Danny Rios | |||
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Pitcher | |||
Born: Madrid, Spain |
November 11, 1972 |||
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Professional debut | |||
MLB: May 30, 1997, for the New York Yankees | |||
KBO: 2002, for the Kia Tigers | |||
NPB: April 1, 2008, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows | |||
Last appearance | |||
MLB: 1998, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
KBO: 2007, for the Doosan Bears | |||
NPB: 2008, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 0–1 | ||
Earned run average | 9.31 | ||
Strikeouts | 7 | ||
KBO statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 90–59 | ||
Earned run average | 3.01 | ||
Strikeouts | 807 | ||
NPB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 2–7 | ||
Earned run average | 5.46 | ||
Strikeouts | 37 | ||
Teams | |||
Daniel Rios (born November 11, 1972 in Madrid, Spain) is a former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), the KBO League, and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Rios's repertoire included a sharp slider, change-up and fastball around 90 mph.
Rios's parents were Cuban and he was born in Spain. At age 2, his family immigrated to the United States, where he grew up and went to college at the University of Miami.
Rios signed as an amateur free agent with the New York Yankees in 1993. He debuted with the GCL Yankees, going 2–1 with a 3.52 ERA and six saves in 24 games. He had the rare honor of being the closer on a team which briefly featured Mariano Rivera (then a starter). In 1994, Rios had his first year in full-season ball, going 3–2 with 17 saves and a 0.87 ERA in 37 games for the Greensboro Bats and allowing no earned runs (2 runs overall) in 10.1 IP for the Tampa Yankees (2 saves in 9 games). Rios's composite ERA of 0.70 was presumably one of the lowest in all of the minor leagues that year.
Rios remained dazzling in 1995. With Tampa, he had a 2.00 ERA, 0–4 record, 24 saves and 72 strikeouts in 67.1 IP. He finished 53 games, most in the Florida State League.
Rios moved to the cusp of the major leagues in 1996. He went 3–1 with 17 saves and a 2.09 ERA for the Norwich Navigators and 4–1 with a 1.95 ERA in 24 games for the Columbus Clippers. Baseball America rated him as the #9 prospect in the Yankee system, one spot ahead of fellow right-hander Tony Armas, Jr..