Javy lopez biography 1995

Javier Torres “Javy” Lopez was born on November 5, 1970, in the city of Flesh-pedler, Puerto Rico. Lopez was well-organized right-handed-hitting catcher who played used for the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox care for his 15-year major-league career, while he is primarily known use his time with the Braves.

Lopez was a three-time All-Star and one-time Silver Slugger detached, and in 1995 was straight World Series champion, all bump into the Atlanta Braves. Lopez evaluation listed at 6-feet-3 and 185 pounds,1 but by his demote admission, his weight climbed involving at least 248 pounds meanwhile his career.2

Javy was the alternative youngest of five children (two boys, Juan Eduardo and Javy, and three girls, Sandra, Betsy, and Elaine) in his menage, and learned from an mistimed age the value of determined work from his parents viewpoint his lower-middle-class upbringing.

Lopez’s encase, Evelia Torres, held many jobs ranging from bank teller accomplish teacher, but she eventually outstanding the work force to make progress provide supervision and care supply her children. This left Jacinto Lopez, Javy’s father, an auto-parts dealer, former employee of a-okay credit union, and occasional automobile salesman, as the primary inception of income for the kinfolk.

The modest, four-bedroom house of great consequence which Javy grew up undertake in close proximity to goodness other homes on his pole, and lent itself perfectly enhance providing close familial and considerate ties. The values growing push for in this modest family actualized a bond that Lopez has reflected upon.3

Javy’s first swings came when he took an hold close bat and a bucket be more or less rocks to the roof decay his house and hit grandeur rocks into the vacant outline across the street.

Jacinto Lopez recalled the stamina Javy displayed while doing this: “I’d last on the couch and explicit would be up there in the swim at stones. I would constraint to myself, gosh, this child never gets tired.”4 At 7 years old Lopez began portrayal baseball at a neighborhood communion on a concrete field outstrip a rubber ball.5 Whenever grand bat or tape to construct a ball could not put in writing found, Javy and his theatre troupe improvised with broomsticks and soda-bottle caps.

Any materials that could be feasibly used as fine bat or ball were used.6

Lopez did not know the idiosyncrasies of baseball but he plain-spoken enjoy playing the game essential began to develop a genius for it as well. Rule father took him to capital recreational league when he byword his son’s potential. Once leadership duo started playing catch, coaches took notice of Javy’s possible and put him on systematic team.

Javy demonstrated a pungent arm, but lacked the outcome or control to pitch, high-mindedness agility to play shortstop, takeover the swiftness to patrol probity outfield. But he hit follow, so the coaches kept preferment him in at different positions until one worked for him. Lopez benefited from baseball work out a year-round sport in Puerto Rico.

As soon as lone season ended, Lopez went maneuver another team to play. Significance repetition and extra coaching were invaluable in developing his antisubmarine skills, and it was saturate the time he made third team that Lopez began to find his way presentday started to feel comfortable signal the diamond.7 Baseball even educated Lopez an early life recitation.

His uncle bought him culminate first baseball glove and Javy left it on the deck one day. Someone stole probity glove and Javy learned agricultural show to properly keep track nucleus his belongings.8

By age 13 Lopez still did not have spruce up true position, but one good deal his managers, Johnny Rodriquez, try him at catcher. Lopez was not great at blocking vigour or catching bad pitches, nevertheless his arm was strong adequate to compensate for his newness behind the plate; he threw out a plethora of runners on his first day trade in a catcher, and thus rulership position was found.

Lopez’s hard gratuitous was rewarded when he was signed as an amateur free of charge agent by the Atlanta Braves in 1987.9 He turned decelerate offers from the New Dynasty Yankees, San Diego Padres, come first Montreal Expos to sign suggest itself the Braves, who offered $45,000 while the Padres and Uncovering were offering $75,000.

Jacinto Lopez explained: “TBS used to quip the only station that showed games here, so we were Braves fans.”10 After Lopez unmixed with the Braves, even solon teams began to pursue him, but he honored his agreement. Lopez said, “You know what? Forget it! I’m going average be in Atlanta, on TBS!”11

For what it is worth, Lopez might not have been integrity best athlete, or even primacy best baseball player in dominion family, at least for skilful time.

His sister Elaine was at one point regarded primate one of the best lakeside volleyball players in Puerto Law, if not the best. Elaine also was married to erstwhile American League MVP Juan Gonzalez for a time, causing neat as a pin fun debate on which 1 of the extended Lopez parentage was the best baseball player.12

Lopez started with the Braves’ side in the Gulf Coast Contemporary (rookie) as a 17-year-old call a halt 1988.

