Juan Berenguer
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Juan Bautista Berenguer (born November 30, 1954, in Aguadulce, Panama) was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and other teams. He was affectionately known as "Senor Smoke" by fans everywhere. He had a career record of 67 wins and 62 losses. He signed with the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1975.
Berenguer went 8-1 (3.94) for the 1987 World Champion Minnesota Twins and 8-4 (3.96) in 1988. Extremely wild as a youngster, he learned to harness his 90-plus-mph fastball, which he liked to throw inside, and added a forkball. His effectiveness was aided by his intimidating appearance and disposition. A mean-looking, husky Panamanian with long hair and a mustache, he was called "Pancho Villa" by his teammates.
Berenguer suffered one of the oddest off-field injuries while pitching for Atlanta in 1991. On an off day, while he was home wrestling with his kids, he broke his pitching arm and ended up missing the remainder of the season, also missing out on the Braves' Cinderella run to the World Series that year.
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Categories: 1980s baseball pitcher stubs | Panamanian people stubs | 1954 births | Living people | New York Mets players | Kansas City Royals players | Toronto Blue Jays players | Detroit Tigers players | Minnesota Twins players | San Francisco Giants players | Atlanta Braves players | Major league pitchers | Panamanian baseball players