Manny Sanguillén
Manny Sanguillén | ||
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Runs batted in | 585 | |
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Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (born March 21, 1944) is a Panamanian former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher in 1967 and from 1969 through 1980, most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won five National League Eastern Division titles in six years between 1970 and 1975 and won the World Series in 1971 and 1979, twice over the Baltimore Orioles.[1] He also played one season for the Oakland Athletics.
A three-time
Major League career
Sanguillén was born in Colón, Panama. Author Kal Wagenheim, who interviewed Sanguillen among many others while researching his 1973 biography of Roberto Clemente, notes that the Pirates' catcher came to baseball remarkably late.
Sanguillen grew up in a tough barrio and didn't touch a baseball until he was nineteen, when he heard a pastor preaching sermons on a street corner, joined the Evangelical Baptist Church, and became a member of the church team. Two years later he was signed to play professional baseball.[7][a]
On the field, Sanguillen was notorious for being a "bad-ball" hitter.[5] Most pitchers will try to strike out an aggressive, free-swinging hitter by forcing him to swing at pitches outside the strike zone when he had two strikes on him. Sanguillen often irritated opposing pitchers and managers by hitting bad pitches for base hits.[5] He rarely walked, and was the only player since 1900 with at least six straight seasons with 475 plate appearances and fewer than 22 walks.[citation needed] This was also why, in spite of his high batting average, his on-base percentage was lower than the league average over his career.[citation needed]
After playing for three years in the
Sanguillen was a valuable member of the world champion
After the tragic death of Roberto Clemente before the
After one season with the A's, Sanguillen was traded back to the Pirates for Miguel Diloné and Elías Sosa.[19] He played in only 85 games in 1978, mostly as a first baseman as Ed Ott and Duffy Dyer platooned at the catcher's position.[20] His playing time diminished further in 1979, playing in only 56 games, although he contributed a two-out, game-winning single and RBI for the Pirates in Game 2 of the 1979 World Series against the Orioles.[15][21] The 1980 season was Sanguillen's last in the majors,[1] although he returned in 1982 to play in the Mexican League.
Sanguillen was a close friend of his teammate
Career statistics
In a 13-year career, Sanguillen played in 1,448
Sanguillen currently operates "Manny's BBQ", a barbecue-style concession stand at the Pirates' current home, PNC Park. He sits in a chair greeting fans in line to buy food, signing autographs and posing for photos.
Before the Pirates' win over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on August 24, 2019, Sanguillen was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in a special ceremony before over 26,000 fans.[26][27][28]
Notes
- Baptist faith proved considerably more durable,[8] and to Protestantism as whole, more durable still.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Manny Sanguillén statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ Catchers career batting averages at The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
- ^ a b Two Catchers Cut From Royal Cloth, by Ron Fimrite, Sports Illustrated, June 26, 1972
- ISSN 0005-609X
- ^ ISSN 0005-609X
- ISSN 0005-609X
- LCCN 73--6893.
- ^ "Sanguillen to Speak". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 16, 1974. p. 8. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ProQuest 1859798472.
Manny Sanguillen of the Pittsburgh Pirates will be the guest speaker at 8 a.m. today at the men's Lenten breakfast of the Monroeville United Methodist Church.
- ^ 1970 National League Batting Leaders at Baseball Reference
- ^ 1971 National League Fielding Leaders at Baseball Reference
- ^ 1971 National League Final Standings at Baseball Reference
- ^ 1971 League Championship Series at Baseball Reference
- ^ a b 1971 World Series at Baseball Reference
- ^ a b Manny Sanguillén post-season batting statistics at Baseball Reference
- ^ Now Playing Right: Manny Sanguillen, by Roy Blount Jr., Sports Illustrated, March 19, 1973
- ^ ISSN 0005-609X
- ^ 1975 National League Batting Leaders at Baseball Reference
- ^ a b Manny Sanguillen Trades and Transactions at Baseball Almanac
- ^ 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates season at Baseball Reference
- ^ 1979 World Series Game 2 box score at Baseball Reference
- ISBN 1-58261-312-5
- ^ September 20, 1969 Pirates-Mets box score at Baseball Reference
- ^ 1971 National League Most Valuable Player Award voting results at Baseball Reference
- ^ Manny Sanguillen at The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
- ^ "Manny Sanguillen being inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame at PNC Park by our CEO Tito Avila". Facebook. The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ Ramos, Paul (25 August 2019). "Gran Noche Para Manny Sanguillén Y Los Piratas De Pittsburg". Noticias MLB. conlasbasesllenas.com. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "Pirates 14, Reds 0". MLB Gameday. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Manny Sanguillén at SABR (Baseball BioProject)
- Manny Sanguillén at Baseball Almanac
- "Superstardom Ahead For Sanguillen?," by Al Abrams, Baseball Digest, June 1970