The Oakland public address announcer couldn't quite pronounce Jose Malave's name in this May 1996 game, but Malave didn't really care, The Hartford Courant wrote.
The Boston Red Sox hitter just went out and knocked in four runs on three hits - one his first major league home run.
"It was a great day," Malave told The Courant. "They were making good pitches in the zone. I was hitting it. I've got to feel happy."
Malave had that game days after his major league debut. He saw 41 games that year and four the next, marking the extent of his major league career.
Malave's career began in 1989, signed by the Red Sox as a free agent out of his native Venezuela.
Malave started with the Red Sox at short-season Elmira. He saw 13 games there, then played 1991 in the rookie Gulf Coast League.
He played 1992 between high-A Winter Haven and Elmira. He started off hot at Elmira as he went 17 for 36, The Elmira Star-Gazette.
"I'm working hard and keeping my eye on the ball," Malave told The Star-Gazette then. "Obviously, I've been seeing the ball well lately. This is the best I've played in pro baseball."
Malave moved to high-A Lynchburg for 1993, then AA New Britain for 1994 and AAA Pawtucket for 1995 and to start 1996.
Then, May 23, he debuted with Boston. In his 41 games, he hit .235 and hit four total home runs. He returned for four games in 1997 and went 0 for 4 to end his big league career.
From there, Malave played 1998 in Japan at Yokohama. He saw 33 games and hit .218. He then played 44 games at AA Carolina in 1999.
He continued playing into 2003, as he saw time in both Mexico, independent ball and even Italy. He last played for independent Sioux City and St. Paul as well as Rimini in Italy to end his career.
- Elmira Star-Gazette, June 24, 1992: Baseball's a blast for Elmira's Malave
- Hartford Courant, May 28, 1996: Malave spells it out
Made the Majors:1,257-34.0%-X
Never Made Majors:2,446-66.0%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:522
10+ Seasons in the Minors:309
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