Jose Mendez Tribute Thread

[Bench 5]

I ran across an old article regarding pitching great Jose Mendez that I am going to post. Jose Mendez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by special committee. Mendez was also elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 as one of the first group of inductees.

According to James A. Riley, Mendez posted a record of 74-25 in the Cuban leagues with a strikeout rate of 5.17 per nine innings while walking 2.67 per game. Mendez was born March 19, 1887 and died October 31, 1928 from broncopneumonia.

Hopefully we can all add some good information about this pitching legend and recent Hall of Famer.

Looking at his picture and reading about him reminds me of a Pedro Martinez.

[Bench 5]

American Ball Players Claim Jose Mendez
Cuba's "Black Mathewson", is Pitching Marvel
Washington Post January 21, 1912

Has Defeated the Best of Our Larger League Teams on the Island
HIS TERRIFIC SPEED TERROR TO BATSMAN

Ball Players From the States Declare That There Is Not a Pitcher in Baseball Today, Barring Walter Johnson, Who Has as Much “Smoke”—Known in Havana as Modest and Well Behaved Gentleman—Would Be Star in Majors

"Baseball fans throughout the United States, in trying to dig up an answer that will explain away the wallopings that have been handed our big league ball teams by the Cubans during the annual Winter pilgramages to the “sunny isle,” have probably attributed the success of the Cuban players in a great measure - to the change of climate, the fact that our players are out of training, and, being under no strict discipline, take little care of themselves and accept the games as merely a side issue to a joy trip, and other causes irrelevant to the playing of the Cubans themselves.

While you can work in this stuff and probably get away with it, if you happen to be conversing with some guy who has never wandered south of Oshkosh, Mich., if you happen to stack up against some venturesome fellow who has taken his life in his hands by living at one of those Cuban hotels for a spell, and who between the times when lie was resting his wishbone on the dashboard of the stair casing and trying to telescope his duodenum into his esophagus has taken a slant at these international contests, he will likely back you up into a corner and tell you that you are conversing through your bonnet, or words to that effect.

Lack of Condition Hurts
While change of climate and lack of condition, no doubt, affect our players to some extent the first few games played on the island during the winter time, those who have witnessed, the games down there and those players who have participated in them will tell you that the Cubans’ success against the class of our big leagues is due in a large measure to their admirable defense.

These Cubans aren’t such an exclusive excitement with the bludgeon. They probably couldn’t hit a dirigible balloon with a bass fiddle if it was hog-tied to a fence stake, and curve pitching gets them swinging like a beer sign in a March gale. But when it comes to putting up a stonewall defense, they’ve got that little bunch of patriots who performed at Bunker Hill looking like a flock of cross-country runners. Good pitching and sensational fielding is the big bulk of the answer.

Cubans’ Strong Defense
There are a few individual exceptions to this weak hitting of the Cuban teams, notably Marsans and Almeida, who are now with the Cincinnati National League team, but these exceptions are as widely scattered as facts in a political speech. But take these Cuban teams from the sub-pitcher to the gatekeeper and they are the most sensational performers in the field wearing spikes today. Fast as bullets, possessing unerring judgment on batted balls, they have the most wonderful “whips” of any ball player on earth. Nobody ever saw a Cuban ball player who couldn’t line a ball to the mark even if it was from the next province to the home plate, and nobody ever saw a Cuban ball player with a sore arm. Outside of this, they aren’t much on defense, either.

It is this strong defense that has been the stumbling block to our teams cleaning up in Cuba and the biggest individual obstacle in their path down there has been Jose Mendez, star pitcher of the Alrnendares team known in Cuba as “The Black Mathewson.”

Is Only a Youngster
Mendez, although he has been playing ball but four years, has proved a most consistent winner against our big league teams, and he has won his games with very little hitting behind him always holding our heavy hitters down to a small number of hits and beating them solely on the defensive.

The “Black Mathewson” had the pleasure of beating the great white Mathewson during the Giants’ recent trip to Cuba going in and relieving Pedrosa his teammate after the Giants had touched him for four runs and holding the Giants scoreless and giving them but two hits in the final four innings of the game.