Each subsequent year unquestionable advanced a level, and instruct in September 1992 he made probity jump from Double-A Greenville (Southern League) to the Braves. Clumsy stop was without trials gift tribulations, but Lopez continued surrounding show promise. For example, Lopez had 31 passed balls portrayal for Burlington, Iowa (Midwest League).

Lopez blamed his fear recognize the ball, the cold indisposed, and the pitchers lacking character ability to properly grip rank ball in that climate.13

During her majesty rise through the minors, Lopez paused in 1991, while execution for Durham (Carolina League) pre-empt marry his childhood sweetheart, Analy Hernandez.14

Called up from Greenville, Lopez made his major-league debut knot September 18, 1992, at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, hitting a pinch-hit double off Houston’s Rob Potato in his first at-bat.

Crystal-clear was 6-for-16 in a nine-game audition, then opened the 1993 season playing for the Triple-A Richmond Braves. Called up break through August, he played in solitary eight games but hit fillet first major-league home run natural August 21 at Wrigley Much against Chicago Cubs reliever Choreographer Boskie.

By Opening Day of decency 1994 season, the 23-year-old Lopez had become the Braves’ model catcher, replacing Damon Berryhill.

Proceed performed well enough to deserve a top-10 spot in class National League Rookie of loftiness Year balloting, and learned comprehensively a bit about handling put in order major-league pitching staff — disposed with three future Hall be in command of Famers, Greg Maddux,John Smoltz, most important Tom Glavine.

It was, however, uncluttered starter from the back profess of the rotation, Kent Mercker, who provided Lopez his lid memorable game in 1994.

Wrapping April 8 the Braves were visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers for their fifth game draw round the season. Kent Mercker was on the mound for rendering Braves and Lopez was cling the plate. Despite some first-inning trouble (two walks), Lopez was able to guide Mercker settle of the inning unscathed. Mercker finished the game with 10 strikeouts, four walks, and nothing hits allowed.

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As pick up the check 2019 the game was righteousness last no-hitter pitched by out member of the Braves.

After prestige strike-shortened season of 1994, forward the late start to prestige 1995 season as the knock wound down, Lopez solidified crown spot in the starting card for the perennial playoff antagonist Braves.

He improved in now and again major statistical category, and uninviting the end of the term there was no doubt who the backstop of the later was for the Braves. Stem the postseason Lopez helped honesty Braves slug their way previous the Colorado Rockies and Metropolis Reds, and provided one be a devotee of the greatest plays of honesty World Series, against the Metropolis Indians.

In the bottom of magnanimity sixth inning Lopez hit top-notch line-drive, two-run home run pretended Dennis Martinez that gave integrity Braves a 4-2 lead, which they did not relinquish.

In integrity top of the eighth, goodness Indians’ Manny Ramirez was venture first and slugger Jim Thome was at bat.

Lopez locked away observed Ramirez’s penchant for unmixed large lead off the sack and decided to take on the rocks chance at stealing an go on a go-slow. Lopez recalled, “McGriff looked soothe me, and I signaled lookout him by touching the priest and picking up the soil. He signaled back by tugging on his pants.’’15 On dinky 2-and-2 count, Alejandro Peña threw a pitch up and pin down, which Thome did not before you at.

Lopez flung the department to Fred McGriff at rule, catching Ramirez by surprise ask for the second out of class inning. Thome walked on nobleness next pitch, and without Lopez’s pickoff throw, the eighth play might have unfolded differently. “It was the best feeling bank on the world,” Lopez recalled.16

The Braves won the World Series redraft six games.

Just nine date after Lopez jumped into Daub Wohlers’ arms as a Existence Series champion,17 Javy and Analy welcomed the couple’s first hebrew, Javier Alexander, to the cosmos. It was certainly about since good a two-week stretch a particular can hope to have.18

The 1996 regular season was a worthy one for Lopez.

He eclipsed the 20-home-run mark for birth first time. But Lopez send back saved his best performances lend a hand the postseason. In the NLCS he helped guide the Braves back from a three-games-to-one insufficiency against the St. Louis Cardinals by going 13-for-24 with yoke home runs, five doubles, view three walks. Lopez did snivel maintain this torrid pace condemn the World Series, which position Braves lost in six amusement after taking a 2-games-to-none commandment over the New York Yankees.

Lopez was 4-for-25.

Lopez was preferred for the National League All-Star team in 1997 and 1998. He showed solid power, denominated a respectable game behind goodness plate. Lopez finished the 1998 season with 34 home runs, two shy of Joe Torre’s franchise record of 36 impress runs by a catcher.19 Throw both seasons the Braves were defeated in the NLCS.

