Mario Mendoza
Encyclopedia
Mario Mendoza Aizpuru is a former Major League Baseball
infielder
. Mendoza, a lifetime 0.215 hitter, is best known as the threshold for batting aptitude, with the "Mendoza Line
", meaning a batting average of .200.
while playing for the Mexico City Red Devils (Diablos Rojos
) of the Mexican League in . His ability for picking grounders prompted the Pirates to purchase Mendoza's contract from Mexico City.
Mendoza played four seasons in the Pirates' farm system before debuting with the Pirates on April 26, as a pinch runner
for Willie Stargell
. With the Pirates down 3-2 in the ninth inning
to the Houston Astros
, Mendoza scored the tying run
in the Pirates' 4-3 victory. For the season, Mendoza batted .221 in 91 games, however, had only 177 plate appearances as he was primarily a defensive replacement when starting Pirates shortstop
Frank Taveras
(who himself only had a .246 batting average
in 1974) had been pinch hit for late in a game. He reached the post season for the only time in his career during his rookie season. He started game three of the 1974 National League Championship Series
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, and went one for three with a walk and an RBI
infield single
.
On June 28, , Mendoza pitched two innings of mop up duty in the second game of a doubleheader
against the St. Louis Cardinals
. The Pirates had used seven pitcher
s in a doubleheader with the Montreal Expos
two days earlier, and had already used three pitchers in the first game 6-1 loss. Completely depleted of pitchers, Pirates manager Chuck Tanner
started relief pitcher
Grant Jackson in the second game. Jackson pitched six innings despite giving up ten runs
(only six of which were earned), and the Pirates were already down 10-3 by the time Mendoza was handed the ball. After getting Keith Hernandez
to line into a double play
to end his first inning of work, Mendoza gave up a three run home run
to Ken Reitz
the following inning, giving Mendoza a career 13.50 earned run average
on the mound.
Mendoza remained with the Pirates as a defensive replacement through , playing some second
and third base
as well. In five seasons with the Pirates, Mendoza batted .221, .180, .185, .198 and .218, respectively. Following the 1978 season, Mendoza's request for a trade was granted as he, Odell Jones
and Rafael Vasquez
were sent to the Seattle Mariners
for Rick Jones, Tom McMillan and Enrique Romo
on December 5, 1978.
in a blockbuster deal along with Larry Cox, Rick Honeycutt
, Willie Horton and Leon Roberts
for Brian Allard
, Rick Auerbach
, Ken Clay
, Jerry Don Gleaton
, Richie Zisk
and Steve Finch. In , Mendoza split time at short with Mark Wagner with Mendoza receiving the bulk of the playing time, and finishing with a .231 batting average. However, the following season he was released in June of with a .118 batting average.
with the Pirates in . After failing to make the team, he accepted a player-coach position with their triple A Pacific Coast League
affiliate, the Hawaii Islanders
. After one season in Hawaii
, Mendoza returned to Mexico as a player/manager of the Monclova Acereros.
Mendoza only managed Monclova for part of his first season back in the Mexico League, however his playing career in Mexico lasted seven seasons after his major league career ended. His career batting average in Mexico is a substantially better .291, and he earned the nickname "Manos de Seda," or "Silk Hands" for his fielding prowess.
, an executive with the Anaheim Angels, believed Mendoza was someone who had potential as a manager, and offered him the reins to the Angels' Class A advanced California League
affiliate, Lake Elsinore Storm
, for the season. He remained with the Storm until they became a San Diego Padres
affiliate in , managing his son, Mario Jr., in .
Mendoza was inducted into the Mexican League Hall of Fame
in 2000. After managing the San Francisco Giants
' double A Texas League
affiliate Shreveport SwampDragons in , Mendoza returned to Mexico to manage Dos Laredos in , the Angelopolis Tigres in , the Olmecas de Tabasco
in and , and the Piratas de Campeche
in .
reportedly stated, “The first thing I look for in the Sunday papers is who is below the Mendoza line.” The reference caught the attention of ESPN
announcer Chris Berman, and the "Mendoza Line" became part of popular culture. Brett also praised the defensive abilities of Mendoza, claiming Mendoza robbed him of sure base hits on several occasions with exceptional defensive plays.
