Juan Pizarro (baseball)
Juan Pizarro | |
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Santurce, Puerto Rico | |
Died: February 18, 2021 Carolina, Puerto Rico | (aged 84)|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
May 4, 1957, for the Milwaukee Braves | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 26, 1974, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 131–105 |
Earned run average | 3.43 |
Strikeouts | 1,522 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Juan Ramón Pizarro a.k.a. "Terín" (February 7, 1937 – February 18, 2021) was a Puerto Rican
Early years
Pizarro (birth name:Juan Ramon Pizarro Cordova
Milwaukee Braves
Pizarro signed with the
He split 1958 between Milwaukee and the triple A Wichita Braves, and was again included on the Braves' post-season roster as they faced the Yankees in the World Series for the second year in a row. This time the Yankees won the Series in seven games. Pizarro's only appearance again came in a loss in game five.[5]
Pizarro remained with the Braves through 1960, compiling a 23–19 record and 3.93 ERA in Milwaukee. On December 15, 1960, he was traded with Joey Jay to the Cincinnati Reds for Roy McMillan, then immediately sent by the Reds with Cal McLish to the Chicago White Sox for Gene Freese.
Chicago White Sox
Pizarro enjoyed his greatest success as a member of the White Sox. In 1961, despite being the youngest pitcher in the
Pizarro's best season was 1964, when he went 19–9 with a 2.56 ERA and four
From there, things rapidly deteriorated for him. Injuries limited Pizarro to just eighteen starts in 1965.[9] In 1966, he was used primarily in relief. Despite a respectable 8–6 record and 3.76 ERA in 34 appearances, he pitched only 88.2 innings. Following the season, he was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[10]
Journeyman
Though he made nine starts for the 1967 Pirates, he was mainly a relief pitcher, earning a career high nine saves. He was limited to "mop up duty" by manager Larry Shepard in 1968. He appeared in twelve games with the Pirates prior to being placed on waivers; eleven were losses. The one win, Pizarro entered the game with the Pirates trailing, and earned the win himself.[11]
The
After beginning the 1970 season with Oakland's triple A affiliate, Pizarro was released and signed a minor league contract with the
Chicago Cubs
On September 11, 1971, he shut out the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.[13] In his next start, he shutout Tom Seaver and the New York Mets 1–0 at Shea Stadium. The one run was a solo shot by Pizarro in the eighth inning.[14] Seaver had won seven in a row at that point. His previous loss came on August 1, also courtesy of a complete game by Pizarro.[15] It would be more than 40 years before another starting pitcher broke a scoreless tie by hitting a home run in the eighth inning or later: Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers did this, also in the eighth inning, on Opening Day 2013.[16]
For the 1971 season, Pizarro went 7–6 with a 3.46 ERA. He was 4–5 with a 3.94 ERA in 1972. He spent most of the first half of the 1973 season assigned to the Cubs' triple A affiliate, the
Return to the post season
Pizarro was 2–2 with a 6.56 ERA out of Houston's bullpen in 1973. He was released the following Spring, and rejoined the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates won the National League East by a game and a half over the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing Pizarro to return to the post season for the first time since 1958. His only appearance in the 1974 National League Championship Series came in the fourth game, which the Los Angeles Dodgers won to head to the 1974 World Series.
Death
Pizarro died on February 18, 2021.[18]
Legacy
Looking at his entire professional career, Pizarro won more than 400 ballgames. His regular-season count is 392: 197 in the US (131 in the majors and 66 in the minors), plus 38 more in Mexico in his late 30s and 157 while playing winter ball in his homeland. His final record in Puerto Rico was 157–110, with a superb 2.51 ERA. Only Rubén Gómez had more wins (174, and he needed 29 seasons to do it). Pizarro pitched 2,403 innings, again second behind Gomez, and allowed just 1,980 hits. He is the PRWL's all-time leader in strikeouts (1,804) and shutouts (46), marks that will almost certainly never be challenged.[19]
Pizarro was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Caribbean Confederation and the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame.[1]
Major-league career stats
Years | W
|
L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO
|
SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | SO | WP | HBP | Fld% |
18 | 131 | 105 | .555 | 3.43 | 488 | 245 | 79 | 17 | 28 | 2034.1 | 1807 | 776 | 890 | 201 | 888 | 1522 | 65 | 41 | .969 |
- American League All-Star (1963, 64)
- American League Leader in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (1961, 62)
- AmerIcan League Leader in fielding average as pitcher (1963, 64)
- National League pennant team (1957, 58)
- World Series champion team (1957)
Pizarro had a .202 lifetime batting average (133–658) with 8 home runs, 72 runs scored and 66 RBIs.
Note
- Spanish name, the first or paternal surnameis Pizarro and the second or maternal family name is Cordova.
See also
References
- ^ a b Juan Terin Pizarro La Gloria del Beisbol Puertorriqueño
- ^ "Juan Pizarro". baseballbiography.com.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 1, Milwaukee Braves 0". Baseball-Reference.com. May 4, 1957.
- ^ "1957 World Series, Game Three". Baseball-Reference.com. October 5, 1957.
- ^ "1958 World Series, Game Five". Baseball-Reference.com. October 6, 1958.
- ^ "Chicago White Sox 9, Cleveland Indians 3". Baseball-Reference.com. August 27, 1961.
- ^ "Chicago White Sox 2, Los Angeles Angels 1". Baseball-Reference.com. April 10, 1962.
- ^ "1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game". Baseball-Reference.com. July 9, 1963.
- ^ "White Sox Pizarro Hurt". Pittsburgh Press. June 27, 1965.
- ^ Pirates buy Juan Pizzaro
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 4, Chicago Cubs 3". Baseball-Reference.com. April 30, 1968.
- ^ Eldridge, Larry. "Ken Harrelson Retires Rather Than Leave Boston," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, April 21, 1969. Retrieved June 9, 2020
- ^ "Chicago Cubs 7, St. Louis Cardinals 0". Baseball-Reference.com. September 11, 1971.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs 1, New York Mets 0". Baseball-Reference.com. September 16, 1971.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs 3, New York Mets 2". Baseball-Reference.com. August 1, 1971.
- ^ http://espn.go.com/espn/elias?date=20130402 Elias, 2 April 2013
- ^ "Atlanta Braves 8, Chicago Cubs 5". Baseball-Reference.com. June 17, 1973.
- ^ Narvá, Carlos; Vocero, El (2021-02-18). "De luto el béisbol ante el fallecimiento de Juan "Terín" Pizarro". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-02-22.
- ^ SABR BioProject: Juan Pizarro
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Baseball Almanac