Marcelino López
Encyclopedia
Marcelino Pons López was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
. He was a member of the 1970 World Series
Champion Baltimore Orioles
.
at just sixteen years old. He made his major league debut in 1963, but after just four appearances, was back in the minors by the end of April. After spending all of 1964 with Philadelphia's Triple-A affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts
, he was the 'player to be named later" in the deal where the Phillies acquired Vic Power
from the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named later.
and 122 strikeouts for the newly renamed California Angels to finish second to Curt Blefary
in American League
rookie of the year balloting.
His numbers fell off considerably in 1966, largely because he led AL starters
in hit batsmen
with nine, and was second in the league with twelve wild pitch
es (the Chicago White Sox
's Joe Horlen
had 14). Shoulder injuries limited López to just nine innings for the Angels in 1967. On June 15, he and minor leaguer Tom Arruda were sent to the Baltimore Orioles for Woodie Held
.
, and was 4-2 with a 4.06 ERA out of the bullpen (he was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his four starts).
The Orioles ran away with the American League East
by nineteen games over the Detroit Tigers
. López's only appearance in the 1969 American League Championship Series
came in game one. In the twelfth inning, he faced four batters, retiring only one before manager Earl Weaver
removed him in favor of Dick Hall
. He did not make an appearance in the 1969 World Series
against the New York Mets
.
López became one of the most reliable relievers in Baltimore's bullpen in 1970, as he had a 1.65 ERA in relief. He was 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA as a starter. Baltimore returned to the post-season, and again, López made just one appearance. In the second game of the World Series, he faced just one batter, Bobby Tolan
, and got him to fly out to Brooks Robinson
in foul territory.
the following season, López was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers
for Roric Harrison
and minor leaguer Marion Jackson. He began the 1971 season as a reliever, but was added to the starting rotation midway through the season. Though he had a respectable 4.14 ERA, he was just 1-5 as a starter.
during spring training 1972. After spending the entire season with Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers
, López made four appearances with the Indians that September. He played minor league ball for the San Diego Padres
, Pittsburgh Pirates
and Houston Astros
before retiring.
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...
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...
. He was a member of the 1970 World Series
1970 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 10, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe Jackson 5 performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the game, which almost became an embarrassment when the group realized shortly before their performance that they weren't familiar with the lyrics...
Champion 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...
.
Early years
López signed as an amateur free agent with the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia 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...
at just sixteen years old. He made his major league debut in 1963, but after just four appearances, was back in the minors by the end of April. After spending all of 1964 with Philadelphia's Triple-A affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
, he was the 'player to be named later" in the deal where the Phillies acquired Vic Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
from the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named later.
California Angels
In 1965, López went 14-13 with a 2.93 earned run averageEarned 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...
and 122 strikeouts for the newly renamed California Angels to finish second to Curt Blefary
Curt Blefary
Curtis Le Roy Blefary was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Baltimore Orioles , Houston Astros , New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres...
in American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
rookie of the year balloting.
His numbers fell off considerably in 1966, largely because he led AL starters
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....
in hit batsmen
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:...
with nine, and was second in the league with twelve wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
es (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...
's Joe Horlen
Joe Horlen
Joel Edward Horlen is a right-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher. Horlen pitched for the Chicago White Sox from to , and the Oakland Athletics in ....
had 14). Shoulder injuries limited López to just nine innings for the Angels in 1967. On June 15, he and minor leaguer Tom Arruda were sent to the Baltimore Orioles for Woodie Held
Woodie Held
Woodson George "Woodie" Held was a shortstop/outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles, California Angels and Chicago White Sox. He batted and threw right-handed...
.
Baltimore Orioles
López spent all of 1968 in the minors before making his first major league appearance with the Orioles in 1969. At this point in his career, he was converted into a relieverRelief 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...
, and was 4-2 with a 4.06 ERA out of the bullpen (he was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his four starts).
The Orioles ran away with the American League East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
by nineteen games over the 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...
. López's only appearance in the 1969 American League Championship Series
1969 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1969 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandIn the opener, 20-game winner Jim Perry held a 3–2 lead over the Orioles entering the ninth inning, Boog Powell tied the score with a smash over the right-field fence. Reliever Ron Perranoski, who worked in all three games,...
came in game one. In the twelfth inning, he faced four batters, retiring only one before manager Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
removed him in favor of Dick Hall
Dick Hall
Richard Wallace Hall was a Pitcher and part-time Outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies .-Biography:He helped the Orioles win the 1966 and 1970 World Series and 1969 and 1971 American League...
. He did not make an appearance in the 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
against 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...
.
López became one of the most reliable relievers in Baltimore's bullpen in 1970, as he had a 1.65 ERA in relief. He was 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA as a starter. Baltimore returned to the post-season, and again, López made just one appearance. In the second game of the World Series, he faced just one batter, Bobby Tolan
Bobby Tolan
Robert Tolan is a former center and right fielder in Major League Baseball. Tolan, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Cincinnati Reds , San Diego Padres , Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, and got him to fly out to Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
in foul territory.
Milwaukee Brewers
During spring trainingSpring 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...
the following season, López was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Roric Harrison
Roric Harrison
Roric Edward Harrison is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He holds the distinction of being the last American League pitcher to hit a home run in an American League game before the introduction of the Designated Hitter.-Early years:Harrison signed with the Houston Astros out of Westchester...
and minor leaguer Marion Jackson. He began the 1971 season as a reliever, but was added to the starting rotation midway through the season. Though he had a respectable 4.14 ERA, he was just 1-5 as a starter.
Retirement
López's contract was purchased by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
during spring training 1972. After spending the entire season with Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
, López made four appearances with the Indians that September. He played minor league ball for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and 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...
before retiring.