Enrique Romo

{{Infobox baseball biography

|image=Enrique Romo 1978.jpg

|caption=Romo in 1978

|name=Enrique Romo

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1947|7|15}}

|birth_place=Santa Rosalía, Baja California Sur, Mexico

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 7

|debutyear=1977

|debutteam=Seattle Mariners

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 1

|finalyear=1982

|finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=44–33

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.45

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=436

|stat4label=Saves

|stat4value=52

|teams=

Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1978}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1979}}–{{mlby|1982}})

|highlights=

World Series champion ({{wsy|1979}})

| hofcolor= green

| hoflink= Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame

| hoftype= Mexican Professional

| hofdate= 2003

}}

Enrique Romo Navarro (born July 15, 1947) is a Mexican former professional baseball relief pitcher who played for the Seattle Mariners (1977–78) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1979–82). Romo batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Santa Rosalía, Baja California Sur, and is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors.

Career

In a six-season career, Romo posted a 44–33 record with a 3.45 ERA, 52 saves, and 436 strikeouts in 350 games pitched.

Romo pitched 11 seasons in Mexican baseball prior to making his major league debut for the Seattle Mariners in 1977 at the age of 29. In his rookie season, he led the Mariners with 16 saves.

He was acquired along with Tom McMillan and Rick Jones by the Pirates from the Mariners for Mario Mendoza, Odell Jones and Rafael Vásquez at the Winter Meetings on December 5, 1978.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X2FSAAAAIBAJ&pg=6691,4255858&dq "Falcone to Mets, Romo to Bucs," St. Petersburg (FL) Times, Wednesday, December 6, 1978.] Retrieved October 21, 2022. His most productive season came with the 1979 World Series Champions, with whom he had a 10–5 mark, a 2.99 ERA, career-highs in games (84) and innings (129.3), exclusively as a set-up man for closer Kent Tekulve. Romo also made two appearances in the World Series, won by Pittsburgh over the Baltimore Orioles in seven games. On October 1, 1980, he slugged a grand slam home run against the New York Mets.

In 1983, Romo failed to report to spring training, first indicating he would arrive late due to one of his children dealing with chicken pox,{{cite web|title=Right-handed relief pitcher Enrique Romo informed the Pittsburgh Pirates...|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/03/03/Right-handed-relief-pitcher-Enrique-Romo-informed-the-Pittsburgh-Pirates/8343415515600/|website=UPI|publisher=UPI|access-date=12 March 2017|language=en|date=3 March 1983}} and then later not attending at all, announcing the intention to join an unsanctioned league in Mexico.{{cite web|title=Phillies, Carlton strike a deal|url=http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn88074101/1983-03-04/ed-1/seq-16.pdf|website=nyshistoricnewspapers.org|publisher=Press-Republican|access-date=12 March 2017|date=4 March 1983}} Pittsburgh warned Romo that such a move would require them to fine him $500 for each day of camp that he missed; ultimately, Romo remained in Mexico.{{cite web|title=TALENTED EXPOS, CHANGED DODGERS COULD DOMINATE|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/03/sports/talented-expos-changed-dodgers-could-dominate.html?pagewanted=all|work=The New York Times|access-date=12 March 2017|date=3 April 1983}}

Legacy

Along with his brother Vicente, Romo is a member of the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2003.{{cite news|last1=Otero|first1=Salo|title=Three former Tecos to join Mexican League Hall of Fame|url=http://airwolf.lmtonline.com/sports/archive/071303/pageb1.pdf|newspaper=Laredo Morning Times|access-date=12 March 2017|date=13 July 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313041504/http://airwolf.lmtonline.com/sports/archive/071303/pageb1.pdf|archive-date=March 13, 2017|url-status=dead}} In 2010, the Romo brothers had their uniform numbers retired by Yaquis de Obregón of the Mexican Winter League.{{cite web|last1=Baskin|first1=Bruce|title=Baseball Mexico - OurSports Central|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/baseball-mexico/n-4110154|website=www.oursportscentral.com|access-date=12 March 2017|language=en|date=1 November 2010}} In 2015, Romo was announced as being part of the 2016 induction class of the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame.{{cite web|title=Orlando Hernandez, Jesse Orosco, Edgar Renteria, Ivan Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa & Omar Vizquel named to Latino Baseball Hall of Fame|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/latino-baseball-hall-of-fame-2016-inductee-class-announced/c-144501962|website=Major League Baseball|access-date=12 March 2017|date=21 August 2015}}