An alternate explanation for the term refers to the concept of a player failing to "hit his weight." Pirates announcer Bob Prince used this meaning in the 1970s while Mendoza played for Pittsburgh. During his playing career, Mendoza weighed 187 pounds, and literally batted less than his own weight quite a bit of the time as his career batting average was .204 at the time of his trade to Seattle. Since then, the Mendoza Line has been arbitrarily set at values ranging from .180 to .215. Mariner teammates Bruce Bochte
and Tom Paciorek
have also been credited as creators of the expression.
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...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
. Mendoza, a lifetime 0.215 hitter, is best known as the threshold for batting aptitude, with the "Mendoza Line
Mendoza Line
The Mendoza Line is an expression in baseball in the United States, deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose lifetime batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting...
", meaning a batting average of .200.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Mendoza first caught the eye of the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh 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...
while playing for the Mexico City Red Devils (Diablos Rojos
Diablos Rojos del México
Diablos Rojos del México is a professional baseball team in the Mexican League.This team is located in Mexico City. The team name, Diablos Rojos del México, means Mexico City Red Devils. It is often believed that they are named after the Cincinnati Reds. That is, however, not the case...
) of the Mexican League in . His ability for picking grounders prompted the Pirates to purchase Mendoza's contract from Mexico City.
Mendoza played four seasons in the Pirates' farm system before debuting with the Pirates on April 26, as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
for Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
. With the Pirates down 3-2 in the ninth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
to the 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...
, Mendoza scored the tying run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in the Pirates' 4-3 victory. For the season, Mendoza batted .221 in 91 games, however, had only 177 plate appearances as he was primarily a defensive replacement when starting Pirates 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...
Frank Taveras
Frank Taveras
Franklin Crisostomo Taveras Fabian , is a former Major League shortstop from - for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets and Montreal Expos.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
(who himself only had a .246 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 :...
in 1974) had been pinch hit for late in a game. He reached the post season for the only time in his career during his rookie season. He started game three of the 1974 National League Championship Series
1974 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 5, 1974 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaThe Dodgers had been winless in six games played a Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium during the regular season but they remedied that situation in postseason play. In the opening game, Don Sutton was opposed to...
against 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...
, and went one for three with a walk and an RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
infield single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
.
On June 28, , Mendoza pitched two innings of mop up duty in the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the 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...
. The Pirates had used seven 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...
s in a doubleheader with 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...
two days earlier, and had already used three pitchers in the first game 6-1 loss. Completely depleted of pitchers, Pirates manager Chuck Tanner
Chuck Tanner
Charles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...
started relief pitcher
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...
Grant Jackson in the second game. Jackson pitched six innings despite giving up ten runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(only six of which were earned), and the Pirates were already down 10-3 by the time Mendoza was handed the ball. After getting Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
to line into a double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
to end his first inning of work, Mendoza gave up a three 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...
to Ken Reitz
Ken Reitz
Kenneth John Reitz is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. A right-handed hitter, Reitz played for the St...
the following inning, giving Mendoza a career 13.50 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...
on the mound.
Mendoza remained with the Pirates as a defensive replacement through , playing some second
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...
and third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
as well. In five seasons with the Pirates, Mendoza batted .221, .180, .185, .198 and .218, respectively. Following the 1978 season, Mendoza's request for a trade was granted as he, Odell Jones
Odell Jones
Odell Jones was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers in Major League Baseball....
and Rafael Vasquez
Rafael Vasquez
Rafael Vasquez may refer to*Rafael Vásquez *Rafael Vásquez *Ráfael Vásquez...
were sent to the 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...
for Rick Jones, Tom McMillan and Enrique Romo
Enrique Romo
Enrique Romo Navarro is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates . Romo batted and threw right-handed...
on December 5, 1978.
Seattle Mariners
In his first season in Seattle, Mendoza made a career high 401 plate appearances in a career high 148 games and 132 starts at shortstop. While providing the Mariners with a steady glove, he ended the season with a .198 batting average—making him only the fourth major leaguer ever to play as many as 148 games in a season and fail to break .200. The following year, however, Mendoza fared better at the plate, batting .245 in 277 at-bats.Texas Rangers
Following the season, Mendoza was sent to the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in a blockbuster deal along with Larry Cox, Rick Honeycutt
Rick Honeycutt
Frederick Wayne "Rick" Honeycutt is the current pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Honeycutt was a left-handed pitcher for 21 years from 1977 to 1997. He played with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and the St. Louis Cardinals...
