Diego Seguí

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Seguí and the second or maternal family name is González.
Diego Seguí
Diego Seguí in 1969
Pitcher
Born: (1937-08-17) August 17, 1937 (age 87)
Holguín, Cuba
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 12, 1962, for the Kansas City Athletics
Last MLB appearance
September 24, 1977, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
Win–loss record92–111
Earned run average3.81
Strikeouts1,298
Saves71
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the Venezuelan
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2003

Diego Pablo Seguí González [say-gee] (born August 17, 1937) is a Cuban former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Washington Senators, Seattle Pilots, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox. and Seattle Mariners. Seguí was a forkball specialist who was the 1970 American League ERA leader.[1]

Professional baseball career

Seguí was born in Holguín, Cuba.[2]

In 1970 with Oakland, Seguí went 10–10 with two saves in 47 appearances (19 starts) while leading the American League pitchers with a 2.56 ERA.[2]

On December 7, 1973, he was traded by St. Louis along with Reggie Cleveland and Terry Hughes to the Red Sox in exchange for John Curtis, Lynn McGlothen and Mike Garman.[3]

Seguí with the Hawaii Islanders in 1961

Seguí holds the unique distinction of having pitched for both of Seattle's major league baseball teams, the Pilots and the Mariners, in the first game ever played by each franchise. In these contests, he earned a hold for the Pilots in 1969, and absorbed the opening-day loss for the Mariners in 1977.[4][5]

His most productive season came in 1969 for the Pilots, when he posted career-highs in wins (12) and saves (6), against only six losses.[2] At the end of the season, his teammates voted him the Pilots' Most Valuable Player.

After he started the Mariners' inaugural game in 1977, he was dubbed "the Ancient Mariner," and, although he set a Mariners single-game record with 10 strikeouts early in the season on May 5, he failed to get a win the rest of the way. After compiling a 0–7 record with two saves and a 5.69 ERA in 40 games (seven starts), he was released at the end of the season.[2]

Seguí continued pitching in the Mexican League for another 10 years, tossing a no-hitter for the Cafeteros de Córdoba during the 1978 season. During his Mexican stint, he amassed a 96–61 record with a 2.91 ERA and 1,025 strikeouts in 193 pitching appearances.[6]

Seguí also pitched with four teams in the Venezuelan Winter League during 15 seasons between 1962 and 1983. He posted a 95–58 record and a 2.76 ERA in 213 games, setting a league's all-time record with 941 strikeouts, to surpass Aurelio Monteagudo (897) and José Bracho (748). This record is still unbeaten. He also ranks second in wins behind Bracho (109), third in complete games (68), and is fourth both in ERA and innings pitched (1249+2⁄3).[7]

Seguí was inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2003.[8] He also gained induction into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame on August 19, 2006, in San Francisco, California.[9]

His son, David Seguí, is a former 15-season major league first baseman.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Baseball Historian". Baseball Historian. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d "Diego Segui Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  3. ^ McQuiston, John T. (December 8, 1973). "MORE TRADES". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  4. ^ "Seattle Pilots vs California Angels Box Score: April 8, 1969". Baseball-Reference.com. April 8, 1969. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "California Angels vs Seattle Mariners Box Score: April 6, 1977". Baseball-Reference.com. April 6, 1977. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  6. ^ Treto Cisneros, Pedro (2002). The Mexican League/La Liga Mexicana: Comprehensive Player Statistics, 1937–2001. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-78-641378-2.
  7. ^ Gutiérrez, Daniel; González, Javier (2006); Records de la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional. LVBP. ISBN 978-980-6996-01-4
  8. ^ "Seguí, Diego". Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Hall of Fame". Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "David Segui Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
New team
 Opening Day starting pitcher
for the Seattle Mariners
1977 		Succeeded by