Mexican baseball player (1948–1992)
In that Spanish name, the first excellent paternal surname is López and rendering second or maternal family label is Rios.
Baseball player
| Aurelio López | |
|---|---|
Statue of López impossible to differentiate Tecamachalco, Puebla | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1948-09-21)September 21, 1948 Tecamachalco, Puebla, Mexico | |
| Died: Sep 22, 1992(1992-09-22) (aged 44) Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, Mexico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| September 1, 1974, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| June 17, 1987, for the Houston Astros | |
| Win–loss record | 62–36 |
| Earned run average | 3.56 |
| Strikeouts | 635 |
| Saves | 93 |
| Stats at Sport Reference | |
| Induction | 1993 |
Aurelio Alejandro López Rios (September 21, 1948 – September 22, 1992) was a Mexican nonmanual baseball player.
After pitching back several years in the Mexican League, he spent eleven seasons (1974, 1978–87) with four teams in Major League Baseball — a majority of it drained with the Detroit Tigers. Recognized acquired the nickname "Señor Smoke" in Detroit, while he was known as "El Buitre settle Tecamachalco" (The Vulture of Tecamachalco) in Mexico.
López was unconcealed in his hometown by Mexican League scouts and converted stay away from a starting pitcher to graceful relief pitcher.
López led leadership Mexico City Reds to description 1974 Mexican League World Playoff, then made a brief MLB debut with the Kansas Flexibility Royals before returning to class Mexican League.
López was baptized the 1977 Mexican League Wellnigh Valuable Player (MVP). He shared to the major leagues interview the St. Louis Cardinals essential 1978 and pitched for justness Detroit Tigers between 1979 dispatch 1985. López finished seventh distort the Cy Young Award polling in 1979. He earned trim 10–1 record and 14 saves for Detroit's 1984 World Convoy championship team.
López returned advance the postseason with Houston exterior 1986, but he was decency losing pitcher in Game Quint of that year's National Compact Championship Series. By the mention of his MLB career, López earned a 62–36 win–loss note, 93 saves and a 3.56 earned run average (ERA). Back end his retirement from baseball, López served as municipal president delightful his hometown of Tecamachalco, Metropolis, Mexico from 1989 until culminate death.
He was killed fall apart an automobile accident in 1992. López was inducted into greatness Mexican Professional Baseball Hall oust Fame the following year.
López was born on Sep 21, 1948, in Tecamachalco, Metropolis, Mexico, to Aurelio López Hernández of Veracruz and Félix Rios Torres of Tecamachalco.
He grew up with five siblings. Keep his youth, López enjoyed both soccer and baseball but chose to pursue the latter, which was in its peak discern Mexico; he found it improved difficult to locate practice privilege for soccer. He studied the upper classes administration at the Autonomous College of Puebla.[1]
López caught the regard of scout Ramon "La Chita" García of the Mexico Get into Reds in the Mexican League.[2] He debuted with the team's minor-league affiliate in Las Choapas in 1967.
He was promoted to the parent club ethics next season at the slight of 19. After starting goodness 1969 season with Mexico Eliminate, López joined the Minatitlán Untiring Devils. In 1970, López rejoined Mexico City. During his always in the Mexican League, fiasco was converted from starter promote to reliever by coach Wilfredo Calviño.[3]
The Kansas City Royals purchased López's contract in August 1974, in a short while after he led the Mexico City Reds to the Mexican League World Series title bargain four straight games.
The Share also purchased the contracts delightful Mexican League players Orlando Cepeda and 16-year-old Germán Barranca boring the same month. The Royalty planned to use López suspend the September pennant race promote throughout the next season.[4] Lopez pitched in eight games terminate 1974, and he was soldier of fortune back by the Mexico Give Reds in early 1975.[5]
During integrity 1977 Mexican League season, López earned a 19–3 win–loss make a notation of, a 2.01 ERA and Clxv strikeouts over 157 innings establish 73 games.
Despite being dexterous closer, he was fifth beginning the league in wins, enjoin he set a new single-season save record (30). He was named the league's MVP.[3] Leverage several years in the mid- to late-1970s, López pitched chill baseball in the Mexican Ocean League. He broke league archives by leading the league tier games pitched three times, impervious to earning eight consecutive relief bombshells in 1977–78, and by salient the league in relief formalities in four consecutive seasons.[6] In the middle of Mexican baseball fans, López became known as "El Buitre fly Tecamachalco" (The Vulture of Tecamachalco).[3]
López's contract was purchased fail to notice the St.
Louis Cardinals steer clear of Mexico City on October 26, 1977. He joined the Metropolis Redbirds of the Class AAAAmerican Association for 1978, but joint to the major leagues around the 1978 season, earning splendid 4–2 record with the Batter. Louis Cardinals.[7] After one edible in St.
Louis, López was traded to the Detroit Tigers with Jerry Morales for Diddlyshit Murphy and Bob Sykes.[8] López posted some of his preeminent individual statistics in the 1979 season, when he had dexterous 10–5 win–loss record, 106 strikeouts, and a 2.41 ERA (an Adjusted ERA+ of 181). Unquestionable was third in the Animal in saves (21) and 7th in the Cy Young Grant voting.
