1. Overview
José Francisco Capellán (José Francisco CapellánSpanish; January 13, 1981 - April 7, 2015) was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2008 for the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Colorado Rockies. Capellán also played for the Hanhwa Eagles in the KBO League and participated in various winterball circuits. He was known for his powerful fastball. Capellán died in 2015 at the age of 34 due to a heart attack.
2. Early Life and Background
José Francisco Capellán's early life and entry into professional baseball laid the foundation for his career, starting from his birth in the Dominican Republic to his initial experiences in the minor leagues.
2.1. Birth and Background
José Francisco Capellán was born on January 13, 1981, in the Dominican Republic. He was a national of the Dominican Republic, which is a country known for producing numerous professional baseball players.
2.2. Professional Signing and Minor League Career
Capellán began his professional baseball journey when he was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an undrafted free agent in 1998. He spent several years developing in the Braves' minor league system. By 2004, he had progressed through Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels within the Braves organization. During that year, his combined minor league performance was notable, achieving a 14-5 record with a 2.80 earned run average (ERA).
3. Professional Career
Capellán's professional career spanned across Major League Baseball, the Korean Professional Baseball League, and various winter leagues, marked by several team changes and varied performances.
3.1. Major League Baseball (MLB) Career
Capellán's time in Major League Baseball included stints with four different teams, often involving trades and fluctuating roles between relief and starting pitching.
3.1.1. Atlanta Braves
Capellán made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2004, receiving a September call-up. He appeared in three games, pitching a total of eight innings. During this brief period, he compiled a 0-1 record with an 11.25 ERA. Despite this, he was considered a promising prospect within the Braves organization.
3.1.2. Milwaukee Brewers
Following his debut season, Capellán was traded by the Braves to the Milwaukee Brewers along with Alec Zumwalt in exchange for All-Star reliever Dan Kolb on December 21, 2004. He began the 2005 season with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds but was soon called up to the Brewers' major league roster, where he primarily worked as a relief pitcher throughout the season. In 2006, Capellán had a notable season for the Brewers, appearing in 61 games with a 4.40 ERA, recording 4 wins, 2 losses, and 16 holds.
3.1.3. Detroit Tigers
At the end of spring training in 2007, Capellán was sent back to Triple-A after a poor performance. In response, he demanded a trade from the Brewers, even considering retirement if his request was not met. His wish was granted on July 1, 2007, when he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for minor league pitcher Chris Cody. He played 10 games for the Tigers in 2007, recording 0 wins and 1 loss with a 6.43 ERA.
3.1.4. Colorado Rockies
On December 4, 2007, Capellán was traded again, this time from the Tigers to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for pitcher Denny Bautista. His tenure with the Rockies was brief; he was designated for assignment on April 30, 2008, following the acquisition of Jason Grilli, and was subsequently released on May 5, 2008. After becoming a free agent, Capellán underwent a tryout with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan on May 14, 2008, but he ultimately did not sign with the team, with the Buffaloes announcing on May 28 that he did not pass the test.
3.1.5. Other MLB Organizations
After his release from the Rockies, Capellán signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals in late June 2008. He became a free agent after the season. On January 14, 2009, he signed another minor league contract, this time with the Houston Astros, and was invited to their spring training camp.
3.2. Korean Professional Baseball (KBO) Career
Capellán's performance in the winter leagues led to an opportunity in the KBO League. The Hanhwa Eagles, a professional baseball club in South Korea, announced their acquisition of Capellán on December 10, 2009. He was expected to serve as a starting pitcher for the Eagles in the 2010 season, with an annual salary of 250.00 K USD. However, his performance was disappointing; he failed to record a single win, accumulating 11 losses with a 9.15 ERA. He was subsequently released from the Eagles on August 5, 2010.
3.3. Other League Activities
In addition to his MLB and KBO careers, Capellán actively participated in various winterball circuits. He pitched for the Gigantes del Cibao and the Toros del Este in the Dominican Republic, and for the Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League. His last professional appearance was in 2013 while playing in Venezuela.
4. Career Statistics
Capellán's professional career statistics reflect his performance across different leagues and seasons.
4.1. Yearly Pitching Statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | BB/9 | W | L | SV | HLD | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | BK | WP | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | ATL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 42 | 8.0 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 11.25 | 2.38 |
| 2005 | MIL | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .500 | 67 | 15.2 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 2.87 | 1.40 |
| 2006 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 | .667 | 310 | 71.2 | 65 | 11 | 31 | 7 | 3 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 37 | 35 | 4.40 | 1.34 | |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 52 | 12.0 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4.50 | 1.33 | |
| DET | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 63 | 14.0 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 6.43 | 1.50 | |
| '07 Total | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 115 | 26.0 | 28 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 16 | 5.54 | 1.42 | |
| 2008 | COL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 9 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.50 | 1.50 |
| 2010 | Hanhwa | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | -- | .000 | 300 | 59.0 | 87 | 9 | 40 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 63 | 60 | 9.15 | 2.15 |
| MLB Total (5 years) | 99 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 20 | .417 | 543 | 123.1 | 127 | 21 | 50 | 9 | 4 | 98 | 6 | 0 | 73 | 67 | 4.89 | 1.44 | |
| KBO Total (1 year) | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | -- | .000 | 300 | 59 | 87 | 9 | 40 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 63 | 60 | 9.15 | 2.15 | |
4.2. Yearly Fielding Statistics
| Year | Team | Pitcher (P) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | PO | A | E | DP | FP | ||
| 2004 | ATL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ---- |
| 2005 | MIL | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2006 | 61 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| DET | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 | |
| '07 Total | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .750 | |
| 2008 | COL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ---- |
| 2010 | Hanhwa | 15 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 1 | .950 |
| MLB Total | 99 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | .917 | |
| KBO Total | 15 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 1 | .950 | |
4.3. Uniform Numbers
Throughout his professional career, José Capellán wore several uniform numbers:
- 34 (2004, Atlanta Braves)
- 52 (2005 - mid-2007, Milwaukee Brewers)
- 41 (mid-2007 - 2008, Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies)
- 26 (2010, Hanhwa Eagles)
5. Playing Style and Characteristics
Capellán's primary weapon on the mound was his fastball, which was consistently clocked around 96 mph (155 km/h) (approximately 96 mph). In addition to his powerful four-seam fastball, his pitching repertoire included a slider and a changeup.
6. Death
José Francisco Capellán died at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 7, 2015, at the age of 34. The cause of death was a heart attack. His wife stated that he had been experiencing problems related to the drug Ambien, which is commonly prescribed for sleeping disorders.