, Willie Horton and Leon Roberts
Leon Roberts
Leon Kauffman Roberts is a former major league outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros , Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Kansas City Royals...
for Brian Allard
Brian Allard
Brian Marshall Allard is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners . His fastball was 90-95 mph. He also threw a curveball, slider, and changeup...
, Rick Auerbach
Rick Auerbach
Frederick "Rick" Steven Auerbach was a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played from - with the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, and Seattle Mariners...
, Ken Clay
Ken Clay
Kenneth Earl Clay is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues from to for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners. Clay appeared at the Old-Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium...
, Jerry Don Gleaton
Jerry Don Gleaton
Jerry Don Gleaton was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1979 to 1992 for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Became an All-American at the University of Texas and the Most Valuable Player of the Southwest Conference...
, Richie Zisk
Richie Zisk
Richard Walter Zisk is a retired Major League Baseball player currently in charge of pro scouting in Florida for the Chicago Cubs.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
and Steve Finch. In , Mendoza split time at short with Mark Wagner with Mendoza receiving the bulk of the playing time, and finishing with a .231 batting average. However, the following season he was released in June of with a .118 batting average.
Return to Mexico
Mendoza received an invitation to 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...
with the Pirates in . After failing to make the team, he accepted a player-coach position with their triple A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
affiliate, the Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
. After one season in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Mendoza returned to Mexico as a player/manager of the Monclova Acereros.
Mendoza only managed Monclova for part of his first season back in the Mexico League, however his playing career in Mexico lasted seven seasons after his major league career ended. His career batting average in Mexico is a substantially better .291, and he earned the nickname "Manos de Seda," or "Silk Hands" for his fielding prowess.
Managerial career
Bill BavasiBill Bavasi
William J. Bavasi, born December 27, 1957 in Scarsdale, New York, is a former general manager and vice president of baseball operations for the Seattle Mariners, and currently works as a Special Assistant to the GM for the Cincinnati Reds, under Reds GM Walt Jocketty...
, an executive with the Anaheim Angels, believed Mendoza was someone who had potential as a manager, and offered him the reins to the Angels' Class A advanced California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. 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...
affiliate, Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
, for the season. He remained with the Storm until they became a 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...
affiliate in , managing his son, Mario Jr., in .
Mendoza was inducted into the Mexican League Hall of Fame
Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México
The Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México , commonly called the Salón de la Fama is a baseball hall of fame and museum located in Monterrey, Nuevo León. It is dedicated to recognizing people who have either contributed greatly to baseball in México...
in 2000. After managing 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....
' double A Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
affiliate Shreveport SwampDragons in , Mendoza returned to Mexico to manage Dos Laredos in , the Angelopolis Tigres in , the Olmecas de Tabasco
Olmecas de Tabasco
The Olmecas de Tabasco are a AAA-level baseball team based in Tabasco playing in the Mexican League. Their homefield is the Estadio Centenario 27 de Febrero in Villahermosa.-External links:*...
in and , and the Piratas de Campeche
Piratas de Campeche
The Piratas de Campeche are a AAA-level baseball team playing in the Mexican League LMB based in Campeche, Campeche, Mexico.-History:...
in .
"The Mendoza Line"
In an interview in , during his pursuit of a .400 season batting average, George BrettGeorge Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
reportedly stated, “The first thing I look for in the Sunday papers is who is below the Mendoza line.” The reference caught the attention of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
announcer Chris Berman, and the "Mendoza Line" became part of popular culture. Brett also praised the defensive abilities of Mendoza, claiming Mendoza robbed him of sure base hits on several occasions with exceptional defensive plays.
An alternate explanation for the term refers to the concept of a player failing to "hit his weight." Pirates announcer Bob Prince used this meaning in the 1970s while Mendoza played for Pittsburgh. During his playing career, Mendoza weighed 187 pounds, and literally batted less than his own weight quite a bit of the time as his career batting average was .204 at the time of his trade to Seattle. Since then, the Mendoza Line has been arbitrarily set at values ranging from .180 to .215. Mariner teammates Bruce Bochte
Bruce Bochte
Not to be confused with Bruce Bochy, a former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the San Francisco Giants.Bruce Anton Bochte is a former utility baseball player with a 12 year career from -, -. He played for the California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and Oakland...
and Tom Paciorek
Tom Paciorek
Thomas Marian Paciorek is a former Major League outfielder and first baseman for 18 seasons between 1970 and 1987...
have also been credited as creators of the expression.