Dennis Martínez

At 69 years old, Dennis Martínez has this physical status:

José Dennis Martez Ortiz (born May 14, 1955) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher who went by the name "El Presidente" (The President).

He was the first Nicaraguan to play in the majors.

Early life

Martnez was born in Granada, Nicaragua, the last of seven children to Edmundo and Emilia Martnez. The family was poor, but he helped his parents raise food for the family. Ray Poitevint of the Baltimore Orioles scouted him for $3,000. He spent three years with three separate clubs in the minor leagues. In 1974, he went 15-6 with the Miami Orioles, averaging 2.06 years. He spent time with Miami, Asheville, and the Rochester Red Wings, going 12-4 in the middle and 4-1 with the latter, despite having no wins and losses with the former. Before being called up by the team late in the season, he was 14-8 with the Red Wings in 1976 with a 2.50 ERA.

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Playing career

Martnez made his Detroit Tigers debut against the Detroit Tigers on September 14, 1976 at Memorial Stadium. With the Orioles trailing 7–5, Dave Pagan was recalled in the top of the fourth inning. The Orioles roared in the seventh to win 9–7 and give Martnez his first career victory. He pitched 5.2 innings while allowing no runs on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. He went 1–2 with a 2.60 ERA in 27.2 innings in four games with the team. He had 18 strikeouts and eight walks.

Martnez went 14–7 in 42 games (of which he started 13) in 166.2 innings, with four saves and five complete games. He had 107 strikeouts and 64 walks.

Martnez went 16-11.21 for a 3.52 ERA in 40 games, winning 15 complete games in 276.1 innings of work. He had 142 strikeouts and 93 walks (a career high). He faced 1,140 batters, the first time in his career that he would do so. He was ranked in the top ten for several categories in the AL, including innings pitched (6th), strikeouts (9th), walks (6th), and hits (9th) with 257).

He was at his best usage in 39 games with 39 starts during 18 complete games and 292.1 innings of work the previous year (the latter three being career highs). He went 15-16 with a 3.66 ERA, while still having 132 strikeouts and 78 walks. He was batting for the first time in his career and also in the league's top 1,206 batters. Martnez made his postseason debut against the California Angels in Game 3 of the ALCS, pitching eight runs on eight hits but striking out four, although he did not receive a decision.

Martnez was 6–4 in 25 games for the 1980 season, a 3.97 ERA. In a total of 99.2 innings, he had two complete games and one save. He had 42 strikeouts and 44 walks. On September 29, 1980, he was batting by Terry Crowley, but he was left batting before batting. For a 1.000 field percentage, he had five putouts, 16 assists, and one double play on the field.

Martnez's improvements continued the following year. He went 14–5 with a 3.32 ERA in 25 games, including nine complete games with two shutouts in 179 innings of play. He had 88 strikeouts and 62 walks. He had 20 putouts, 44 assists, two mistakes, and four double plays for a.970 fielding percentage. He received votes for the Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player award, placing fifth and 23rd, respectively.

Martnez was selected to pitch the Kansas City Royals at Memorial Stadium on April 5, 1982, during the 1982 season. He allowed four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and three walks while still allowing a home run, but the Orioles won 13–5. He went 16–12 in 40 games last year, posting a 4.21 ERA. He played ten games in 252 innings of work, while having 111 strikeouts and 87 walks. He faced 1,093 batters, his third and final appearance in a season.

He was selected for the Opening Day Parade for the second time this year. As the Royals trounced the Orioles 7–2, he allowed four runs on six hits and six innings of work, with six strikeouts and two walks. He went 7–16 with a 5.53 ERA in that year. He had four complete games in 32 games and 153 innings of work, out of a total of 153 innings, with 71 strikeouts and 45 walks.

Martnez was plagued by alcoholism from the start of his career; he was introduced to alcohol when he was 17, and his drinking disorder continued to worsene when he reached the majors. He drank only on road trips, not in front of the presence of his relatives since the clubhouse was always having beer. It was this issue that led him not to Joe Altobelli's 1983 postseason roster, but the championship ring was given. Martnez and a friend of his went out for one night after the Series ended, and a friend of his started partying. On the ride home, he was cited for intoxication by a state trooper. The humiliation after his kidnapping led him to rehabilitation.

