Luis DeLeon worked to prove himself, made 7 ML seasons
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Luis DeLeon worked in spring 1985 to complete his comeback from injuries, The Los Angeles Times wrote.
He'd had good seasons with the Padres in 1982 and 1983, but his 1984 campaign proved injury plagued, The Times wrote.
"No matter what happens this year, I have to prove that my arm is well," DeLeon told The Times. "A lot of people know that I can pitch in the big leagues. Now, I have to prove it to them again."
DeLeon, however, could never prove it enough for longer returns to the bigs. He ended up having another shortened 1985 and then briefly returned twice more elsewhere, marking the extent of his major league career.
DeLeon's career began in 1978, signed by the Cardinals as a free agent out of his native Puerto Rico.
DeLeon started with the Cardinals at rookie Johnson City. He made AA Arkansas in 1980 and then AAA Springfield and major league St. Louis in 1981. In St. Louis, DeLeon saw 10 relief outings and had a 2.35 ERA.
For 1982, he was sent to the Padres as part of the deal that sent Ozzie Smith to St. Louis. He then got into 61 outings that year for San Diego and had a 2.03 ERA. He also saved 15 games.
Going into 1983, Padres General Manager Jack McKeon recounted to The Times how DeLeon had gotten included in the deal. McKeon had seen him play in winter ball.
"I knew he had a good arm and was a prospect," McKeon told The Times. "You just don't know how good a guy is going to be. There was a question if he was ready for the big leagues."
DeLeon went out and saw another 63 outings in 1983. He went 6-6, with a 2.68 ERA. Then came his shortened 32-outing 1984 season. He went 2-2m with a 5.48 ERA. He didn't see the postseason.
He then saw 29 outings for the Padres in 1985. He missed the majors all of 1986 after moving to the Orioles system. He returned with Baltimore for 11 outings in 1987.
He played at AAA with the Astros in 1988, then with the Mariners in 1989. He also saw one final game in the majors in Seattle in 1989. He gave up one earned run in four innings.
DeLeon played a single game at AAA Albuquerque with the Dodgers in 1990, then in Mexico through 1993. He ended with six minor league outings with the Cubs in 1995.
- Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1983: Luis DeLeon Has the Confidence
- Los Angeles Times, March 8, 1985: Padres
Made the Majors:1,456-31.7%-X
Never Made Majors:3,131-68.3%