Dennis Martínez

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José Dennis Martínez Emilia (born May 14, 1955 in Granada, Nicaragua), better known as Dennis Martínez, was the first Nicaraguan baseball player to play in Major League Baseball. During his career, he was known by the nickname El Presidente (The President).

A right-handed starting pitcher, Martínez played for the Baltimore Orioles (1976-86), Montreal Expos (1986-93), Cleveland Indians (1994-96), Seattle Mariners (1997) and Atlanta Braves (1998).

In his 23-year career, Martínez had a 245-193 won-loss record with 2149 strikeouts, a 3.70 ERA, 30 shutouts, 122 complete games, four saves, and 3999 2/3 innings pitched in 692 games played (562 as starter). He is one of the top Latin American pitchers of all-time. On July 28 1991, he became the first Latin-born pitcher to throw a perfect game, the 13th in major league history, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He currently serves as the pitching coach for the Palm Beach Cardinals.

Highlights

• 4-time All-Star (1990-92, 1995)
• Twice Top 10 Cy Young Award (1981, 1991)
• Led league in wins (1981)
• Led league in ERA (1991)
• Led league in shutouts (1991)
• 6-time Top 10 in shutouts (1979, 1981, 1990, 1994-96)
• Led league in games started, innings pitched and batters faced (1979)
• 9-time pitched 220 or more innings in a season (1978-79, 1982, 1988-93)
• 3-time oldest player in the majors (1996-98)
• 52nd on the strikeouts all-time list
• Set record for most wins by a Latin American pitcher (244 - August 9, 1998)
• Pitched the 13th perfect game in major league history (July 28, 1991)

Facts

• On September 28, 1993, Martinez won his 100th game for the Expos, becoming one of nine major league pitchers ever with at least 100 wins in both the American and National leagues. Others to do that are Jim Bunning, Ferguson Jenkins, Al Orth, Gaylord Perry, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan and Cy Young.
• Dennis Martinez is one of a handful of pitchers to have completed a perfect game. He achieved this against the L.A Dodgers instilling him as one of the least talked about greats of Major League Baseball.
• The national baseball park in Managua (Nicaragua's capital city), Dennis Martínez National Stadium, was named in his honor.
• On September 28, 1995, Martínez was the last man to pitch to the late Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett in a regular-season game. A wild pitch by Martínez broke Puckett's jaw; the following spring during Grapefruit League spring training, Puckett developed glaucoma in his right eye and never played again. It was determined by team doctors that his broken jaw had no impact on his glaucoma.
• Is the one of the top 100 winning pitchers in MLB history to never have a 20-Win Season - indeed, he never won more than 16 games in a season during his career.
• Has worked as a spring training instructor for the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 and 2006.
• Was the starting pitcher for the Orioles in their 5-4 loss to the Yankees in the first game after the funeral of Yankee Captain Thurman Munson. Martinez did not factor in the decision.
• Dennis runs his own organization, The Dennis Martinez Foundation, to help poor children around the world.
• Dennis was featured on yankeeography and attended a celebration with other perfect game pitchers in honor of Don Larsen

See also

• Pitchers who have thrown a perfect game
• Players from Nicaragua in MLB
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
• MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
• Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time
• Montreal Expos all-time roster

External links

• Dennis Martínez at:
  • Baseball Library
  • Baseball Page
  • Baseball Reference