|
Biography[]
Melvin Mora (Melvin Mora) was born on February 2, 1972 in Agua Negra, Yaracuy (Venezuela). He made his Major League debut on May 30, 1999 for the New York Mets. In 2000, his rookie year, he hit .275 with 8 home runs and 47 RBI. Mora played for the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles over the course of his 8 year career.
Most people believe that Melvin Mora's best season was 2004, when he slugged 23 home runs, hit for a .340 average and knocked in 104 runs.
Mora was signed out of Venezuela in 1991. After spending seven years in the Astros minors system and couple months in CPBL's Mercuries Tigers, he signed as a free agent with the Mets in 1998 and made his major league debut in the 1999 season. With his ability to play all three outfield positions, shortstop, second base and third, Mora was considered a valuable man to have around.
In 1999, he scored the winning run of the final game of the year for the Mets on a wild pitch by the Pirates' Brad Clontz, which propelled the Mets to a one-game playoff with Cincinnati, which they won.
He was infamously traded by the Mets to Baltimore in midseason 2000 with two minor league players and Mike Kinkade for shortstop Mike Bordick.
Melvin Mora continued to be used as a utility player in Baltimore, never showing promise and hints of ability to play regularly at any position, but never playing at a superb level that could justify giving him the playing time opportunity to do so consistently. Things changed when an injury-depleted Orioles team used Mora almost exclusively in left field, and Mora responded with the best stretch of his career. He reached base in 32 straight games while using a 23-game hitting streak to temporarily become the American League batting leader. Finally excelling as a hitter, Mora was chosen for his first All-Star selection. Mora's season was cut short due to injuries (a bruised wrist and a partially torn ligament in his left knee), but finished with a .317 batting average, 15 home runs, and a .418 on-base percentage in 96 games.
Mora's 2003 season proved that he could be a consistent hitter at the Major League level. In 2004, Mora became the Orioles' regular third baseman and enjoyed his most productive season in the majors. Mora hit a career-high .340, finishing second in the AL batting race to Ichiro Suzuki's .372 mark; led the league hitters in on base percentage (.419); ranked 5th in slugging average (.562) and OPS (.981); 6th in runs (111), doubles (41) and times on base (264); 8th in hits (187), and 9th in total bases (264). His 27 home runs and 104 RBI were also career-highs, while leading his team in batting average, runs, on base percentage, slugging average and OPS. At third base, he improved and became more consistent as the season wore on.
In 2005, Mora once again hit 27 home runs, although his batting average and on base percentage dropped.
In a seven-year career through 2005, Mora is a .281 hitter with a .363 on-base percentage, 103 home runs and 400 RBI in 860 games
When he was seven years old, his father was violently murdered in Venezuela by men who mistook him for somebody else.
On July 28, 2001, Mora and wife Gisel gave birth to quintuplets at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The babies, three girls and two boys, were named Jada Priscilla, Rebekah Alesha, Genesis Raquel, Christian Emmanuel, and Matthew David.
Scouting Report[]
Statistics[]
Batting Stats[]
| Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG | 2B | 3B | BB | SO | HBP | SH | SB | IBB | GDP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NY | N | 66 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | .161 | .278 | .161 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | NY | N | 79 | 215 | 35 | 56 | 6 | 30 | .260 | .317 | .423 | 13 | 2 | 18 | 48 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 2000 | BAL | A | 53 | 199 | 25 | 58 | 2 | 17 | .291 | .359 | .397 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 | Total | 132 | 414 | 60 | 114 | 8 | 47 | .275 | .337 | .411 | 22 | 5 | 35 | 80 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 5 | |
| 2001 | BAL | A | 128 | 436 | 49 | 109 | 7 | 48 | .250 | .329 | .362 | 28 | 0 | 41 | 91 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 6 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | 149 | 557 | 86 | 130 | 19 | 64 | .233 | .338 | .404 | 30 | 4 | 70 | 108 | 20 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 7 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | 96 | 344 | 68 | 109 | 15 | 48 | .317 | .418 | .503 | 17 | 1 | 49 | 71 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 2004 | BAL | A | 140 | 550 | 111 | 187 | 27 | 104 | .340 | .419 | .562 | 41 | 0 | 66 | 95 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 10 |
| 2005 | BAL | A | 149 | 593 | 86 | 168 | 27 | 88 | .283 | .348 | .474 | 30 | 1 | 50 | 112 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| 2006 | BAL | A | 155 | 624 | 96 | 171 | 16 | 83 | .274 | .342 | .391 | 25 | 0 | 54 | 99 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 9 |
| 2007 | BAL | A | 126 | 467 | 67 | 128 | 14 | 58 | .274 | .341 | .418 | 23 | 1 | 47 | 83 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 22 |
| Total | NL | 145 | 246 | 41 | 61 | 6 | 31 | .248 | .312 | .390 | 13 | 2 | 22 | 55 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 | |
| Total | AL | 996 | 3770 | 588 | 1060 | 127 | 510 | .281 | .360 | .441 | 203 | 10 | 394 | 691 | 88 | 39 | 76 | 8 | 68 | |
| Total | 1141 | 4016 | 629 | 1121 | 133 | 541 | .279 | .357 | .438 | 216 | 12 | 416 | 746 | 91 | 44 | 85 | 11 | 71 |
Fielding Stats[]
