Rick Aguilera
Encyclopedia
Richard Warren Aguilera (born December 31, 1961 in San Gabriel, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets
, Minnesota Twins
, Boston Red Sox
, and Chicago Cubs
.
in West Covina, CA and played third base. Following graduation, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the 37th round of the 1980 amateur draft on June 3, but did not sign and instead chose to attend Brigham Young University
. After three years at BYU, in which he had made the transition from third base to pitcher, the Mets drafted him in the 3rd round of the 1983 amateur draft on June 6. Although he did not sign until September, he was able to get into 16 games (going 5-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 104 innings) for the Little Falls Mets
in the low A-ball New York-Penn League. The following season he was promoted to the Lynchburg Mets in the high-A Carolina League
where he was 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings before being promoted to the Jackson Mets
in the AA Texas League
. In , Aguilera was promoted to AAA Tides and was 6-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 11 starts before being promoted to the majors.
Aguilera saw his first Major League action on June 12, pitching two innings of scoreless relief and getting the win against the Philadelphia Phillies
in a game started by teammate Ron Darling
. In the middle of a fierce divisional race with the Cardinals, Aguilera was particularly effective in July, going 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA, and ended the season 10-7 as the Cardinals edged out the Mets. However, Aguilera's fine rookie season was completely overshadowed by 20-year-old rotation-mate Dwight Gooden
, who followed up his Rookie of the Year win in 1984 by going 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA to win the Cy Young award and the pitching triple crown.
Aguilera posted an identical record the next year in as the No 5 starter for the division-winning Mets and second-year playrer was by then obviously part of the team as he was involved in a fight with Houston police outside a disco which resulted in the arrest of not only himself, but also teammates Bob Ojeda
, Tim Teufel
, and Darling.
In the 1986 post-season, Aguilera went on to pitch five scoreless innings in relief against the Houston Astros
in the NLCS
. Despite a horrid 12.00 ERA in the World Series
that year, he was the pitcher of record in the Mets' dramatic Game 6 comeback victory, getting the win despite giving up the two runs which surrendered the lead to Boston in the top of the 10th inning. Injuries slowed him the next two years, as he was limited to 17 starts in 1987 and 3 starts in 1988 by an elbow injury that required surgery. With injury concerns and seven innings of one-run relief in the 1988 NLCS
, the Mets decided to experiment with Aguilera as a reliever. After returning to the team in 1989, he was converted to a long reliever and a young David Cone
took his rotation spot. Although he was unhappy in a low-leverage bullpen role and asked to be traded, Aguilera in fact thrived as a reliever going 6-6 with a 2.34 ERA, with 80 strikeouts and 7 saves in 36 appearances.
When Dwight Gooden was placed on the disabled list in early July , the Mets begin actively looking for a veteran starting pitcher via trade rather than promote from within into the open rotation slot with young pitchers such as Aguilera, Kevin Tapani
, and David West
rumored as trade bait. Therefore it was no surprise that after the Mets had just lost their seventh game in a row that Aguilera was included in a last-minute July 31 deadline deal, along with West, Tapani, reliever Tim Drummond
and a player to be named (which on October 16 became reliever Jack Savage
), for Minnesota Twins ace Frank Viola
.
broke it in with 45 saves. He went on to save three of four victories in the ALCS
and the first two games of the World Series
against the Atlanta Braves
. In Game 3, he became the first pitcher to pinch hit in a World Series game since Don Drysdale
in 1965
, flying out in the top of the 12th with the bases loaded and two outs before giving up the game-winning hit in the bottom of the inning. Aguilera also won Game 6.
Aguilera became one of baseball's premier closers with the Twins from - and was named to three All-Star
teams from -.
, Aguilera was traded to the Red Sox
on July 6, in exchange for minor league outfielder J. J. Johnson and pitcher Frank Rodriguez
. The move was made official while the Red Sox were in Minneapolis playing the Twins and after walking 20 ft down to the visitors dressing room, Aguilera was called on to convert a save opportunity in his very first appearance - striking out former teammate Kirby Puckett
to help nail down a 5-4 win. Although Aguilera would later state that the trade that brought him to Boston was the lowest point of his career, he would perform well for the AL East champion, going 2-2 with 20 saves and a 2.67 ERA in 30 relief appearances. Like a number of his teammates, Aguilera struggled in the playoffs
, giving up one run on three hits with one strike out in two-thirds of an inning.
. Minnesota skipper Tom Kelly
installed Aguilera as a starting pitcher—a position he hadn't been in since starting 11 games for the team in —rather than his familiar closer role. Despite early season shoulder and wrist injuries (with the latter reportedly caused lifting his wife's suitcase the last week of spring training) forcing Aguilera to miss 6 weeks early in the season, the veteran battled his way to an 8-6 record with a 5.42 ERA in 19 starts, including a pair of complete games. With Aguilera now working as a starting pitcher, Dave Stevens
led the pitching staff with 11 saves. Stevens was one of seven Twins pitchers to record a save in .