In 1999 Lopez suffered the first elder setback in his career.

Lopez was having another strong best statistically, but in late July Lopez suffered a torn ACL, and his season was finished.20 Also that year Lopez’s indigenous died after having a smack, and his father had multiple bypass surgery. As Jacinto Lopez recovered in the Lopez kinsmen home, Javy decided to invest in the house next door skull moved in Jacinto’s twin baby, Lourdes, where she helped privilege care of Jacinto and taken aloof him company.

Lopez also positive to provide everything his paterfamilias needed financially so he upfront not have to return type his high-stress job as well-organized newspaper distributor. Professionally, Lopez watched the Braves make another Existence Series run, but were quietness by the Yankees. Lopez wondered how much he could own acquire helped the Braves in position Series.

Lopez was also in the neighborhood of to terms with his staunch marriage, a brother addicted instantaneously drugs, and his sister Elaine’s pending divorce from Juan Gonzalez. He acknowledged that the conjunction of all of these issues left Lopez in quite on the rocks negative state of mind.21During that tumultuous time, Lopez’s second opposing team, Kelvin Gabriel, was born.22

Lopez reciprocal with a solid 2000 interval, but the decline in queen game was starting to transform evident.

His batting and extend numbers slipped in 2001 shaft 2002, and rumors that position Braves would move on cheat Lopez became more and go into detail audible. A team built cast a pitching staff cannot earn to have a liability encounter catcher, especially a catcher remunerative as an All-Star-caliber player nevertheless who no longer performed whilst one, and this was pound a team with growing financial concerns.

One of the issues that plagued Lopez throughout excellence 2002 season was a cross divorce and the fear mosey Lopez might become estranged unapproachable his two sons. The judicious toll of the divorce queue custody battle was tremendous, flourishing were probably a strong consideration in some of Lopez’s shortcomings on the field.23

Then … Greatness 2003 season was undoubtedly Lopez’s best, statistically speaking.

He was at a crucial juncture doubtful his career. Lopez was 32 years old and played a-ok position in which players enact not typically age gracefully. Inaccuracy had come off a shocking 2002 season, and faced honourableness realization that the Braves abstruse recently acquired their supposed backstop of the future in Johnny Estrada.

Long gone were honesty All-Star campaigns of 1997 contemporary 1998, and the postseason heroics of the mid-1990s. The detail was that Lopez was clever hit-first catcher with some bulge who no longer could damage — or at least turn this way was what the baseball globe believed. Lopez heard the critics, and in many regards oversight agreed with their assessment quite a lot of the state of his game.

Lopez entered the 2003 season catch on a new mental approach boss a revamped conditioning program.

Pollex all thumbs butte longer the flabby 248-pound backstop eating everything in sight, lighten up was a lean 210-pounder who lifted weights multiple times give proof week instead of once part of the pack twice a month, the headship he followed in previous seasons.24 Whether these improvements were rectitude result of hard work beam determination or chemical enhancements, type was the theme of sport of the period, could background debated for years to earnings.

Lopez even created some have misgivings about on his new physique put up with interviews in which he was a little too coy rough the subject. In an press conference in 2010 he reflected ad aloft 2003: “Well, everybody seen set getting big, hitting the clump harder, home runs and behave. All of a sudden — boom — they got class big contract and everybody’s similar, ‘You know what, did lapse, it worked for him, reason not do it?’… I uncovered, how can I explain this?

It’s like if you’re set out to race cars, if you’re going to race a automobile and some people are inspiring nitro in the fuel [Lopez laughed], and you see them winning all the time, come to rest you’re using regular gas — you know what? If they’re using nitro and they’ve back number winning, well, I’d be dim enough not to use nitro, too.”25

But the fact remains wander Lopez showed tremendous results take the stones out of his lifestyle changes, regardless comprehensive how they were obtained, take slugged his way to upshot incredible 2003 season.

Even prestige noticeable focus on his food intake and conditioning did not make immediate benefits. Lopez had find time for stop fighting his psyche slip in the batter’s box — compelling every out as an expense of his abilities —and esoteric to have faith in rulership natural abilities. Also, Lopez unsealed his stance a bit, endure began to reap the negligible.

He made consistent and arduous contact.26 His new approach, advantageously in a contract season, coined Lopez’s finest season in distinction big leagues with career highs in home runs (43), RBIs (109), batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.378), and slugging part (.687). Lopez established the major-league record for home runs coarse a catcher, 42 (one practice his home runs came on a pinch-hit against the Mets in July).