Despite quitting drinking, he had trouble in the years after, going 6–9 in 1984 and 141.2 innings with 77 strikeouts and 37 walks. Martnez said it was devotion to sobriety that influenced his attention on the field, adding, "It wasn't the same when I tried to play." Before I stopped drinking, I wasn't the same pitcher, not the same one. And, it's true, you can't really concentrate on the game and on sobriety at the same time. You have to concentrate on one or the other." He made little changes in 1985, finishing 13-11 with a 5.15 ERA in 33 games and 180 innings of work. During a season of 68 strikeouts and 63 walks, he allowed more hits and runs than ever before. Martnez won his 100th match on June 5. He threw a complete game against the California Angels at Memorial Stadium, allowing no runs on one hit, striking out three runs and one hit batsman. Martinez's aches and pains in 1986 came to an end during his time in Baltimore. In his four games with the Oriolettes, he had a 6.75 ERA, pitching a total of 6.2 innings while going two walks and strikeouts. He was traded by the Orioles along with an additional player to be announced later in the year (which the Orioles did by releasing Rene Gonzales later this year). Martnez had a 3.8 ERA in 1,775 innings with 858 strikeouts and 583 walks in his 11 seasons. He still ranks in the top ten of many categories for the Orioles, including wins (10th), strikeouts (10th), walks (8th), and earned runs (6th). Gonzales will bat.221 in four seasons of 267 total games, with the Orioles, while Martnez has played in 100 games with the Expos.

Martnez played in relief for his first three games before being called in as a starter in July. He lost three of his first four starts (with one of whom did not give up). Despite the fact that his poor start with the Expos didn't improve with the Expos, he went 3–6 for a 4.59 ERA in 19 appearances, with complete games and a save in 98 innings of work. He had 63 strikeouts and 28 walks.

Martnez had a labour dispute with the Expos, who gave him half ($250,000) of what he had been earning with the Orioles after the season. He joined a free agency, but no one took him seriously, and the Expos resigned, but he didn't have to sign until May 1, which would be the minimum. He pitched in the minor leagues to kick off his return to the team, as a member of the Miami Marlins, a Class A independent team. He later joined the Indianapolis Indians, a AAA affiliate for the Expos, in a 3–2 record, but was called back to the Expos in June. Martnez's record was 3.30 runs in 22 games, pitching 144.2 innings despite only having 84 strikeouts and 40 walks.

Martnez was the first one in Montreal at Olympic Stadium in 1988, when the team was in attendance on Opening Day for the team. On April 4, he faced Dwight Gooden against the New York Mets. He pitched six innings while giving seven runs on nine hits (three of which were home runs), with four walks and seven strikeouts in the Expos' loss, while the Expos lost 10–6. Martnez finished with a 2.72 ERA in 34 games and 235.1 innings of work during his ninth complete games, the first for him since 1982. He had 120 strikeouts and 55 walks. He made 19 putouts, 39 assists, six mistakes (a league record) and three double plays for a.906 fielding percentage. He placed in the top ten of many categories, including ERA (9th), innings (9th), complete games (6th), home runs (2nd with 215) and adjusted ERA+ (8th with 133).

Martnez was the Expos' opening day starter again this year. Pitching against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Olympic Stadium, he threw seven innings while allowing three runs on eight hits while having three strikeouts, with the Expos rallying to win in the ninth 6–5. In 34 games and 232 innings, he went 16-7 for a 3.18 ERA. With his 1978 season, he had 142 strikeouts and 49 walks, the former being tied for the most in his career. He had 11 putouts, 50 assists, and two mistakes with six double plays for a.968 fielding percentage. He placed in the top ten in a number of categories of the National League, including wins (6th), win-loss (4th), walks per nine innings (3rd with 1.901), and batters faced (8th with 950). The Denny Dog, a version of the Montreal hot dog topped with cheese and bacon sold at Olympic Stadium during Martnez' time with the Expos.

Martnez' 1990 was a mixed bag in certain ways. At Busch Stadium, he started the year off as the Opening Day pitcher against the St. Louis Cardinals. He went five innings while allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks, while the Expos lost 6–5 in 11 innings. He went 10–11 with a 2.95 ERA in 32 games and 226 innings, playing seven complete games. With 49 walks, he had a career high of 156 strikeouts. Despite this, he was selected to the All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. At the time of his selection, he had a 6.7 record at 6.78 percent. It was his first All-Star pick in his career. He pitched the National League's fourth inning. Martnez had one strike out in face of Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., and Mark McGwire, but allowed no hits.

