Mendoza Has Line on Success

Here’s a Mendoza Line that’s drawing attention for all the right reasons.

After losing his first game for the Boise Hawks, the Angels’ Class-A rookie team, right-hander Mario Mendoza Jr. has won six consecutive decisions.

His 6-1 record ranks among the Northwest League leaders in victories. Mendoza, 21, who signed with the Angels after turning down a scholarship to Arizona, has only been pitching three years after growing up in Mexico playing shortstop and third base.

“No one told me to pitch,” Mendoza said. “But I started relieving in high school. I started liking it. I found out I wanted to be more in control of the game. Playing in the infield sometimes you’d only get one ground ball. I wanted the ball in my hands more often.”

Before joining Boise this year, Mendoza played for Central Arizona College. He lost his first game, then won seven in a row. He finished 9-4. He helped Central Arizona reach the Junior College World Series but lost to Alabama Southern.

“I gave up three hits in nine innings,” Mendoza said. “But one of them was a two-run homer in the first inning and I lost 2-0.”

Mendoza has been around baseball all his life. His father, Mario Sr., was a major league shortstop for Pittsburgh, Seattle and Texas from 1974-82. He was a terrific fielder but not much of a hitter.

Mario Sr. became synonymous with futility at the plate. Hitters today talk about not going below “The Mendoza Line,” or the .215 career average Mario Sr. posted in nine major league seasons.

“I don’t pay attention anymore, but it used to make me mad when people brought it up,” Mendoza Jr. said. “If someone tried to make fun of him I’d ask them, ‘How many years did your father play in the majors?’

“His managers always said they didn’t care about how many hits he got, just how many hits could he take away from other teams.”