José Bautista (pitcher)
Encyclopedia
José Joaquín Bautista Arias (born July 25, 1964 in Baní
, Dominican Republic
) is a former right-handed pitcher
who played in Major League Baseball
from to . Bautista is observantly Jewish, born to a Dominican father and an Israeli mother.
, and in 1985 he was 15–8 with a 2.34 ERA for Lynchburg in the Carolina League
.
Bautista spent seven years in the New York Mets
system before being selected by the Baltimore Orioles
in the December 1987 rule 5 draft
. He joined the Orioles rotation in 1988, spending four years with them before moving to the Chicago Cubs
(1993–94), San Francisco Giants
(1995–96), Detroit Tigers
(1997), and St. Louis Cardinals
(1997).
As a rookie he went 6–15 with 76 strikeout
s and a 4.30 ERA
in 171⅔ innings
, including 25 starts
and three complete games, but he never was able to fulfill the potential that he showed in his season debut.
He resurfaced as a reliever
with the Cubs in 1993, going 10–3 with a 2.82 ERA and 111⅔ innings in 58 appearances (7 as a starter). He kept batters to a .193 batting average in games that were late and close.
After going 4–5 for Chicago in 1994 while pitching in 58 games (2nd in the league), he pitched with San Francisco the next two years and spent 1997 with Detroit and St. Louis for his last Major League season.
In a nine-season career, Bautista posted a 32–42 record with 328 strikeouts and a 4.04 ERA in 312 games, including three saves
, 49 starts, 4 complete games, and 685⅔ innings of work.
Through 2010, he was fifth all-time in career games pitched (312; directly behind Steve Stone) among Jewish major league baseball players.
Coaching career
Bautista was a pitching coach for the Burlington Bees
in 2001–02, for the Idaho Falls Chukars
in 2004–06, and for the Burlington Royals
in 2007. He was also manager for the Great Falls Voyagers, the Chicago White Sox
advanced A rookie team. In 2010, he became Chicago White Sox Latin roving instructor. Jose served as pitching coach for the single A Kannapolis (North Carolina) Intimidators in the 2011 season.
Baní
Baní is a capital town of the Peravia Province, Dominican Republic. It is the commercial and manufacturing center in a region producing bananas and coffee.- Overview :...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a former 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...
who played 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...
from to . Bautista is observantly Jewish, born to a Dominican father and an Israeli mother.
Baseball career
Bautista was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in April . In 1984 he was 13–4 with a 3.13 ERA for Columbia in the South Atlantic LeagueSouth Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
, and in 1985 he was 15–8 with a 2.34 ERA for Lynchburg in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
.
Bautista spent seven years in the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
system before being selected by 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...
in the December 1987 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...
. He joined the Orioles rotation in 1988, spending four years with them before moving to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1993–94), San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1995–96), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1997), and 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...
(1997).
As a rookie he went 6–15 with 76 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 4.30 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 171⅔ innings
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...
, including 25 starts
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....
and three complete games, but he never was able to fulfill the potential that he showed in his season debut.
He resurfaced as a reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
with the Cubs in 1993, going 10–3 with a 2.82 ERA and 111⅔ innings in 58 appearances (7 as a starter). He kept batters to a .193 batting average in games that were late and close.
After going 4–5 for Chicago in 1994 while pitching in 58 games (2nd in the league), he pitched with San Francisco the next two years and spent 1997 with Detroit and St. Louis for his last Major League season.
In a nine-season career, Bautista posted a 32–42 record with 328 strikeouts and a 4.04 ERA in 312 games, including three saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
, 49 starts, 4 complete games, and 685⅔ innings of work.
Through 2010, he was fifth all-time in career games pitched (312; directly behind Steve Stone) among Jewish major league baseball players.
Coaching career
Bautista was a pitching coach for the Burlington Bees
Burlington Bees
The Burlington Bees are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home is in Burlington, Iowa.-History:...
in 2001–02, for the Idaho Falls Chukars
Idaho Falls Chukars
The Idaho Falls Chukars are a minor league baseball affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They play in Idaho Falls, Idaho, at Melaleuca Field which holds 3,400 fans. The dimensions of the ball park are 340'left, 400'center, 350'right. The playing surface is Natural Grass...
in 2004–06, and for the Burlington Royals
Burlington Royals
The Burlington Royals are a minor league baseball team in Burlington, North Carolina, USA. They are a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since September 1, 2006. For the previous 21 years, the team had been affiliated with the Cleveland...
in 2007. He was also manager for the Great Falls Voyagers, the 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...
advanced A rookie team. In 2010, he became Chicago White Sox Latin roving instructor. Jose served as pitching coach for the single A Kannapolis (North Carolina) Intimidators in the 2011 season.
See also
- Players from Dominican Republic in MLB
- List of select Jewish baseball players