Antonio José Armas (born April 29, 1978), better known as Tony Armas Jr., is a Venezuelan former professional baseball right-handed
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
. He spent most of his active career with the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in ...
/
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB).
Professional career
New York Yankees
Armas was signed by the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
as an amateur free agent in 1994.
Boston Red Sox
Armas and a player to be named later (
Jim Mecir
James Jason Mecir (born May 16, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for five teams over an 11-year career between and .
Mecir is notable for having overcome a birth defect (namely club feet) to become an effec ...
), were traded to the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
in 1997 for
Mike Stanley and Randy Brown.
Montréal Expos/Washington Nationals
He was sent to the
Montréal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They p ...
in 1997 along with pitcher
Carl Pavano
Carl Anthony Pavano (born January 8, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, Pavano played in Major League Baseball from 1998 to 2012 for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Clevel ...
in exchange for
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez (born October 25, 1971) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to , for five teams—most notably the Boston Red Sox from to .
At the time o ...
.
Various injuries held him back until 2003, when he was the team's Opening Day starter, shutting down the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
at
Turner Field, 10–2. But the strong start turned into a breakdown weeks later, after he was diagnosed with injuries in his arm and shoulder which required season-ending surgery. At that time, Armas had a record of 2–1, 23
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is den ...
s and a 2.61
ERA, with a
WHIP
A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally ...
of 1.065 and not allowing a
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
until his fifth and last start.
Armas worked out in 2004
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
, and his recovery was proceeding. Although the team initially hoped he could be ready for the start of the season, the rehabilitation was slower than expected. He finished the season with a 2–4 mark in 72 innings.
In a nine-year career, Armas had a 52–65 record with 674 strikeouts and a 4.62 ERA in 917.3 innings.
At bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
, he was a .098 hitter (26-for-265) with ten
RBI.
During the 2006 season, Armas had a 9–12 record in 30 starts. Armas missed one month with arm problems, but in his second game back from the disabled list he pitched seven innings, allowing only one run on three hits.
On October 29, 2006, Armas filed for
free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On February 1, 2007, he signed with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
for a one-year $3.5 million contract with a 2008 mutual option.
After starting the 2007 season 0–3 with an 8.92 ERA, Armas was removed from the rotation.
New York Mets
On February 11, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
. He re-signed with the Mets in January 2009. However, he was released on March 31, 2009, after not making the team.
Atlanta Braves
In April 2009, he was signed by the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
and assigned to the Triple-A
Gwinnett Braves
The Gwinnett Stripers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at Coolray Field in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia (with a Lawrencevi ...
. On July 25, 2009, the Braves released Armas.
[ ]
Pitching style
Armas used a low-90s moving
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
and a sharp-breaking
curve
In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight.
Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point. This is the definition that ...
to establish what he wanted to do with each hitter. He had an effective
slider, a
splitter, and a
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
to keep opponents out of balance.
Personal life
Armas is the son of former
All-Star outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
Tony Armas, and a nephew of former
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Marcos Armas
Marcos Rafael Armas Ruiz (born August 5, 1969) is a Venezuelan former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics during the 1993 season. He was listed at 6' 5" (1.95 m) and 190 lb. (86 kg). He is the h ...
. Tony's father broke into the Majors with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
in 1976.
See also
*
List of Montreal Expos Opening Day starting pitchers
*
List of second-generation Major League Baseball players
Dozens of father-and-son combinations have played or managed in Major League Baseball (MLB).
The first was Jack Doscher, son of Herm Doscher, who made his debut in 1903.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. became the first father-and-son duo ...
*
List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
From 1939 to 2019, 397 Venezuelan baseball players born in Venezuela have played in Major League Baseball. This list shows players who appeared in at least one game in MLB, including number indicating order of arrival, name of player, position, s ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armas, Tony Jr.
1978 births
Living people
Brevard County Manatees players
Caribes de Anzoátegui players
Caribes de Oriente players
Edmonton Trappers players
Greensboro Bats players
Gulf Coast Nationals players
Gulf Coast Yankees players
Gwinnett Braves players
Harrisburg Senators players
Jupiter Hammerheads players
Leones del Caracas players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
Mississippi Braves players
Montreal Expos players
New Orleans Zephyrs players
New York Mets players
Oneonta Yankees players
Ottawa Lynx players
People from Anzoátegui
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Sarasota Red Sox players
Tampa Yankees players
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Canada
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States
Washington Nationals players
World Baseball Classic players of Venezuela
2006 World Baseball Classic players