Here is what the white Mathewson has to say concerning the “Black Mathewson:” ”This fellow Mendez is a great pitcher. It’s too bad he is a negro as his color bars him from the big leagues up in the states. If he was a white man or an Indian he’d be the star of the leagues up here in no time.”

“Honus” Lobert, who managed the Phillies during their recent tour of Cuba, said: “Mendez is a wonder and so is his catcher, Gonzales. If we could give those two coons a good coat of white paint and bring them in with the Phillies next summer, we’d win the pennant on the chin strap.”

Here is the record Mendez has made against our big league teams that have played in Cuba. In November, 1908 on the occasion of the first opportunity that had been granted the Cuban teams to measure their efficiency against our major leaguers through the first visit of the Cincinnati National League team to Cuba and during Mendes first season in baseball, he was chosen to pitch the opening game against the Cincinnati team and the first game that any Cuban team had played against our big leaguers in recent years. Mendez not only showed his ability as a pitcher, but his nerve and absolute immunity from stage fright by going in and shutting out the Cincinnati team in this game with but one little hit, and that one was a little scratch affair made by Miller Huggins in the ninth inning. Mendez fanned nine of the Reds in this game and as his own team could get him but one run to win with, you will see that he had to go some to win even with that great pitching.

47 Innings Without Scare
Following this game, Mendez again shut out Cincinnati in nine innings on December 3, 1908, and pitched 47 consecutive innings without allowing his opponents a run, eighteen of those being in the two games against Cincinnati and the balance against Key West and Havana, making five consecutive shutout victories and two additional innings pitched against Havana before a run was scored against him. That’s the kind of defense our fellows have to beat when they stack up against the “Black Mathewson.”

in November, 1910, Mendez pitched against Summers in a game with Detroit during the Tigers’ tour of Cuba and held Detroit to three hits in ten innings, the game ending a 2-to-2 tie. In this game, Mendez showed his great ability as a fielding pitcher by being credited with eight assists. He followed this up in December of the same year, when the Philadelphia Athletics, who had just won the world’s championship by slamming The Chicago Cubs’ pitchers all over the lot, went on their tour of Cuba, by beating the World’s Champions, with Plank in. the box, by the score of 5 to 2, holding the slugging Athletics to just five hits. In this game Mendez had five assists from the pitcher’s box and struck out five men.

Beats the Phillies Twice
In November, 1911, Mendez pitched against the Philadelphia National League team and shut them out 4 to 0, letting them down with four hits and striking out eight men, and repeated a week later against the Phillies by beating them again.3 to 1, and giving them five hits, striking out six men. The Phillies however, have the honor of’ handing Mendez the worst beating he has ever taken from a ball team, when they got to him for thirteen hits on the occasion of his third appearance against them after a rainstorm had interrupted the game in the fourth inning and made the bail so slippery that Mendez could not control his great speed or work his fast curve. Then came the chance for the “Black Mathewson” to measure his effectiveness against the white Mathewson when the Giants appeared in Cuba. Mathewson’s fadeaway drop had the Cubans at his mercy, they never having seen anything like it before, so that Mendez with all his great pitching, had little chance to win unless he held the Giants absolutely scoreless. Mendez got one victory over his white rival however when he went in to relieve Pedrosa, whom the Giants had touched for three runs In the first inning, after the Cubans had got to “Matty” for enough runs to tie the score, and Mendez held the Giants scoreless arid allowed them but two hits in the four innings he pitched, beating them out by the score of 7 to 4.

Has Made Great Record
Mendez’s complete record since 1908, his first season in baseball, is as follows: In 1908, his first season, Mendez pitched seven games in the regular Cuban league season and won thern all, pitched three games against the Brooklyn Royal Giants in the United States and won all three, pitched two against the Cincinnati National League team and shut them out in both games, and pitched two against Key West, both of which he won, giving Mendez a clean slate for his first season, of fourteen games won and none lost, an average of 1.000, and two of those games were against a team of our big leaguers and three others were against one of our strongest semipro teams.

In 1909, Mendez won eighteen and lost eight, one of his victories being over the Detroit American League team, one from the All Star team of National and American League players and one from the Indianapolis American Association team. In 1910 he did all his pitching against teams from ‘the States winning three and losing none to the Leland Giants, winning two and losing none against the Philadelphia Athletics, and losing two and tying one against Detroit. In 1911 he won thirteen and lost three, two of his victories being over the Philadelphia Nationals.