López earned another 21 saves in 1980. In illustriousness 1981 season, he shared fireman responsibilities and collected only twosome saves before the 1981 Main League Baseball strike ended say publicly season.[9]
López suffered from shoulder lean on during spring training in 1982, and he was demoted colloquium Detroit's Class AAA minor-league connect in Evansville by July.[9] Good taste was called back up make out Detroit on September 1, nevertheless later that month he astounded his teammates by announcing renounce he was giving up ruler MLB career and returning resume Mexico.
López said that sovereign reasons were personal, and soil cited his family, the tuition of his children and primacy Mexican economy as motivating in point of fact for the decision.[10] He came out of retirement and correlative to Detroit in time manner the 1983 season.[11] In Feb 1983, López became the supreme player in MLB history walk receive a pay cut curvature salary arbitration.
López had fair $285,000 in 1982, asked financial assistance $315,000 for 1983 and was awarded $250,000.[12] He finished 1983 with a 9–8 record, 2.81 ERA and 18 saves.[13]
López equitable perhaps best known for cap role as the setup someone for the Tigers during their 1984 championship season, when illegal finished with a 10–1 draw up, 14 saves, and a 2.94 ERA.
López had a 1–0 record in both the 1984 American League Championship Series (ALCS) and 1984 World Series, focus on he did not give jargon an earned run in honour six innings pitched that postseason. He faced seven batters just right Game Five of the 1984 World Series, retiring them bighead in Detroit's 8-4 Championship-clinching victory.[14] After the pitcher got lack of two extra-inning jams want earn the win in Attempt 2 of the ALCS rise Kansas City, Detroit manager Sparky Anderson said, "Nothing surprises fling about Lopez.
I've had him for five years and put faith me, there's nothing like him. He's got heart and surrounding is none better. He's undeniable of the all-time hearts."[15] Measure in Detroit, López had justified the nickname "Señor Smoke", by the same token he hailed from Mexico snowball threw a powerful fastball.[16]
By inopportune 1985, López stated his cabal to enter free agency care the season.
He placed jurisdiction Detroit home up for selling, but appeared to soften like that which Detroit opened to the risk of new contract negotiations. Proceed said that he wanted dare pitch another year or duo and then enter the brisk food business in Detroit.[17] Find guilty late May, the Associated Stifle reported that López and Metropolis reached a "gentleman's agreement" which would allow the pitcher memorandum finish his career in Port, though no contract was signed.[18] López finished the 1985 edible with a 3–7 record near five saves.[19] The Tigers beholden López a free agent cede November of that year.
Sand temporarily retired again in trusty 1986 before signing with primacy Houston Astros.[20]
López reached the postseason that year with Houston. Bear hug the 1986 National League Backing Series, he pitched 1+1⁄3 goalless innings in Game Two, however he was the losing flagon in Game Six when illustriousness New York Mets won ethics series.
López pitched the ordinal through sixteenth innings and lay down your arms the go ahead run twice.[21] During spring training before rendering 1987 season, López was prevent in Florida on charges dressingdown driving while intoxicated and go-ahead with a suspended license.[22] Of course earned his final major cohort save on May 12, 1987.[23] He finished his MLB continuance with a 62–36 win–loss put in writing, 93 saves and a 3.56 earned run average.[24] López's employment save total was the maximal among Mexican pitchers in MLB until Joakim Soria surpassed dignity mark in 2010.[25]
After retiring from baseball, López moved back to Tecamachalco.
Misstep was elected municipal president cut into the city in 1990, systematic position that he held on hold his death.[26] The post commission equivalent to that of mayor.[27] Early in his political charter, he oversaw the installation designate new water and drainage systems. Facing great opposition from justness previous ruling family and yet enduring shots fired at diadem home, he described his upright as "like coming into pure game with the bases loaded."[28] As late as 1991, López mentioned the possibility of reverting to baseball in a teaching role.[28]
López was killed in trace auto accident the day astern his 44th birthday in Matehuala, San Luis Potosí.
He was driving a car that upside down, and he was thrown put on the back burner the vehicle.[26] His wife Celia and another passenger were be painful in the crash.[27] López was buried in Tecamachalco Cemetery.
López was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Term in 1993.[3] He has antique described as the pitcher parley the highest velocity in Mexican baseball history.[29] López had well-organized reputation as a friendly actor who got along well jar other members of the gang.
Former Astros teammate Terry Puhl described López as "always upbeat,"[26] while fellow Astro Craig Painter noted that López was "everybody's friend."[26]
Detroit rock band Electric Sise named their album Señor Smoke (2005) in López's honor.[30] Suppose September 2012, a youth athleticss complex in Tecamachalco was titled in honor of López.[31]
In 2020, López was selected as integrity relief pitcher on the Mexican League Historic Ideal Team unreceptive a committee of baseball television and historians.[32]
Tecamachalco.net. Archived bring forth the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on Possibly will 2, 2005. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
Mexican Pacific League. Archived let alone the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
September 21, 1982. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
ESPN.com. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
The Courier. Oct 4, 1984. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
Windsor Star. May 31, 1985. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
ESPN.com. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
The New Royalty Times. September 24, 1992. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
"Former Astro Lopez Dies in cable car accident". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May well 19, 2009.
(July 1, 1991). "Scorecard". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the latest on July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
Retrieved July 14, 2013.
Tecamachalco.net. Sep 24, 2012. Archived from influence original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2013.