Tito Fuentes
Encyclopedia
Rigoberto "Tito" Fuentes Peat (born January 4, 1944 in Havana, Cuba) is a retired second baseman
who played for 13 seasons in the Major Leagues
between 1965 and 1978. Fuentes played for most of his career with the San Francisco Giants
where he still remains a fan favorite.
.
Originally debuting in the majors 1965 as a late-season call-up, Fuentes split time between second base and shortstop
as a rookie in 1966. He batted .261 in his maiden year while playing solid defense at both positions. He slumped to batting .209 the following year, and subsequently, he spent all of 1968 in the minor leagues
.
Fuentes returned to the Giants in 1969 and spent the next two seasons as a "utility infielder" before re-gaining his starting spot at second base in 1971. He appeared in the postseason during the 1971 season as his Giants won the NL West title; his two-run home run
in Game 1 of the 1971 NLCS
helped San Francisco take an early series lead against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, but that would turn out to be the Giants' only win of the best-of-five series.
Fuentes continued to be the Giants' second baseman for three more seasons. In 1973, he set a National League record for by recording a .993 fielding percentage
, the highest for any regular second baseman in league history. Ironically, Fuentes had led all National League second basemen in errors during the previous two seasons before setting the new record for excellence. His record stood for 13 seasons before Ryne Sandberg
recorded a .994 percentage at second in 1986.
After the 1974 season, San Francisco traded Fuentes and the future Rookie of the Year
, Butch Metzger
, to the San Diego Padres
for another second baseman, Derrel Thomas
. Tito played for two seasons in San Diego before leaving as a free agent.
In 1977, Fuentes played with the Detroit Tigers
and had a career-best .309 batting average
. Despite having his best season, he was not brought back in 1978 (since the Tigers had a young Lou Whitaker waiting in the wings). The Montreal Expos
then purchased his contract. Before the start of the season, however, Fuentes was released. During the year, he signed with the Oakland Athletics
, but he was released again after batting just .140 in only 13 games. He retired shortly afterward.
Tito Fuentes was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hall of Fame on February 23, 2002 in San Francisco, California
.
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who played for 13 seasons in the Major Leagues
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...
between 1965 and 1978. Fuentes played for most of his career with the 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....
where he still remains a fan favorite.
Professional career
The Giants initially signed Fuentes as an 18-year-old amateur before the start of the 1962 season. He was one of the last baseball players signed directly out of Cuba before the United States embargo against CubaUnited States embargo against Cuba
The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo partially imposed on Cuba in October 1960...
.
Originally debuting in the majors 1965 as a late-season call-up, Fuentes split time between second base and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
as a rookie in 1966. He batted .261 in his maiden year while playing solid defense at both positions. He slumped to batting .209 the following year, and subsequently, he spent all of 1968 in the minor leagues
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...
.
Fuentes returned to the Giants in 1969 and spent the next two seasons as a "utility infielder" before re-gaining his starting spot at second base in 1971. He appeared in the postseason during the 1971 season as his Giants won the NL West title; his two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in Game 1 of the 1971 NLCS
1971 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 2, 1971 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaWith aces Gaylord Perry and Steve Blass taking the mound for their respective teams, Game 1 looked to be a pitchers duel. It sort of was for four innings; the Pirates struck for two in the top of the third when Dave...
helped San Francisco take an early series lead against the 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...
, but that would turn out to be the Giants' only win of the best-of-five series.
Fuentes continued to be the Giants' second baseman for three more seasons. In 1973, he set a National League record for by recording a .993 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, the highest for any regular second baseman in league history. Ironically, Fuentes had led all National League second basemen in errors during the previous two seasons before setting the new record for excellence. His record stood for 13 seasons before Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
recorded a .994 percentage at second in 1986.
After the 1974 season, San Francisco traded Fuentes and the future Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
, Butch Metzger
Butch Metzger
Clarence Edward "Butch" Metzger is a former Major League Baseball player. Metzger was a relief pitcher, specifically a closer...
, to 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...
for another second baseman, Derrel Thomas
Derrel Thomas
Derrel Osborn Thomas is a former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball primarily as a second baseman, center fielder, and shortstop from 1971-85...
. Tito played for two seasons in San Diego before leaving as a free agent.
In 1977, Fuentes played with 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...
and had a career-best .309 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 :...
. Despite having his best season, he was not brought back in 1978 (since the Tigers had a young Lou Whitaker waiting in the wings). The 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...
then purchased his contract. Before the start of the season, however, Fuentes was released. During the year, he signed with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, but he was released again after batting just .140 in only 13 games. He retired shortly afterward.
Broadcasting career
Fuentes returned to the Giants as a radio announcer in 1981, the team's first year of Spanish language radio broadcasts, initially serving in this role until 1992. In 2004, Fuentes was brought back as an analyst, and he remains with the team in this role today.Tito Fuentes was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, Inc., was founded in San Francisco, California, in June 1999 by its founder Mr.Gabriel "Tito" Avila, Jr., as a way to honor the greatest Hispanic baseball players of all time. The organization is a not-for-profit institution...
Hall of Fame on February 23, 2002 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.