The following season, the experiment of Aguilera as a starting pitcher had ended midway through spring training and the veteran returned to the bullpen. At age 35, he went 5-4 with 26 saves and a 3.82 ERA in 61 outings. In , he recorded 38 saves (the most since saving 41 games in ) in 68 games for the Twins. In , Aguilera had gone 3-1 with 6 saves and a 1.27 ERA in 17 games before the Twins traded the 37-year-old and pitcher Scott Downs
to the Chicago Cubs
for Kyle Lohse
and Jason Ryan
.
, John Franco, Dennis Eckersley
, Jeff Reardon
, Randy Myers
, Rollie Fingers
, and John Wetteland
in career saves. As of June 2011, he stands 15th on the career saves list. Aguilera was on top of the Twins / Senators franchise list for career saves with 254 until current Twin Joe Nathan
surpassed him on August 10, 2011. In addition, Aguilera's save totals in 1991 (42 saves), 1992 (41), and 1998 (38) are 5th, 7th, and 10th on the franchise's top 10 season saves list (as of the end of the 2010 season).
Aguilera is married to wife Sherry (m. 1988) and the couple have two children, daughter Sherry (b. 1992) and son Austin (b. 1997). A devout Christian, Aguilera now lives in the San Diego suburb of Rancho Santa Fe, California
and dedicates his time to his family and real estate investments. He has also served as the pitching coach for the Santa Fe Christian
High School baseball team from 2001–2005 and as the head coach from 2005-2007.
On June 21, 2008, Rick Aguilera was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.
San Gabriel, California
San Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junipero Serra. The city grew outward from the mission and in 1852 became the original township of Los Angeles County. San Gabriel was incorporated in 1913...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe 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 draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
New York Mets
Aguilera attended Edgewood High SchoolEdgewood High School (West Covina, California)
Edgewood High School is a secondary school located in West Covina, California and is serviced by West Covina Unified School District. Previously a high school and now once again one, it shares its campus with Edgewood Middle School...
in West Covina, CA and played third base. Following graduation, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 37th round of the 1980 amateur draft on June 3, but did not sign and instead chose to attend Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. After three years at BYU, in which he had made the transition from third base to pitcher, the Mets drafted him in the 3rd round of the 1983 amateur draft on June 6. Although he did not sign until September, he was able to get into 16 games (going 5-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 104 innings) for the Little Falls Mets
Little Falls Mets
The Little Falls Mets were a minor league baseball team located in Little Falls, New York. The team played in the New York - Penn League, and were affiliated with the New York Mets. Their home stadium was Little Falls Veterans Memorial Park...
in the low A-ball New York-Penn League. The following season he was promoted to the Lynchburg Mets in the high-A Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
where he was 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings before being promoted to the Jackson Mets
Jackson Mets
The Jackson Mets were a professional baseball team based in Jackson, Mississippi, from 1975 through 1990. As of 2010, they are the longest-tenured club to be based in the Jackson metropolitan area...
in the AA Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
. In , Aguilera was promoted to AAA Tides and was 6-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 11 starts before being promoted to the majors.
Aguilera saw his first Major League action on June 12, pitching two innings of scoreless relief and getting the win against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in a game started by teammate Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
. In the middle of a fierce divisional race with the Cardinals, Aguilera was particularly effective in July, going 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA, and ended the season 10-7 as the Cardinals edged out the Mets. However, Aguilera's fine rookie season was completely overshadowed by 20-year-old rotation-mate Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, who followed up his Rookie of the Year win in 1984 by going 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA to win the Cy Young award and the pitching triple crown.
Aguilera posted an identical record the next year in as the No 5 starter for the division-winning Mets and second-year playrer was by then obviously part of the team as he was involved in a fight with Houston police outside a disco which resulted in the arrest of not only himself, but also teammates Bob Ojeda
Bob Ojeda
Robert Michael Ojeda is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Ojeda is best remembered as an anchor in the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets starting rotation , and for being the lone survivor of a March 22, boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians pitchers...
, Tim Teufel
Tim Teufel
Timothy Shawn Teufel is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and currently the 3rd base coach for the New York Mets.Teufel was a member of the World Series champion New York Mets...
, and Darling.
In the 1986 post-season, Aguilera went on to pitch five scoreless innings in relief against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in the NLCS
1986 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1986 at Astrodome in Houston, TexasGame 1 featured a pitching duel between eventual NLCS Most Valuable Player Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden. Scott allowed just five hits and walked one while striking out 14 in a complete-game effort as the host Astros prevailed 1–0...
