Bobby Cuellar
PositionPitcher / Coach
BatsRight
ThrowsRight
Birth dateAugust 20, 1952
Birth placeAlice, Texas, U.S.
Death dateJanuary 20, 2025 (aged 72)
Death placeHouston, Texas, U.S.
DebutleagueMLB
DebutdateSeptember 9
Debutyear1977
DebutteamTexas Rangers
FinalleagueMLB
FinaldateSeptember 20
Finalyear1977
FinalteamTexas Rangers
StatleagueMLB
Stat1labelWin–loss record
Stat1value0–0
Stat2labelEarned run average
Stat2value1.35
Stat3labelStrikeouts
Stat3value3
Teams
As player
As coach

Robert Cuellar (August 20, 1952 – January 20, 2025) was an American professional baseball player who played briefly with the Texas Rangers of the Major League Baseball (MLB) in as a relief pitcher. He held several coaching positions in baseball, including pitching coach, bullpen coach, and manager. Cuellar was later a special assistant in the player development department of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Background

Cuellar was born in Alice, Texas, on August 20, 1952. He was a graduate from the University of Texas and was of Mexican American descent.[1]

Playing career

Cuellar was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 29th round (592nd overall) of the 1974 MLB draft.[2] Bobby Cuellar played in the minor leagues from 1974 to 1981, finishing his career with one season in Mexico.[citation needed] He briefly had a "cup of coffee" with the Texas Rangers in 1977 appearing in four games before returning to the minor leagues at Tucson.[3]

Coaching career

Due to also pitching winter ball during his career as a pitcher and the lack of pitch counts in the 1970s, he overused and eventually wore out his shoulder.[4] After his career was over, he went on to a career in coaching and managing. Beginning in 1983, he worked in the Seattle Mariners' organization until 1996. Since then, in addition to stints on the major league coaching staffs of the Montreal Expos, Texas Rangers, and Pittsburgh Pirates, Cuellar spent six years coaching in the Minnesota Twins' minor league system. While in the Twins system he mentored a young Johan Santana who he taught to throw a circle changeup, the importance of trusting in his ability to throw it and made him repeatedly throw it in minor league games.[5] Adding this pitch, which would go on to become his most notorious, to his rotation made Santana extremely effective and within the space of a full season from 2001 to 2002 Santana went from an average pitcher with control issues and a 4.74 ERA to a 2.99 ERA ace who would be in contention for the best pitcher in baseball over the next 5 seasons, repeatedly citing Cuellar's influence.[6][7] He was chosen for the 2023 Mike Coolbaugh Award in recognition of his "outstanding baseball work ethic, knowledge of the game, and skill in mentoring young players on the field."[8] His resume includes:

Death

Cuellar died after suffering a heart attack in Houston, Texas, on January 20, 2025. He was 72. [9] [10]

References

  1. ^ "M's get black eye on 'burnt cork' joke". Spokane Chronicle. Associated Press. 1987-06-17. pp. D2. Retrieved 2024-10-05. I hired Bob Cuellar, who is a Mexican-American
  2. ^ "Bobby Cuellar - Baseball Stats". The Baseball Cube. Archived 2008-05-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  3. ^ "Bobby Cuellar Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  4. ^ "Tom Powers: Minnesota Twins rehire ultimate baseball man in Bobby Cuellar". Pioneer Press. 2008-03-11. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  5. ^ Rymer, Zachary D. (2013-03-29). "Retelling Johan Santana's MLB Journey from Untouchable to Unfixable". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  6. ^ "New Cats Manager Mentored Santana". Hartford Courant. 2008-02-08. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  7. ^ "Johan Santana Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  8. ^ "Cuellar, McDaniel win Coolbaugh, Bender Awards". Minor League Baseball. December 6, 2023. Archived December 7, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Thomasson, Chris (January 21, 2025). "Alice great Bobby Cuellar passes away". KIIItv.com. KIII-TV. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Bobby Cuellar". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 22 January 2025.