Mendez’s chief asset in a pitching way is terrific speed with a fast-breaking jump to the ball, which he mixes with a fast-breaking curve and excellent control arid fine judgernent working the batsman. Ball players from the States who have batted against Mendez, or tried to rather, assert that there is no pitcher in baseball today, barring possibly Walter Johnson, who has is much ‘srnoke’ as this “black Mathewson” of Cuba.

The thing that causes most wonderment among our players who have played in Cuba, however, is the wonderful ability of Mendez in fielding his position. He is remarkably fast on his feet, and a quick starter, has a cool head, and excellent judgment, and can throw from any position like a rifle shot. Mendez plays the whole infield position when he is pitching, and it is almost impossible to lay down a safe bunt against him or ever a sacrifice, as he will invariably get the bal in time to nail the advance man. His infield plays to this wonderful fielding ability of Mendez when he is pitching, too, by spreading closer to the foul lines and leaving Mendez to plug up the holes in the center of the infield, so you will at once see how difficult it is to got base hits on the ground the day Mendez happens to be working.

Jose Mendez is a Cuban negro and was born in Cardenas a city ten hours distance from Havana, on March 19, 1887. He worked as a cigarmaker until he and others discovered that he had something that Cuba ball players couldn’t hit with any great degree of success, when the Almendares team of the Cuban League grabbed him and he pitched his first real game of baseball for that team in February 1908.

He was taken on a tour of the United States with the All-Cuban team in the summer of 1908, and he performed so well against the strong semiprofessional teams here, that when the Cincinnati National League team inaugurated these annual winter invasions of Cuba in the fall of 1908 Mendez was selected to pitch the first same.

What he did to the Reds in this game and also in the next one has already been told and Mendez soon won fame on the island and came to be called the “black Mathewson.” Cubans will be their heads off now any time Mendez opposes one of our big league teams, and they have a!waya got a run for their money.

Is Not Big Fellow
Mendez is 5 feet 10 inches in height, and weighs but 152 pounds. The wonder is where he gets his terrific speed, but he has an easy delivery and pitches “from his heels up.” and has never been known to have a sore arm. Owing to his marvelous fielding ability he works twice as hard as the average pitcher, even under the burning rays of a tropical sun. What a corking hot-weather pitcher he would make up here if he could only be whitewashed!

One of Mendez’s best assets is keeping his head under fire, and, while having his bad days, the same as every other pitcher has, he minimizes the effect of these bad days through his wonderful fielding ability and always keeping his head and knowing what to do with the ball when he gets it. He has never been the author of a bone-headed play.

Mendez is known in Havana as a modest and well-behaved gentleman at all times, both on the field of play and off, as he seems to apparently realize that his color bars him from many of the privileges accorded to the white baseball hero. While pitching he is constantly smiling, showing his teeth in a broad grin, their whiteness forming a vivid contrast with his black skin.

Every cent Mendez earns through his baseball playing goes to the support of his mother, whom he can now afford to give every pleasure of the wealthy class of Cubans. Baseball affairs in Cuba are operated on the cooperative basis, the players dividing among themselves and the management the receipts of the games, the batteries getting a half share more than the other players. Mendez’s share in these receipts for the month of November of last year was $584 as every time Mendez works down there they play to capacity, the fans in Havana, white as well as colored idolizing their “black Mathewson” much in the same way as New Yorkers idolize their white one.

It is one of the pathetic instances of life to see this Cuban negro, possessing all the characteristics of a gentleman, and an ability that would make him one of the, great figures in a great pastime – qualities that would bring him worldwide fame and popularity and wealth— barred from reaping the full benefits of these qualifications through the misfortune of birth. Jose Mendez will always have to be content just to be Cuba’s “black Mathewson.”

[Bench 5]

Front page of the article with picture of Mendez,

[Dogdaze]

Nice article Bench 5, thanks for sharing.

Here is a little info I've gathered on the Black Diamond.

José Méndez career was from 1908 to 1926 from in Cuba, through the U.S. barnstorming circuit, nicknamed "Black Diamond," He was noted for his blazing fastball and sharp curve.

