All-Time Top Ten: Mexico

By Efraín Ruiz Pantin

Being Latino, or in this case, Mexican, means much more than your place of origin. Like others on this list, Nomar Garciaparra wasn’t born in Mexico. But his father was. And so were his grandparents. So, who are we to say he isn’t Mexican? Of course he is. Like Garciaparra told the Los Angeles Times in 2014, “It’s the culture. It’s knowing the music, the food, and most importantly, it’s about family.”

Garciaparra is tops in this list of La Vida Baseball’s All-Time Top 10 Mexican ballplayers. Once again, I base the rankings on aggregate WAR and Hall of Fame Monitor totals. You’ll see familiar and not-so-familiar names. But you won’t see Ted Williams. Born in San Diego, he rarely spoke about his mother’s Mexican heritage and certainly never embraced it. Identity is a personal matter and we don’t criticize Williams’ decision. But the Splendid Splinter, No. 1 in so many categories, is not número uno in this one.

1. Nomar Garciaparra

.313/.361/.521 — 44.2 WAR — 112 HOF Monitor

Nomar was born in Whittier, Calif., but don’t doubt his street cred. His dad Ramón was born in Guadalajara and spelled his name backward to anoint his firstborn. Together with Álex Rodríguez and Derek Jeter, Nomar helped transform baseball in the ’90s — slick-fielding shortstops who swung big bats. Nomar is the only campo corto to play more than 1,000 games at the position who hit better than .300/.350/.500. Rookie of the Year, two-time batting champ, six-time All-Star, a perennial in the MVP voting; it’s a shame that injuries cut short a career that seemed destined for Cooperstown.

2. Adrián González

.288/.359/.488 — 42.7 WAR — 90 HOF Monitor

The son of a ballplaying father, González was born in San Diego and raised on both sides of the border. They call him El Titán, or “The Titan,” for good reason. Playing in the vast expanses of San Diego’s Petco Park from 2006 to 2010, he averaged 35 doubles, 32 home runs and 100 RBI, numbers no other Padre has matched in the ballpark’s 14-year history. A pro’s pro at first base now with the Dodgers, Gonzalez is a five-time All-Star who has earned four Gold Gloves, produced 10 seasons with 90+ RBI and has proudly represented El Tri at all four World Baseball Classics.

3. Fernando Valenzuela

173-153/3.54 ERA/2,074 K — 42.1 WAR — 66 HOF Monitor

If El Toro hadn’t averaged 255 innings a season from ages 20 to 26, he might have been even better over his whole career. Then again, we might have missed out on that wonderful cultural phenomena known as Fernandomanía. Valenzuela started his peak years — from 1981 to 1986 — by winning Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award the same season and earning the first of six straight All-Star selections. During that stretch, he recorded 97 wins and a 2.97 ERA while leading the majors with 26 shutouts, 1,537 innings and 1,258 strikeouts. He was even better in the postseason during his career, recording a 1.98 ERA in 63.2 innings and, of course, leading the Dodgers to the 1981 World Series championship. A native of Navojoa, Valenzuela is still the only Mexican major leaguer to throw a complete game no-hitter.

4. Darrell Evans

.248/.361/.431 — 58.5 WAR — 42 HOF Monitor

Third baseman Evans is a third-generation Mexican-American whose grandfather David Salazar was a legendary hurler for the Los Angeles-based Los Zapateros semipro team that produced Baldomero “Melo” Almada, the first Mexican to play in the majors. As if that wasn’t enough, Evans’ mother was a professional softball player. Bill James, the godfather of sabermetrics, once called Evans the most underrated player in history. Despite a lifetime .248 average, he hit 414 home runs and totaled 1,605 walks, retiring with an astounding .361 OBP. From 1969 to 1989, only Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson and Dave Kingman hit more home runs. And until David Ortiz matched him last season, Evans was the only player ever to hit 40 dingers in a season at the age of 38 or older.

5. Vinny Castilla

.276/.321/.476 — 19.3 WAR — 69 HOF Monitor

A slugging third baseman born in Oaxaca, Vinny played in Colorado’s thin air in his prime, averaging .302, 29 doubles and 38 home runs from 1995 to 1999. And when he returned to the Rockies for a curtain call in 2004 at age 36, he hit 35 dingers and led the National League with 131 RBI. A two-time All-Star, Vinny remains with Colorado as a special assistant to the general manager. His job is to bring positive energy to the ballpark and nurture younger players, including another impressive third baseman, Nolan Arenado. Given that the Cuban-Puerto Rican Arenado has twice led the National League in home runs and RBI, Vinny deserves to be on a Front Office Top 10.

6. Eric Chávez

.268/.342/.475 — 37.4 WAR — 29 HOF Monitor

Another player whose career was shortened by injuries, the Mexican-American Chávez played for the Oakland A’s at the height of the Moneyball era, fitting perfectly into general manager Billy Beane’s scheme of things. He was a low-cost infielder who fielded his position, had pop in his bat and got on base. Despite never earning an All-Star selection, Chávez won six Gold Gloves at third base and averaged a midge under 29 home runs from 2001 to 2006. One metric says it all: A career OBP 74 points higher than his BA. Unfortunately, that only takes you so far. While Chávez helped the A’s get into the playoffs five times, only once did they advance to the ALCS.

7. Roberto ‘Beto’ Ávila

.281/.359/.388 — 27.8 WAR — 32 HOF Monitor

Born in Veracruz, Beto was an early pioneer in the integration era, the first Mexican All-Star and the first Latino to win a batting title, hitting .341 for the Cleveland Indians in 1954 despite a broken thumb. Like his Latino peers, Beto battled discrimination as well as a language barrier and didn’t get the chance to play full-time until he was 27. During his peak — from 1951 to 1955 — he averaged .301 with a .374 OBP. Beloved back home, Beto afterward enjoyed a successful public life, serving as mayor of Veracruz and later in the Mexican Congress.

8. Teddy Higuera

94-64/3.61 ERA/1,081 K — 30.7 WAR — 23 HOF Monitor

In a brief nine-year career, Higuera enjoyed one brilliant spurt with the Milwaukee Brewers, going 69-38 from 1985 to 1988. A lefty from Los Mochis, he threw fastballs, changeups and sliders, combining power and control with a not too shabby career 7.1 K/9. His best season was 1986, going 20-11 with a 2.79 ERA. Unfortunately, that was the year Roger Clemens finished 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and was the unanimous choice for the AL Cy Young Award.

9. Esteban Loaíza

126-114/4.65 ERA/1,382 K — 23.0 WAR — 18 HOF Monitor

The right-handed Loaíza pitched for eight different teams over 14 seasons until he turned 36, finishing second to Valenzuela in most pitching categories among Mexicans. His claim to fame is that he recorded the best season for any Mexican-born pitcher in the majors. In 2003 with the Chicago White Sox, he went 21-9 with a 2.90 ERA over 226.1 innings. According to the metrics, the Tijuana native was off the charts, thanks to a 159 ERA+ and 7.2 WAR. Not even El Toro had a season that good.

10. Yovani Gallardo

113-93/3.93 ERA/1,526 K — 23.3 WAR — 17 HOF Monitor

After playing for Milwaukee his first eight seasons, and twice being the Opening Day starter, Gallardo has pitched for three different teams the past three seasons. A hard-throwing right-hander from Penjamillo with a five-pitch repertoire and a career 8.0 K/9, he’s never quite fulfilled expectations. This past season with the Seattle Mariners, he bounced back-and-forth between the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Featured Image: Jason O. Watson / Getty Images Sport

Inset Images: TOPPS