Rudy Árias (catcher)

Rodolfo M. Árias (born June 25, 1957) is a Cuban former minor league baseball catcher and former Major League Baseball coach. He served as the bullpen catcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball. He has also served in this capacity for the Florida Marlins and New York Yankees. His father is Rudy Árias.

Rudy Árias
Árias with the Orioles
Catcher / Coach
Born: (1957-06-25) June 25, 1957
Santa Clara, Cuba
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Biography

Born in Santa Clara, Cuba, Árias attended Miami Senior High School. He played minor league baseball for the Seattle Mariners organization.[1] Árias played for the Bellingham Mariners of the Rookie-level Northwest League in 1977, where he was named the league's defensive player of the month for July, and was named to the All-Star team. However, he had a batting average of only .225.[1] Árias played for the Stockton Mariners of the Class A California League in 1978. After a strong start, Árias missed time due to a broken jaw suffered when he was hit in the face with a fastball.[1] In 1979, he played for the Alexandria Mariners of the Class A Carolina League, the San Jose Missions, and Santa Clara Padres, both in the California League. He retired as a player following the season.[2]

Árias served as the bullpen catcher for the Florida Marlins of the National League in the mid-1990s[3] and the New York Yankees of the American League (AL), serving with the team during the 1996 World Series championship. Árias was a replacement player for the Yankees during the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike.[4][5]

Árias then worked for the Baltimore Orioles of the AL as their bullpen catcher from 1997 through 2007. He coached the Winnipeg Goldeyes, then of the Northern League from 2008 through 2010.[6] He left the Goldeyes to return to the Orioles as their bullpen catcher in 2011.[7] He served as the Orioles' bullpen catcher through the 2015 season.[8]

He was inducted into the Miami Senior High School Hall of Fame in April 2012.[9][10]

Personal

His family fled Cuba in 1962.[11] His father is Rudy Árias, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox.[1] His son, Alex Árias, played college baseball at Howard University.[12] Arias became a citizen of the United States in March 2012.[13]

References
  1. Suarez, Leo (July 27, 1978). "Rudy Arias doesn't mumble about the Mariners". The Miami News. p. 2C. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  2. "Rodolfo Arias Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  3. Barnes, Craig (February 16, 1995). "Marlins Aide At Yankee Camp". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  4. "Catchers' Agendas Differ". Miami Herald. February 19, 1995. p. 16C. Retrieved May 22, 2012. (subscription required)
  5. "Yankees Spring Roster". Bergen County Record. February 22, 1995. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2012. (subscription required)
  6. Kirbyson, Geoff (August 6, 2010). "Cuban link may bring baseball titans". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  7. Wiecek, Paul (January 25, 2011). "Goldeyes' first base coach joins Major League's Orioles". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  8. "Home".
  9. "Reimold sits again with neck spasms". The Baltimore Sun. April 21, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  10. Villa, Walter (April 20, 2012). "Steve Edwards named to Miami High's Hall of Fame – State Colleges". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  11. "Proud heritage: Watching live Cuban baseball has special meaning for Arias". The Washington Times. May 3, 1999. Retrieved May 22, 2012. (subscription required)
  12. Danois, Alejandro (May 17, 2006). "Baseball is in his blood ; Howard catcher Alex Arias has spent his entire life around baseball, learning the game from his father and grandfather, two former pros". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 9, 2012. (subscription required)
  13. Connolly, Dan; Encina, Eduardo A. (March 22, 2012). "Chen produces his best outing of the spring". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
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