Dennis Martínez
Encyclopedia
José Dennis Martínez Emilia (born May 14, 1955 in Granada, Nicaragua
), nicknamed "El Presidente" (The President), is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. He was the first Nicaraguan baseball player (pitcher or position player) to play in the majors.
(1976
-1986
), Montreal Expos
(1986
-1993
), Cleveland Indians
(1994
-1996
), Seattle Mariners
(1997
) and Atlanta Braves
(1998
).
During a 23-year baseball career, Martínez compiled 245 wins
, 2,149 strikeout
s, and a 3.70 earned run average
. He is one of the top Latin American pitchers of all-time. On July 28, 1991, Martínez pitched the thirteenth perfect game
in baseball history, pitching for the Montreal Expos
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He remains the only Latin American-born pitcher to pitch a perfect game.
On September 28, 1993, Martinez won his 100th game for the Expos, becoming one of nine major league pitchers ever with at least 100 wins in both the American
and National
leagues. Others to do that are Jim Bunning
, Ferguson Jenkins
, Al Orth
, Gaylord Perry
, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson
, Nolan Ryan
and Cy Young
.
On September 28, 1995
, Martínez had the misfortune to be the last man to pitch to the late Hall of Famer
Kirby Puckett
in his career. A wild pitch by Martínez broke Puckett's jaw.
Martínez has the most career victories of any pitcher who has never won 20 games in a single season. Milt Pappas
, Jerry Reuss
, Frank Tanana
, Charlie Hough
, Chuck Finley
, and Kenny Rogers are the only other pitchers with more than 200 career victories who have done so. (Of those, Reuss and Rogers had pitched no-hitters, with Rogers' also being a perfect game three years to the day of Martínez's.)
In his post-playing career, Martinez has worked as a spring training
instructor for the Baltimore Orioles
in and , and currently serves as the pitching coach for the Palm Beach Cardinals
in the Florida State League.
The national baseball park in Managua
(Nicaragua
's capital city), Dennis Martínez National Stadium, was named in his honor.
Martinez runs his own organization, The Dennis Martinez Foundation, to help poor children around the world.
July 13th, 1991: Pitched 13th perfect game in Major League Baseball history.
Granada, Nicaragua
Granada is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 110,326 , it is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, economically and politically...
), nicknamed "El Presidente" (The President), is a former 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...
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 the first Nicaraguan baseball player (pitcher or position player) to play in the majors.
Career
Martínez pitched for the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore 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...
(1976
1976 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1976 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing second in the American League East with a record of 88 wins and 74 losses.- Offseason :...
-1986
1986 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1986 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 7th in the American League East with a record of 73 wins and 89 losses.- Offseason :* October 9, 1985: Joe Nolan was released by the Orioles....
), 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...
(1986
1986 Montreal Expos season
-Offseason:* October 24, 1985: Bill Laskey was traded by the Expos to the San Francisco Giants for George Riley and Alonzo Powell.* November 7, 1985: Mel Rojas was signed by the Expos as an amateur free agent....
-1993
1993 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos season saw the Expos finish in second place in the National League East division, with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses.-Offseason:* October 6, 1992: Jerry Willard was released by the Expos....
), Cleveland Indians
Cleveland 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...
(1994
1994 Cleveland Indians season
-Offseason:* November 2, 1993: Heathcliff Slocumb was traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ruben Amaro, Jr..* December 2, 1993: Dennis Martínez was signed as a free agent by the Indians....
-1996
1996 Cleveland Indians season
For the second consecutive sesaon, the Indians had the best record in Major League Baseball. This was the first time in franchise history that the Indians had accomplished such a feat.-Offseason:*November 9, 1995: Ruben Amaro Jr...
), Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(1997
1997 Seattle Mariners season
The Seattle Mariners 1997 season was their 21st since the franchise creation, and ended the season finishing 1st in the American League West, finishing with a record of 90-72...
) and 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....
(1998
1998 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*November 17, 1997: Walt Weiss was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*January 30, 1998: Dennis Martinez was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*February 6, 1998: Curtis Pride was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....