. Despite a horrid 12.00 ERA in the World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
that year, he was the pitcher of record in the Mets' dramatic Game 6 comeback victory, getting the win despite giving up the two runs which surrendered the lead to Boston in the top of the 10th inning. Injuries slowed him the next two years, as he was limited to 17 starts in 1987 and 3 starts in 1988 by an elbow injury that required surgery. With injury concerns and seven innings of one-run relief in the 1988 NLCS
1988 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 4, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe series opened with a classic pitching matchup, pitting the Dodgers' Orel Hershiser, who had won 23 games during the regular season and carried a Major League record 59 consecutive scoreless innings into the game,...
, the Mets decided to experiment with Aguilera as a reliever. After returning to the team in 1989, he was converted to a long reliever and a young David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
took his rotation spot. Although he was unhappy in a low-leverage bullpen role and asked to be traded, Aguilera in fact thrived as a reliever going 6-6 with a 2.34 ERA, with 80 strikeouts and 7 saves in 36 appearances.
When Dwight Gooden was placed on the disabled list in early July , the Mets begin actively looking for a veteran starting pitcher via trade rather than promote from within into the open rotation slot with young pitchers such as Aguilera, Kevin Tapani
Kevin Tapani
Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:...
, and David West
David West
David West may refer to:*Dave West , entrepreneur and libertarian*David West , NBA power forward*David West , watercolourist*David West , Major League Baseball player...
rumored as trade bait. Therefore it was no surprise that after the Mets had just lost their seventh game in a row that Aguilera was included in a last-minute July 31 deadline deal, along with West, Tapani, reliever Tim Drummond
Tim Drummond
Tim Drummond is an American bass guitarist who has toured and recorded with many notable artists including Conway Twitty, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Ry Cooder, J. J. Cale, Lonnie Mack, Miles Davis, B.B...
and a player to be named (which on October 16 became reliever Jack Savage
Jack Savage
John Joseph "Jack" Savage is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1987 and the Minnesota Twins in 1990. He was born on April 22, 1964 in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, and he went on to attend the University of...
), for Minnesota Twins ace Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
.
Minnesota Twins
Although he got his wish and completed the season with the Twins as a starter, going 3-5 with a 3.72 ERA and 3 complete games in 75 2/3 innings, he was shifted to the closer's role in and responded by saving 32 games for a team that went 74-88. The next year, his relief pitching was instrumental in the Twins' surprising division title, as he saved 42 games with a 2.35 ERA, a team record that would stand until Eddie GuardadoEddie Guardado
Edward Adrian Guardado is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Throughout his career, Guardado had played with the Minnesota Twins , Seattle Mariners , Cincinnati Reds , and the Rangers .His common nickname is "Everyday Eddie", a testament to his durable arm during his first stint with the...
broke it in with 45 saves. He went on to save three of four victories in the ALCS
1991 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaGame 1 saw a surprise starter for Toronto as Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston chose knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to face the Twins over his new young gun Juan Guzmán and his left-handed ace Jimmy Key. Twins...
and the first two games of the World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. In Game 3, he became the first pitcher to pinch hit in a World Series game since Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
in 1965
1965 World Series
The 1965 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the American League champion Minnesota Twins, who had won their first pennant since 1933 when the team was known as the Washington Senators...
, flying out in the top of the 12th with the bases loaded and two outs before giving up the game-winning hit in the bottom of the inning. Aguilera also won Game 6.
Aguilera became one of baseball's premier closers with the Twins from - and was named to three All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
teams from -.
Boston Red Sox
With the Twins well on their way to finishing 44 games behind the AL Central division winning Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Aguilera was traded to the Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on July 6, in exchange for minor league outfielder J. J. Johnson and pitcher Frank Rodriguez
Frank Rodriguez (baseball)
Francisco Rodriguez is a former major league pitcher.-Amateur career:Rodriguez won the Dick Howser Trophy in 1991. At the time of the award, Rodriguez was playing for Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas...
. The move was made official while the Red Sox were in Minneapolis playing the Twins and after walking 20 ft down to the visitors dressing room, Aguilera was called on to convert a save opportunity in his very first appearance - striking out former teammate Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
to help nail down a 5-4 win. Although Aguilera would later state that the trade that brought him to Boston was the lowest point of his career, he would perform well for the AL East champion, going 2-2 with 20 saves and a 2.67 ERA in 30 relief appearances. Like a number of his teammates, Aguilera struggled in the playoffs
1995 American League Division Series
-Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, Tuesday, October 3:Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioAfter a 39-minute rain delay, Game 1 got underway with two veterans, Roger Clemens and Dennis Martínez, starting the opener. The Red Sox jumped in front first in the third on John Valentin's two run...
