Ramón de los Santos
Encyclopedia
Ramón de los Santos (born January 19, 1949 in Santo Domingo
, Dominican Republic
) is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. The left-hander signed as a free agent with the Houston Astros
on April 9, 1972 and played for them in 1974.
De los Santos was called up to Houston in August 1974 after a season dominating hitters in the Double-A Southern League
. Pitching in 42 games for the Columbus Astros, he struck out
73 batters in 76 innings
and allowed only 11 earned runs. He was 7-4 with an ERA
of 1.30.
On August 21, 1974 de los Santos made his major league debut in relief against the New York Mets
at the Astrodome. He retired the first batter he faced, right fielder
Rusty Staub
, then struck out first baseman
John Milner
to end the 6th inning. In 2.2 innings that night he gave up two hits
, three walks, and two unearned runs, and the Astros lost, 10-2. They had made five errors
during the game.
De los Santos won his first and only big league game one week later at Shea Stadium
. He retired Mets shortstop
Bud Harrelson
, the last hitter in the bottom of the 9th, and then teammate Cliff Johnson
hit a home run
in the top of the 10th to win the game, 3-2.
Season and career totals for 12 games include a 1-1 record and 5 games finished
. In 12.1 innings pitched
he gave up 3 earned runs for an ERA of 2.19.
In 1975 de los Santos pitched in both Triple-A and Double-A, and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
organization after the season (December 9), but never again appeared in a major league game.
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 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...
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...
. The left-hander signed as a free agent with 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...
on April 9, 1972 and played for them in 1974.
De los Santos was called up to Houston in August 1974 after a season dominating hitters in the Double-A Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. Pitching in 42 games for the Columbus Astros, he struck out
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....
73 batters in 76 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
and allowed only 11 earned runs. He was 7-4 with an ERA
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...
of 1.30.
On August 21, 1974 de los Santos made his major league debut in relief 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...
at the Astrodome. He retired the first batter he faced, right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Rusty Staub
Rusty Staub
Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
, then struck out first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
John Milner
John Milner
John David Milner was an American first baseman and left fielder in Major League Baseball. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he grew up a huge Hank Aaron fan, even appropriating his idol's nickname, "The Hammer." He was a member of the "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates team that won the World Series...
to end the 6th inning. In 2.2 innings that night he gave up two hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, three walks, and two unearned runs, and the Astros lost, 10-2. They had made five errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
during the game.
De los Santos won his first and only big league game one week later at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. He retired Mets 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...
Bud Harrelson
Bud Harrelson
Derrel McKinley "Bud" Harrelson is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers from to . After retiring, he served as a coach for the World Champion Mets, and as manager of the Mets in 1990 and 1991...
, the last hitter in the bottom of the 9th, and then teammate Cliff Johnson
Cliff Johnson (baseball player)
Clifford "Heathcliff" Johnson, Jr. is a retired Major League Baseball player who played for the Houston Astros , New York Yankees , Cleveland Indians , Chicago Cubs , Oakland Athletics , Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers...
hit a 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 the top of the 10th to win the game, 3-2.
Season and career totals for 12 games include a 1-1 record and 5 games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
. In 12.1 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
he gave up 3 earned runs for an ERA of 2.19.
In 1975 de los Santos pitched in both Triple-A and Double-A, and was drafted by 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...
organization after the season (December 9), but never again appeared in a major league game.