4 Star Admiral – Miguel Villarreal
Miguel Villarreal
On Saturday May 2nd, prior to our home game against the Omaha Wolverines, the Washington Admirals will be honoring Miguel Villareal as the newest 4 Star Admiral. In addition to throwing out the first pitch, Villareal will appear in photographs with Admiral and Wolverine players, and venders will distribute Miguel Villareal honorary coins to the first 23,500 fans. Here are some of the most noteworthy facts regarding Villareal.
1. Villareal was drafted by the Admirlas in the 9th round of the inaugural 1970. From the beginning, the 24-year-old Villareal was slated to be their closer. But, closers were used very differently back in the early 1970s, and Villareal saved only 11 games in 1970. That was followed by 13 saves in 1971, 11 saves in 1972, and 19 saves in 1973. Villareal didn't break through in terms of save totals until 1974, when he recorded 42, at the age of 28. Had the beginning of his career taken place in a different era, Villareal would have recorded far more than the 516 lifetime saves he ended up with.
2. Along with Mal Collier, Villareal is tied for the most Fireman of the Year Awards of all time: 4. Villareal won in 1977, 1980, 1981, and 1982. As the years of these awards indicate, even though Villareal was the Admirals closer throughout their dynasty run in the 1970s, he probably hit his own personal prime after this period, during the early 1980s, when Villareal was in his mid 30s. His top year was probably 1980, when he had 48 Saves and a 1.78 ERA at the age of 34. If Villareal hadn't had these great years relatively late in his career, he probably wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame today.
3. Fitting with Villareal's career trajectory is that he never had what scouts regarded as even average "stuff": he got a 2 rating every year of his career. His strikeouts were never anywhere near 1 an inning. More like a little over a half an inning, or 6 or so per 9 innings. No flamethrower, Villareal had very unconventional stuff for a closer, getting by with exceptional movement and contol -- he routinely had 5-5 ratings.
4. As good as Villareal was during the regular season, he became even better during the postseason, where he recorded 32 Saves, had a 2.12 ERA (as compared to 2.62 during the regular season), and a 1.04 WHIP (as compared to 1.16). He was lights out during the Admirals championship years of 1974, 1975, 1977, and 1978: he had 21 saves during the stretch and an ERA below 1.40.
5. Villareal's career as an Admiral did not end happily. After a productive 1983 season with 38 Saves and a 3.34 ERA, the Admirals decided that they didn't want to retain the 38 year old Villareal as their closer. Deeply hurt, Miguel went on to sign a 2 year free agent contract with the Carolina Colonials. Villareal ended up leading the AL in saves for Carolina in 1984 -- the 5th time in his career he accomplished the feat -- and making the All Star game. But, his heart wasn't in it. Still hurt by the Admirals letting him go, Villareal retired after the season, walking away from over a million dollars in guaranteed money for 1985.
6. Villareal's anger continued all the way to the Hall of Fame. For his Hall of Fame portrait, Villareal wore the Carolina jersey he had on for only one season (1984), rather than the Admirals jersey he wore for 14 years (1970-1983) and which fans associated him with. Today's ceremony is meant to go some way toward healing the riff between Villareal and the Admirals organization.
7. Villareal, a native of the baseball factory that is San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominion Republic, is a legend in his home country. He is the only Dominican presently in the hall. Today, he spends most of his time there, living the good life and coasting off his fame. In his retirement, he has gained a good deal of weight and lost a lot of hair.