| Ed Figueroa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1948-10-14)October 14, 1948 (age 77) Ciales, Puerto Rico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 9, 1974, for the California Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1981, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 80–67 |
| Earned run average | 3.51 |
| Strikeouts | 571 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Eduardo Figueroa Padilla (born October 14, 1948) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. Listed at 6' 1"(1.86 m), 190 lb.(86 k), Figueroa batted and threw right handed. He was born inCiales, Puerto Rico.
Figueroa is the onlypitcher from Puerto Rico to win twenty games in a regular major league season.
Figueroa originally signed with theNew York Mets as a seventeen-year-old amateur free agent in1966. He went 12–5 with a 2.05earned run average with theWinter Haven Mets in1967, and seemed well on his way to the majors when was called to take adraft physical in Puerto Rico. After three weeks away from his team, theRaleigh-Durham Mets, he hurt his arm in his first game back. The Mets released him, and Figueroa joined theUnited States Marine Corps, spending the next year inVietnam.[1]
Upon his discharge from the Marine Corps in1970, Figueroa signed with theSan Francisco Giants. After three seasons in their organization, he was traded to theCalifornia Angels forBruce Christensen andDon Rose on July 6,1973.
Figueroa made his major league debut on April 9, 1974. AfterNolan Ryan had given up three runs to theTexas Rangers, he was replaced in the second inning with the bases loaded and no outs.Skip Lockwood struck out the first batter he faced, then gave up agrand slam toJeff Burroughs. The Angels were already behind 10–2 when Figueroa was called into the game in the eighth inning. He gave up one hit in two innings.[2]
On July 6, Figueroa pitched a complete game in which he only gave up one earned run while striking out six with six hits. He received no run support from his team, and his first decision was a 1–0 loss toCleveland.[3] His next start was also a complete game. This time he received run support, and shut out theBoston Red Sox, 7–0, atFenway Park.[4] The 1974 Angels were a last place team which lost 94. Figueroa ended up with a 2–8 record despite a solid 3.67 ERA.
After splitting 1974 between starts and relief appearances, Figueroa was added to the starting rotation for1975. The Angels were again a last place team, yet Figueroa still managed to put up respectable numbers, going 16–13 with a 2.91 ERA.
Figueroa was acquired along withMickey Rivers by theNew York Yankees from the Angels forBobby Bonds on December 11, 1975.[5] He joined a Yankees pitching staff that includedCatfish Hunter andDock Ellis, yet it was Figueroa who turned out to be the staff ace, going 19–10 with a 3.02 ERA to finish fourth in American League Cy Young Award balloting behindJim Palmer,Mark Fidrych and former California teammateFrank Tanana in1976.
Figueroa's numbers tailed off slightly in 1977, as he went 16–11 with a 3.57 ERA for the1977 World Series champions. He was 7–7 with a 3.91 ERA when he took the mound against theMinnesota Twins on July 19, 1978. Figueroa pitched a complete-game shutout,[6] and went 13–2 for the remainder of the season to help lead the charge from fourteen games back to overtake the Boston Red Sox in the American League East.
Figueroa suffered from an arm injury in 1979, and was limited to sixteen starts. On July 20, 1980, Figueroa was tagged by theKansas City Royals for five earned runs in two innings. His ERA ballooned to 6.98, and he was placed on waivers shortly afterwards.[7] TheTexas Rangers purchased his contract just before the July 31 trade deadline.
In Texas, Figueroa was 0–7 with a 5.90 ERA for the Rangers in 1980. He re-signed with the Rangers for1981, but was released after six minor league starts in which he was 2–1 with a 7.83 ERA.
Shortly afterwards, he signed with former Yankees skipperBilly Martin and theOakland Athletics, and posted a far more respectable 3.34 ERA with theirPacific Coast League affiliate, theTacoma Tigers. He earned a promotion to the majors, and made his final major league start on September 6 against theBaltimore Orioles. He was leading 4–2 when an injury forced his early departure in the fifth inning.[8]
Figueroa made five minor league starts for the A's in1982, and was 0–3 with an 18.24 ERA. He was offered a minor league deal by theMilwaukee Brewers for1982, but chose instead to retire.
In between, Figueroa pitched for theGold Coast Suns of theSenior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. He also played winter ball with theLobos de Arecibo,Criollos de Caguas andCangrejeros de Santurce clubs of thePuerto Rico Baseball League. While pitching for Caguas, he led the league in wins on back-to-back seasons,recording 10-3 twice in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 campaigns.
Major League Baseball pitching statistics
Figueroa posted a 0–4 record with a 7.47 ERA in seven post-season starts.
Figueroa lives inGuaynabo, Puerto Rico, and owns two restaurants, named Lupis inOld San Juan and near theSan Juan airport.[9]
· Baseball Almanac