| Melvin Mora | |
|---|---|
 Mora with the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Third baseman | |
| Born: (1972-02-02)February 2, 1972 (age 53) Yaracuý State,Venezuela | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 30, 1999, for the New York Mets | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 29, 2011, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .277 |
| Home runs | 171 |
| Runs batted in | 754 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Member of the Venezuelan | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2022 |
| Vote | 75% |
| Election method | Contemporary Committee |
Melvin Mora Diaz (born February 2, 1972) is aVenezuelan-American former professionalbaseballinfielder. He played for theNew York Mets,Baltimore Orioles,Colorado Rockies andArizona Diamondbacks ofMajor League Baseball (MLB).
From his debut in 1999 to 2003, Mora was known as autility player, playing all three outfield positions, shortstop, and second base. In 2004, the Orioles made Mora their everyday third baseman, a position he occupied through 2009.
Mora was signed out of Venezuela as an amateur free agent in 1991. After spending seven years in theAstrosfarm system and few months in theChinese Professional Baseball League with theMercuries Tigers, he signed as afree agent with theMets in1998 and made his major league debut in the1999 season. Mora made himself more valuable by being able to play all threeoutfield positions,shortstop,second base andthird.
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In 1999, he scored the winning run of the final game of the year for the Mets on a wild pitch by the Pirates'Brad Clontz, which propelled theMets to a one-game playoff withCincinnati, which they won.[1][2]
Mora became a cult hero in New York as he starred in the 1999 National League Championship Series, batting a clutch .429 with an OPS of 1.143, and throwing runners out at home plate and third base from his right field position.[3]
In 2000, shortstopRey Ordoñez broke his arm, ending Ordoñez's season. Mora was moved to shortstop, where he struggled defensively.
The Mets traded Mora to Baltimore on July 28, 2000, with two minor league players andMike Kinkade for veteran shortstopMike Bordick.[4][5] Used as a utility player in Baltimore, things changed in 2003, when an injury-depleted Orioles team began using Mora almost exclusively in left field, and Mora responded with the best stretch of his career. He reached base in 32 straight games while using a 23-game hitting streak to temporarily become theAmerican League batting leader.[6] Finally excelling as a hitter, Mora was chosen for his firstAll-Star selection. Mora's season was cut short due to injuries (a bruised wrist and a partially torn ligament in his left knee), but finished with a .317 batting average, 15 home runs, and a .418on-base percentage in 96 games.[7]
Mora's 2003 season proved that he could be a consistent hitter at the major league level. In 2004, Mora became the Orioles' regular third baseman and enjoyed his most productive season in the majors. Mora hit a career-high .340, finishing second in theAL batting race toIchiro Suzuki's .372 mark; led the league in on-base percentage (.419); ranked fifth inslugging average (.562) andOPS (.981); sixth inruns (111),doubles (41) andtimes on base (264); eighth inhits (187), and ninth intotal bases (264).[7][8] His 27 home runs and 104 RBI were also career-highs, while leading his team in batting average, runs, on-base percentage, slugging average and OPS.[7] At third base, he improved and became more consistent as the season wore on. Mora finished 18th inAmerican League MVP voting and won aSilver Slugger Award.[9]
In 2005, Mora once again hit 27 home runs, although hisbatting average and on-base percentage dropped.[7] On May 19, 2006, Mora agreed to a three-year, $25 million deal that included a no-trade clause because Mora did not want to move his family to another city.[10]
In 2006, Mora's home run total dropped to 16, and again dropped in 2007 to 14. Mora also saw his batting average fall to .274 for both seasons.[7]
Mora was named American League Player of the Month for August 2008. Mora batted .418 (41-for-98) with eight home runs and had an MLB-leading 32 RBIs in 24 games. He posted a .765 slugging percentage and a .455 on-base percentage, with 17 extra-base hits, including eight doubles. Mora had a 13 multi-hit games in August 2008 and maintained an eight-game hitting streak from August 1–10.[11] On August 17 atDetroit, Mora went 5-for-6 with two doubles, two home runs, four runs scored and 6 RBI during a 16–8 Orioles win.[12] Overall, Mora had five games in August in which he collected four-or-more RBIs.[11] Mora injured hishamstring on August 29, 2008, missing the final games of his impressive month.[13]
On September 18, 2009,Brooks Robinson made a rare appearance at Camden Yards to honor Mora for moving into second all-time in games played at third base by an Oriole (behind only the Hall of Famer Brooks, himself).[14] He presented Mora with the third base from the game he moved into second.
In 2009, he led all major league starting third basemen inrange factor, at 3.14.[15]
Mora's option was declined by the Orioles on October 29, 2009.[16]
On February 5, 2010, theColorado Rockies signed Mora to a one-year, $1.275 million contract.[17][18] He played in 113 games for the NL West third place Rockies (83-79) and batted .285 with seven home runs and 45 RBI.[7][19]
Mora signed a one-year $2.35 million contract with theArizona Diamondbacks on December 6, 2010.[20] He was expected to replaceMark Reynolds as the starting third baseman.[21] Mora missed a few days ofspring training as a precautionary measure despite not having any serious injuries after his automobile was struck from behind by another vehicle onArizona State Route 101 on March 7, 2011.[22] He was in the starting lineup onOpening Day, scoring a run while going hitless in five at-bats in a 7–6 victory over the Rockies atCoors Field on April 1.[23] His playing time eventually was limited due to the emergence ofRyan Roberts. After a 6–2 loss to theCleveland Indians atChase Field on June 29 in which he struck out as apinch hitter forZach Duke with oneout and a runner on first base in the fifthinning, he was given his unconditional release effective the following day. He batted .228 with nohome runs and 16 RBI in 42 games with the Diamondbacks.[7][21] He allegedly officially announced his retirement as an active player on December 29, 2011, though in mid-January, Mora corrected that claim by saying he still wished to play in 2012.[24][25]
Mora agreed to represent his native country,Venezuela, in the2006 World Baseball Classic, but pulled out after being denied the third base position in favor ofMiguel Cabrera.
In 1,556 games over 13 seasons, Mora posted a .277batting average (1,503-for-5,422) with 794runs, 283doubles, 19triples, 171home runs, 754RBI, 93stolen bases, 520bases on balls, a .350on-base percentage and a .431slugging percentage.[7] He finished his career with a .966fielding percentage playing at all infield positions except catcher and at all three outfield positions. In nine postseason games, he hit .400 (6-for-15) with four runs, a home run and 2 RBI.[7]
When he was seven years old, his father was murdered in front of him in Venezuela in a case of mistaken identity.[26]
On July 28, 2001, Mora's wife Gisel gave birth toquintuplets atJohns Hopkins Hospital inBaltimore, Maryland. They also have an older daughter.[27] The family resides inFallston, Maryland.[28]
In the Orioles media guide, Mora stated his most embarrassing moment as a player came in his rookie year in 1999 when, knowing little English, he thought his managerBobby Valentine had told him to go to left field when he was actually being told to go to second base.[citation needed]
Mora was naturalized as aUnited States citizen in Baltimore on May 10, 2017. He holds U.S.-Venezuela dual citizenship.[29]
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | American League Player of the Month May 2004 August 2008 | Succeeded by |