"The round man with the educated screwball is Luis Arroyo, baseball's best relief artist. He earned 15 victories in 1961, a record for an American League bullpen specialist, and had a 2.19 ERA.
The Puerto Rican craftsman kicked around at St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati before finding steady work at Yankee Stadium in 1960. Arroyo commands the game's top salary for "piece work." He has a 38-28 lifetime mark."
-Don Schiffer, The 1962 Major League Baseball Handbook
"This was the first spring since he entered professional baseball 14 years ago that Luis Arroyo felt secure. He knocked around the minors for a long time before he came up with the St. Louis Cardinals. From there he drifted back and forth between the minors and Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
The Yankees, needing relief help desperately late in 1960, bought Looie from Jersey City. Since then he has won 20 games, lost six. In his 65 relief appearances last year (an American League record for a southpaw), Arroyo was 15-5, saving 29 games and posting an amazing 2.19 earned run average. The graying Puerto Rican came to Whitey Ford's rescue 24 times, saving 13 games, winning five, losing one.
Despite his fine late-season performance in '60, Luis wasn't secure at spring training a year ago. He wasn't at all sure that American League hitters might not be catching up with him. Then he suffered a broken left wrist, the result of being hit by a line drive. But he came back to enjoy the most glorious year of his career, including selection on the American League All-Star team.
This year he knows Manager Ralph Houk is counting on him as his relief ace, but just to be sure, Luis is working on added pitches to supplement his famed screwball."
-The New York Yankees Official 1962 Yearbook
Pitched no-hit game against Dallas, winning 3-0, August 11, 1954.
Set American League record, most appearances by a left-handed pitcher (65), 1961.
Set American League record, most games finished by a left-handed pitcher (54), 1961.
Received Sporting News Fireman Award as top American League relief pitcher, 1961.
-1962 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"Much of the credit for the Yankees' success in 1961 belongs to their capable little relief specialist, Luis Arroyo. The 34-year-old veteran not only picked up 15 victories in 20 decisions but was responsible for saving more than twice that number of wins for New York starting pitchers.
The one-time National Leaguer was obtained by the Bombers during mid-season, 1960, from Jersey City of the International League for Zack Monroe.
In 29 games during the '60 campaign he replaced Ryne Duren as New York's chief bullpen artist, posted a 5-1 record, and had a fine 2.85 earned run average. Last summer, working 119 innings, Luis' ERA was 2.19. Only the fact that he didn't work the required 162 innings kept the stocky Puerto Rican from being the Junior Circuit's ERA king.
A fine control artist, Arroyo was first signed by the St. Louis Cardinal organization in 1948. He spent four seasons in the minors before going on the voluntarily retired list for the 1952 and 1953 seasons.
Luis returned to Organized Ball in '54 and in 1955, he made his big league debut with the Cards, posting an 11-8 mark. The Redbirds sent him to Omaha of the American Association in 1956 and eventually traded him to Pittsburgh. He was 3-3 with the Pirates before being sent down to Hollywood.
In 1957 Arroyo's mark with the Bucs was 3-11. They dispatched him to Columbus (IL) in 1958 and dealt him off to Cincinnati the following season. On the strength of his record at Columbus (10-3), Luis earned his third shot at the Senior Circuit. He won his lone decision with the Reds in 1959 but was once again sent down the International League.
With Cincy's Havana club, his record was 8-9; however, this doesn't tell the real story. His 1.15 ERA is more in keeping with the facts, and his total of 94 strikeouts against 15 walks and 117 innings shows just how well he toiled for the Sugar Kings.
In 1960 the Havana club shifted to Jersey City due to the internal tension on the island. Arroyo, who stands at 5'8 1/2" and hardly looks like a ball player [sic], was going along at a 9-7 pace (2.46 ERA) when Yankee scouts watched him working against the Bombers' Richmond farm club. They decided that the cigar-smoking vet could help the club and a trade was consummated.
The 190-pound southpaw helped his own cause last summer with some timely hitting, especially against the Boston Red Sox.
He was credited with victories over every club in the league except Baltimore, and was particularly effective against Detroit, winning four from the Bengals.
Arroyo picked up his first World Series win in the 1961 Classic, receiving credit for the decision in game No. 3.
New York's bullpen problems are nil with the Senor on hand. He's ready, willing and able to come in when the going is rough.
Luis, who is called Yo-Yo by his teammates, has one of the finest screwballs in the game. He's a family man, with five youngsters.
Last spring Luis had to make the club. This year he's got it made. Now all he has to do is continue to produce in the same fashion he has since coming to the Bronx, and another pennant is almost a certainty for the Yankees."
-The 1962 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
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