Highlighted Year: Mike Fornieles, 1961

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Age:  29

5^th season with Red Sox (4^th complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 155 

Prior to 1961:

A native of Cuba, Fornieles (pronounced For-NEE-lis) attended high school at Havana’s Edison Institute and was playing amateur baseball when signed by the Washington Senators in 1950. Initially assigned to the Big Spring Broncs of the Class C Longhorn League in 1951, the 19-year-old pitcher posted a 17-6 record with a 2.86 ERA, 17 complete games, and 142 strikeouts over 208 innings, although difficulties with his control led to 100 walks as well. In 1952 he advanced to Havana of the Class B Florida International League where he was primarily used out of the bullpen and had a 14-12 tally for a team that often provided inadequate run support. His ERA was 2.66 and he registered 135 strikeouts over 213 innings. With the Senators short on pitchers heading into September, Fornieles got the opportunity to join the parent club and started the second game of a double-header, going the distance and throwing a one-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics. He made another start and two relief appearances to end his first month as a major league pitcher at 2-2 with a 1.37 ERA, 2 complete games, one shutout, 12 strikeouts, and 11 walks over 26.1 innings. In the offseason the Senators traded Fornieles to the Chicago White Sox, who were seeking to add youth to their pitching staff. After pitching well over the winter in Cuba, he appeared in 39 games for the White Sox in 1953 (16 of them starts) and put together an 8-7 record with a 3.59 ERA, 5 complete games, and 72 strikeouts with 61 walks over 153 innings pitched. In 1954 Fornieles spent most of the season back in Class AAA with Charleston of the American Association where he went 7-7 with a 2.45 ERA, 8 complete games, and 80 strikeouts with 32 walks over 114 innings. In 15 appearances with the White Sox (6 of them starts), his ERA was 4.29 with 18 strikeouts and 14 walks over 42 innings. Splitting time between the White Sox and Class AAA Toronto in 1955, Fornieles went 5-0 with a 2.36 ERA for Toronto and 6-3 in 26 games with Chicago (9 of them starts), producing a 3.86 ERA and 23 strikeouts and 29 walks over 86.1 innings. He started the 1956 season with the White Sox and was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in May as part of a six-player trade. His combined tally for the year was 4-8 in 36 appearances (11 starts) with a 4.05 ERA, one shutout, and 59 strikeouts with 31 walks over 126.2 innings. Fornieles got off to a 2-6 start with the Orioles in 1957 before being traded to the Red Sox in June for veteran infielder Billy Goodman. Utilized primarily as a starting pitcher, he went 8-7 the rest of the way with a 3.52 ERA, 7 complete games, and 64 strikeouts over 125.1 innings. He proved to be particularly effective pitching at home in Fenway Park. Fornieles followed up with a poor season in 1958, in which he was mostly used out of the bullpen. In 37 appearances (7 of them starts) his record was 4-6 with a 4.96 ERA, two saves, and 49 strikeouts over 110.2 innings. Used exclusively as a reliever in 1959, he appeared in 46 games and, following a slow start, compiled a 5-3 tally with 11 saves, a 3.07 ERA, and 54 strikeouts over 82 innings. With his repertoire of fastball, curve, knuckleball, slider, and screwball he established himself as a formidable bullpen closer and put together an outstanding season in 1960 in which he made a then-record 70 relief appearances that resulted in a 10-5 record with 13 saves, a league-leading 48 games finished, a 2.64 ERA, and 64 strikeouts over 109 innings pitched. He received Fireman of the Year recognition from The Sporting News as the AL’s best reliever. The offseason was filled with drama due to the deteriorating relations between the United States and Cuba. Fornieles ended up defecting to the United States, although his wife, who was sympathetic to the Communist Party, refused to leave Cuba and remained there with their daughter, leading to an eventual divorce and remarriage for Fornieles. 

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 57 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 57 [5]

Games Started – 2

Games Finished – 42 [4]

Complete Games – 1

Wins – 9

Losses – 8

PCT - .529 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 15 [3]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 119.1

Hits – 121

Runs – 65

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 18

Bases on Balls – 54

Strikeouts – 70

ERA – 4.68

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5

Midseason Snapshot: G – 28, 5-4, ERA - 4.97, SV – 8, SO - 38 in 70.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 6 IP) vs. Washington 6/18, (in 5 IP) at LA Angels 6/22, (in 2.1 IP) at Cleveland 7/19, (in 2 IP) at Cleveland 8/16

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. KC A’s 6/5

Batting

PA – 33, AB – 32, R – 2, H – 5, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 4, BB – 0, SO – 8, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .156, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 38

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 25

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .974

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Red Sox went 76-86 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. Dominant at Fenway Park (50-31) but a losing team on the road (26-55), the Red Sox were buoyed by a good rookie crop that included RHP Don Schwall, outfielder Carl Yastrzemski, and second baseman Chuck Schilling.

Aftermath of 1961:

Fornieles’ performance deteriorated in 1962 and he lost his role as Boston’s top reliever to Dick Radatz, who he mentored. He made 42 appearances and posted a 3-6 record with 5 saves, a 5.36 ERA, and 36 strikeouts over 82.1 innings. Along the way he tied an AL record by hitting four batters in a game against Cleveland. He lasted just one more season in 1963, which was split between the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. He appeared in only 20 games combined, and was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA. Released by the Twins, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds for 1964, but failed to make it to the regular season. For his major league career, Fornieles compiled a 63-64 record while making 432 appearances that included 76 starts, 20 complete games, and 4 shutouts. He totaled 55 saves and 576 strikeouts over 1156.2 innings. With the Red Sox his totals were 286 appearances, a 39-35 record, 4.08 ERA, 9 complete games, 48 saves, and 342 strikeouts over 642.2 innings. He never pitched in the postseason and was an All-Star only once. A pitcher who had a reputation for being alternately spectacular and mediocre, he sold cars after his major league career and also pitched in the Boston Park League. Fornieles also spent time as a broadcaster prior to his death at age 66 in 1998.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.