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Joaquín Andújar was born December 21, 1952 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. In 1969, at the age of sixteen, he was signed by the Cincinnati Reds, where he spent six years in the minors before being traded to Houston in 1975. The following year, Andújar came out of the bullpen to make his major league debut. He was eventually moved to the starting rotation and the following year he made his first All Star appearance. He was shuffled in and out of the rotation in 1978 and 1979, earning his first career save during that time. He dominated in 1979 after being moved back to the rotation and appeared in his second All Star game. He made it to his first postseason in 1980 and recorded a save.
In 1981 Andújar was traded to the Cardinals. After spending his career being moved from rotation to bullpen and back with Houston, the Cardinals made him a full-time starter where he flourished, winning three postseason games in route to a World Series win. He finished that season at 5.5 fWAR and 13.3 fWAR in his four years wearing the birds on the bat, averaging over 36 games per season during that time. He was selected to his third and fourth All Star teams in 1984 and 1985. Andújar spent his last three years in the league with the Athletics and Astros hamstrung by injuries, and retired after the 1988 season.
More famous than his on-field talent was perhaps his on-field temperament. Affectionately given the moniker "One Tough Dominican", Andújar's competitive fire and passion for the game became his calling card. One of the more famous displays of this was during the 1985 World Series when Andújar was ejected from game six and game seven. So furious after being ejected from game seven, it is said he took a baseball bat and demolished a toilet in the visitors' clubhouse in Kansas City (leading to a large fine and a six week suspension the following season).
On September 8, the former Cardinal, four time All Star, and 1982 World Series champion, passed away at the age of 62 after a hard-fought battle with diabetes. May he rest in peace, although peace may not be this tough Dominican's style.
More videos:
Harold on facing Joaquin Andujar | MLB.com
MLB Tonight remembers Andujar | MLB.com
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what else is going on in baseball...
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Tim Hudson just became the first 40-year-old pitcher to hit a home run since 2007 | MLB.com
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Harvey & nine other great post-Tommy John seasons. | Sports on Earth
what the cardinals are up to...
KNOW THINE ENEMY...
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- Check out Red Reporter for all things Reds! | Red Reporter
the nl central
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- Standings:
| St. Louis Cardinals | 88 | 52 | .629 | - |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 83 | 56 | .597 | 4.5 |
| Chicago Cubs | 80 | 58 | .580 | 7.0 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 62 | 78 | .443 | 26.0 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 58 | 81 | .417 | 29.5 |
viva el stuff...
- Check out this week's fanposts:
Junior Fernandez: An 18-year-old in High-A | Viva El Birdos
Why the 2016 Cardinals should use a six-man rotation | Viva El Birdos
It's All About the Benjamins: What Cardinals Should Do with Cash Influx | Viva El Birdos
Is Shelby Miller a Winner? | Viva El Birdos
other things...
weekly scoreboard:
| Tuesday, September 8 | Cubs | 8 | Cardinals | 5 | BCB Recap | VEB Recap |
| Wednesday, September 9 | Cubs | 3 | Cardinals | 4 | BCB Recap | VEB Recap |
| Thursday, September 10 | Cardinals | 0 | Reds | 11 | VEB Recap | RR Recap |
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