Mike Cuellar

Life and career

Cuellar was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, one of four brothers whose family worked in sugar mills. He joined the Cuban Army to play baseball on weekends and threw a no-hitter for an army team in 1955. After service, he pitched for Cinco Estrellas in Nicaragua in 1956 and later for Almendares in the Cuban Winter League. The Cincinnati Reds, through a working agreement with the Havana Sugar Kings of the Triple-A International League, acquired Cuellar.

In his first game with Havana in 1957, he struck out seven Montreal Royals in just over two innings. Splitting time as a starter and reliever, he posted an 8–7 record and led the IL with a 2.44 ERA. The next season he had a 2.77 ERA and a 13–12 record over 220 innings. Cuellar made his major league debut with Cincinnati on April 18, 1959, entering in relief against the Philadelphia Phillies; he surrendered a grand slam and a two-run double in two innings.

His only other appearance that season came three days later against the Milwaukee Braves, again in relief. He was then returned to Havana, where he finished 1959 with a 10–11 record and 111 strikeouts, ranking eighth in the IL with a 2.80 ERA and fifth with 220 innings pitched. Havana won the IL championship and the Junior World Series.

Pitching style

Cuellar was a junkball pitcher who relied heavily on his screwball and change-up rather than a hard fastball. He set up hitters for strikeouts by cleverly selecting pitches. Oriole teammate Dick Hall noted that hitters often took pitches that were at the knees for strikes, and if they swung, they missed. Sports Illustrated described his screwball as the trickiest since Carl Hubbell's, and in 2016 ranked it the fifth-best screwball of all time. Angels infielder Ken McMullen said Cuellar could change speeds on his screwball, a pitch nobody else threw. Oriole first baseman Boog Powell called him a magician who made hitters look comical. Cuellar tended to struggle early in a season and improve as weather warmed; he said cold weather was no good for baseball or him. He usually worked quickly and quietly but could lose his temper when struggling.

Personal life

When Cuellar joined the Orioles, he was divorcing his first wife, with whom he had two children, and was in debt. The Orioles helped resolve his financial issues. He soon married Myriam, who remained his wife for the rest of his life, and they had two children: Lydia and Mike Jr. The Toronto Blue Jays signed Mike Jr. as a minor league pitcher in 1978; he spent five years in their organization, reaching Double-A with the Knoxville Blue Jays. After baseball, Cuellar lived in the Orlando, Florida, area, worked at a golf course, and assisted during Orioles spring training.

He also served as a pitching coach in Puerto Rico and as an Orioles instructor. He frequently attended Orioles team reunions. Cuellar died of stomach cancer at Orlando Regional Medical Center on April 2, 2010. He was the third of the Orioles' four 20-game winners from 1971 to die, after Dave McNally (2002) and Pat Dobson (2006); only Jim Palmer survives.

Legacy

Mike Cuellar, Jim Palmer, and Dave McNally gave the Orioles a legendary starting rotation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Palmer called Cuellar an artist who could paint a different picture each time out, relying on finesse, curveballs, and screwballs rather than a blazing fastball. Palmer believed Cuellar was likely the American League’s best left-hander from 1969 through 1974. Cuellar sits fourth in Orioles history with 143 wins, fifth with 1,011 strikeouts, third with 30 shutouts, and fifth with 2,028 innings pitched. Among Baltimore left-handers, only Dave McNally has more wins and shutouts. Cuellar’s 24 wins in 1970 are tied for second-most in a single Orioles season; his 23 in 1969 are tied for sixth, and his 22 in 1974 are tied for ninth. He is one of four Orioles to make 40 starts in a season.