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Victor Benitez was a solid fielder and a professional hitter, with a career .280 BA and .346 OBP. He had a productive 11 season career, during 6 of which he was a full time starter. He was mostly a shortstop, but also had time at second base and third base. He was named to his only All Star squad during Season 7. He played for five seasons with the Kansas City Crazies (now the Philadelphia Stomp). He was then traded to Los Angeles (now San Diego) where he played two seasons and made his only All Star appearance. He signed a free agent deal after season 8 to play with the Chicago Gray Stockings. He played on the South Side for three seasons, two seasons as a starter and a third as a utility player and part time starter. He then finished his career with single season stints with Iowa City and Milwaukee. He has returned to his home country of Venezuela following the end of his SPL career. He has invested in the Tigres de Aragua in the LVBP and is now a minority owner and part time player as well.
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During Decade I of the SPL, Javy Dotel was one of the most consistent, balanced catchers in the league. He played for 12 seasons, during 10 of those he was a full time starter. He had a decent arm, throwing out 25% of stolen base attempts over his career. Javy was a student of the game as well, and was constantly studying opposing hitters and their tendencies. As a result, he was an above average pitch caller who inspired confidence in his pitchers. He was named to three All Star Games and won two Silver Slugger Awards as well. He also is a rare case in that he basically spent his entire career with one franchise. He spent his rookie season playing in Monterrey, Mexico (now the Anaheim Hitmen) before being traded to the Mexico City Grimseekers (now the Charlotte Hornets). He spent the next 10 seasons playing in Mexico's capital before following the team to its new home in Little Rock for his final season in Season 12. He played his final big league season in Little Rock as the team's backup. Not only was Dotel a fan favorite but he owns the Charlotte franchise's record books. He ranks 3rd in career batting average (.304), 3rd in doubles (232), 1st in games started (1483), 1st in hits (1542), 4th in home runs (221), 1st in RBI (870) and 1st in runs (837). The new ownership in Charlotte plans honor Dotel in the home opener by retiring his jersey.
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Desi Gongora is a 6-time All Star and a 2-time World Series Champion. He played 12 total seasons in the SPL. His first 6 were with the St. Louis Redbirds where he was named to three All Star squads and won his first World Series ring in Season 4. After Season 6, he was part of a three-for-one trade that brought current Redbirds staff ace Victor Rodriguez to St. Louis. Gongora continued his winning ways after he was sent to Baltimore. During his 4 seasons in Baltimore, he was named to three more All Star squads and won another World Series ring in Season 10. After Season 10, he was traded again. This time to budding AL contender Scottsdale. Desi pitched for two seasons in the desert but the hitters friendly Davis Ballpark didn't suit him in the twilight of his career. He managed to go 18-18 during his time with the Camels before getting bounced down to AAA. He toiled in the minors for two seasons trying to get back to the show before calling it a career. He went 176-102 during his career with a 4.10 ERA. He was also named to the Satchel Paige News' All Decade Second Team. Desi is now looking forward to a quiet retirement in the Dominican.
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SPL HOF.
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Louie Tamura played his entire career with the current Salem franchise. Thats not to say he played in one city though. During the franchise's unstable early seasons he followed them from city-to-city each season. From Colorado, Oklahoma City, San Diego, Seattle before the team finally found a home and loyal fan base in Salem. Tamura also made his home in Salem, playing the final seven season of his big league career in that city. Tamura was a very good player, and was named to 2 AL All Star squads and also won a Silver Slugger award. He didn't have a great arm, but may have been the best pitch caller in the league. He was also a very good hitter with a career .315 batting average. Tamura has combined with long time team mate Kelly Nelson to write the Salem franchise record book. Tamura holds the following franchise records: 2nd in career batting average (tied with Nelson), 2nd in doubles (271, Nelson is 1st), 2nd in games played (1996, Nelson is 1st), 5th in home runs (176), 2nd in runs (954) and 2nd in RBI (820). Although a date hasn't been set yet, Salem plans to retire his jersey at some point during the upcoming season.
Other Notable Retirements:
Dave Grimsley
Miguel Hernriquez
Chris Linton
Merv Malloy
Tom Mann
Damian Shibata
Dan Singleton
Rico Tarraga
Victor Vazquez
For the Love of the Game Award: Many players dream of making it to the big leagues, landing that monster contract and winning the World Series. For every player who makes it big, for every Pedro Pascual there are dozens of other players that you’ve never heard of. Those players who will toil in the experience that is minor league baseball, but never make it to the bigs. Minor league baseball is a grind. Long bus rides, dank hotel rooms, alcoholic coaches, backwater towns, moldy locker rooms and gimmicky promotions all must be dealt with. The “For The Love of the Game Award” is given to the recently retired player who never made it to the bigs, but toiled in the minors. Every season we will giving this award to the player who most reminds us of Crash Davis and takes those blue chip prospects under his wing and shows them the ropes on their way to the top. These are the unsung pros upon which the Satchel Paige League is built. Those players who know they’ll probably never make it all the way, but show up every season and play simply for the love of the game. This season’s award goes to….
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Arthur Baker is the ultimate rarity. A career minor league player who played his entire career with the same franchise, the Charlotte franchise. Baker was a speedy, light hitting center fielder who covered a lot of ground in the outfield. He played 1763 minor league games. In his career, he racked up 1679 hits and 457 steals. Baker is still planning on staying with the franchise after his playing days. He has been given a position by Charlotte as an advanced scout for the big league club.