Giants manager John McGraw compared Mendez to his own ace, Christy Mathewson. It's been widely reported that McGraw said if Mendez were white, he'd have paid the princely sum (at the time) of $50,000 for his release from his Cuban baseball employer.

In 1908, the Cincinnati Reds also barnstormed to Cuba. In his very first game against a white Major League team, he brought a no hitter into the ninth inning, with 9 strikeouts and only 2 walks. Miller Huggins got a single with a grounder, Mendez had got the win, 1-0 with a one-hitter.

In another exhibition against in 1909 was against a barnstorming all-star team consisting of Magor leaguers Sol Hoffman, Sherry Magee, Germany Schaefer, Jimmy Archer, Fred Merkle and pitcher Howie Camnitz. The team went 2-3 overall in Cuba, facing Mendez once. Mendez gave up 2 hits, 2 walks, and struck out 10, winning the game 3-1.

In 1909, he won 11 games in a row and compiled a reported 44-2 record against teams of all levels. Often when he'd enter a restaurant in Cuba, diners would give him a standing ovation.

The Philadelphia A's came to Cuba in 1910. They split their 8 games against Cuban teams, and faced Mendez twice -- both opposite Eddie Plank. Mendez won both games, handing Eddie Plank 5-2 and 7-5 losses.

During the time that Mendez was denied his chance in the Majors, a light-skinned fellow Cuban, Dolf Luque, played 20 years in the Major leagues. Luque, never forgot the star pitcher left behind because of color. After Mendez won 27 games for the Reds in 1923, he returned to Havana for a celebration and spotted Mendez. Luque approached Mendez. Wording differs in various accounts, but the message that Luque conveyed is consistent: "This parade should have been for you. Certainly, you're a far better pitcher than I am."

Hall of Famer John Henry Lloyd said that he never saw any pitcher superior to Mendez. Described by New York Giants Hall-of-Fame manager John McGraw who witnessed him perform in Cuba as "sort of Walter Johnson and Grover Cleveland rolled into one."

'He threw the ball with such ease that it amounted almost to a change-of-pace. You couldn't gauge it and the ball came so fast that it was very deceptive. I would say that Mendez - and this is just a personal judgment - I would say that Mendez was faster than Smoky Joe Williams.' (quoting Arthur W. Hardy in Only the Ball Was White)

Holway shows Mendez as 40-14 in regular season play vs. Negro-League competition in his career, and a 59-18 record in the Cuban Winter Leagues.

Mendez was a member of the inaugural class (1939) of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame and he Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by Special Committee in 2006 as a player.

[TonyK]

Frank Bancroft, the acting Cincinnati-NL manager on the 1908 trip to Cuba, was quoted as saying, "Whitewash that Mendez and I could sell him for $20,000".

[Bench 5]

Chicago Defender, November 10, 1928

Jose Mendez, Cuban pitcher, one of the greatest baseball hurlers in his hey day that ever lived, equal to Rube Foster and the great Christy Mathewson, died in Havana, Cuba, Oct. 31, after a long and lingering illness. Mendez was in- his fifties.

Mendez came to this country as a pitcher. He was without a doubt and so acknowledged by the Cuban papers as the greatest ball player that ever came out of Cuba.

He came to the states and made himself famous. When Mendez’s arm went bad on him he went back to the islands, only to return as a shortstop, playing for the American Giants and other clubs in the National League.

Mendez later went back to pitching and landed a berth on the Kansas City Monarchs, where his last days were spent as a manager. He piloted that club when they won the Mational League race in 1924 and won the world series from the Hildale club, the deciding game being played in Chicago and the Kansas City staff shot to pieces.

Mendez took the mound hirnself and despite his years he turned back the easterners and won the deciding game. That night he told the Defender sports editor that he was 51 years of age.

The following year Rogan replaced Mendez at the helm of the Monarchs but Mendez was retained as a trainer of pitchers.

For the past two years his health has been poor. His death, although not a shock to those cløsest to him, was regretted by all men with whom he had contact with and by the large basebal follwoing that knew him.

Mrs. Marcelina Mendez was given a purse by a group of Cuban and American baseball players now in Cuba. This group was headed by August Molina, owners of the Cuban Stars ball club.

[Bench 5]

Newly elected Hall of Famer.