).
During a 23-year baseball career, Martínez compiled 245 wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
, 2,149 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 3.70 earned run average
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...
. He is one of the top Latin American pitchers of all-time. On July 28, 1991, Martínez pitched the thirteenth perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in baseball history, pitching for the Montreal Expos
1991 Montreal Expos season
After several winning seasons, the Expos faltered in 1991, winning only 20 of its first 49 games. Manager Buck Rodgers was replaced as manager by Tom Runnells.-Offseason:* November 15, 1990: Scott Service was signed as a free agent by the Expos....
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
1991 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The 1991 season featured an exciting National League Western Division race between the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. The Braves edged out the Dodgers to win the division by one game...
. He remains the only Latin American-born pitcher to pitch a perfect game.
On September 28, 1993, Martinez won his 100th game for the Expos, becoming one of nine major league pitchers ever with at least 100 wins in both the American
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...
and National
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...
leagues. Others to do that are Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
, Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
, Al Orth
Al Orth
Albert Lewis Orth was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tipton, Indiana and died at age 76 in Lynchburg, Virginia...
, Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
, Kevin Brown, 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....
, Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
and Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
.
On September 28, 1995
1995 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was the Major League Baseball season that led to the Indians returning to the World Series for the first time since . In a season that started late by 18 games - giving it just a 144 games - the Indians finished in first place in the American League Central Division...
, Martínez had the misfortune to be the last man to pitch to the late Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
in his career. A wild pitch by Martínez broke Puckett's jaw.
Martínez has the most career victories of any pitcher who has never won 20 games in a single season. Milt Pappas
Milt Pappas
Milton Steven "Milt" Pappas is a former professional baseball pitcher...
, Jerry Reuss
Jerry Reuss
Jerry Reuss -- pronounced "royce" -- is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the United States, who had a 22-year career from to ....
, Frank Tanana
Frank Tanana
Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....
, Charlie Hough
Charlie Hough
Charles Oliver Hough is a former Major League Baseball knuckleball pitcher. He is currently a senior adviser of player development for the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Playing career:...
, Chuck Finley
Chuck Finley
Charles Edward "Chuck" Finley is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1986-2002 for three different teams, but pitched primarily with the California Angels...
, and Kenny Rogers are the only other pitchers with more than 200 career victories who have done so. (Of those, Reuss and Rogers had pitched no-hitters, with Rogers' also being a perfect game three years to the day of Martínez's.)
In his post-playing career, Martinez has worked as a 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...
instructor for 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 and , and currently serves as the pitching coach for the Palm Beach Cardinals
Palm Beach Cardinals
The Palm Beach Cardinals are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals major-league club....
in the Florida State League.
The national baseball park in Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
(Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
's capital city), Dennis Martínez National Stadium, was named in his honor.
Martinez runs his own organization, The Dennis Martinez Foundation, to help poor children around the world.
Highlights
- 4-time All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe 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...
(1990–1992, 1995) - Twice Top 10 Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe 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...
(1981, 1991) - Led league in winsWin (baseball)In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
(1981) - Led league in ERA (1991)
- Led league in shutouts (1991)
- 6-time Top 10 in shutouts (1979, 1981, 1990, 1994–1996)
- Led league in games startedGames startedIn baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
, innings pitched and batters facedAt batIn baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
(1979) - 9-time pitched 220 or more innings in a season (1978–1979, 1982, 1988–1993)
- 3-time oldest player in the majors (1996–1998)
- 52nd on the strikeouts all-time list
- Set record for most wins by a Latin American pitcher (244 - August 9, 1998)
- Pitched the 13th perfect gamePerfect gameA perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in baseball history (July 28, 1991) with the Montreal ExposMontreal ExposThe 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...
.
July 13th, 1991: Pitched 13th perfect game in Major League Baseball history.
See also
- Pitchers who have thrown a perfect gamePerfect gameA perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
- Players from Nicaragua in MLB
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Montreal Expos Opening Day starting pitchers
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListMLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListThis is a list of top 100 Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-The List:* Bold denotes active player...
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....