Luis Tiant dies – MLB trade rumors

Three-time All-Star pitcher Luis Tiant passed away this morning, the Red Sox confirmed. He was 83 years old. The right-hander played for seven organizations over the course of his 19-year MLB career, and is best remembered for the eight seasons he spent in Boston.

“Luis had a pitching style that was as memorable as it was effective, but for me the rarer gift was his ability to lift you up with just a smile.” Red Sox President and CEO Sam Kennedy said in a team statement. “When you were with him, you were reminded of what really matters. Whether you were a teammate, a fan or just someone lucky enough to have a conversation, Luis managed to make you feel special, like you were a close friend. His legacy on the mound is undeniable, but today we all mourn the loss of the man, the friend, the mentor who connected generations of fans and players. I am saddened by the news of his death and will miss him more than words can express. Spring Training will not be the same without Luis’ infectious energy spreading throughout camp.”

Tiant was born on November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba. His father, Luis Tiant Sr., was himself a star pitcher in the Negro Leagues as well as the Cuban League, Dominican League and Mexican League. It didn’t take long for the younger Luis Tiant to make a name for himself, playing for the Mexico City Tigers of the Mexican League and the Havana Sugar Kings of the International League as a teenager.

At age 21, Tiant made his debut in Cleveland’s minor league system. Two years later, he moved to the major league team and made 19 appearances (16 starts) with a 10-4 record and a 2.83 ERA in 127 innings. In six seasons in Cleveland from 1964 to 1969, he pitched 1,200 innings with a 2.84 ERA and an 83 ERA (17% better than league average). His 1,041 strikeouts ranked 11th among all pitchers during that time. The highlight of Tiant’s tenure in Cleveland was the 1968 season, in which he went 21-9 and led the American League with a 1.60 ERA. That year, he made an All-Star team for the first time in his career and finished fifth in AL MVP voting.

After a disappointing 1969 season (for both Tiant and Cleveland), Cleveland traded Tiant and Stan Williams to Minnesota for Dean Chance, Bob Miller, Ted Uhlaender and Graig Nettles. However, his time with the Twins was short-lived. He pitched well when he was on the mound, going 7-3 with a 3.40 ERA (89 ERA-) over 92 2/3 innings, but a broken shoulder blade derailed his season in May. At the time, it was considered a much more serious injury – perhaps even career-threatening – and in fact Tiant didn’t look nearly as fit when he returned. The twins released him the following spring.

After a brief and unsuccessful stint in the Braves’ minor league system, Tiant caught the attention of the Red Sox organization. It turned out to be a match made in baseball heaven. While he struggled in his first season at his new club, the right winger turned things around the following year. He delivered his now-trademark deceptive performance, going 15-6 with an MLB-leading 1.91 ERA. He finished sixth in Cy Young voting and garnered some AL MVP support in the voting.

In eight years in Boston, Tiant went 122-81 with a 3.36 ERA (85 ERA-) in 1,774 2/3 innings. He was named to several All-Star teams and received Cy Young and MVP votes in three seasons (1972, 1974, 1976). He led the AL in WHIP in 1973 and tied for the major league lead with seven shutouts in 1974. In 1975, he played a crucial role in the playoffs, pitching a complete game in Game 1 of the ALCS and pitching 25 innings in three starts in the World Series. The Red Sox won all four games he started in the World Series, but lost all four games he did not officiate in the World Series, losing to the Reds in seven games.

As he reached his mid-thirties, Tiant became more of a precision pitcher, producing fewer strikeouts but also giving up fewer walks. He was a valuable contributor for the Red Sox every season from 1972 to 1978, although he lost stamina (by 1970s standards) in his final two years with the club. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Red Sox ended on somewhat poor terms; Tiant believed that the team had not taken him seriously in negotiations when his contract expired after the 1978 season (according to John Powers of the Boston Globe).

Tiant spent the last four years of his career with the Yankees (1979-80), Pirates (1981) and Angels (1982). During his seasons in New York at ages 38 and 39, he made 55 starts and pitched 332 innings, but his major league career was coming to an end when he signed with the Pirates at age 40. However, he appeared in nine games for the Pirates in 1981 and six for the Angels in 1982. He also extended his professional career by returning to the Mexican League in 1983, but this was later short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989.

Following his playing career, Tiant worked as a scout for the Yankees in Mexico before landing coaching jobs in the minor leagues with the Dodgers (1992-95) and White Sox (1997). He also served as pitching coach for the Nicaraguan national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics and later worked as head coach for the Savannah College of Art and Design baseball team (1998–2001). In 2002, he returned to the Red Sox organization and worked as a minor league coach (2002), Spanish-language broadcaster (2002–2003), and special assignment instructor (2004–24).

Tiant is arguably one of the greatest players inducted from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In the 15 years he was on the BBWAA ballot, he never received nearly enough support to reach the 75 percent threshold required for election. Since then, he has come up short in several committee votes. Although he never won any major awards and only received three All-Star selections throughout his career, modern statistics make it clear that Tiant was underrated in his time. With a career baseball-reference WAR of 66.1 and a bWAR of 44.1 during his seven-year peak, he is slightly below the 73.0 career bWAR and 44.9 peak bWAR of the average Hall of Famer. starting pitchers. However, his JAWS score of 55.1 is higher than more than 40 Hall of Fame pitchers. His 229 wins, 2,416 strikeouts and 66.1 career BWAR also rank first among all Cuban-born pitchers. Tiant could be eligible for the Hall of Fame again this winter on the Classic Baseball Era Committee’s ballot, although it’s important to keep his wishes in mind. Speaking to ESPN Deportes in 2008, he said: “If you don’t accept me in life, please don’t try to vote for me after my death.”

Luckily, Tiant’s phenomenal career did not go unrecognized upon his retirement. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997 Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009 (he played winter ball in the Venezuelan league for seven seasons during his major league career).

Luis Tiant, known to fans as El Tiante, will be remembered for his captivating appearance, captivating performances and equally captivating personality. His 49 shutouts rank 21st all-time, while his 2,416 strikeouts rank 48th in major league history. However, his sense of humor was unmatched; Red Sox teammate Dwight Evans claims Tiant can “turn a bus ride into something extraordinary.” Saturday Night Live” (per Powers). We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our deepest condolences to Tiant’s family, friends and fans.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.