Jesús Moreno

Jesús Moreno Rivera
(Chuy)

• Bats un known, Throws Right

• Born June 9, 1961 in Tejeria, Veracruz Mexico

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Jesús Moreno was a top Mexican League pitcher of the 1980s. His nickname "Chuy" comes from Chuy Moreno, whose first name was also "Jesús" and who was a star pitcher in the Mexican League in the 1950s.

Moreno debuted with the 1980 Veracruz Eagle, going 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in four relief outings and one start (a shutout). In 1981, he was 7-10 with a 2.76 ERA for the club. He moved to the bullpen for the only full season in 1982, going 3-2 with four saves and a 2.67 ERA. As a swingman for Veracruz in 1983, the young right-hander fell to 2-7, 3.80 wih a save.

Moreno moved to the Nuevo Laredo Owls in 1984 and went 12-8 with a 2.90 ERA, placing himself fourth in the Liga in ERA. In '85, he had a 12-7, 4.15 season, followed by 12-10, 5.12 in the rabbit-ball season of 1986. Jesús was 10-6 with a 4.15 ERA for Nuevo Laredo in 1987, then 17-6 with a 2.59 ERA in 1988, completing 19 of 25 starts, including 7 shutouts. The Owls ace tied Ricardo Solís for the LMB lead in whitewashes.

In 1988-1989, Moreno went 9-5 with two saves and a 2.86 ERA for the Mazatlan Deer. He threw the second perfect game in Mexican Pacific League annals, following Vicente Romo by 18 years; it would be 17 more years until Joakim Soria tossed the third one. He posted a 11-3, 3.95 record for the summer with Nuevo Laredo. With the 1990 Owls, Moreno was 16-7 with a 3.29 ERA, with just 155 hits in 191 2/3 innings. He blanked the opposition six times, the second time he led the league in that department. The veteran hurler struggled at 2-10, 3.43 for the Cañeros de Los Mochis in 1990-1991 and he looked rusty for Nuevo Laredo in 1991 at 8-5, 4.93. It was the only time in his eight seasons with the club that he had failed to reach double-digit wins.

Moreno moved to the Saraperos de Saltillo in 1992 and was 11-13 with a 4.82 ERA. He was 2-2 with a save and a 2.70 ERA for the Naranjeros de Hermosillo in the 1992-1993 LMP. In 1993, Jesús was 17-10 with a 4.94 ERA for Saltillo. While he allowed a career-worst 206 hits, 104 runs, 101 earned runs and 83 walks, he still tied Urbano Lugo for the most wins in the Mexican League. Chuy was 11-5 with a 2.70 ERA for the 1994 Saraperos and 10-4 with a 4.95 ERA in 1995, his 11th and final time with 10+ victories.

In 1996, the old-timer was 0-1 with 7 runs, 8 hits and 4 walks in just 4 2/3 innings over three games between two clubs, his arm now gone. He tossed one shutout inning for the 1997 Yucatan Lions and was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA for the 1998 Rieleros de Aguascalientes to end his career.

In 19 seasons, Moreno was 161-105 with 5 saves and a 3.90 ERA. He completed 109 of 324 starts and also relieved 54 times. He gave up 2,171 hits in 2,169 innings, with 729 walks and 1,207 strikeouts. As of 2000, he was 9th in LMB history with 192 homers allowed and 8th in winning percentage (.605, between Luis Fernando Méndez and Salvador Colorado). Moreno spent five years on the Salón de la Fama ballot, from 2005 to 2009, but did not win enshrinement before leaving the ballot.

Moreno later was a pitching coach in the Mexican League. He was bullpen coach of the Vaqueros de Laguna in 2012.