Juan Guzmán (pitcher)
Encyclopedia
Juan Andres Guzmán Correa (born October 28, 1966 in Santo Domingo
, Dominican Republic
) is a former pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers
as an amateur free agent in 1985. Guzman spent much of his playing career with the Toronto Blue Jays
in the 1990s.
Guzman pitched for the Blue Jays from 1991–98 and briefly played for the Baltimore Orioles
, Cincinnati Reds
, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
, with a career ERA of 4.08.
In his first three seasons with the Blue Jays, he went a combined 40-11 with a 3.28 ERA, and the team made the playoffs all three years, including World Series wins in 1992 and 1993. Guzman won two games in both the 1992 and 1993 ALCS but was not able to secure a win in either World Series. His playoff record was 5-1 in eight starts with a 2.44 ERA.
Guzman had an ERA of 2.93 in 1996, which was the lowest in the American League among qualified pitchers.
Guzman possessed a very good fastball and strikeout ability, striking out 7.5 batters per nine innings during his career. On the mound, he worked very deliberately and was one of the slower working pitchers in the game, earning him the nickname "Human Rain Delay" from Toronto fans. He led the American league in wild pitches in 1993 and 1994.
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, 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 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...
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...
. He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
as an amateur free agent in 1985. Guzman spent much of his playing career with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the 1990s.
Guzman pitched for the Blue Jays from 1991–98 and briefly played 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...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, with a career ERA of 4.08.
In his first three seasons with the Blue Jays, he went a combined 40-11 with a 3.28 ERA, and the team made the playoffs all three years, including World Series wins in 1992 and 1993. Guzman won two games in both the 1992 and 1993 ALCS but was not able to secure a win in either World Series. His playoff record was 5-1 in eight starts with a 2.44 ERA.
Guzman had an ERA of 2.93 in 1996, which was the lowest in the American League among qualified pitchers.
Guzman possessed a very good fastball and strikeout ability, striking out 7.5 batters per nine innings during his career. On the mound, he worked very deliberately and was one of the slower working pitchers in the game, earning him the nickname "Human Rain Delay" from Toronto fans. He led the American league in wild pitches in 1993 and 1994.