| Orlando Peña | |
|---|---|
 Peña in 1966 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1933-11-17)November 17, 1933 (age 92) Las Tunas,Cuba | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 24, 1958, for the Cincinnati Redlegs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 1, 1975, for the California Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 56–77 |
| Earned run average | 3.71 |
| Strikeouts | 818 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Member of the Caribbean | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2000 |
Orlando Gregorio Peña Guevara (born November 17, 1933) is aCuban former professionalbaseballpitcher. The right-hander played inMajor League Baseball for all or parts of 14 seasons between1958 and1975 for theCincinnati Reds,Kansas City Athletics,Detroit Tigers,Cleveland Indians,Pittsburgh Pirates,Baltimore Orioles,St. Louis Cardinals andCalifornia Angels.[1] Born inVictoria de Las Tunas, he was listed as 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and 154 pounds (70 kg).
Peña was one of many Cuban players who entered the Cincinnati Redlegs'minor league system in the mid-1950s when theNational League club affiliated with theHavana Sugar Kings of theTriple-AInternational League. After four successful years in theFlorida State,Carolina and International leagues, he was recalled by Cincinnati inAugust 1958 and was thewinning pitcher in his MLB debut on August 24. Coming into a game against theLos Angeles Dodgers inrelief in theeighth inning with the Redlegs trailing 5–4, he held the Dodgers to onehit and noruns andstruck out three in two full innings of work. When Cincinnati'sFrank Robinson hit a two-runhome run in the ninth inning, Peña emerged as thewinning hurler.[2] He also earned the first threesaves of his MLB career before the 1958 campaign ended.
Peña spent all of1959 on the Cincinnati roster, and got into 46games. But his effectiveness declined, and he would bounce between Triple-A and the majors for the next three seasons. Acquired by the Kansas City Athletics in August 1962, Peña was plugged into thesecond-division team'sstarting rotation and won six of tendecisions, posted a solid 3.01earned run average and threw sixcomplete games, including a three-hitshutout against the Angels on August 29.[3] He continued to take a turn in the Kansas City rotation for the next two seasons and won a dozen games each year for the struggling Athletics, but he also led theAmerican League ingames lost (20) in1963 andhome runs allowed (40) in1964. When he lost his first six decisions of1965, Peña waswaived to the Tigers, where he became an effective relief pitcher through the end of1966.
In1967, Peña registered a career-high eight saves for the Tigers and Indians with an earned run average of 3.59, but Cleveland sent him back to the minors in 1968 and Peña would not return to the majors until June 1970 when he signed as afree agent with the Pirates. Working out of the Pittsburgh bullpen, he was successful for his first month with club, but rocky outings during August ruined his Pirate tenure and he was released August 26. The 37-year-old Peña was not ready to retire, however. He signed with the Baltimore Orioles' organization for1971 and was highly effective in minor league assignments (winning 33 games, losing eight, and posting a brilliant 1.14 earned run average in 317innings pitched) through1972. He was mediocre in two trials for the Orioles, but, upon being acquired by the Cardinals on June 15, 1973, he became a key part of the Redbirds' bullpen, appearing in 84 games and notching nine wins and seven saves with a 2.36 ERA before being sent to his final MLB destination, the Angels, in September 1974. The Angels released him the following May, but Peña continued pitching in the minors for the next two seasons, and made an abbreviated comeback at age 45 with theMiami Amigos in the 1979 Triple-AInter-American League. His professional pitching career in organized baseball encompassed 22 years.
In all or parts of 14 major league seasons, Peña posted a 56–77 record with 818strikeouts and a 3.71ERA in 427games pitched, including 93starts, 21complete games, fourshutouts, 40saves, and 1,202innings pitched.[1]
After his playing retirement, Peña was ascout for the Tigers andChicago White Sox.