Aurelio López

Infobox MLB retired
name = Aurelio López


width =
position = Pitcher
bats = Right
throws = Right
birthdate = September 21, 1948
deathdate = death date and age|1992|9|22|1948|9|21
debutdate = September 1
debutyear = 1974
debutteam = Kansas City Royals
finaldate = June 17
finalyear = 1987
finalteam = Houston Astros
stat1label = Win–Loss
stat1value = 62–36
stat2label = ERA
stat2value = 3.56
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 635
teams =
* Kansas City Royals (by|1974)
* St. Louis Cardinals (by|1978)
* Detroit Tigers (by|1979–by|1985)
* Houston Astros (by|1986–by|1987)
highlights =
* AL All-Star: 1983
* World Series Champion: 1984

Aurelio Alejandro (Rios) López (September 21, 1948 – September 22, 1992), nicknamed "Señor Smoke", was a Mexican relief pitcher in Major League Baseball with an 11-year career (1974, 1978–1987).

Born in Tecamachalco, Puebla, Mexico, López played most of his career in Mexico. First with Las Chopas in 1967 then with the Mexico City Reds in 1968. After starting the 1969 season with Mexico City, López joined Minatitlan. In 1970, López rejoined Mexico City and played with them until 1977. During his time with the Reds López also played in Major League Baseball. In 1974 López played in 8 games with the Kansas City Royals and played with the Waterloo Diamonds of the class-A Midwest League in 1975. López's contract was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals from Mexico City on October 26 1977. López then joined the Springfield Redbirds of the triple-A American Association for 1978. López also saw playing time in the major leagues in 1978, playing in 25 games with the St. Louis Cardinals that year.

After playing in St. Louis, López played for the Detroit Tigers for seven seasons (1979–1985). López's best season was 1979, when he had a 10–5 win–loss record, 21 saves and 106 strikeouts. He had a 2.41 ERA, an Adjusted ERA+ of 181, was third in the AL in saves and seventh in the Cy Young Award voting.

López finished his career in the major leagues playing two seasons with the Houston Astros (1986 and 1987).

López was killed in an auto accident a day after his 44th birthday in Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Coincidentally, there have been three players in Major League Baseball history named Aurelio, and all three were killed in car accidents between the ages of 44 and 53 (Aurelio Rodríguez and Aurelio Monteagudo).

López was elected to the American League All-Star team in 1983. He was also the winning pitcher in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series when the Detroit Tigers defeated the San Diego Padres, four games to one.

Detroit rock band Electric Six named their second album, "Señor Smoke" in his honor. [ [http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/22/102318.php Interview: "How Do You Rock So Hard?" — Electric Six] , Blogcritics.org, February 22, 2006, by Tiffany Leigh.] [ [http://www.artrocker.com/articles/interviews/interview2.shtml Electric Six: Interview with Dick Valentine] , Artrocker, by Kaoru Sato.]

ee also

* 1984 Detroit Tigers season

External links

*baseball-reference|id=l/lopezau01

References