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Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Oscar Munoz had rough welcome to bigs, saw 10 ML games over seven pro seasons

Oscar Munoz 1990 Watertown Indians card

Oscar Munoz made his major league debut for the Twins in early August 1995, but it didn't really go as he'd hoped - 3.2 innings, five hits, two home runs.

"It was like, 'Hey, welcome,'" Munoz told The Minneapolis Star-Tribune afterward. "Get it out of the way. It's going to happen sooner or later."

For Munoz, he got it out of the way. But there also wasn't much later. In a pro career that lasted seven seasons, his major league career lasted just nine more games

Munoz' career began in 1990, taken by the Indians in the fifth round of the draft out of the University of Miami.

At Miami, Munoz had success in 1990, working his way into the rotation and expanding how he pitched, The Miami Herald wrote.

"I realized that I had to be more aggressive," Munoz told The Herald that April. "I couldn't just rely on outside fastballs. I had to throw inside and improve my breaking ball."

Munoz started with the Indians at short-season Watertown and high-A Kinston. He went 8-1 between them, with a 2.29 ERA over 11 starts.

He made AA Canton-Akron in 1991. He then moved to the Twins in a trade for 1992. He played that year at AA Orlando, then saw five games at AAA Portland in 1993.

He then played 1994 and 1995 largely at AAA Salt Lake. Then, in August 1995, he got his call to Minnesota. 

Munoz saw those 10 games, starting  three. He ended with a 2-1 record and a 5.60 ERA.

The next spring, Munoz tried to catch on with the Orioles, after being dissatisfied with his use by the Twins, The South Florida Sun Sentinel wrote.

"All I want is a legitimate chance to show I can get big league hitters out," Munoz told The Sun Sentinel. "The Orioles have given me a chance to show what I can do."

Munoz, however, played the season largely at AAA Rochester. That season proved his last as a pro.

Oscar Munoz 1990 Watertown Indians card

1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,213
Made the Majors:1,382-32.8%-X
Never Made Majors:2,831-67.2%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:561
10+ Seasons in the Minors:345

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