[VIBaseball]

Too bad the folks who made the plaque don't really know Spanish -- they've got the accent on the wrong syllable in Méndez.

[rsuriyop]

There appears to be conflicting reports here regarding how old Mendez really was when he died. For instance, the first post states that "Mendez was born March 19, 1887 and died October 31, 1928 from broncopneumonia," which would suggest that he lived to be 41. Yet another post containing a different article (#6) states that he died the same year but at the age of 51.

Anyone know his real birth year :noidea

[Dogdaze]

There appears to be conflicting reports here regarding how old Mendez really was when he died. For instance, the first post states that "Mendez was born March 19, 1887 and died October 31, 1928 from broncopneumonia," which would suggest that he lived to be 41. Yet another post containing a different article (#6) states that he died the same year but at the age of 51.

Anyone know his real birth year :noidea

Here is his bio from the HOF, which shows he was born on March 19, 1887, and died when he was 41 years old. Based on all the research they do on the players elected, I'm assuming they are accurate with thier biography:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/Mendez_Jose.htm

José Méndez
José Méndez (Mendez y Baez, Jose de la Caridad)

Induction Information
Elected to Hall of Fame by Special Committee in 2006, as a Player
Méndez's Hall of Fame Plaque

Born: March 19, 1887, in Cardenas, Matanzas, Cuba
Died: October 31, 1928, in Havana, Cuba

Playing Career: 1908-1926

Primary Position: Pitcher
Bats: R Throws: R

Played For: Cuban Stars, All Nations

Bio
Pitcher José Méndez was likely the first internationally-known Cuban baseball star. The dark-complexioned Méndez, nicknamed "Black Diamond," was noted for his blazing fastball and sharp curve. John McGraw and Pop Lloyd raved about Méndez's skill on the mound. The author of a 10-inning perfect game as a member of the Cuban Stars in 1909, his career spanned from 1908 to 1926. As a player-manager with the Kansas City Monarchs, he led the Negro National League team to three consecutive pennants, from 1923 to 1925.

Did You Know... that during an exhibition series in November of 1908, Méndez composed a scoreless streak of 25 innings against the Cincinnati Reds, including a one-hit shutout?

[Dogdaze]

"Jose' Mendez is better than any pitcher except
Mordecai Brown and Christy Mathewson,"

--John McGraw, quoted in "Smoke – the Romance and Lore of Cuban Baseball" by Mark Rucker and Peter Bjarkman.


There is a pretty good biography of Jose Mendez on pitchblackbaseball.com

Here a link;

http://www.pitchblackbaseball.com/nlotmjosemendez.html

[WJackman]

As much clout as a quote from John McGraw should mean, it becomes diluted because he said the exact same things about John Donaldson and Bill Jackman. Now maybe because it was, as I believe, that they were all the same outstanding caliber of pitcher, but McGraw's standard lines were very smiliar for all three (were there more?); "He is (one of) the greatest pitcher I ever saw," and "I'd pay $50,000 to the man who can make (fill in name) white."

[Bill Burgess]

wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Mendez)

José de la Caridad Méndez (March 19, 1887 - October 31, 1928) was a Cuban right-handed pitcher and manager in baseball's Negro Leagues. Born in Cárdenas, Matanzas, he died at age 41 in Havana. Known in Cuba as El Diamante Negro (the "Black Diamond"), he became a legend in his homeland. He was one of the first group of players elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. He was elected to the United States Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dominating pitcher: 1908–14
In 1907 Méndez was discovered by Bebé Royer of the Almendares team in the Cuban League. A relatively small man (5 feet, 9 inches), he threw a hard fast ball with a deceptively easy motion and a snapping curve. His first Cuban League season (from January through March 1908), he went 9-0, and, along with veteran Joseíto Muñoz, led the Almendares Blues to the Cuban League pennant. That summer he made his United States debut with the Cuban Stars and also went 3–0 for the Brooklyn Royal Giants.[1]