, giving up one run on three hits with one strike out in two-thirds of an inning.
Return to Minnesota
A free agent following the season, Aguilera opted to return to the TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Minnesota skipper Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly (baseball)
Jay Thomas Kelly , is the former manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team from to . Currently, he serves as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Twins....
installed Aguilera as a starting pitcher—a position he hadn't been in since starting 11 games for the team in —rather than his familiar closer role. Despite early season shoulder and wrist injuries (with the latter reportedly caused lifting his wife's suitcase the last week of spring training) forcing Aguilera to miss 6 weeks early in the season, the veteran battled his way to an 8-6 record with a 5.42 ERA in 19 starts, including a pair of complete games. With Aguilera now working as a starting pitcher, Dave Stevens
Dave Stevens (baseball)
David James Stevens is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Stevens played for the Minnesota Twins , Chicago Cubs , Cleveland Indians , and Atlanta Braves .-External links:...
led the pitching staff with 11 saves. Stevens was one of seven Twins pitchers to record a save in .
The following season, the experiment of Aguilera as a starting pitcher had ended midway through spring training and the veteran returned to the bullpen. At age 35, he went 5-4 with 26 saves and a 3.82 ERA in 61 outings. In , he recorded 38 saves (the most since saving 41 games in ) in 68 games for the Twins. In , Aguilera had gone 3-1 with 6 saves and a 1.27 ERA in 17 games before the Twins traded the 37-year-old and pitcher Scott Downs
Scott Downs
Scott Jeremy Downs is an American professional baseball relief pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays...
to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Kyle Lohse
Kyle Lohse
Kyle Matthew Lohse is a right-handed starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in , Lohse was traded to the Minnesota Twins in in a deal involving Rick Aguilera. Lohse made his MLB debut with the Twins on June 22, .Lohse is a member of the Nomlaki...
and Jason Ryan
Jason Ryan (baseball)
Jason Paul Ryan is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during two seasons at the major league level for the Minnesota Twins. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 9th round of the amateur draft...
.
Chicago Cubs
Aguilera pitched well for the Cubs, posting a 6-3 record with 8 saves and a 3.69 ERA in 44 games as a middle reliever, set-up man, and occasionally a closer. At age 38, he entered the season, his 16th season in the big leagues, as the team's closer. Aguilera went 1-2 with 29 saves in 54 appearances, but blew eight of his save opportunities and finished with a 4.91 ERA for the last-place Cubs.Life after baseball
After spending the off-season weighing the possibility of coming back for a 17th season, Aguilera officially retired on February 17, 2001. At the time of his retirement, his 318 saves trailed only Lee SmithLee Smith (baseball)
Lee Arthur Smith is an American right-handed former baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball for eight teams. Pitching primarily for the Chicago Cubs, with whom he spent his first eight seasons, Lee served mostly as a relief pitcher during his career...
, John Franco, Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
, Jeff Reardon
Jeff Reardon
Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
, Randy Myers
Randy Myers
Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with...
, Rollie Fingers
Rollie Fingers
Roland Glen Fingers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During his 18-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers . He became only the second reliever to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992...
, and John Wetteland
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second...
in career saves. As of June 2011, he stands 15th on the career saves list. Aguilera was on top of the Twins / Senators franchise list for career saves with 254 until current Twin Joe Nathan
Joe Nathan
Joseph Michael Nathan is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball . Nathan started out his baseball career as a shortstop in high school but converted to a pitcher after being drafted by the San Francisco Giants...
surpassed him on August 10, 2011. In addition, Aguilera's save totals in 1991 (42 saves), 1992 (41), and 1998 (38) are 5th, 7th, and 10th on the franchise's top 10 season saves list (as of the end of the 2010 season).
Aguilera is married to wife Sherry (m. 1988) and the couple have two children, daughter Sherry (b. 1992) and son Austin (b. 1997). A devout Christian, Aguilera now lives in the San Diego suburb of Rancho Santa Fe, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and dedicates his time to his family and real estate investments. He has also served as the pitching coach for the Santa Fe Christian
Santa Fe Christian Schools
Santa Fe Christian Schools is a private, college preparatory, Christian school, located in Solana Beach, California. It serves approximately 1000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade....
High School baseball team from 2001–2005 and as the head coach from 2005-2007.
On June 21, 2008, Rick Aguilera was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.
External links
- Minnesota Twins Article: Where has Rick Aguilera gone?
- Santa Fe Christian Schools Varsity Baseball Team
- Minnesota Twins Article: Rick Aguilera elected to Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame
- Minnesota Twins Article: Aguilera elected to Twins Hall of Fame
- Minnesota Twins Article: Aguilera joins Twins' Hall of Fame
- Minnesota Twins Rick Aguilera Hall of Fame Ceremony