| Year | Team | POS | G | GS | INN | PO | A | ERR | DP | TP | PB | SB | CS | PkO | AVG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NY | N | LF | 28 | 0 | 45 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1999 | NY | N | 2B | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1999 | NY | N | CF | 11 | 1 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1999 | NY | N | 3B | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1999 | NY | N | OF | 45 | 1 | 78.2 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1999 | NY | N | RF | 8 | 0 | 10.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1999 | NY | N | SS | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2000 | NY | N | 2B | 4 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2000 | NY | N | SS | 44 | 40 | 346.2 | 56 | 105 | 7 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .958 |
| 2000 | NY | N | LF | 12 | 1 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2000 | NY | N | RF | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2000 | NY | N | OF | 28 | 8 | 113 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .967 |
| 2000 | NY | N | 3B | 4 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2000 | NY | N | CF | 16 | 7 | 81 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .957 |
| 2000 | BAL | A | 2B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2000 | BAL | A | SS | 52 | 52 | 448 | 78 | 160 | 12 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .952 |
| 2000 | Total | 2B | 5 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 2000 | Total | SS | 96 | 92 | 794.2 | 134 | 265 | 19 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .955 | |
| 2001 | BAL | A | SS | 43 | 37 | 333.1 | 69 | 125 | 7 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .965 |
| 2001 | BAL | A | OF | 88 | 80 | 706.2 | 218 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .987 |
| 2001 | BAL | A | 2B | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| 2001 | BAL | A | CF | 88 | 80 | 706.2 | 218 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .987 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | LF | 74 | 63 | 588.2 | 161 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .988 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | 2B | 12 | 9 | 82.2 | 22 | 41 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .969 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | SS | 41 | 36 | 309 | 57 | 108 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .959 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | RF | 5 | 3 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | OF | 104 | 97 | 876 | 253 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .989 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | CF | 31 | 31 | 257.1 | 86 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .989 |
| 2002 | BAL | A | DH | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | OF | 79 | 77 | 653.1 | 162 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .994 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | CF | 12 | 11 | 82 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | LF | 56 | 54 | 468 | 118 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | SS | 11 | 10 | 98.1 | 19 | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .980 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | RF | 13 | 12 | 103.1 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .955 |
| 2003 | BAL | A | 2B | 6 | 5 | 49.1 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2004 | BAL | A | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2004 | BAL | A | 3B | 137 | 137 | 1210.1 | 122 | 258 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .948 |
| 2004 | BAL | A | DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2005 | BAL | A | 3B | 148 | 148 | 1289.2 | 96 | 302 | 18 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .957 |
| 2005 | BAL | A | DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2006 | BAL | A | 3B | 154 | 154 | 1323 | 101 | 296 | 17 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .959 |
| 2006 | BAL | A | DH | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2006 | BAL | A | 2B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2007 | BAL | A | 3B | 120 | 120 | 1051.1 | 79 | 260 | 10 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .971 |
| 2007 | BAL | A | DH | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Total | 3B | 566 | 561 | 4900.1 | 401 | 1121 | 66 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .958 | ||
| Total | LF | 170 | 118 | 1127.2 | 294 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .994 | ||
| Total | SS | 193 | 176 | 1543.1 | 279 | 529 | 34 | 91 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .960 | ||
| Total | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | ||
| Total | CF | 158 | 130 | 1150 | 356 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .986 | ||
| Total | OF | 344 | 263 | 2427.2 | 680 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .989 | ||
| Total | 2B | 29 | 16 | 169 | 42 | 73 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .975 | ||
| Total | DH | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | ||
| Total | RF | 29 | 15 | 150 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .968 |
Transactions[]
- Signed as a non-drafted free agent by Houston Astros (March 30, 1991).
- Granted free agency (October 17, 1997).
- Signed by New York Mets (July 24, 1998).
- Granted free agency (October 16, 1998).
- Signed by New York Mets (February 2, 1999).
- Traded by New York Mets with Leslie Brea, Pat Gorman and Mike Kinkade to Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Mike Bordick (July 28, 2000).