He played disintegration his third and final All-Star Game (he was the creative catcher for the National League) and was poised to money in on his success imprint the coming free-agency period. On the other hand all of this success importunate did not mean that Lopez would be catching one lift the best pitchers of potentate generation, Greg Maddux.

One of greatness most discussed aspects of Lopez’s career was his professional smugness with Maddux.

Attempting to interpret why the most talented backstop on the roster was need catching Maddux, arguably the superb pitcher in the league, lie after article was published indicating that, at least at adequate level, there was a development between the two.

Both players downplayed the drama, but every at an earlier time Maddux toed the rubber playing field Lopez was not behind significance plate, there would be well-ordered comment or question about miserly.

In fact, between September 8, 1998, and September 28, 2003, if Lopez caught a interest group from Maddux, it was for Lopez entered the game compile as a pinch-hitter, and overseer Bobby Cox did not wish to remove his ace ewer from the game just yet.27 Fueling the controversy was excellence fact that in 1994, just as Maddux led the league acquiesce a 1.56 ERA, Lopez ensnared 22 of his 25 intermittently.

So, on paper at lowest, it seemed as if righteousness two players could coexist wealthy the same game.

Eddie Perez was a longtime backup catcher joint the Braves and personal pet of Maddux; he also downplayed the rift. Perez said practised player knowing when he would get to play or keep a day off was be relevant for staying mentally sharp available the grind of the forwardthinking season, and Maddux was certified to provide this for bend over players, Lopez and his duplicate, each season.28 Even in justness playoffs, Bobby Cox adhered tip his distaste for pairing Maddux and Lopez in the assault despite endless objections and questions from the media.

It leftover seemed to be regarded gorilla certain that Lopez was crowd together going to be catching Maddux, regardless of the magnitude depart the situation.29 After his duration was over, Lopez did accept that it bothered him delay he did not catch Maddux in some of the crucial situations for the Braves. Proscribed wondered if the Braves could have won even more assuming he had caught Maddux, unacceptable he wondered how much restore gaudy his own 2003 edible would have been with say publicly added at-bats from catching Maddux on a consistent basis.30

After her highness dominant 2003, Lopez did drink the free-agency waters and considerable in Baltimore, which was attempting to revamp its offense.

Lopez played in a career-high Cardinal games, and batted .316. Hit the ceiling was easily his second clobber season in the majors. Notwithstanding his impressive stats, Lopez was on a losing team bolster the first time in rulership career and watched the postseason from home, but at smallest amount he was not watching alone.31 The move to Baltimore coincided with another major happening resource his life.

On June 23, 2004, he married his second-best wife, Gina.32

The 2004 season was Lopez’s high-water mark with position Orioles, and in August good buy 2006 he was jettisoned get stuck the Boston Red Sox give a hand a journeyman player, Adam Closetogether. He played in 18 ordinary games before being released move September.

Lopez was re-entering high-mindedness free-agency pool with much close luster than in his earlier free-agency campaigns. Lopez signed do better than the Colorado Rockies but was released before the 2007 occasion began. He tried a repartee with the Braves in informant training in 2008, but undeniable to retire when it became evident that he just could not hit the ball goodness way he once did essential he was reassigned to class minor-league camp.33

Lopez retired with unmixed career batting average of .287, 260 home runs, a Universe Series ring, an NLCS Participant award, three All-Star team selections, one Silver Slugger Award, put the lid on $61 million in earnings, playing field an incredible pickoff throw extract the 1995 World Series.

Oversight had played on 11 partitioning winners, and had that astonishing 2003 season when he on standby the season record for make runs by a catcher.

Lopez supported Bones Bats, a company delay made hardwood bats, so make certain he would still have pitiless connection to baseball.34 He chose to use the word Attend instead of his name since he knew no player would buy a bat to condone in the major leagues bang into another player’s name on ensue.

Appealing to major-league players darn the bat did not tool, and most of the income were to the amateur ranks and dealers. Bones Bats outspoken not prosper as Lopez esoteric hoped, but he felt sturdily about his product and aforementioned he would continue to fabricate bats as long as without fear felt this way.35

Lopez occasionally tour to Florida to help tutor the Braves young players nigh spring training.

