Jose Arcia--1973
There are several examples of when
minor league hitters failed and found
themselves on big league mounds.
Future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman
was a weak hitting shortstop in A-ball
before he rode his rocket arm and
tantalizing change up to 601 saves.
Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol was
an outfielder in rookie ball, hitting .241 in
two seasons and reaching low-A ball,
before heading to the mound. Naturally,
we are reminded of Cincinnati's Mel
Queen and his dual stats on the back of
his 1969 card ( Mel Queen Topps '69
card ) that we featured on CG.
Relievers Jason Motte (St. Louis), Kenley
Jansen (LA Dodgers), Guillermo Mota
(San Francisco)... and the list goes on.
Which brings us to Jose Arcia who found
the big leagues in the opposite way when
he walked off the mound and onto the
infield dirt.
Arcia went 21-18, 4.10 in four minor
league seasons as a pitcher, but also
walked more (158) than he fanned (143).
Bouncing through three organizations
(Houston, Detroit and Cleveland), it was
St. Louis who pointed him to the infield.
After three seasons of improving fielding
percentages, while the bat struggled at
the A and AA levels, the Chicago Cubs
grabbed Arcia in the Rule V draft.
He would spend the entire 1968 season
with Chicago, shuttling between three
infield positions and spending some time
in the tall grasses. Arcia would hit just
.190 for the Cubs, but still caught the
eye of the Padres when the Expansion
Draft came around.
Arcia would spend two seasons of flailing
with the lumber and posting below
league average fielding percentages with
the Padres before facing the beginning
of the end, as he would bounce around
Triple-A for a few years.
Despite not playing in the bigs during
1972, Arcia was issued a card by Topps
in 1973.
Of course, maybe it was because the
Topps folks were impressed with the
fancy airbrushing of the "KC" and
decided to give Arcia one last shot.
Editor's Note: Looking at this photo, Is is
any wonder why Arcia hit just .215 in 662
major league at bats.
minor league hitters failed and found
themselves on big league mounds.
Future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman
was a weak hitting shortstop in A-ball
before he rode his rocket arm and
tantalizing change up to 601 saves.
Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol was
an outfielder in rookie ball, hitting .241 in
two seasons and reaching low-A ball,
before heading to the mound. Naturally,
we are reminded of Cincinnati's Mel
Queen and his dual stats on the back of
his 1969 card ( Mel Queen Topps '69
card ) that we featured on CG.
Relievers Jason Motte (St. Louis), Kenley
Jansen (LA Dodgers), Guillermo Mota
(San Francisco)... and the list goes on.
Which brings us to Jose Arcia who found
the big leagues in the opposite way when
he walked off the mound and onto the
infield dirt.
Arcia went 21-18, 4.10 in four minor
league seasons as a pitcher, but also
walked more (158) than he fanned (143).
Bouncing through three organizations
(Houston, Detroit and Cleveland), it was
St. Louis who pointed him to the infield.
After three seasons of improving fielding
percentages, while the bat struggled at
the A and AA levels, the Chicago Cubs
grabbed Arcia in the Rule V draft.
He would spend the entire 1968 season
with Chicago, shuttling between three
infield positions and spending some time
in the tall grasses. Arcia would hit just
.190 for the Cubs, but still caught the
eye of the Padres when the Expansion
Draft came around.
Arcia would spend two seasons of flailing
with the lumber and posting below
league average fielding percentages with
the Padres before facing the beginning
of the end, as he would bounce around
Triple-A for a few years.
Despite not playing in the bigs during
1972, Arcia was issued a card by Topps
in 1973.
Of course, maybe it was because the
Topps folks were impressed with the
fancy airbrushing of the "KC" and
decided to give Arcia one last shot.
Editor's Note: Looking at this photo, Is is
any wonder why Arcia hit just .215 in 662
major league at bats.
