Eduardo Sánchez

Note: This page is for the pitcher who made his major league debut in 2011; for other players of the same name click here.

Eduardo Nazareth Sánchez Guzmán

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 155 lb.

• Debut April 13, 2011
• Final Game August 13, 2013
• Born February 16, 1989 in Maracay, Aragua Venezuela

BR page

Biographical Information

Eduardo Sánchez made it to the majors in 2011.

Sánchez was signed by scout Enrique Brito for the St. Louis Cardinals on December 26, 2005. He debuted the next summer with the VSL Cardinals, going 1-2 with a 8.71 ERA, .351 opponent average and 1.97 WHIP. The lone positive was 38 strikeouts in 31 innings.

Eduardo was much better in 2007 with the GCL Cardinals (0-1, 6 Sv, 1.50, 2 H in 6 IP) and Johnson City Cardinals (2-1, 5 Sv, .154 opponent average, 22 K in 15 1/3 innings). He allowed a .139 average on the year. With the 2008 Quad Cities River Bandits, the Venezuelan was 5-1 with a save, 2.86 ERA and .209 opponent average.

Sánchez split 2009 between the Palm Beach Cardinals (0-1, 3 Sv, 1.44, .146 opponent average) and Springfield Cardinals (2-0, 10 Sv, 2.70, .187 opponent average, 56 K in 50 IP), taking over the closer role when Francisco Samuel was hurt. He led Cardinals minor leagues with 60 appearances. He struggled in his lone postseason outing for Springfield, giving up three runs in his only inning. He had a 0-1, 7.36 record with a save for the Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan League. Baseball America rated him the #6 prospect in the Cardinals chain.

Sánchez began 2010 back with Springfield and did well (1-1, 11 Sv, 3.12), earning him a spot on the World team for the 2010 Futures Game and a call-up to the AAA Memphis Redbirds. In the Futures Game that year, Eduardo relieved Philippe Valiquette to open the 8th. Desmond Jennings reached on an error then advanced on a wild pitch. Grant Green grounded Jennings to third and Lonnie Chisenhall ground him in for a 7-1 US lead. Jeurys Familia relieved Sánchez. He had 3 saves, a 1.67 ERA and 31 whiffs in 27 innings after his promotion to Memphis.

He started 2011 back with Memphis, going 1-0 with three shutout innings. He was called up to the majors with Fernando Salas when Brian Tallet and Bryan Augenstein went on the disabled list for the Cardinals. He made a good debut in The Show on April 13th. He entered in the 8th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks to replace Miguel Batista (who had been pinch-hit for) with a 15-5 lead. He retired Gerardo Parra on a grounder, Ryan Roberts on a strikeout and Kelly Johnson on another whiff. In the 9th, he fanned Juan Miranda. Justin Upton doubled, but Russell Branyan struck out. After a wild pitch, Sánchez got his 5th K of the day, setting down Chris Young to end the game. He pitched very well for the Cardinals, getting into 25 games with a 3-1 record and 5 saves before he was felled by a shoulder injury in mid-June. He came back to pitch one more game in late September, ending the year with an excellent 1.80 ERA, but he was not added to the Cards' postseason roster as they went on to win the 2011 World Series.

Notable Achievements

• Won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011 (he did not play in the World Series)

Sources

• 2010 Cardinals Media Guide

Related Sites

• Eduardo Sanchez on mlb.com