Martnez's 1991 remark was evident. He was the Opening Day starter pitching against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium for the fourth year in a row. With five strikeouts and two walks, he threw seven innings of work while still conceding one hit and no runs as the Expos defeated 7–0. It was his first and only Opening Day victory with the Expos. In 31 games and 222 innings of work, he went 14-11 for a career low (a career low). He played nine games in totality against five shutouts, the former being a career high. While being selected to the All-Star Game at SkyDome in Toronto on July 9, July was a highlight for him. He had 123 strikeouts with 62 walks. Martez pitched the third and fourth inning for the NL, allowing three runs on four hits, including a home run from Cal Ripken Jr. He was fired after the American League carried on to win 4–2. Martnez pitched the 13th perfect game in Major League Baseball history against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 28. He was the first Latin American-born pitcher to pitch a perfect game. Martnez struck out five batters and threw 96 pitches, 66 for strikes. Since being named NL Pitcher of the Month, he posted a 2–1 record in five games started in July. He had his lowest ERA in the league, beating José Rijo, who had a 2.51 ERA. He was the first Expo since Steve Rogers in 1982 to win the ERA crown.

Martnez's career began in 2004 with a 2.47 ERA in 32 games and 226.1 innings of work. When being selected for his third straight All-Star Game, this time in San Diego, he had 147 strikeouts and 60 walks. Martnez was batting in the seventh inning of the seventh century. In his one inning of work, he had a strikeout and a walk while still allowing no hits. He was named Pitcher of the Month for the Netherlands in August. He went 4–0 in his five starts for the month, with at least seven innings pitching in each of the start's innings, allowing more than a earned run in a single game. He came in first place in several categories of the league, including ERA (5th), wins (3rd), walks & hits per inning (4th), and innings pitched (10th).

1993 was his last season with the Expos. In 35 games, he went 15-9 for a 3.85 average, with two complete games in 224.2 innings. When walking 64 batters, he struck out 138 batters. For a.984 fielding percentage, he made 17 putouts, 46 assists, one mistake, and one double play. Martnez won his 200th match on June 18, his 200th victory. Pitching in Montreal against the Atlanta Braves, he threw eight innings while still allowing one run of four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts, allowing the Expos to win 2–1. Martnez won his 100th game for the Expos on September 28, beating the Florida Marlins at Joe Robbie Stadium. Martnez threw 7.2 innings out of four runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk on 105 pitches, but the Expos retained with John Wetteland's 1.1 innings save to preserve the Expos' 3–2 victory. The Expos placed him on waivers in August. With the Atlanta Braves attempting to prevent him from going to the Giants, three franchises, the San Francisco Giants, and the Philadelphia Phillies have filed a lawsuit, with the Atlanta Braves trying to prevent him from going to the Giants. If the Expos wanted to cut out Martnez, they were only able to allow him to the Braves. On the other hand, he vetoed a trade by using his ten-and-a-kind privilege. The team finished 94–68 last year, the best record in Martnez' time with the team, though they lost three games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. With the win, he became the seventh pitcher with at least 100 wins in both the American and National leagues, alongside Jim Bunning, Ferguson Jenkins, Al Orth, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, and Cy Young; since Marten Johnson and Randy Johnson were among the list of players to join him. Martnez finished his career in the top ten of many categories, including victories (2nd behind Steve Rogers), ERA (5th), innings pitched (2nd behind Rogers), and strikeouts (6th behind Rogers).

Martnez left free agency after the 1993 season ended, and he signed with the Cleveland Indians in the winter. Martnez was named as the starter for the Seattle Mariners' Opening Day game on April 4, the first regular season game played at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. He pitched seven innings while allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and walks each, with the Indians rallying to win 4–3 in ten innings. In 24 games pitched and 176.2 innings, he went 11-6 for a 3.52 ERA in 11 games pitched and 176.2 innings. He had three shutouts, the first time he had pitched a shutout in a season since 1991. He had 92 strikeouts and 44 walks. For a 1.000 fielding percentage, he had 11 putouts, 33 assists, two double plays, and no errors, marking the first time Martnez has compiled the statistic since 1980. He finished in the top ten in a variety of categories, including WAR (6th with 4.6), wins (10th), walks & hits per inning (6th), complete games (2nd), and home runs per nine innings (6th with 0.813). Despite the fact that the season was postponed midway through August, the Indians had won 60 games and were on target for a playoff spot.

