange for minor league outfielderOutfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Adam Stern
Adam Stern
Adam James Stern is a Canadian Major League Baseball outfielder who is presently a free agent.He bats left-handed, and throws right-handed. He was dubbed the "Canadian Babe Ruth" by Cleveland Indians outfielder Trot Nixon. Stern is the second Jewish player from Canada in major league history....
and cash consideration. López debuted with Boston on the same day after Doug Mirabelli
Doug Mirabelli
Douglas Anthony Mirabelli is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the San Francisco Giants , Texas Rangers , Boston Red Sox , and San Diego Padres before returning to the Red Sox to end his eleven year career...
left the game early after an ankle injury. On September 8, the Red Sox released López due to Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
returning 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:...
, which minimized his playing time.
Retirement
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, but he did not play for them during the regular season. Before the season he signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Atlanta Braves, in an attempt to return to the majors. But after being told he would not make the opening day lineup, López retired for good. "I feel perfect physically," he said. "It's just that the hitting wasn't there and unfortunately I didn't throw the guy out on the stealing attempts. That's a concern. I don't blame them. My role as a backup catcher is to be able to throw every single runner out." He plans to continue in the Atlanta Braves organization performing other duties.
In a 15-season career, López posted a .287 average with 260 home runs and 864 RBI in 1,503 games. His 243 home runs as a catcher ranks eighth on the career list at that position. His final game was on September 2, 2006.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lopezja01.shtml?redir
Personal
López married Analy Hernández, a model. They had two children: Javier Alexander (born 11/6/95) and Kelvin Gabrielle (10/17/99). They divorced and López married Gina Brodbeck on June 23, 2004.See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Starting Lineups