In the fall of 1908, Méndez pitched the games that established him as a legend. The Cincinnati Reds were visiting Havana playing the Cuban League teams, and Méndez completely dominated, pitching 25 consecutive scoreless innings in 3 appearances. In his first start, he allowed just one single, by Miller Huggins in the 9th inning, while striking out nine. His next appearance came in relief, where he held the Reds scoreless for 7 innings on just 2 hits. He concluded with another shutout. His record from the Cincinnati Reds series was W-2, L-0, ERA-0.00, G-3, IP-25, H-8, R-0, BB-3, SO-24. Several days later Almendares played a minor league all-star team from Key West, and Méndez pitched two more shutouts, the second a no-hitter, giving him 43 consecutive scoreless innings against major and minor league competition.[2]

Over the next 6 Cuban League seasons Méndez continued to dominate, with records of 15-6, 7-0, 11-2, 9-5, 1-4, and 10-0, leading the league in wins 3 times. His Almendares team won pennants in 3 of 6 campaigns. In the United States during the summers he pitched just as well. Some sources say that he achieved a 44-2 record with the Cuban Stars in 1909, though a recent partial compilation of box scores by Scott Simkus shows a more modest, but still impressive, 14–2 record (with 2 saves). He pitched a 10-inning no-hitter on July 24, 1909.[3] One of his losses came on July 1 in Chicago when Rube Foster and the Leland Giants defeated him 1-0, when a dropped fly ball led to an unearned run against him.

Other major league teams visited Cuba over these years and Méndez continued to pitch against them. According to a compilation of box scores by Gary Ashwill, during 1908-13 against major league competition Méndez compiled a record of 9-11 in 24 games, pitching 18 complete games and 204 innings, with a total run average of 3.26. He allowed 150 hits and 51 walks, while notching 123 strikeouts. His opponents were top major league teams, including the 1909 and 1910 Detroit Tigers, the 1910 and 1912 Philadelphia Athletics, the 1911 Philadelphia Phillies and New York Giants and the 1913 Brooklyn Dodgers. The average major league winning percentage of the opposing pitchers he faced was .595; he faced star pitchers including Eddie Plank, whom he beat twice, and Chief Bender, whom he beat once.[4]

In an article in Baseball Magazine in March 1913, Ira Thomas (a catcher with the Philadelphia Athletics who had visited Havana twice) wrote the following about Méndez:[5]

Méndez is a remarkable man. More than one big leaguer from the states has faced him and left the plate with a wholesome respect for the great Cuban star. It is not alone my opinion but the opinion of many others who have seen Méndez pitch that he ranks with the best in the game. I do not think he is Walter Johnson's equal, but he is not far behind. He has terrific speed, great control and uses excellent judgment. He is a natural ballplayer if there ever was one and with his pitching it is no wonder that the Cubans win games...At that, he is a remarkable pitcher, and if he were a white man would command a good position on any Major League club in the circuits.

Injury and recovery: 1914–28
In late 1914 Méndez developed arm trouble and cut back on his pitching, eventually stopping altogether. A slick fielder, Méndez moved to shortstop and joined J.L. Wilkinson's All Nations. He played with several other teams, including the Chicago American Giants and the Detroit Stars, before finally signing on in 1920 as playing manager with J.L. Wilkinson's Kansas City Monarchs in the new Negro National League. He continued to split his time between shortstop and pitching, and under his leadership the Monarchs won pennants in 1923, 1924, and 1925. He gradually adjusted and became a very effective pitcher again, albeit with lighter pitching loads than he had carried during his 1908-14 pitching prime. In 1923 Méndez had a 12-4 record, followed by 4-0, 2-0, and 3-1 in the next three seasons.

Méndez became the star of the first Negro League World Series in 1924 against the Hilldale Club of the Eastern Colored League. He appeared in 4 games, with a 2-0 record including a shutout victory in the deciding final game.

During the winters, Méndez returned to pitching in the Cuban League in 1920-21. He managed and was a pitcher for the 1923-24 Santa Clara Leopards team that is considered the most dominant in the history of Cuban baseball; other members of that team included Oscar Charleston, Alejandro Oms, Dobie Moore, Bill Holland, and Eustaquio Pedroso.

Méndez won his last game in Cuba on January 21, 1927. Less than 2 years later he was dead at the age of 41. His career Cuban League record was 76-28, and he ranks first all-time in career winning percentage (minimum of 40 wins) with .731.
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv217/BillBurgess/Miscellaneous/Image26-1.jpg

[Mischa]

Baseball-Reference has a lot of info on Mendez at http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Jose_Mendez