He maintained his good form for 1995. He started the team's opener with four runs off four hits this time while striking out three in six innings of work, but the Indians won by 11-6. In 28 games and 187 innings pitched, he went 12-5 with a 3.08 ERA. He had 99 strikeouts on 46 walks. He made 15 putouts, three double plays, 46 assists, and four errors, the latter being league highs despite having a.938 fielding percentage. He ranked in the top ten of numerous categories, including WAR (5th, 5.1), ERA (3rd), walks & hits per inning (3rd, 0.818), and home runs per nine innings (9th, 0.818).

Martnez's wild pitch cracked the jaw of Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett on September 28, 1995. Puckett's last official game of his career will be played in 1996, as a result of Martnez's pitch. Martnez played in five games for the Indians during their quest to the American League pennant, his first postseason action with the Orioles since 1979. He was 1–2 with two no decisions. He appeared in Game 1 of both the ALDS and the ALCS. In Game 6 of the ALCS, he earned his first postseason victory, pitching seven innings, with three strikeouts and one walk on 90 pitches, as the Indians clinched the pennant 4–0 over the Seattle Mariners. He appeared in Game 2 and 6 of the World Series, losing in the former while having no decision in the latter, but the Braves fought the Series in six games.

He had a year plagued by inconsistency, with his age now 42 (the youngest in the American League). Martnez was the first Indians pitcher to start three consecutive Opening Day games since Gaylord Perry in 1974. He pitched seven innings while allowing two runs on five hits, five strikeouts, and two walks, but the Indians lost 7–1. In 20 games and 122 innings, he went 9-6 with a 4.50 ERA. He had 48 strike outs (his lowest since 1980) and 37 walks. After August 27, he made no appearances for the Indians after losing just 2/3 innings while allowing two runs.

On February 20, 1997, Martnez signed with the Seattle Mariners as a free agent. He appeared in nine games between 1–5 with a 7.71 ERA in 49 innings. He struck out 17 batters and marched 29 batters before requesting his freedom on May 24, three days after allowing 7 runs on 7 hits against the Anaheim Angels in an 18–3 loss.

Martnez spent his remaining season with the Atlanta Braves in 1998. He went 4–6 with a 4.45 ERA, appearing in 53 games while making five starts and two saves within 91 innings. He had 62 strikeouts and 19 walks. He made four appearances in the San Diego Padres in the NLCS during the postseason for the Braves, including four in the NLCS. He won Game 4 in relief of Denny Neagle's relief by having Chris Gomez grounded-out before the Braves scored in the next inning. He made his final appearance in Game 6 on October 14, replacing John Rocker in the top of the 6th inning. He retired all four batters he faced, but the Braves lost the game 5–0 along with the series.

Martnez resigned after the season, saying that he had nothing more to do with his work. He retired as the most victories by a Latin American pitcher, although Bartolo Colón defeated him in 2018.

Martnez won 245 games, 2,149 strikeouts, and a 3.70 earned run average during his 23-year career. He is one of the best Latin American pitchers of all time. Martnez is one of only 17 pitchers to start on Opening Day more than ten times, having done it 11 times. Martnez has the most victories in a single season out of any pitcher. Mark Buehrle, Milt Pappas, Jerry Reuss, Frank Tanana, Charlie Hough, Kenny Rogers, and Tim Wakefield are the only other pitchers with at least 200 victories in their career. Four of these pitchers (Buehrle, Pappas, Reuss, and Rogers) had pitched no hitters, with Buehrle also pitching a superb game, and Rogers' game was also a good match, three years to Martnez's birthday.

Post-playing career

He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2002. Martnez has served as a spring training instructor for the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 and 2006, as well as a pitching coach for the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League.

The Houston Astros announced Martnez as their new bullpen coach on November 5, 2012, naming him as their final coaching staff for the 2013 season. He was shot on October 1, 2013.

Martnez has served as the head of Nicaragua's national baseball team as well as during the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifying Tournament. Dennis Martnez National Stadium in Manaragua (Nicaragua's capital city) was named in his honor.

Martnez's own group, The Dennis Martnez Foundation, helps homeless people around the world.

Martnez was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. Martnez was selected as the head of the National League Futures Team as part of the 2019 All-Star Game.

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