Luis Tiant

Infobox MLB retired
name=Luis Tiant

---

width=275
caption=Luis Tiant aboard USS "Albany", June 2007
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1940|11|23
city-state|Marianao|Cuba
debutdate=July 19
debutyear=by|1964
debutteam=Cleveland Indians
finaldate=September 4
finalyear=by|1982
finalteam=California Angels
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=229-172
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.30
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=2,416
teams=
* Cleveland Indians (by|1964-by|1969)
* Minnesota Twins (by|1970)
* Boston Red Sox (by|1971-by|1978)
* New York Yankees (by|1979-by|1980)
* Pittsburgh Pirates (by|1981)
* California Angels (by|1982)
highlights=
* 3x All-Star selection (1968, 1974, 1976)
* 1975 Babe Ruth Award
* 1972 AL Comeback Player of the Year

Luis Tiant (IPA|/luˈis tiˈant/, born November 23, 1940? in Marianao, Cuba) (then part of Havana Province, born Luis Clemente Tiant Vega, is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians (1964-1969), Minnesota Twins (1970), Boston Red Sox (1971-1978), New York Yankees (1979-80), Pittsburgh Pirates (1981) and California Angels (1982).

Career

Tiant was the only child of Luis Tiant, Sr. and Isabel Vega. From 1926 through 1948, the senior Tiant was a great left-handed pitcher for the "New York Cubans" team, and his heroics were followed by hundreds of thousands of Cubans. Luis Jr. followed his father's footsteps at an early age, joining both the local Little and Juvenile baseball leagues until he starred for the Havana team and was picked up for the Cuban Juvenile League All-Star team in 1957. His talent was recognized by former Cleveland Indians All-Star, Bobby Avila, who was scouting for talent in Cuba. Avila recommended him to the Mexico City Tigers of the Mexican League. Tiant was signed for $150 a month, and for the next three years he divided his time with the "Tigers" and for the Havana Sugar Kings in the International League. At the end of the summer of 1961, and under Avila recommendations, Cleveland purchased Tiant's contract for $35,000. But with the rise of Fidel Castro's regime in his native Cuba, it was impossible for Tiant to return home. He would not see his parents for 14 years.

Tiant progressed through the Indians farm system and got the call to the big club after a 15-1 record at Triple-A Portland. On, July 19, by|1964, Tiant debuted with a four-single, 11 strikeouts, 3–0 shutout victory against the defending AL Champion New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The losing pitcher was Whitey Ford. Tiant finished his rookie season with a 10-4 record, 105 strikeouts, and a 2.83 ERA in 19 games.

In by|1966, Tiant tied a major league record when he pitched four straight shutouts on his way to 12 wins and a 2.79 ERA. Tiant really broke through in by|1968, after he altered his delivery so that he turned away from the home plate during his motion, in effect creating a hesitation pitch. Twisting and turning his body into unthinkable positions, Tiant would spend more time looking at second base than he did the plate as he prepared to throw. In that season, he led the league in ERA (1.60), shutouts (9), hits per nine innings (5.3), strikeouts per nine innings (9.22, more than a batter an inning), while finished with a 21-9 mark. Beside this, opposing hitters batted just .168 off Tiant, a major league record, and on July 3 he struck out 19 Minnesota Twins in a ten-inning game, setting an American League record for games of that length. His 1.60 ERA was the lowest in the American League since Walter Johnson's 1.49 mark during the dead-ball era in by|1919, and second lowest in 1968 only to Bob Gibson's 1.12—the lowest ever during the Live Ball Era.

After an injury-plagued season in by|1969, Tiant was traded to the Twins in a multi-player deal that brought fellow pitcher Dean Chance and third baseman Graig Nettles to the Indians. With Minnesota, Tiant began by|1970 with six wins, but then he fractured his right scapula and virtually ended the season. He showed little promise in the by|1971 spring training, but was released. The Braves signed him to a minor league contract to play with their Triple-A Richmond, but he gave up after a few weeks. Tiant eventually landed in Boston, and despite struggling with a 1-7 record, 4.88 ERA, he would soon become one of the greatest and most beloved pitchers in Red Sox history and a great idol in Boston.

Starting to be known as "El Tiante" at Fenway Park, in by|1972 Tiant regained his old form with a 15-6 record and led the league with a 1.91 ERA. He would win 20 games in by|1973 and 22 in by|1974. Though hampered by back problems in by|1975, he won 18 games for the American League Champion Red Sox and then excelled for Boston in the postseason. In the playoffs he defeated the three time defending World Champion Oakland Athletics in a 7-1 three-hitter complete game, then opened the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. His father and mother, having been allowed to visit from Cuba under a special visa, were in Fenway Park that game to watch his son defeat The Big Red Machine in a 6-0 five-hit shutout. All six Red Sox runs were scored in the seventh inning; Tiant led off that inning (the designated hitter was not yet in use in World Series play) with a base hit off Don Gullett and eventually scored on Carl Yastrzemski's single for the first of those six runs. Tiant won Game 4 as well (his second complete game in the series) and had a no-decision in Game 6, which has been called the greatest game ever played, after Carlton Fisk’s dramatic game-winning walk-off home run in the 12th inning.

Tiant went 21-12 in by|1976, 12-8 in by|1977, and 13-8 in by|1978. At the end of that season, he signed as a free agent with the Yankees. Tiant compiled a 21-17 record in New York over two seasons from by|1979-80. He finished his career after two brief stints for the Pirates and Angels.

In his 19-season career, Tiant compiled a 229-172 record with 2416 strikeouts, a 3.30 ERA, 187 complete games, and 49 shutouts in 3486.1 innings. He was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in by|1997.

Tiant has fallen short the past few years on being selected to the Hall of Fame. Well known for his great pitching, charisma, and as an avid cigar smoker, he decided to launch his own line of cigars formulated and designed by him, being named after his nickname, "El Tiante".

Tiant served as the head coach for the baseball team at the Savannah College of Art and Design from 1998-2001 where he posted a record of 55-97 with a .366 winning percentage As of 2007, Luis Tiant resides in Southborough, MA, USA

Quotes

*"He's always given me tips on how to do things, how to make things easier. Every day you can learn from a pitcher like him." - Former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martínez.

*"If a man put a gun to my head and said I'm going to pull the trigger if you lose this game, I'd want Luis Tiant to pitch that game." - Former Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson.

*"When I was a boy growing up in Cuba, Luis Tiant was a national hero. Now I'm thirty-six and he's thirty-seven" - Tony Perez. [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=perezto01]

Fact

* Only 6 pitchers have pitched four or more straight shutouts in the 40-year expansion era: : Don Drysdale six 1968: Bob Gibson five 1968: Orel Hershiser (five, by|1988): Gaylord Perry (four, by|1970) : Luis Tiant (four, by|1966)

ee also

* Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
* Players from Cuba in MLB
* List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
* List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
*Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time

External links

*baseball-reference|id=t/tiantlu01
* [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/news/2007/election/vc/tiant.htm Baseball Hall of Fame candidate profile]
* [http://www.thebaseballpage.com/past/att/redsox.php Red Sox' All-Time Team]
* [http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/tiantlu01.php The Baseball Page]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/T/Tiant_Luis_Jr.stm BaseballLibrary]
* [http://www.latinosportslegends.com/Tiant_Luis-bio.htm Latino Legends in Sports]