Joe Lovitto
From BR Bullpen
Joseph Lovitto Jr.
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
- Debut April 15, 1972
- Final Game September 16, 1975
- Born January 6, 1951 in San Pedro, CA USA
- Died May 19, 2001 in Arlington, TX USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Joe Lovitto played four seasons for the Texas Rangers, serving as the regular center fielder in 1972 and 1974.
Lovitto was the #2 pick in the first round of the 1969 draft. He moved his way up the minors, most notably hitting over .300 at two stops in 1971, Pittsfield and Denver. He made his major league debut in April of 1972.
As a rookie, Lovitto's manager on the 1972 Rangers was Ted Williams, who was in his last season as a major league manager. Lovitto was the same age as starting pitcher Don Stanhouse.
Lovitto hit .224 but the team average was .217.
He struggled at the major league level in 1973 and spent much of the season at Spokane, where he hit .279. In 1974 he came back to the Rangers as the regular center fielder, and had two new mates in the outfield - leftfielder Alex Johnson and rightfielder Jeff Burroughs.
In 1975 Lovitto played some center and some left, as the center field position was manned by quite a few players: Len Randle had 473 innings there, Dave Moates played 398 innings, the 35-year-old Willie Davis was there for 350 innings and Lovitto had 174 innings there.
After the 1975 he was traded to the New York Mets but they released him in March 1976. He was still only 25 but done with major league baseball.
He fought cancer for seven years before dying in 2001.
