Gerardo Gutiérrez (minors01)

Gerardo Gutiérrez Ruiz (El Mulo)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 162 lb.

• Born October 3, 1947 in Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mexico
• Died August 22, 2020 in Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mexico

BR register page

Biographical Information

Gerardo Gutiérrez played for 15 seasons and managed several teams.

He debuted as a teenager in 1967, hitting .270/.330/.328 for the Saraperos de Saltillo, then in the minor Mexican Center League. Had he qualified, his .992 fielding percentage would have led the league's backstops. In '68, he batted .301/.364/.382 and led MCL catchers in putouts (774) and assists (90). He and Gregorio Ayala were named the All-Star catchers. Saltillo did not field a team in 1969 and he moved to the Tigres de Aguascalientes, batting .289/.325/.355 in limited action. He split 1970 between the Plataneros de Tabasco (.300/.323/.332 in 99 G) and the Mexico City Tigers (4 for 17), making his Mexican League debut. With Tabasco, he paced the Mexican Southeast League's catchers in assists (76), errors (10) and double plays (16).

Gutiérrez spent the rest of his career in the LMB. With Mexico City in 1971, he hit .235/.308/.265 as the backup to Edgar Tiburcio. Moving to the Pericos de Puebla, he hit .226/.295/.294 and fielded .995 in 1972 then was at .246/.285/.299 and .986 the next summer. In 1974, he slipped to .204/.273/.227 for the Leones de Yucatán. He hit .216/.263/.250 for the '75 Mineros de Coahuila, fielding .983 as their main catcher. He did not play in the LMB in 1976.

Backing up Carlos Soto with the 1977 Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo, he had a .298/.348/.356 batting line, his best offensive campaign. He fell to .224/.298/.278 as their main catcher in 1978 and began his managerial career with the team. He was at only .169/.234/.232 for the 1979 Tecolotes. He was a bit player after that, never appearing in more than five games again from 1980-1982.

He managed the Tecolotes (1978-1980), Saraperos (parts of 1982 and 1997; they had made it to the LMB by those years), Algodoneros de Unión Laguna (1985-1986), Tigres de México (1992-1994, winning a title in 1992), Acereros del Norte (part of 1995), Olmecas de Tabasco (part of 1996) and Yucatán (part of 1998). In 635 LMB games, he had hit .228/ .290/.274, being noted more for his managing.

Gerardo died of complications from COVID-19.