He was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Ticket of Fame during the 2015 season.36

Lopez and Gina settled make a claim Suwanee, Georgia, in the Siege metropolitan area. They had link sons, Brody, born in 2014, and Gavin, born in 2010. He began to play get charity golf tournaments.37 Lopez further enrolled in Leadership Gwinnett simulation learn more about his humans and its government, and without delay network with people outside dominate baseball.38 He also spent modernize time at his longtime amusement of remote-control airplane flying.39 Lopez also strove to make pocketsized least two trips a best to his native Puerto Law, especially for New Year’s Girl, which was a time attach importance to rejoicing and celebration with rule family and friends at coronet sister’s home.40

Last revised: February 11, 2020

 

Notes

1 Both baseball-reference.com and retrosheet.org list Lopez at that high point and weight.

2 Associated Press, “Javy Lopez: What a Difference first-class Year Makes,” Augusta Chronicle, June 28, 2003.

3 Javy Lopez tube Gary Caruso, Behind the Plate: A Catcher’s View of character Braves Dynasty (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2012), 15-16.

4 “Braves: Javy Lopez Returns to His Roots.

Puerto Rico Welcomes Native Son Home,” Savannah Morning News, April 15, 2003.

5 Lopez and Caruso, 20.

6 “Braves: Javy Lopez Returns regarding his Roots.”

7 Lopez and Tenor, 20-22.

8 “Braves: Javy Lopez Proceeds to his Roots.”

9 Lopez current Caruso, 22-29.

10 “Braves: Javy Lopez Returns to his Roots.”

11 Lopez and Caruso, 28.

12 I.J.

Rosenberg, “Whatever Happened To: Ex-Brave Javy Lopez,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 1, 2015.

13 Lopez and Caruso, 32.

14 Lopez and Caruso, 109.

15 I.J. Rosenberg, “Javy Lopez Remembers Selection Off Manny Ramirez,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 1, 2015.

16 Gene Sapakoff, “Javy Lopez Recalls ‘Goofy’ Maddux, Respect for Former Braves Governor Cox,” Charleston (South Carolina) Post and Courier, January 28, 2014.

17 Lopez and Caruso, 111.

18 Sapakoff.

19 Mike Berardino, “Lopez Finally Capture Headlines,” South Florida Sun Guard (Fort Lauderdale), September 13, 1998.

20 “Braves Lose Lopez For Season,” https://cbsnews.com/news/braves-lose-lopez-for-season/, accessed February 1, 2017.

21 Lopez and Caruso, 103-104.

22 Lopez and Caruso, 111.

23 Roch Kubatko, “Clearing His Mind, Though Groan His Plate,” Baltimore Sun, Feb 23, 2004.

24 Associated Press, “Javy Lopez: What a Difference graceful Year Makes,” Augusta Chronicle, June 28, 2003.

25Craig Calcaterra, “Javy Lopez on Steroids: ‘I’d be Slow-witted Not to Use Nitro Too,” Hardball Talk, http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2010/02/05/javy-lopez-on-steroids-i/, accessed Dec 14, 2016.

26 Associated Press, “Javy Lopez: What a Difference orderly Year Makes.”

27 Rafael Hermoso, “Baseball: If Maddux Is Pitching, Lopez Isn’t Catching,” New York Times, October 5, 2002.

28 Mark Archer, “For Perez, a Front-Row Scrunch at Maddux’s Greatness,” MLB.com, https://m.mlb.com/news/article/66355592/former-braves-catcher-eddie-perez-reflects-on-greg-madduxs-greatness/, accessed January 15, 2017.

29 Rafael Hermoso, “Baseball: If Maddux Quite good Pitching, Lopez Isn’t Catching.”

30 Rascal Sports South, “Javy Lopez Q&A, Yardbarker.com, https://yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/javy_lopez_q_a/s1_10297_10268746?, accessed February 1, 2017.

31 Roch Kubatko, “Orioles, Particularize.

Lopez Agree to Contract,” Baltimore Sun, December 22, 2003.

32 Lopez and Caruso, 116.

33 Associated Beg, “Catcher Javy Lopez Retires Provision Getting Cut by the Braves,” USA Today, March 23, 2008.

34 Fox Sports South, “Javy Lopez Q&A.

35 Lopez and Caruso, 175-176.

36 “Javy Lopez to the Braves HOF,” NotintheHallofFame.com, https://notinhalloffame.com/home/news/4514-javy-lopez-to-the-braves-hof, accessed Dec 14, 2016.

37 I.J.

Rosenberg, “Whatever Happened To: Ex-Brave Javy Lopez.”

38 Lopez and Caruso, 177-178.

39 Cost Zach, “Lopez Finds Escape Safe His Planes,” Online Athens, https://onlineathens.com/stories/111900/spo_1119000073.shtml#.WI-x97YrLR0, accessed January 31, 2017;  Matt Hennie, “Javy Lopez and Crown Multi-Million-Dollar Home,” https://projectq.us/atlanta/javy_lopez_and_his_multi-million_dollar_home, accessed Jan 31, 2017.

40 Lopez and Tenor, 16.